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.
The increasingly urban lifestyles of seagulls in the UK and around Europe has made them experts at grabbing food from unsuspecting outdoor diners. Herring gulls in particular are gaining a reputation for food theft in seaside ...
Ecology
Mar 21, 2026
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Animals do all sorts of things to attract each other as potential mates. Many birds, for example, produce feathers with elaborate color patterns—from the iridescent plumage of many hummingbirds to the famously brilliant tail ...
Evolution
Mar 20, 2026
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A comprehensive study has revealed substantial declines in many of South Africa's birds of prey (raptors) over the past 16 years, raising fresh concerns about the conservation status of several iconic and threatened species. ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 20, 2026
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Hungry gulls do not only steal our chips and sandwiches. They learn our habits, and look for reliable sources of food. That includes waste treatment centers, landfill or anywhere food waste is concentrated. Many gull populations ...
Ecology
Mar 19, 2026
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Milkweed has found a new strategy in its epic evolutionary battle with monarch butterflies: upgrading its toxins to outmaneuver the monarch's resistance. In a new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy ...
Evolution
Mar 19, 2026
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Scientists have discovered mosquitoes can act like tiny "flying wildlife surveyors," helping researchers detect elusive and endangered animals in Australia's national parks. A team from Macquarie University and the Department ...
Ecology
Mar 19, 2026
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Recent data showing an increase in lead exposure and deaths among critically endangered California condors seems to fly in the face of decades of conservation measures, including bans on lead bullets and public-education ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 18, 2026
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A previously unknown species of leaf warbler has been discovered in Japan. The Ijima's Leaf Warbler has proven to be two different species, not just one. Every year, a few new bird species are identified around the world. ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 17, 2026
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Since the 1970s, the U.S. has lost billions of birds. We now know that those losses aren't just growing—they are accelerating in places with intensive human activity, particularly where agriculture and expanding communities ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 14, 2026
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Every animal carries a microscopic community of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that play a critical role in health. These gut microbes help regulate the immune system, support digestion, and even influence how animals ...
Ecology
Mar 13, 2026
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