New Atlas

Drones Audio available

Nest-site-spotting drones may be a nightjar's best friend

Ben Coxworth December 18, 2018

The European nightjar is a protected species in the UK, so when forestry or construction work is planned to take place in their habitat, ecologists first need to check for nesting sites. A new study suggests that drones could make the task much easier, and do a better job at spotting the birds.

The European nightjar, which blends in nicely with its surroundings

Science Audio available

Fluffy pterosaurs push evolution of feathered friends back 70 million years

Michael Irving December 17, 2018

A new study paints pterosaurs as far cuddlier creatures than we might have thought. According to an international team of palaeontologists, pterosaurs were covered in no less than four different types of feathers, pushing back the origin of this bodily covering by about 70 million years.

An artist's reconstruction of a feathered pterosaur

Science Audio available

RFID tech may tell us if hummingbird feeders are really a good idea

Ben Coxworth December 14, 2018

While it's kind of people to set up hummingbird feeders in their back yards, some scientists are wondering if the practise may be causing more harm than good. In an effort to better understand the issue, researchers equipped a group of the birds with tags that were read by devices at feeders.

A male Anna's hummingbird, which is commonly found along the California coast

Biology

Biggest-ever bird may have been a real night-owl – and was possibly blind

Ben Coxworth October 31, 2018

As far as we know, the largest bird of all time was the now-extinct elephant bird. The flightless animal stood over 10 feet tall (3 m), and was native to Madagascar. Little is known about how it lived, although new research indicates that it was likely nocturnal, and had little if any eyesight.

An elephant bird skull, which apparently didn't have much room for an optic lobe

Biology

Scientists witness crows building tools from various parts for the first time

Nick Lavars October 25, 2018

Crows and their close relatives ravens are known to be quite intelligent. New research has now uncovered a previously unknown ability, with crows being observed building tools from multiple parts for the first time ever.

Birds of the corvid family are known to be smart, but scientists have now uncovered a ...

Science

Black circles keep birds of prey away from planes

Ben Coxworth October 12, 2018

When birds collide with airplanes that are taking off or landing, the results can be catastrophic. And while there are deterrent systems that do work on some birds, they're not effective with raptors (aka birds of prey). According to new research, however, an optical illusion may do the trick.

One of the LED boards, at the Lourdes-Tarbes-Pyrénées Airport

Biology

Plasticine caterpillars show how birds could protect crops

Ben Coxworth August 15, 2018

Although the scent of freshly-cut grass may SEEM nice, what you're actually smelling is a distress signal. Thanks to a recent-conducted study, scientists from the University of Delaware now believe that such signals could be used to summon insect-eating birds to valuable crops.

Some of the plasticine caterpillars used in the study

Environment

LEDs cut seabird death toll from fishing by 85 percent

Ben Coxworth July 11, 2018

According to the University of Exeter, an estimated 400,000 diving seabirds die annually by getting caught in gill nets intended to catch fish. A new study indicates that the majority of those deaths could be avoided, however, if the nets were to be equipped with inexpensive green LEDs.

Science

Nature's first known beak belonged to this dinosaur

James Holloway May 3, 2018

Scientists have pieced together what they think is the first bird beak ever to have evolved. It belongs to Ichthyornis dispar, which lived in North America nearly 100 million years ago. It's thought that its beak evolved as a surrogate hand to compensate for its forelimbs having evolved into wings.

Scientists think that the beak of Ichthyornis dispar evolved as a surrogate hand

Science

System could detect – and prevent – eagle strikes on wind turbines

Ben Coxworth March 20, 2018

It's a shame when any bird is killed by colliding with the blades of a wind turbine, but it's particularly sad when that bird is a protected species. With that in mind, scientists are developing technology that could deter eagles away from turbines, and detect when they hit the blades.

According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, there are roughly 143,000 bald eagles and 40,000 ...