Science

Climate Change Is Hitting National Parks Harder Than Anywhere Else in the Country
October 17, 2018 — And yet, despite warming twice as fast, our parks still remain the best protection for wildlife adjusting to changing environments.
An Experiment to Teach Sparrows New Songs Proved a Wild Success
October 11, 2018 — Songbirds are among a select few animals that can pick up new languages by ear. But recent research shows that timing is crucial.
High Up in the Borneo Canopy, a Likely New Bird Species Lurks
October 02, 2018 — The Spectacled Flowerpecker has been eluding experts for nearly a decade. Now, scientists have a bold new plan to reveal its true identity.
Drinker of Bird Tears, Moth of Your Nightmares
September 28, 2018 — In the Amazon, a scientist caught an unusual and intimate interaction on film: a moth drinking from an antbird's eyeball.
From Sea to Tree, Scientists Are Tracking Marbled Murrelets With Rising Precision
September 27, 2018 — A network of experts in Oregon seeks to uncover the secrets of a threatened, enigmatic seabird.
Scientists Make Plea to Protect a Rare Hummingbird They Just Discovered
September 27, 2018 — By their estimate, fewer than 750 Blue-throated Hillstars remain in the fragile Ecuadorian Andes.
The Real Reason Behind This Year’s Bizarre Spoonbill Sightings
September 21, 2018 — The exotic pink birds appearing up north are part of a larger wading bird wave, driven by this summer's breeding boom on the Gulf Coast.
It's Hard to Know When a Species Is Extinct. A Mathematical Model Could Help.
September 20, 2018 — The first results show that eight rare birds are goners. Conservationists hope they can use the science to focus on species with a chance of survival.
A Popular New Migration Tool Could Save Birds from Deadly Building Collisions
September 14, 2018 — BirdCast can accurately forecast the biggest migration movements days in advance. This is good news for birds and birders alike.
In Alaska, Starving Seabirds and Empty Colonies Signal a Broken Ecosystem
September 11, 2018 — Mass die-offs and breeding failures, now ongoing for years, have marine biologists worried that this is a new normal caused by climate change.