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How Much Do Birds Eat?
There used to be a saying about somebody who doesn’t eat much — “she eats like a bird.” But how much does a bird typically eat? As a rule of thumb, t…
2 years, 6 months ago
In Winter, Puffins Lead Very Different Lives
Every summer, puffins — like this Horned Puffin — grow blazingly colorful layers over the bases of their huge beaks. But in the winter, puffins lead …
2 years, 6 months ago
Dwain Vaughns, II, on Seeing Plane Physics in Birds
Dwain Vaughns, II, worked as a pilot for 11 years until he developed a rare chronic pain condition called complex regional pain syndrome after an acc…
2 years, 6 months ago
Winter - Nature’s Cold Storage
For birds and other animals with good natural insulation, winter provides a striking benefit as they scavenge. Bacteria function very slowly or not a…
2 years, 6 months ago
The Sword-billed Hummingbird
To out-sip their competition, Sword-billed Hummingbirds have a distinct adaptation: these birds’ beaks are longer than their bodies. Found in tempera…
2 years, 6 months ago
Feathered Females in Charge
Male birds are often the larger, flashier sex that courts choosy females, who in turn raise their chicks. But not always. Female phalaropes -- like t…
2 years, 6 months ago
Great Black-backed Gull, North Atlantic Predator
Great Black-backed Gulls have a reputation as serious predators of other birds. During the nesting season, they’ll prey on eggs and nestlings of othe…
2 years, 6 months ago
Sanderlings
Here and there along winter shorelines, little flocks of pale, silvery shorebirds probe at the water's edge, keeping pace with each wave's ebb and fl…
2 years, 6 months ago
How Birds Fly
The secret to birds’ flight starts with the shape of their wings. They’re curved in a way that causes air to flow more slowly under the wing than abo…
2 years, 6 months ago
Seabirds, Trees and Coral
Palmyra Atoll is a ring-shaped island encircling a lagoon in the South Pacific. The atoll lost many native trees due to U.S. military activity during…
2 years, 6 months ago