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About Birds

A macaw eating a green chili pepper its holding in its claw.
Hot Take—Seems Like Birds Can Taste Spice After All
December 23, 2025 — Peppers in the wild grow only so spicy, and new research suggests that may be to satisfy avian palates.
Bird Science
Two owl chicks sit in a nest as their much larger mother, with a rodent in her beak, comes in for a landing atop a broken tree snag.
Dead Trees Support a Bounty of Birdlife, but Preserving Them Isn’t Always Clear Cut
December 18, 2025 — By studying Great Gray Owls, scientists hope to help more people see that snags offer vital habitat.
Conservation News
Red-winged Blackbird
History of the Land
December 18, 2025 — Trinity River ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Center History
TEXAS Get Involved
Get to Know the Ancient Birds That Lived During the Age of Dinosaurs
December 18, 2025 — Tens of millions of years ago, a diverse array of bird species soared, swam, and thrived amid their scaly reptile cousins—and set the stage for modern birdlife.
Dino Birds
3 Ways Street-Smart Birds Hacked Human Infrastructure in 2025
December 17, 2025 — Recent studies have uncovered some of the clever ways our avian neighbors are making the most of the urban environment.
Bird Behavior
With a lab coat and gloves on Maria Ortega inspects multiple trays of nest materials in her lab.
Scientists Are Now Finding Microplastics in Backyard Birds
December 17, 2025 — The tiny particles are widespread in waterbirds around the world. New research is finding them in neighborhood songbirds, too.
Bird Science
A flock of Snow Buntings camouflaged in white plumage fly over a snowy field.
Farm Fields Hold a Wonderful Winter Secret: Visiting Arctic Songbirds
December 17, 2025 — Need a nudge to get outdoors when the mercury drops? Take inspiration from these hardy travelers and hit some backroads for a comfy birding adventure.
Birding Advice
Great Kiskadee
The Importance of Birding for the Eco-Tourism Economy in San Antonio
December 17, 2025 — Nature tourism in San Antonio is an economic opportunity in which we are finally investing.
TEXAS Birds and History
Brown Pelican
Brown Pelican Removed from Endangered Species List
December 17, 2025 — Nearly 40 years after it was pushed to the edge of extinction by pesticide use, habitat loss and hunting, the brown pelican was taken off the endangered species list.
TEXAS Coastal Resilience
An Unexpected Baby Boom Is Bringing Snowy Owls South This Winter
December 16, 2025 — A nonprofit science group has discovered a great deal about the species over the past decade, but the irruption shows that Snowies still have the power to surprise.
Bird News