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Insects Are Essential
Insects sustain our ecosystems, as a food source and pollinators of 90% of all plants. But their numbers have dropped by half in the last 50 years, s…
11 months ago
The Eyes of an Owl
Peer into an owl's face – there is something almost human about its large, forward-facing eyes. The Great Gray Owl, which stands two feet tall and we…
11 months ago
Bird Scent: It's All About the Bacteria
Many birds have an excellent sense of smell. And the odors that birds make can act as mating signals for some species. The source for many of these s…
11 months ago
Bird Emoji
July 17th is World Emoji Day — because that’s the date on the little calendar emoji. These cartoon graphics can show everything from smiley faces to …
11 months, 1 week ago
Seasonal Flooding of the Amazon
When it’s predictable and wildlife is well adapted, natural flooding can create a biological bonanza. In the Amazon River Basin, which holds one-fift…
11 months, 1 week ago
Whistling Birdsong with Andrew Bird
Musician Andrew Bird is known as a songwriter, violinist, and, like his namesake, a virtuoso whistler. He showcases all of these skills in the song R…
11 months, 1 week ago
Rufous-collared Sparrow: Tico-Tico
The song Tico-Tico no Fuba, like Carmen Miranda, came to us from Brazil. Believe it or not, the song is about a bird. The Portuguese lyrics tell the …
11 months, 1 week ago
Beaks and Bills
A bird’s bill is an incredible multi-tool — good for preening feathers, building a nest, self-defense, scratching, displaying, building a nest, and e…
11 months, 1 week ago
Song Neighborhoods
Birds of the same species don’t always sing exactly the same as each other. But those that live near each other sometimes have similar songs. Scienti…
11 months, 1 week ago
Montezuma Oropendola's High-Security Nesting
A male Montezuma Oropendola holds forth in a tree bedecked with twenty or more hanging nests. The nests are intricately woven sacks hanging three fee…
11 months, 1 week ago