Topics Explore Birds About Birds

Bird Science

What鈥檚 a Northern Cardinal Doing at a Pile of Deer Guts? Chowing Down.
March 02, 2026 — A research project enlisting hunters as partners has revealed that the roll call of birds willing to feast on some organ meat is surprisingly diverse.
Two Pine Siskins perch on a bird feeder eating nyjer seeds.
The Surprising Connection Between Spruce Trees, Pine Siskins, and Salmonella Outbreaks
February 20, 2026 — New research linking climate, conifer seed production, and siskin irruptions could provide an early warning system for dangerous salmonella outbreaks at bird feeders and among people.
Close view of a hawk with avocado bits on its open beak.
Red-shouldered Hawks With a Taste for Avocado Join a Growing List of Fruit-Eating Raptors
February 05, 2026 — Until now the behavior had been undocumented in the species, but recent research has revealed that more birds of prey consume plants than we realized.
Bird Behavior
A Mallard walks along the frozen surface of icy water.
How Birds Keep Their Feet From Freezing in Frigid Temperatures
January 26, 2026 — Ever wonder how ducks can stand on ice for hours? The key is this clever physiological adaptation.
Mark Hauber inspects a nest in a tree using a telescopic mirror.
Got Beef With Cowbirds? This Researcher Wants to Change Your Mind
January 15, 2026 — The brood parasites get a bad rap for making other birds raise their young, but study by study, Mark Hauber and his 鈥淐owbird Lab鈥 have revealed a species worthy of respect.
A macaw eating a green chili pepper its holding in its claw.
Hot Take鈥擲eems 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.
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鈥檛 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
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.
A person's hands sort through small bones and bits of fur with a toothpick on a white surface.
Where Do Owl Pellets Actually Come From? Inside the Unusual Business of Bird Barf
December 02, 2025 — From roost to retail, a network of field scouts and suppliers collect and process the regurgitated balls of bones that students dissect in science classrooms across the country.
Flock of seabirds in water
When Ships Meet Seabirds: Mapping Risk in Alaska鈥檚 Waters
October 08, 2025 — Alaska鈥檚 seas are becoming increasingly busy highways for vessels, posing growing risks for seabirds during one of their most vulnerable times鈥攆all migration.
ALASKA Coasts and Oceans