http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/birds/ Bird news and research. From chickens to birds of prey, wing design to migration, read all the latest news on birds. en-us Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:05:01 EST Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/plants_animals/birds/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118120307.htm Not just birds, but also a few species of bats face a long journey every year. Researchers have studied the migratory behavior of the largest extant family of bats, the so-called "Vespertilionidae" with the help of mathematical models. They discovered that the migration over short as well as long distances of various kinds of bats evolved independently within the family. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118120307.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123114650.htm A novel approach to classify the gender of six-week-old turkey poults could save millions of male chicks from being killed shortly after birth, according to researchers. Their use of infrared spectroscopy to determine the gender of young birds shows that it is a fast and accurate method. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123114650.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119085216.htm Bird flu viruses would have to make at least two simultaneous genetic mutations before they could be transmitted readily from human to human, according to new research. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119085216.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118092633.htm The evolutionary history of New Zealand's many extinct flightless moa has been re-written in the first comprehensive study of more than 260 sub-fossil specimens to combine all known genetic, anatomical, geological and ecological information about the unique bird lineage. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118092633.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019123118.htm A shocking decline in the Russian Federation's wild tiger population highlights the importance of eliminating trade in and demand for tiger parts, the International Tiger Coalition has said.  Research shows that Siberian tigers may have suffered a serious drop in numbers over the past four years. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091019123118.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111121543.htm The color vision of birds stops working considerably earlier in the course of the day than was previously believed, in fact, in the twilight. Birds need between 5 and 20 times as much light as humans to see colors. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111121543.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091113123846.htm Four years ago, a researcher reported a bizarre example of sexual selection in a rare South American bird: The male attracts the female by rubbing specialized wing feathers -- more than 100 cycles per second -- to create a high hum, similar to a sustained violin note. While the researchers speculated how the sound was created, they have since proven that the club-winged manakin's feathers resonate at a particular frequency to create the tone. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091113123846.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026123946.htm The Kentish-Snowy Plover, a small shorebird found in the US and Europe, is 'suffering' from an identity crisis after scientists found genetic evidence that the populations are, in fact, separate species. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026123946.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028090528.htm Marine biologists examined whether Laysan albatrosses nesting on Kure Atoll and Oahu, Hawaii, 2,150 km away, ingested different amounts of plastic by putting miniaturized tracking devices on birds to follow them at sea and examining their regurgitated stomach contents. Surprisingly, birds from Kure Atoll ingested almost ten times the amount of plastic compared to birds from Oahu. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091028090528.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152810.htm Globalization and industrialization are causing diseases to spread from humans to animals, a study has shown. Researchers have shown that a strain of bacteria has jumped from humans to chickens. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152806.htm Biologists for the first time have documented a second breeding season during the annual cycle of five songbird species that spend summers in temperate North America and winters in tropical Central and South America. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026152806.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016093927.htm Satellite tracking has allowed a research team to uncover the mysteries of the migration of Eleanora's falcon for the first time. In total, the bird flies more than 9,500 kilometers across the African continent from the Balearic and Columbretes Islands before reaching the island of Madagascar. Some of the previously-obscure secrets now revealed by the scientists show that these falcons migrate by both day and night, and cross supposed ecological barriers such as the Sahara Desert. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016093927.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027111451.htm Surveys have confirmed that the finest montane forests in Timor-Leste, and possibly the whole island of Timor, are to be found on the inaccessible Mount Mundo Perdido -- literally, "Lost World." With 22 of the restricted-range species of the Timor and Wetar Endemic Bird Area found so far, Mount Mundo Perdido has been recognized as Timor-Leste's seventeenth Important Bird Area. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027111451.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026172056.htm Scientists have identified the dominant odor naturally produced in humans and birds that attracts the blood-feeding Culex mosquitoes, which transmits West Nile virus and other life-threatening diseases. The groundbreaking research explains why mosquitoes shifted hosts from birds to humans and paves the way for key developments in mosquito and disease control. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026172056.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021125135.htm A clever structure in the ear of a tropical butterfly that potentially makes it able to distinguish between high and low pitch sounds has been discovered. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021125135.