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.
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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.
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The dinosaur Archaeopteryx is widely regarded as one of the earliest ancestors of modern birds, but the question of whether or not it could actively fly has been debated for decades. Now, scientists have taken X-ray scans of fossil specimens, and concluded that the answer is yes – sort of.
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Not only is spring springing earlier, but how early depends on how far from the equator you are, according to a new study. Spring arrives four days earlier for every 10 degrees north you may find yourself, which is about three times the variation previously thought.
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Humans can sustain a concussion from a force as low as 60 G’s. But the humble woodpecker inflicts forces of over 1,000 G’s on itself regularly, so how does it protect itself from brain damage? According to a new study, it doesn’t.
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Longline fisheries may catch a lot of fish, but they also catch seabirds such as albatross. Several years ago, a group of conservationists began work on a product designed to keep the birds from getting caught. It's known as the Hookpod, and a recent study has concluded that it really works.
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The pre-historic world was full of strange creatures. Now, palaeontologists have uncovered a bizarre new species of dinosaur that seems to blend together a swan, a penguin, a crocodile and a Velociraptor.
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Reconstructing dinosaurs from bones takes imagination. Based on the study of exceptionally-preserved feathers from Anchiornis, a bird-like dinosaur that seems to be a “rough draft” of avian flight, a new image may just be the most accurate depiction of any dinosaur to date.
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Ravens have something of a famous memory, having shown an ability to recall people who have wronged them in the past. But can they turn their mind to the future? New research suggests that indeed they can, finding that these brainy birds' ability to plan ahead is on par with humans and great apes.
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A study by an international group of zoologists has, for the first time, documented praying mantises killing and eating small birds, and revealed this is happening all over the world.
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