birds
Why Some Animals Can Tell More From Less
Researchers find that densely packed neurons play an outsize role in quantitative skill—calling into question old assumptions about evolution.
Bird Flu Is Back in the US. No One Knows What Comes Next
The fast-moving pathogen, which has already invaded Europe, was found in East Coast ducks. The last outbreak that tore through the US killed 50 million birds.
Early Evidence of How Wildfire Smoke Alters Bird Migration
A team tracking the flights of four Tule geese from Alaska to California documented how the birds changed course in response to dense smoke.
California Condors Are Capable of Asexual Reproduction
A new study shows that two captive birds had only maternal DNA and survived early development—a first for the critically endangered species.
Pandemic Bird-Watching Created a Data Boom—and a Conundrum
Avid amateurs are generating a wealth of information on avian activity. But does that data reflect new trends in bird behavior, or in people’s?
How Mockingbirds Compose Songs Just Like Beethoven
The birds aren’t producing sounds at random. Some of their strategies are surprisingly similar to ones used by humans.
We Hiked Along With Cicada Biologists So You Don’t Have To
Researchers only get a chance to study Brood X every 17 years. WIRED came for the ride—and got up close to thousands of hatching cicadas.
How One Naughty Bird Cheats With Fancy Feather Structures
For male tanager birds, carotenoid feather pigments just aren't flashy enough. They have another way to make their colors really pop.
Scientists Identify a Deadly Toxin That's Been Killing Birds
Thousands of eagles and other fowl have died from a mysterious condition that attacks their nervous systems. Now, after decades of investigation, we know why.
What a 1900s Wildlife Survey Reveals About Climate Change
A century ago, a biologist counted California's desert animals. Now researchers are retracing his steps—and the results are surprising.
Birders’ Tweets Are Causing an Online Flap
Sharing photos and location details of rare bird sightings is boosting the birdwatching community. But some worry that the exposure threatens the animals.
Stunning Images of Starlings in Flight
For this Danish photographer, documenting the birds’ migration through the autumn dusk takes patience—and a fast shutter speed.
An Atlas Shows Climate Change Is Pushing Birds Further North
Data from 120,000 birdwatchers in 48 countries shows forest birds have expanded their range while area occupied by farmland birds has shrunk.
Severe Wildfires Are Devastating the California Condor
This year’s aggressive fire season wiped out a record number of the endangered birds, as well as a facility wildlife biologists use to track and care for them.
What’s Causing the Mass Bird Die-Off in the Southwest?
Thousands of migrating birds have died, perhaps starved by drier conditions related to climate change or by having to fly inland to avoid wildfire smoke.
Why Do Solar Farms Kill Birds? Call in the AI Bird Watcher
Solar facilities kill tens of thousands of birds every year, and no one is quite sure why. An artificial-intelligence-powered birder is on the case.
A Bird’s Epic Migration Stuns Scientists and Wins Online Fans
As researchers tracked his flight over 27 countries, a cuckoo became a celebrity and raised questions about how climate change could affect his species’ travel.
Hummingbirds Can See Colors We Can’t Even Imagine
When humans see purple, we’re really seeing a blend of red and blue light. Hummingbirds see purple plus ultraviolet—and lots of other nonspectral colors.
A Bird Feeder Will Bring You Joy
The world seems terrible these days. Let yourself soar above it all—at least for a moment—by making some new feathered friends.
The Quest to Purge New Zealand of Invasive Predators
Rats, weasels, and other imported mammals have destroyed native bird populations. Local group Predator Free Wellington wants to turn the tables.
Starlings Fly in Flocks So Dense They Look Like Sculptures
Photographer Xavi Bou condenses several seconds of movement into a single frame, showing the birds' flight—and fight.
How to Land a Busted Airliner in a Russian Cornfield
A Ural Airlines plane executed an emergency landing after a bird strike, summoning memories of 2009's "Miracle on the Hudson."
Ditch the Super Bowl for a Who's Who of Superb Owls
Great gray owls! Great horned owls! There are many great—nay, superb—owl livestreams to enjoy on Sunday ... or whenever you'd like to see some head turners.
Don't Call Them Winged Rats—These Pigeons Are Exquisite
Leila Jeffreys photographed majestically colorful members of the Columbidae family in Australia.