Topics Explore Birds About Birds

Bird Science

6 Unexpected Ways Birds Are Important for the Environment (and People)
December 17, 2021 — Birds play countless roles in healthy ecosystems—which is why preserving bird diversity helps everyone.
Bird Questions and Facts
Warmer Oceans Raise the ‘Divorce’ Rate Among Typically Loyal Albatross Pairs
November 24, 2021 — A new study of Black-browed Albatrosses provides a reminder that climate change can affect birds in unexpected ways.
Ask Kenn: What’s Up With Bird Color Morphs and Phases?
November 24, 2021 — In some species, many adults wear different color patterns from others. Kenn Kaufman explains the phenomenon, and the lingo to describe it.
Bird Questions and Facts
Scientists Still Searching for the Pathogen Behind the East's Songbird Epidemic
July 08, 2021 — In a new report, experts ruled out a range of causes, but they still recommend taking down feeders until the source of the disease is identified.
Conservation News
Five Incredible Ways Birds Change Their Bodies for Spring and Fall Migration
April 09, 2021 — To power perilous journeys, birds undergo extreme feats like doubling their body weight and rearranging or even consuming their internal organs.
Bird Migration
Do Yourself a Favor This Spring: Go See the American Woodcock’s ‘Sky Dance’
March 26, 2021 — Timberdoodles have one of the wildest mating rituals among North American birds, and you should definitely check it out. Here’s how.
Birding Advice
Rare Yellow Penguin Bewilders Scientists
March 03, 2021 — After photos of the striking King Penguin went viral in recent weeks, experts have been searching for answers.
Bird Feathers and Colors
Roxie Laybourne studies specimens from the Birds Collection at the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., in 1992. Chip Clark/Division of Birds, NMNH, Smithsonian Institution
The Remarkable Life of Roxie Laybourne
October 05, 2020 — From deep within the Smithsonian, the world’s first forensic ornithologist cracked cases, busted criminals, and changed the course of aviation—making the skies safer for us all.
Profiles
How a White-throated Sparrow's New Tune Went Viral
July 02, 2020 — A modified dialect of male song began in a local population in western Canada and, in two decades, traveled to birds more than 1,800 miles away.
Bird Songs and Calls
Hot, Bothered, and Parasite-free: Why Birds Sun Themselves
February 27, 2020 — Avian sunbathing has mystified ornithologists for decades, but some recent research is confirming an old suspicion that the behavior helps fend off lice.
Bird Behavior