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Bird Science

Rare Yellow Penguin Bewilders Scientists
March 03, 2021 — After photos of the striking King Penguin went viral in recent weeks, experts have been searching for answers.
Bird Feathers and Colors
Roxie Laybourne studies specimens from the Birds Collection at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., in 1992. Chip Clark/Division of Birds, NMNH, Smithsonian Institution
The Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne
October 05, 2020 — From deep within the Smithsonian, the world’s first forensic ornithologist cracked cases, busted criminals, and changed the course of aviation—making the skies safer for us all.
Profiles
These Masters of the Sky Can Fly for Hours (or Days) While Barely Flapping
September 04, 2020 — Seven extraordinary examples of birds that figured out how to let the wind do the work for them.
How a White-throated Sparrow's New Tune Went Viral
July 02, 2020 — A modified dialect of male song began in a local population in western Canada and, in two decades, traveled to birds more than 1,800 miles away.
Bird Songs and Calls
Hot, Bothered, and Parasite-free: Why Birds Sun Themselves
February 27, 2020 — Avian sunbathing has mystified ornithologists for decades, but some recent research is confirming an old suspicion that the behavior helps fend off lice.
Bird Behavior
Listen to the Loudest Bird Ever Recorded
October 21, 2019 — For female White Bellbirds, hearing a suitor's mating call is like putting her head in the speaker at a rock concert, a new study shows.
What's Up With the Weird Mouths of These Finch Chicks?
January 08, 2019 — Coming in many shapes, colors, and sizes, strange mouth markings might aid in chick survival.
Bird Questions and Facts
How Well Do We Really Know Cardinals?
December 20, 2018 — New research provides support for splitting the Northern Cardinal into multiple species.
7 Hummingbirds That Wear Pants With Flair (Plus One Bonus)
December 14, 2018 — Meet the "puffleg” birds of the Latin American tropics, covered in feathers all the way down.
Shrikes Have an Absolutely Brutal Way of Killing Large Prey
September 06, 2018 — Famous for impaling their victims, these songbirds first use a special maneuver to break the necks of small rodents.
Bird Behavior