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020203413.htm It may take a village to raise a child, and apparently it takes at least two adult birds to teach a young song sparrow how and what to sing. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020203413.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013201749.htm Researchers have identified a new type of flying reptile, providing the first clear evidence of an unusual and controversial type of evolution. Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013201749.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013104340.htm Known to science only by two century-old specimens, a critically endangered crow has re-emerged on a remote, mountainous Indonesian island, thanks in part to a American ornithologist. The Banggai Crow will be listed now in the latest edition of an influential ornithology handbook. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013104340.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091009090436.htm The raptor-like Archaeopteryx has long been viewed as the archetypal first bird, but new research reveals that it was actually a lot less "bird-like" than scientists had believed. Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091009090436.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007081534.htm Alligators display the same loyalty to their mating partners as birds. The ten-year-study reveals that up to 70% of females chose to remain with their partner, often for many years. Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007081534.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001081307.htm One of the unintended consequences of crop-based biofuels may be the loss of wildlife habitat, particularly the birds who call this country's grasslands home. Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091001081307.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006201350.htm Scientists from the UK and Japan have recorded the first observations of how albatrosses feed alongside marine mammals at sea. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006201350.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002093803.htm Human activities have meant invasive species have been able to populate parts of the world to which they are not native and alter biodiversity there over thousands of years. Now, an international team of scientists has studied the impact of the black rat on bird populations on Mediterranean islands. Despite the rat's environmental impact, only the tiny European storm petrel has been affected over time by its enforced cohabitation with the rat. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091002093803.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914151625.htm If the climate is not quite right, birds will up and move rather than stick around and sweat it out, according to a new study. The findings reveal that most of the bird species studied in California's Sierra Nevada mountains have adjusted to climate change over the last century by moving to sites with the temperature and precipitation conditions they favored. Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090914151625.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090929133117.htm When pondering the demise of a famous dinosaur such as 'Sue,' the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex whose fossilized remains are a star attraction of the Field Museum in Chicago, it is hard to avoid the image of clashing Cretaceous titans engaged in bloody, mortal combat. But a new study provides evidence that Sue, perhaps the most famous dinosaur in the world, was felled in more mundane fashion by a lowly parasite that still afflicts modern birds. Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090929133117.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090929091933.htm A new genetic tool will enable scientists to study vocal learning and neurogenesis at the molecular level in songbirds. Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090929091933.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090927170957.htm Conservationists trying to prevent the extinction of Northern Bald Ibis are distraught that one of the last remaining wild birds in the Middle East has been shot by a hunter in Saudi Arabia, bringing the known wild Middle Eastern population of this critically endangered species to just four individuals. Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090927170957.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928205415.htm A fossil of a bird-like dinosaur with four wings has been discovered in northeastern China. The specimen bridges a critical gap in the transition from dinosaurs to birds, and reveals new insights into the origin evolution of feathers. Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928205415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928095347.htm Scientists in Canada have found a way to reduce bat deaths from wind turbines by up to 60 percent without significantly reducing the energy generated from the wind farm. TransAlta has already applied the low wind mitigation strategy to the 38 turbines identified in the study area. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090928095347.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090927151724.htm A bird-eating fanged frog, a gecko that looks like it's from another planet, and a bird which would rather walk than fly -- these are among the 163 new species discovered in the Greater Mekong region last year that are now at risk of extinction due to climate change, says a new report. Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090927151724.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922095810.htm Researchers in Spain have shown for the first time the close space-time relationship between the presence of the griffon vulture and transhumant sheep farming in mountain passes. Transhumance -- the seasonal movement of people with their livestock -- has fallen in some parts of Spain by up to 80 percent over the past four years. The scientists say that traditional livestock farming practices are crucial for the preservation of mountain ecosystems. Wed, 23 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090922095810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090917144125.htm Researchers are one step closer to creating a micro-aircraft that flies with the maneuverability and energy efficiency of an insect after decoding the aerodynamic secrets of insect flight. Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090917144125.