Birds

In order to stay warm on frigid winter days, small birds may do more than just fluff up their feathers. According to new research, they're actually able to make their blood run hotter, creating a sort of central heating system.

Australian paleontologists have examined the brain cases of extinct flightless birds in the dromornithidae family – including some of the largest birds that ever existed – and found that they represented some weird evolutionary experiments.

Paleontologists have discovered a new species of dinosaur that’s a real show-off. Ubirajara jubatus is a small creature found with strange spikes sticking out of its shoulders, which scientists speculate were used as ornaments, like a peacock’s tail.

By getting up close and personal with the intricate mechanics of bird flight, scientists continue to unlock secrets that can aid in their pursuit of advanced aerodynamics, and that may include aircraft that generate a lot less noise.

Of all the things that merit a high-tech makeover, you would think that the humble bird-nesting box didn't need one. A new 3D-printed version, however, could go a long way towards restoring threatened species in the Australian wilderness.

By observing a barn owl in flight as it contended with strong winds, scientists have discovered how its wings can act as a suspension system to absorb the forces in mid-air, lessons they hope to apply to the development of small-scale aircraft.

Debate is raging about whether ancient flying reptiles called pterosaurs had feathers or not. Years ago a study found fossil evidence of protofeathers, but now another team claims the evidence doesn’t stack up, and the creatures were instead bald.

A persistent scientific mystery over the past century has been exactly how some animals seemingly have the ability to sense the Earth’s magnetic field. A team of researchers are suggesting the magnetic-sensing bacteria could be symbiotically generating this novel sense.

The magnificent selection of winning images from the 2020 Bird Photographer of the Year offer a diverse assortment of shots, from an evocatively impressionistic grand-prize-winning photograph to incredible perspectives of birds in human environments.

If you saw a finch once, chances are you'd have great difficulty picking it out from a group of finches later on. A new AI-based system can do just that, though, potentially making life much easier for both biologists and the birds that they study.

An international team of scientists has turned to swifts for inspiration to produce a bird-inspired drone with flapping wings that can hover, dart, glide and dive, all while weighing the same as two tablespoons of flour.

New research, led by Professor Emily Shepard of Swansea University and Dr. Sergio Lambertucci of the Universidad Nacional del Comahue in Argentina, indicates that the Andean condor only flaps its wings one percent of the time it's in flight.