Posts Tagged ‘ornithology’
Bad (and good) news for Costa Rican farmers
STANFORD (US) — Knocking down forests to make way for farms and pastures in Costa Rica can drive away the birds that play a crucial role in distributing seeds, controlling insects, and pollinating plants. Continue…
Monday, December 19, 2011 12:52 - 1 Comment
Top Stories - Sep 23, 2011 10:15 - 0 Comments
Birds may identify their kin by smell
U. CHICAGO (US) — Penguins appear to use smell to determine if they are related to a potential mate, which suggests birds may have a more highly developed sense of smell than researchers previously thought. (more…)
Science & Technology - Jul 22, 2011 12:40 - 0 Comments
Songbird ‘cologne’ drives females wild
MICHIGAN STATE (US) — Like teenage boys dousing themselves with body spray to woo girls, male songbirds deploy a similar tactic when they release preen oil from a gland at the base of their tail. (more…)
Science & Technology - Jun 23, 2011 10:53 - 4 Comments
Birds see colors invisible to humans
YALE (US) — Birds’ plumage has changed from dull to brilliant over millions of years, but the bright hues humans see are only a fraction of what birds see. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Jan 25, 2011 11:17 - 0 Comments
Tweet to tweet: A century of birding
U. ILLINOIS (US) — A new book is a compendium of how much has changed in the world of birding in the state of Illinois. For example, more than 100 years ago, if a bird couldn’t be identified in the wild, it was most likely shot. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Dec 8, 2010 13:11 - 0 Comments
These online tweets are the real deal
MICHIGAN STATE (US) — A growing online library of bird sounds, photos, and information offers a new resource for backyard birders and seasoned ornithologists alike. (more…)
Science & Technology - Sep 23, 2010 12:19 - 1 Comment
Why cuckoos crack early
U. SHEFFIELD (UK)—How is a cuckoo chick able to hatch in advance of its nest mates—an advantage that allows them to brutally evict the others? (more…)
Science & Technology - Sep 20, 2010 22:44 - 1 Comment
Webcam shows why birds sing
UC SANTA BARBARA (US) — Video recordings of male cowbirds singing shows visual elements can influence the female’s sexual response. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Sep 1, 2010 7:56 - 1 Comment
Why traveling birds need army ants
U. WASHINGTON-SEATTLE (US)—The health of some migratory birds in the United States may depend in part on colonies of army ants that inhabit the foothills near Monteverde, Costa Rica. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Jul 14, 2010 9:10 - 1 Comment
Listening for an SOS from whales in Gulf
CORNELL (US)—A multipronged effort is under way to measure the changes to the Gulf of Mexico’s ecosystem—including whale populations—to assess the potential impact of clouds drifting below the surface, by-products of the massive oil spill and the dispersants used to break up the slick. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Jul 12, 2010 15:15 - 0 Comments
When birds migrate, will oil go with them?
CORNELL (US)—As oil washes ashore along the Gulf Coast, birders are asked to keep an eye on nests—not just near water, but hundreds of miles inland as well. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Jul 1, 2010 15:04 - 0 Comments
Sewage helps spread West Nile virus
EMORY (US)—Sewage that overflows into urban creeks and streams during periods of heavy rain can promote the spread of West Nile virus, a study finds. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Jun 21, 2010 9:03 - 0 Comments
Oiled birds can—and should—be saved
UC DAVIS (US)—More oiled birds survive and reproduce than previously thought, so saving them is the appropriate action, according to a scientific review of all oiled-bird survival studies. (more…)
Science & Technology - Jun 17, 2010 9:15 - 3 Comments
Caterpillars use fake eyes to stare down birds
U. PENN (US)—Why do hundreds of species of tropical caterpillars display a fascinating variety of eye-like and face-like color patterns—the kinds of designs that scare off insect-eating birds and make a harmless and vulnerable caterpillar look like a poisonous snake? (more…)
Health & Medicine - Jun 16, 2010 15:55 - 1 Comment
Robins hold clues in West Nile ‘crime story’
U. ILLINOIS (US)—The primary culprit in spreading West Nile virus—the common mosquito, Culex pipiens—appears to have a significant, albeit unwitting, accomplice: the robin. (more…)
Science & Technology - Jun 14, 2010 16:53 - 0 Comments
‘Mind-bending’ crystals color butterfly wings
YALE (US)—At the very heart of some of the most brilliant colors on the wings of butterflies lie bizarre structures that may be of use in harnessing the power of light. (more…)
Earth & Environment - Jun 10, 2010 8:52 - 1 Comment
Birds flying the coop with nowhere to go
YALE (US)—Mountain birds at greatest risk of extinction due to global warming are those that occupy the most narrow altitude range, new research finds. (more…)
Science & Technology - May 4, 2010 11:18 - 1 Comment
The downside to tons of testosterone
INDIANA U. (US)—Too much—or too little—testosterone may put some males at an evolutionary disadvantage, according to new research involving an American songbird. (more…)
Health & Medicine - Apr 19, 2010 12:02 - 0 Comments
Birds of a feather don’t fight infection together
PRINCETON (US)—Different populations of the same animal species don’t always use fever to fight infection the same way. (more…)
