Merlin lets you easily identify almost every bird species across the world

From casual bird buddies to ornithology obsessives, you can now trek to far flung corners of the globe and identify any feathered friend you find – as long as you have a smartphone.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: Birds, Cornell Universi… Continue reading Merlin lets you easily identify almost every bird species across the world

Huge pile of condor poop provides a 2,200-year trip through time

A huge donut-shaped pile of poop surrounding a giant Andean condor nest is not something you’d generally hope to (or be likely to) encounter when out on a hike in South America. That is, unless you’re a paleoecologist.Continue ReadingCategory: Environm… Continue reading Huge pile of condor poop provides a 2,200-year trip through time

Water-absorbing feathers could inspire better bottles and fog harvesters

The male desert sandgrouse might not be much to look at, but his belly feathers give him the unique ability to absorb and carry water. Researchers have, for the first time, closely examined the structure of the feathers to see how they absorb water and… Continue reading Water-absorbing feathers could inspire better bottles and fog harvesters

“Plasticosis:” New disease in birds highlights dangers of microplastics

Scientists have described a new disease called plasticosis, which is directly caused by – you guessed it – plastic waste in the environment. While the disease has so far only been identified in the digestive tracts of seabirds, the scale of the problem… Continue reading “Plasticosis:” New disease in birds highlights dangers of microplastics

Fossils reveal largest-ever penguin was probably bigger than you

An artist's reconstruction of the two new penguin species: Kumimanu fordycei and Petradyptes stonehousei

Scientists have discovered the fossil remains of what may be the largest penguins that ever lived. The bones, found on a beach in New Zealand, belonged to a giant bird that was more than three times the size of the biggest living penguins today.

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Dodo next in line for de-extinction by scientists reviving the mammoth

Not content with aiming to resurrect the woolly mammoth and the thylacine, Colossal Biosciences has now announced the third animal on its de-extinction list – the dodo. This comes on the heels of a substantial new round of funding, with the company als… Continue reading Dodo next in line for de-extinction by scientists reviving the mammoth

Autonomous P-Flap ornithopter uses a claw to perch like a bird

Flapping-wing ornithopter drones may potentially be more agile and energy-efficient than their fixed-wing counterparts, but most of them still can’t loiter in one spot. A new model addresses that limitation by using a claw mechanism to temporarily perc… Continue reading Autonomous P-Flap ornithopter uses a claw to perch like a bird

Study suggests that even small amounts of crude oil can harm seabirds

It’s always upsetting to see images of seabirds covered in crude oil, as the result of an accidental spill. According to a new study, however, even tiny amounts of routinely released waterborne oil may seriously damage such birds’ feathers.Continue Rea… Continue reading Study suggests that even small amounts of crude oil can harm seabirds

Soar with the 2022 Bird Photographer of the Year winners

The winners of the world’s largest bird photography contest have been revealed featuring a spectacular array of avian sights, from a hummingbird catching a droplet of water to a gorgeous snap of a rock ptarmigan launching off the top of a mountain.Cont… Continue reading Soar with the 2022 Bird Photographer of the Year winners