bird : Science World Report

Jul 05, 2014 07:13 AM EDT

Live Camera Feed Reveals the Mothering Behavior of the Rare Snowy Owl in Alaska

What's sure to brighten your day? Take a look at the live camera feed showing a mother snowy owl tending for her chicks in Alaska.

Jun 26, 2014 09:17 AM EDT

Earlier Snow Melt from Climate Change Impacts Breeding of Arctic Birds

It turns out that climate change may be impacting the breeding of Arctic birds. Scientists have found that migratory birds that breed in Arctic Alaska are creating their nests earlier in the spring in response to earlier snow melt.

Jun 18, 2014 07:54 AM EDT

Birds Evolve Signature, Colorful Patterns to Combat the Parasitic Cuckoo

It turns out that birds affected by the parasitic Common Cuckoo may have evolved distinctive patterns on their eggs in order to distinguish them from those laid by a cuckoo.

Jun 13, 2014 01:22 PM EDT

Tiny Plants May Ride on the Feathers of Migratory Birds for Thousands of Miles

Plants can occur in widely separated areas--from the farthest reaches of North America to the southern tip of South America, but nowhere in between. Yet exactly how or why this occurs has long remained a mystery.

May 28, 2014 12:47 PM EDT

Ancient Fossils of Prehistoric Birds Reveal a Stunning Lack of Diversity

Birds come in all shapes and sizes. There's everything from the speedy, tiny hummingbird to the flightless and massive ostrich. Yet this wasn't always the case; it turns out that prehistoric birds show a stunning lack of diversity.

May 26, 2014 07:35 AM EDT

Scientists Map the Complicated and Epic Evolution of a 'Ring Species,' the Greenish Warbler

Scientists are learning a bit more about a certain bird's evolution. They have taken a closer look at the Greenish Warbler, a species long considered to be an idealized example of a single species that have diverged into two.

May 23, 2014 07:06 AM EDT

Ancient DNA Reveals Origins of Flightless Kiwi Bird and How it Spread: It Flew

Scientists have uncovered a little bit more about the origins of New Zealand's flightless bird, the kiwi, by examining its DNA. Not only did it once fly, but it's closest relative was the massive elephant bird.

May 15, 2014 07:42 AM EDT

Wind Speeds Predict How Successful Birds are in Massive Spring Migrations

Each year, flocks of birds travel hundreds or even thousands of miles during migration. Now, scientists have found that there may be a way to predict how successful these birds will be in the spring.

May 14, 2014 08:14 AM EDT

Endangered Mediterranean Seabirds Threatened by Plastic Pollution

It turns out that seabirds don't just have to worry about fishing lines and nets; they also have to deal with plastic pollution. About 94 percent of Cory's shearwaters on the Catalan coast are impacted by plastic ingestions.

May 09, 2014 05:46 AM EDT

Electromagnetic 'Smog' Blocks Robins' Internal Compass: Birds Can't Navigate

Scientists have discovered that the magnetic compass of robins fails completely when the birds are exposed to AM radio waveband electromagnetic interference.

May 07, 2014 07:59 AM EDT

How Tiny Songbirds Survive Epic Migrations: Wind and Weather Patterns are Key

Songbirds can be tiny, weighing less than an ounce. Yet these birds migrate thousands of miles each year across the United States toward Central and South America. Now, scientists have discovered how songbirds accomplish this astonishing feat; it turns out that it's all about wind patterns.

Apr 29, 2014 11:48 AM EDT

Urban River Pollutants Impact Wild Bird Development and Health

It turns out that river pollutants found in urban areas may be doing more than impacting the water. Scientists have discovered that hormone disrupting pollutants are affecting the health and development of wild birds nesting along the urban rivers of South Wales.