Ornithology is the branch of biological sciences devoted to the systematic study of birds, encompassing their taxonomy, morphology, physiology, behavior, ecology, and evolution. It integrates field-based observational methods (e.g., banding, telemetry, acoustic monitoring) with laboratory approaches such as molecular genetics, stable isotope analysis, and comparative physiology to investigate avian systematics, migration, life histories, and population dynamics. Ornithological research contributes to broader disciplines including evolutionary biology, biogeography, neuroethology, and conservation biology, where birds serve as model organisms for testing ecological and evolutionary theory, assessing environmental change, and informing evidence-based management of species and habitats.
Birds are known for their distinctive plumage that helps them attract mates during the breeding season. For some birds, the path to adulthood is quite linear. One day they are chicks, and a few months later they are fully ...
American woodcock, short, plump shorebirds with long, thin beaks, are widely known for their bobbing stride and nasally "peent" calls, but not for being aggressive. Yet one April afternoon, when a deer sniffed around a woodcock ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 1, 2026
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Natural historians have many observational techniques in their toolkit for learning about the natural world: tagging animals with tracking devices, recording sounds, analyzing droppings or simply watching and counting. As ...
Trauma from vehicle collisions caused the majority of documented deaths for the Pueo (Hawaiian short-eared owl), according to a statewide study led by researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The findings represent ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 29, 2026
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Red-tailed hawks can compensate for feather loss during molt by subtly changing their wing and tail movements, according to a new study by University of California, Davis, researchers in the College of Engineering and the ...
Ecology
Jun 29, 2026
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White barn owls are effective killing machines. They fly silently through the night air and swoop down on unsuspecting prey with their sharp talons. But they have something you would think goes against being a stealth predator: ...
A new genomic study by researchers from the HKU School of Biological Sciences (SBS) has found that Hong Kong's introduced population of yellow-crested cockatoos retains unexpectedly high genetic diversity and could serve ...
Ecology
Jun 22, 2026
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Drones and artificial intelligence could provide valuable information to guide efforts to slow the alarming extinction rate of birds across the globe, research from The University of Queensland has found.
Plants & Animals
Jun 22, 2026
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Animal pairs engage in mutual signaling by simultaneously performing a diverse repertoire of behaviors. A famous example is the sophisticated dance (mutual displays) performed by bird pairs.
Plants & Animals
Jun 20, 2026
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When pigeons are flying through the air, they lock their eyes in a near-fixed position instead of moving them around. Researchers from Harvard University discovered this after attaching a lightweight rig of cameras and mirrors ...
