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.
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 ...
For humans, death is surrounded by culture, emotion, ritual and language. But the question can be framed in a much more basic way: What would an animal have to understand in order to recognize that someone has died?
Plants & Animals
Jun 16, 2026
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Female chickadees living in monogamous mating systems will proactively seek out males that have better cognitive skills than their nest mate, according to new findings.
Evolution
Jun 16, 2026
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Darin McNeil, Ph.D., an assistant professor of wildlife management in the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, is partnering with the University of Pittsburgh and others to help ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 15, 2026
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Researchers at Cornell Lab of Ornithology, University of Massachusetts and University of Illinois have developed breakthrough methods to track the migration of individual bird species by combining participatory science data ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 10, 2026
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Lesser black-backed gulls from the colony on the Dutch island of Neeltje Jans appear to avoid the wind farm off the Zeeland coast, with the exception of some males. NIOZ ecologist Rosemarie Kentie and her colleagues suspected ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 9, 2026
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