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.
Thousands of endangered species in British Columbia are not receiving the help they need to survive, according to new Simon Fraser University research. B.C. is Canada's most biodiverse province, but analysis of nearly 20 ...
Ecology
Apr 1, 2026
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There is a closing 20-year window in which decisions on climate and land use will determine the fate of dozens of native birds, butterflies and plants across Great Britain, which is already one of the most nature-depleted ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 31, 2026
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The UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) on Sunday approved the listing of 40 new species for international protection, including the snowy owl featured in the Harry Potter saga.
Plants & Animals
Mar 30, 2026
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In 2014, Felicity Newell joined the Florida Museum of Natural History as a doctoral student, then promptly left the country in search of a tropical spring. It's a concept she started thinking about while doing biological ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 27, 2026
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312
The Galapagos Islands are famous for the discoveries that shaped Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. Now an SFSU graduate has added one more: Ezra Mendales (M.S., '23) describes a new species as part of his master's thesis. ...
Evolution
Mar 26, 2026
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113
As bees and hummingbirds flit from flower to flower, greedily sipping nectar in exchange for pollination, the animals often get another treat: alcohol. In the first broad analysis of the alcohol content of flower nectars, ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 25, 2026
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To protect the vulnerable biodiversity of the Arctic, researchers from the University of Alberta and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (SDZWA) have identified a new conservation strategy in western Hudson Bay: using polar bears ...
Ecology
Mar 25, 2026
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Urban stormwater ponds provide important habitats for birds, including both resident and migrating species, according to research led by the University of Toronto. For the study, researchers placed audio recorders at 16 stormwater ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 24, 2026
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New research from the Shorebird Science and Conservation Collective at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI), published in the journal Conservation Biology, provides a model for big data ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 23, 2026
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25
As human-caused climate change continues to raise temperatures across the globe, understanding how birds regulate their temperature is vital for their conservation. But how much heat birds emit—an invisible spectrum of radiation ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 22, 2026
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