About Birds

A male Northern Cardinal perched on a branch, singing.

Birds Build Their Songs Using Just Eight Musical Elements, Study Finds

July 23, 2026 — A new analysis reveals that songbirds across the world mix and match the same whistles, trills, and other acoustic motifs to create their diverse tunes.

Bird Science

A Great Horned Owl chick snuggling up to its parent on their nest.

10 Fun Facts About the Great Horned Owl

July 21, 2026 — Fearsome hunters, doting parents, eager breeders—it's easy to give a hoot about these birds.

Bird Questions and Facts

A Pileated Woodpecker sticks its head out of a hole in a fungus-covered tree., throwing bits of bark from its beak.

Wait—Do Woodpeckers Kill Trees?

July 16, 2026 — The charismatic chiselers are built to chip away bark and hollow out holes. Here's why this behavior isn't typically harmful to a tree and can even be beneficial.

Bird Questions and Facts

Ode to the Yellow-breasted Chat

July 09, 2026 — A glimpse into a bird with an endless song

SOUTHWEST Bird News

A male Painted Bunting perched in a field of purple thistle flowers looks head on at the camera.

10 Fun Facts About the Painted Bunting

June 25, 2026 — Yes, they're real—and they're spectacular.

Bird Questions and Facts

A large open field, made up of brown, dormant wild grass.

In Alabama’s Black Belt, Scientists Are Banding Birds In Rare Patches of Prairie to Aid Restoration Efforts

June 25, 2026 — Most of the South’s historic prairie is lost. Alabama ̽��ѡ is researching how birds use what remains—and how to piece together more grassland habitat.

Conservation News

Illustration of two people looking out at birds flying.

These 5 Research Projects Show How AI Is Revolutionizing Bird Conservation

June 24, 2026 — Scientists are using artificial intelligence to analyze troves of images and audio, gaining unprecedented insight into the lives of birds and how to more effectively protect them.

Bird Science