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Hovering Is Hard Work
Hummingbirds are built for hovering flight, with flexible wrists that rotate their wings in a rapid figure-eight motion that generates almost constan…
2 years, 3 months ago
Biomimicry - Japanese Trains Mimic Kingfisher
In the 1990s, train engineers in Japan built trains able to travel nearly 170 miles per hour. The problem was that when the trains exited a tunnel, t…
2 years, 3 months ago
Dining with Sanderlings
While many shorebirds have gone south, tiny sandpipers called Sanderlings are easy to find on winter shores. They follow the waves as they lap in and…
2 years, 4 months ago
Creating Abstract Paintings of Migratory Birds
Artist Debra Ramsay became fascinated with the way that birds and their colors mark changes in the seasons. In her “Migrations” project, she painted …
2 years, 4 months ago
Tennessee Warbler, Nectar Thief
Tennessee Warblers love drinking nectar, but they do it without helping to pollinate flowers. By tapping a hole into the base of a flower, these warb…
2 years, 4 months ago
Lesser Yellowlegs, Loud and Proud
When the shorebirds called Lesser Yellowlegs sense a threat to their nest, they’ll put up an unforgettable racket to drive the danger away. Smaller a…
2 years, 4 months ago
Nictitating Membranes - Nature's Goggles
For most birds, keen eyesight is critical for survival. But many birds lead lives that can be very hard on the eyes — like flying at breakneck speed,…
2 years, 4 months ago
Finding Food When it Snows
Fresh-fallen snow is beautiful, but it poses a challenge to birds. The ground where they found food is now covered by several inches of snow. Birds s…
2 years, 4 months ago
Costa Rica Winter Sunrise
On a winter morning in Costa Rica, a colorful choir welcomes the day. A pair of Bay Wrens sings a brisk duet just before sunrise. Perched in the uppe…
2 years, 4 months ago
Cockatoos and People Trying to Outwit Each Other
In several neighborhoods of Sydney, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos have learned ways to open trash bins and grab some leftover food. Researchers found tha…
2 years, 4 months ago