bird populations

So far this season, tens of millions of birds have died of disease or been culled, driving up prices of eggs, chicken, and turkey meat.

The Scientist spoke with the UK’s chief veterinary officer, Christine Middlemiss, about this winter’s high bird flu prevalence, the effects of the disease, and efforts to combat it.

The Scientist interviews evolutionary biologist Carles Vilà about how a large genomic inversion detected in common quail affects the birds’ physical characteristics and migratory behaviors.

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.

Their ability to distinguish between individuals is strong evidence for fast mapping, a learning tool generally thought to belong only to humans.

Satellite images of penguin poop reveal eight entirely new colonies and confirm the existence of another three first reported in the 1960s.

Back from the brink of near-extinction, the Kirtland’s warbler population has grown and expanded its range.

Biologists recover the bodies of puffins from a mass mortality event.

A case in which the University of Florida killed birds to protect crop research raises questions on the ethics of field studies’ potential side effects.

Unmanned aerial vehicles allow researchers to collect huge volumes of biological data cheaply, easily, and at higher resolution than ever before.

Regular supplies of food for scavenger birds in Spain may not be the most effective conservation strategy, as smaller birds are bullied away.

Amateur birders record an astounding number of species and individuals in the first ever worldwide avian stock taking.

Puerto Rican businesses and residents come together to support the genomic sequencing of the island’s only native parrot species, hoping to help protect the endangered bird.

Researchers call for access to more data from energy companies to find strategies that will limit bird and bat deaths from wind turbines.

Some thoughts about the ecological fallout from Fukushima

Radiation in Fukushima Prefecture is reducing bird populations less than 1 year since the nuclear disaster.