Birds, not wind, brought life to Iceland’s youngest island
When the volcanic island of Surtsey emerged from the North Atlantic Ocean in 1963, it presented scientists with a rare natural experiment: a chance to watch life begin on untouched…
Can Animals Be Fooled by Optical Illusions? Insights from Fish and Birds on Perception
The Ebbinghaus Illusion and the Secrets of Perception: From Fish to Birds Perception often feels like a direct window onto reality, but in truth, it is an elaborate construction shaped…
Chirping In Shower Leads Rescuer To Little Family Living In Bathroom Vent
“They’re chirping out for Mom.” A few years back in Ontario, Canada, a tenant was enjoying a normal shower when an unusual sound echoed through the bathroom — a series…
Paddleboarder Sees Clump Of Feathers In Water And Realizes It’s Breathing
“he was unable to fly” 💔 Last month, a sunny, warm day in Southwest Florida turned into a dramatic rescue when a paddleboarder spotted an unexpected sight on the water.…
Rare blue-and-green hybrid jay spotted in Texas is offspring of birds whose lineages split 7 million years ago
The hybrid bird is the product of two species whose habitat ranges began to overlap a few decades ago, potentially due to climate change, researchers said. For the first time,…
Citizen Scientists’ Makeshift ‘Coffee Filter Arks’ Help Prevent These Sparrows Chicks from Drowning
This is a saltmarsh sparrow, an Endangered bird that nests in coastal salt marshes. At Jacob’s Point salt marsh in Rhode Island, a group of citizen scientists is working to…
Man Pries Open Drain And Saves Thumb-Sized Baby Trapped Inside
Wildlife rescuer Keith Porteous, known online as The Wildlife Rescuer, recently answered a distress call about a tiny bird in big trouble — a chick trapped inside a drainpipe. When…
‘Rare’ ancestor reveals how huge flightless birds made it to faraway lands
The mystery of how related flightless birds ended up so far apart on different continents may have been solved. Ostriches in Africa, emus in Australia, rheas in South America, and…
Rescuers Halt Bulldozers When They Notice Mysterious Eggs Near Construction Site
“Wildlife safety always comes first.” Recently, staff at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary spotted something unusual while walking near a construction area: four speckled eggs resting in the grass. Recognizing the potential…
What Geese Teach Us About Leadership and Followers
Bold, Not Aggressive: The Secret to Leadership Among Geese A new study from the University of Vienna has revealed that in the world of greylag geese, it’s boldness—not aggression—that predicts…