Discover stories in Birds
Decoy: How Fake Birds Aid Real Research
To get a bird in the hand, you have to catch it first. One of the bird researcher's most trusted bird catching tools is the decoy — a fake bird. Ornithologist Joe Smith on why real birds so often fall for their wooden and paper mache likenesses.
You Won’t Forget the Mega-Footed Malleefowl
Ever heard of a malleefowl? You’ll never forget it after reading about their big feet, huge nests, and chicks born fully feathered that can fly within 24 hours.
Enjoy the Fall Migration: Your Guide to Bird Observatories
The fall bird migration is underway. And there's no better way to enjoy the spectacle -- and help science -- than to visit a bird observatory near you. Ornithologist Joe Smith gets you started.
A Renter’s Market: BirdReturns Offers Innovative Conservation
How can conservationists protect one million acres of migratory bird habitat in Central California, particularly when that property is highly valuable agricultural land? The solution: Pop-up wetlands.
CSI Channel Islands: Can the Island Scrub-jay Help to Think about Climate Change?
Solving the mystery of Santa Rosa's island scrub-jays could refine thinking on how to manage vulnerable species under climate change.
Wind Turbines and Birds: What’s the Real Story?
Cats and window collisions kill more birds, but that doesn't mean conservationists should ignore the effects of wind turbines. Blogger David Mehlman takes a look at the science, and finds significant impacts to both birds and bats.
Grouse Robot: Remote-Controlled Bird Assists Conservation
A grouse robot? You bet. And no, it's not a gimmick. On the sagebrush plains of Wyoming, researchers are deploying the fake birds to study how males react to females -- and helping to protect the species in the process.
Of Drones and Cranes: UAV Technology Aids California Bird Conservation
Sandhill Cranes congregate in great numbers at night, crowded together in flooded fields. How can California conservationists accurately count them. Enter a new tool in bird monitoring: the drone.
Platte River Sandhill Cranes: Enjoying North America’s Greatest Bird Spectacle
Each year, more than 500,000 cranes congregate along 70 miles of Nebraska's Platte River. Want to see one of the world's great wildlife spectacles? Our blogger takes you to the heart of the action.
Eurasian Collared Dove: Have You Seen This Bird?
Thirty years ago, non-native Eurasian collared doves were starting to show up in South Florida. Today, this species is being documented across North America. How citizen scientists help document the spread of a non-native species.
Mad Men Go Falcon Trapping
Bird conservation, 1950s style. Blogger Joe Smith looks back at the unusual techniques used by bird banders, at a time when peregrine falcons faced a bleak and uncertain future.
The Amazing Lemming: The Rodent Behind the Snowy Owl Invasion?
Lemmings shape nearly every aspect of arctic ecosystems. Could their recent abundance also be a key factor in the snowy owl invasion occurring in the eastern United States?
