Birds (class Aves) are a clade of endothermic, egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, a lightweight but strong skeleton with pneumatic bones, and forelimbs modified as wings. They possess a highly efficient respiratory system with air sacs and unidirectional airflow, a four-chambered heart, and high metabolic rates supporting sustained activity and, in most species, powered flight. Reproduction is oviparous with hard-shelled, calcium-rich eggs and extensive parental care. Birds exhibit diverse morphologies and ecological strategies, yet share key synapomorphies such as feathers and a furcula, reflecting their origin within theropod dinosaurs.
An international group of scientists mapped the spread of the current dominant strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus through North American bird populations in 2024. Led by scientists from St. Jude Children's ...
Molecular & Computational biology
2 hours ago
0
0
High in the forests of Hawai'i, songbirds are stealing twigs and moss from one another's nests. UC Riverside researchers found this quiet canopy crime is surprisingly common and could threaten species already struggling to ...
Plants & Animals
3 hours ago
0
1
In 1902, British explorer Robert Falcon Scott spotted a large group of large black and white birds at Ross Island, Antarctica. This was among the many milestones of Scott's famous Discovery expedition: the first breeding ...
Plants & Animals
5 hours ago
0
2
Animal communication can look wildly different—flashing lights, chirping calls, croaking songs and elaborate dances. But new research from Northwestern University suggests many of these signals share a surprising feature: ...
Ecology
10 hours ago
0
31
Two unrelated groups of nectar eaters, hummingbirds and sunbirds, have evolved different techniques to slurp the sweet liquid from flowers. The tongue suctioning employed by sunbirds is unique among vertebrates, according ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 13, 2026
0
16
Ecologists have long seen a strong connection between biodiversity and pollinators—the butterflies, birds, bats, bees, and other insects that help the flowers they snack on fertilize by transferring pollen from male anthers ...
Ecology
Apr 13, 2026
0
14
Living with friends may quietly be altering your gut bacteria, according to a new study from the University of East Anglia. Research on a colony of tiny island birds reveals they share more of their gut bacteria with the ...
Ecology
Apr 10, 2026
0
21
The emperor penguin has been declared an endangered species as climate change pushes the icon of Antarctica a step closer to extinction, the global authority on threatened wildlife announced on Thursday.
Plants & Animals
Apr 9, 2026
0
16
Some 39 Australian mammals have gone extinct since Australia was colonized in 1788.
Plants & Animals
Apr 8, 2026
0
17
The urban monkeys in New Delhi are so bold they'll steal the lunch right off your plate. If you've spent time in New York, you've probably seen squirrels try to do the same. Sydney's white ibises got the nickname "bin chickens" ...
Ecology
Apr 8, 2026
0
11
