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About Birds

A male Anna's Hummingbird perches on a red hummingbird feeder.
This Hummingbird Rapidly Evolved a Longer Beak to Slurp More Nectar from Feeders, New Study Finds
May 29, 2025 — The 20th century expansion of nectar feeders drove Anna鈥檚 Hummingbirds to spread across California鈥攁nd transformed the birds along the way.
Bird Science
A male Ruby-throated Hummingbird with a bright red gorget perches at a hummingbird feeder.
10 Fun Facts About the Ruby-throated Hummingbird
May 22, 2025 — Meet the spirited sprites whose feats are as dazzling as their feathers
Bird Questions and Facts
An Osprey flies holding grass in its talons.
The World鈥檚 Oldest Known Osprey Is an Online Sensation鈥攁nd a Living Indicator of Watershed Health
May 19, 2025 — At 29, Iris the Osprey has outlived the odds to become a cherished internet star whose brood of offspring is helping track river health in Montana.
Bird News
A yellow bird with a white ring around its eye perches on a branch.
This Non-Native Songbird Is Taking Over California鈥擶ill the Rest of the Country Be Next?
May 06, 2025 — The Swinhoe鈥檚 White-eye鈥攁 small yellow bird native to Asia鈥攈as rapidly spread throughout the state and beyond in the past decade, surprising birders and experts alike.
Bird News
Shorebird feeding in mud
Let Them Eat Mud: How Biofilm Can Change Shorebird Conservation
May 05, 2025 — And how the biofilm 鈥渇ilm鈥 documents this scientific breakthrough for Western Sandpipers while highlighting a dangerous development project on a crucial stopover site.
ALASKA Bird Science
Flock of shorebirds
Your 2025 World Migratory Bird Day Celebration Kit!
May 05, 2025 — This post is full of stories about Alaska birds, where they are celebrated, and how science can save them, plus a talking Aleutian Tern.
ALASKA Bird Migration
A plain, gray bird perches on a thin, curvy branch.
Researchers Favor Beautiful, Colorful Birds in Scientific Studies, New Analysis Finds
April 25, 2025 — A review of 50 years of ornithological literature revealed a strong bias for familiar, visually appealing species over avians with drabber features. Here's why that's worrisome for conservation.
Conservation News
Clear liquid trickles out of a hummingbird hovering in midair.
Do Birds Pee? Hummingbirds Do鈥攁 Lot
April 23, 2025 — Unlike most other avians, hummers urinate in a stream much like mammals, releasing liquid waste often and out of necessity.
Bird Questions and Facts
A dock with birds on it in a lake with people on a walkway behind
Spotting Banded Black Skimmers in an Unusual Winter Location
April 04, 2025 — The skimmers recorded in North Central Florida are migrants from northeastern states.
FLORIDA Bird Migration