7 Resources for Natural History Nerds

Want to identify that feather you found on a hike? Or find out what kind of tracks a hermit crab leaves along a beach? These links can help you do that, and more.

Cara Cannon Byington

War, Wildlife and a Remarkable Comeback in Gorongosa

Two decades of civil war devastated people and wildlife in and around Gorongosa National Park. You can have fun & learn while you help Gorongosa bounce back.

Lisa Feldkamp

Recovery: Saving Lake Sturgeon, an Ancient Fish with a Bright Future

Lake sturgeon, our elders by some 150 million years, have a bright future — if Americans ignore voices of the past.

Ted Williams

Ten Strange, Endearing and Alarming Animal Courtship Rituals

To celebrate humans' holiday of love and romance, our blogger asked biologists for tales of fascinating animal mating habits. Here are some of the strangest and most endearing.

Christine Peterson

They’re Electric: Two New Fish Species Discovered in Gabon

Not your typical fish story: Journey to Gabon to encounter two new species of electric fish.

Matthew L. Miller

White Deer: Understanding a Common Animal of Uncommon Color

For millennia, people have regarded white deer with a mix of reverence, superstition and scientific misinformation. And it continues to this day. What’s the real story of these ghost-like animals?

Matthew L. Miller

A Long Journey to 5,000 Birds: 34 Years, 6 Continents, & 47 Countries

Conservancy birder Tim Boucher just saw his 5,000th life bird. But what does it take to see 5,000 of anything? And what has he learned through 34 years of birding?

Timothy Boucher

Recovery: Rehoming Brook Trout, the Dweller of Springs

Throughout its natural range, the brook trout is finding less and less of what it needs most: clean, cold water. But recovery efforts are underway, Ted Williams reports.

Ted Williams

How Do Birds Stay Warm on a Cold Winter’s Night?

Winter is a tough time for birds, but a warm place to sleep can give them an edge. A scientist’s look at the cozy, and often crazy, hideouts birds choose as their winter bedrooms.

Joe Smith

Snow Birds: 10 Birds to Look for in Winter

Winter birding isn’t easy, but it is amazing. If you’re ready to brave the cold, here are 10 winter-only species to search for this month.

Justine E. Hausheer

The Promise and Peril of Wild Seed Harvesting

Planting native seeds harvested from the wild back into damaged ecosystems brings the promise of restoring entire landscapes. But at what cost?

Justin Meissen and Meredith Cornett

Weird Conservation: The Strange Side of Saving Endangered Species

When scientists need to save an endangered species, sometimes the solution is straightforward. But sometimes, conservation requires that you built a robot, search for poop, or devise a seemingly endless variety of techniques to collect animal semen. Nature is weird, but conservation is weirder.

Justine E. Hausheer