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A pair of zebra finches in a cage
Animal Divorce: When and Why Pairs Break Up
Many species of birds and other vertebrates form pair bonds and mate with just one other individual for much of their lives. But the unions don’t always work out. Scientists want to know the underlying factors.
Animal Divorce: When and Why Pairs Break Up
Animal Divorce: When and Why Pairs Break Up

Many species of birds and other vertebrates form pair bonds and mate with just one other individual for much of their lives. But the unions don’t always work out. Scientists want to know the underlying factors.

Many species of birds and other vertebrates form pair bonds and mate with just one other individual for much of their lives. But the unions don’t always work out. Scientists want to know the underlying factors.

birds, evolution

Bat perching upside down in a cave.
Some Bats Buzz Like Hornets to Deter Predators
Natalia Mesa, PhD | May 9, 2022 | 2 min read
The behavior is the first example of a mammal mimicking a more-dangerous species.
colorful parrot-like bird riding a tiny bicycle on a tightrope
Reptiles are the Real Bird Brains
Sophie Fessl, PhD | Mar 22, 2022 | 4 min read
A research group argues that a species’ number of neurons, rather than brain volume, should serve as indicator of cognitive capacity when studying brain evolution, but some experts voice doubts.
school of fish
Making Waves and Avoiding Beaks
Chloe Tenn | Dec 23, 2021 | 5 min read
Moving collectively on the water surface could help protect schools of fish from being eaten by predatory birds.
Cranes in flight
Why Migratory Birds Often Have Paler Wings Than Other Birds
Amanda Heidt | Dec 7, 2021 | 2 min read
A new study suggests that lighter colors may help these species stay cool on their long journeys, when birds are pushing themselves to their physiological limits.
a male musk duck
Talking Duck Stuns Animal Behavior Researcher
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Sep 5, 2021 | 7 min read
Leiden University’s Carel ten Cate tracked down 34-year-old duck recordings—and the man who made them—to verify that musk ducks are capable of vocal learning, an ability that hadn’t been thought to exist in waterfowl.
Lessons from Darwin’s “Mischievous” Birds
Jonathan Meiburg | Mar 1, 2021 | 3 min read
An unsung group of South American falcons yields clues to the prehistory of a continent, and hints at secrets of the avian brain.
animal learning, zebra finch, model organism, communication, fast mapping, individual recognition, cognition, evolution
Zebra Finches Recognize the Calls of Over 40 Fellow Finches
Amanda Heidt | Nov 13, 2020 | 5 min read
Their ability to distinguish between individuals is strong evidence for fast mapping, a learning tool generally thought to belong only to humans.
Innovative Birds Face a Lower Risk of Extinction
Michael Graw | Jul 13, 2020 | 4 min read
Species that come up with new ways to find food may be more likely to survive in habitats disturbed by agriculture and other human activities.
Image of the Day: Wonderchicken
Amy Schleunes | Mar 20, 2020 | 1 min read
A newly discovered fossilized skull is between 66.8 million and 66.7 million years old and bears similarities to modern-day chickens and ducks.
Wild Birds Remember a Novel Task for Nearly Two Years
Amy Schleunes | Feb 18, 2020 | 5 min read
A population of North Island robins in a New Zealand sanctuary provides a unique system for investigating the memory skills of birds in the wild.
Image of the Day: Shrinking Dinosaurs
Emily Makowski | Jan 3, 2020 | 1 min read
As dinosaurs got smaller, their metabolism increased, paving the way for bird evolution.
Image of the Day: Fukuipteryx Fossil
Emily Makowski | Nov 15, 2019 | 1 min read
This ancient bird has a modern tail bone.
Image of the Day: Flight Styles
Emily Makowski | Oct 25, 2019 | 2 min read
The evolution of different ways of flying in birds affected wing range of motion, but not wing shape.
Image of the Day: Red-Feathered Finches
Emily Makowski | Sep 30, 2019 | 1 min read
Scientists uncover a potential reason why redder house finches have better health.
Image of the Day: Fight Club
Carolyn Wilke | Jan 11, 2019 | 1 min read
South American hummingbird males were caught on camera poking and pinching each other with bills adapted for fighting.
Pterosaurs Sported Feathers, Claim Scientists
Anthony King | Dec 17, 2018 | 4 min read
A controversy over pterosaurs’ plumage has taken off, with a new discovery pushing feather origins back 80 million years into the early Triassic.
Image of the Day: Bigger Picture
Sukanya Charuchandra | Aug 1, 2018 | 1 min read
Island birds possess bigger brains than those from the mainland.
Present-Day Arboreal Birds Have Ground-Dwelling Past
Sukanya Charuchandra | May 24, 2018 | 1 min read
A mass extinction event from an asteroid hitting Earth wiped out forests and, concurrently, tree-dwelling birds.  
Image of the Day: Bird Braincase
The Scientist and The Scientist Staff | May 4, 2018 | 1 min read
Newly discovered fossils shed light on the structure of the feeding apparatus of ancient seabirds.
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