Science

How a Common Street Bird Could Coach Doctors Against a Bad Diagnosis
March 21, 2019 — Psychologist Edward Wasserman’s work with pigeon perception may lead to new strategies for detecting cancer and heart disease.
Medical Mysteries
How Birds Are Helping Scientists Reimagine a Feathered T. Rex
March 12, 2019 — New insights about the predator's brains, speed, and appearance are being discovered by comparing fossilized dinosaurs to their living relatives.
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For All Their Splendor, We Still Know Little About Painted Bunting Migration
March 08, 2019 — A research project using geolocators aims to help scientists better understand where the birds overwinter and recent population declines.
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Better Know a Bird: How Harris’s Hawks Hunt Like Wolves to Bring Down Prey
March 05, 2019 — Teaming up helps these agile raptors take on animals twice their size. But we’re still not sure why they stand on each other.
Better Know a Bird
Dark-eyed Juncos, Backyard Gems, Come in a Dazzling Array of Colors
March 01, 2019 — The six flavors of junco were long considered separate species. Recent science shows that they instead boldly exhibit evolution in real time.
ID Tips
Migrating Birds May Be Spreading an Invasive Pest That Decimates Forests
February 20, 2019 — The hemlock woolly adelgid is moving north, and feathers could be providing the perfect ride, experiments show.
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Hummingbirds Shake Their Tail Feathers to Generate High-Pitched Sounds
February 15, 2019 — Some male hummingbirds have special feathers that audibly vibrate as they zoom around to impress females. Listen here.
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Endangered Kirtland’s Warbler Makes Unexpected Debut in Jamaica
February 15, 2019 — Scientists aren't sure whether the appearance is a range expansion or a migration mishap. Either way, it's a sign of the species' recovery.
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10 Outrageous Ways Birds Dance to Impress Their Mates
February 14, 2019 — Nature has way better moves than the Funky Chicken.
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The Secret Lives of Black Rails, and the Scientists Who Seek Them
February 13, 2019 — Deep in Louisiana marshes, the Black Rail is a master of stealth. Now a tactical team is shining a light on the species, with hopes to demystify its behavior and win it protections.
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