Most bird species are slow to change their tune, preferring to stick with tried-and-true songs to defend territories and attract females. Now, with the help of citizen scientists, researchers have tracked how one rare sparrow ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 2, 2020
0
606
Backyard bird feeders may ruffle some feathers, attracting aggressive breeds like house sparrows and doves while discouraging native species that eat insects and nectar, researchers said Monday.
Plants & Animals
May 4, 2015
7
864
Reproduction at old age involves risks that may impact one's own life and may impose reduced biological fitness on the offspring. Such evidence, previously obtained in humans and other taxa under laboratory conditions, has ...
Evolution
Mar 9, 2015
0
14
Cigarette butts are widely reviled as an urban nuisance but birds in Mexico City see them as a boon, apparently using them to deter parasites from their nests, scientists say.
Plants & Animals
Dec 5, 2012
17
0
For the past five years there has been a growing movement to recognise March 20 as World Sparrow Day – a day to celebrate the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) with art, poems, stories and events like office parties and ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 20, 2015
0
270
It's been known for decades that animals such as chimpanzees seek out medicinal herbs to treat their diseases. But in recent years, the list of animal pharmacists has grown much longer, and it now appears that the practice ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 11, 2013
0
0
Many birds have reason to worry that the eggs in their nest might not be their own: birds often deposit eggs into other nests and it is not easy for parents to tell their eggs from others. Researchers at the University of ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 10, 2013
1
0
Scientists studying winter flocks of golden-crowned sparrows at the UC Santa Cruz Arboretum have discovered surprisingly complex social behavior in these small migratory birds. A new study reveals that the sparrows have different ...
Ecology
Jul 25, 2018
0
71
Few singers reach their sunset years with the same voice they had in younger days. Singing sparrows are no different. Duke University-led research reveals that elderly swamp sparrows don't sound quite like they used to—nor ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 18, 2020
0
175
(PhysOrg.com) -- In many bird species males have a more elaborate plumage than females. This elaborate plumage is often used to signal body condition, to intimidate rivals or to attract potential mates. In many cases plumage ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 21, 2011
0
0
