Science

Water Shortages Are Shrinking Great Salt Lake and Killing Off Its ‘Corals’
October 29, 2021 — Reef-like structures called microbialites, exposed by receding waters, are dying en masse, raising concern for millions of birds that rely on them.
News
Great-Tailed Grackles’ Googly Eyes Offer a New Glimpse Into Bird Vision
October 28, 2021 — They're the first bird species known to look at two objects simultaneously.
News
Five Tule Geese, which are mostly brown with white bellies and wing edges and orange feet, fly in to land on a pond amid tall marsh grasses. The birds appear blurry in the image because they are in motion.
New Study Is First to Explore How Wildfire Smoke Derails Bird Migration
October 22, 2021 — Last September, migrating geese wearing GPS tags encountered one of the worst wildfire seasons in U.S. history. Their movements give scientists their first clues about how growing wildfires alter bird behavior.
Climate
These Mighty Shorebirds Keep Breaking Flight Records—And You Can Follow Along
October 08, 2021 — Bar-tailed Godwits regularly travel more than 7,000 miles non-stop. One enthusiast is spreading the word of their amazing migrations, with the help of a research project tracking 20 tagged birds in real-time.
About a dozen White Ibis are in mid-flight in the air, with wings flapping, as a scientist in the background looks on. Behind them is a kids' playground and green trees.
This Iconic Everglades Bird Is Moving to the ‘Burbs
October 04, 2021 — White Ibis are natural wanderers, traveling far and wide for a meal. But now some birds are scoring steady grub by settling in around people. What does that mean for the species’ future—and what does it say about ours?
Dispatch
Introduced Avian Malaria Strain Found in Colorado Chickadees
September 27, 2021 — It's the first time this variant has been detected in a wild, non-migratory North American species, but there's no cause for alarm yet, experts say.
News
An Atlantic Puffin flies against a pale blue sky carrying a stack of translucent, small fish inside its curved black and orange beak.
Scientists Just Discovered a Seabird Hotspot. It's Already at Climate Risk.
September 22, 2021 — Winter cyclones, responsible for killing seabirds every year, are projected to intensify right where millions of birds overwinter in the North Atlantic.
Climate
Viewed from above, a group of 100 or so Emperor Penguins look like tiny ants. They are gathered on the ice near Cape Crozier, Antarctica, one of the species' largest breeding colonies.
How One Clash With an Iceberg Threw an Emperor Penguin Colony into Disarray
July 14, 2021 — Climatologists predict an increase in wayward icebergs as warming seas weaken glaciers. A new analysis shows how they threaten penguin survival.
News
Turning Off Lights at Night Could Halve Bird Deaths On Chicago’s Lakeshore
July 06, 2021 — An analysis of more than 11,000 birds struck dead by a single building's windows shows turning lights off during migration makes a big difference.
Bird-friendly Buildings
Avian Brood Parasites Are About to Have Their Adaptability Tested
June 28, 2021 — The future of parasitic birds, which lay their eggs in other nests, is totally dependent on their hosts' ability to adjust to climate change.
Climate