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090917131540.htm In the late 1920s, people intentionally introduced birds known as Japanese white-eyes into Hawaiian agricultural lands and gardens for purposes of bug control. Now, that decision has come back to bite us. A recent increase in the numbers of white-eyes that live in old-growth forests is leaving native bird species with too little to eat, according to a new report. Fri, 18 Sep 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090917131540.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090911072625.htm Most migrating birds can't carry enough fuel to reach their destinations, so refuel en route. However the aviators expend twice as much energy during stopovers as they use in transit. Wondering whether migrating blackcaps save energy by dropping their body temperature during stopovers, researchers measured the bird's temperatures as they refuelled and found that they drop their body temperatures at night by up to 30 percent to conserve energy and fatten faster. Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090911072625.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908193434.htm Competitors copying songs is an issue that every great singer must face, but now it has been discovered that even birds have to deal with cover artists. New research reveals how some bird species have evolved to sing the same tune as their rivals in order to compete effectively. Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090908193434.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090903093149.htm Reptiles are not known to be the most social of creatures. But when it comes to laying eggs, female reptiles can be remarkably communal, often laying their eggs in the nests of other females. New research suggests that this curiously out-of-character behavior is far more common in reptiles than was previously thought. Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090903093149.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090901202834.htm As much as half of California could be occupied by new bird communities by 2070, according to a new study. Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090901202834.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090826073542.htm Skylarks can hear the difference between friendly neighbors and dangerous strangers, and deal with any threatening intruders, says new research. Sun, 30 Aug 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090826073542.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090826110114.htm Current research suggests that viral polymerase may provide a new therapeutic target for host-adapted avian influenza. Highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a strain of the influenza virus that has adapted to infect birds. Although bird-specific flu strains rarely cross species, further adaption can lead to lethal infection in humans. Fri, 28 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090826110114.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090825082615.htm For the first time a new study suggests that when exposed in their natural ecosystem, wild pikas (a species closely related to rabbits) are mammalian hosts of H5N1 subtype avian influenza viruses and may also be a source of transmission to domestic mammals and humans. Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090825082615.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090729092536.htm Mammals and many species of birds and fish are among "evolution's winners," while crocodiles, alligators and a reptile cousin of snakes known as the tuatara are among its losers, according to a new study. The study also shows new species emerge nearly as often as they die off. Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090729092536.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810162017.htm Like clockwork, brain regions in many songbird species expand and shrink seasonally in response to hormones. Now, for the first time, neurobiologists have interrupted this natural "annual remodeling" of the brain and have shown that there is a direct link between the death of old neurons and their replacement by newly born ones in a living vertebrate. Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090810162017.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090804071402.htm Insect herbivore species often specialize on the host plants that they eat, evolving adaptations to use a plant's unique set of resources. However, specialization doesn't come without costs. Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090804071402.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090803210148.htm Laysan ducks, one of the world's most endangered waterfowl, are native to only the Hawaiian archipelago. For 150 years, Laysan ducks were restricted to an estimated 4 square kilometers of land on Laysan Island in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. In 2004 and 2005, in an effort to rebuild the population, biologists released 42 Laysan ducks on Midway Atoll, located one day's boat ride from Laysan. Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090803210148.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090812145030.htm If a lush, protected forest with a winding stream is considered luxury accommodation for a migratory bird, a new study shows that those birds would be just as happy with the equivalent of a cheap roadside motel. Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090812145030.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090819135444.htm A scholar suggests that the popular environmental sport known as competitive birding -- conducted at Superfund sites, landfills and sewage ponds -- may not be as eco-friendly as it purports to be. Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090819135444.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090818150034.htm The results of a Wildlife Conservation Society study that rapidly measures stream habitat have been adopted by a government agency working with private landowners to restore waterways throughout the US. Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090818150034.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090813142144.htm What do flocks of birds have in common with trust, monogamy, and even breast milk? According to a new report in the journal Science, they are regulated by virtually identical neurochemicals in the brain, known as oxytocin in mammals and mesotocin in birds. Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090813142144.htm