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.
The sound of tawny owls makes young European robins eat less during their southward migration. A new study from Lund University in Sweden shows how the threat from nocturnal predators affects the birds' behavior—and by extension, ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 22, 2025
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27
Zebra finches have a more complex way of communicating than previously thought. A new study published in the journal Science found that the sociable songbird does not just recognize and organize different calls based on how ...
Fossil remains of a large, now-extinct bird species have been discovered in Australia's Boodjamulla National Park.
Paleontology & Fossils
Sep 20, 2025
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341
Biologists at The University of Texas at Austin, who have reported discovering a bird that's the natural result of a green jay and a blue jay's mating, say it may be among the first examples of a hybrid animal that exists ...
Evolution
Sep 18, 2025
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As I walked along Bolivar Flats, just across from Galveston Island in Texas, I watched flocks of sanderlings forage along the frothy wavefront as it surged and retreated. Nearby, Caspian terns, American avocets, and black ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 18, 2025
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23
How did the ostrich cross the ocean? It may sound like a joke, but scientists have long been puzzled by how the family of birds that includes African ostriches, Australian emus and cassowaries, New Zealand kiwis and South ...
Evolution
Sep 17, 2025
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115
Today, the National Audubon Society announced the publication of a new study in Scientific Reports that identifies places in the continental United States where conservation efforts would provide a triple benefit to protect ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 16, 2025
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61
A new study published today in the journal Biological Conservation finds that different communication approaches can influence whether people take action to prevent birds from colliding with windows, a leading cause of bird ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 16, 2025
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21
Birds that are active during the day sing later into the night in places with significant light pollution, according to research by a Southern Illinois University Carbondale professor and his colleague.
Plants & Animals
Aug 21, 2025
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53
It's beautiful, ethereal: When we hear the sound of the Swainson's thrush in the Pacific Northwest's woods, we know our summer is truly here. Our bird is back, with its signature song gracing our long, summer twilights.
Plants & Animals
Aug 21, 2025
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