Secretary Birds: Killer Queens
Don’t let this bird’s looks distract you. The secretary bird has some serious kick!
Meet the Madagascar pochard: the world's rarest bird
For many people the new year is an opportunity for a fresh start and the potential to create new surroundings. Well if that’s the case then things are going just ducky for the Madagascar pochard in 2019. Considering the long swim the world’s rarest bird has had to get there, we’d say that’s definitely worth … Continued
Parrots are not pets
Their beautiful colours and exotic good looks have made parrots a popular pet throughout history. Unfortunately many parrots are abandoned or put up for adoption by their owners every year, leading many to parrot rehab. What is parrot rehab? Parrot rehabilitation centres can be found all around the world. They care for parrots that have … Continued
10 migrating shorebirds you’re bound to spot along The Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy is a key resting and refuelling stopover for millions of migrating shorebirds headed to their wintering grounds. These birds begin to appear in the Bay of Fundy’s intertidal and coastal areas in early July, steadily increasing until mid-August, when massive flocks of birds can be found swooping through the region’s skies … Continued
Exploding Pigeons were almost the future of warfare
From delivering messages for Genghis Khan to acting as a guidance system for missiles, here is the secret history of the pigeon.
The truly wonderful life and flight of the Japanese crane
The Japanese crane must surely be one of the most beautiful birds in the world. Its tall stature, striking colouration and tender courtship dance have made it an iconic species in the Far East where it lives. This species is widely regarded as a symbol of luck, longevity and fidelity, so is truly worth celebrating … Continued
Why colourful bird feathers never fade
Imagine a future where colourants were nearly fade-resistant, on top of being far more sustainable and environmentally friendly. In this scenario a coat of paint could last a lifetime and red sweaters would never dye socks and undies pink. Well thanks to University of Sheffield researchers, an X-ray scattering machine at the ESRF facility in … Continued
Are these the most valuable birds in Britain?
While there are multiple definitions of what makes something valuable, there’s no denying the fact that certain wild animals are viewed more fondly by the public than others. For example, there are approximately 600 wild species of bird found throughout Great Britain, each with their own unique evolutionary traits and survival skills. Many people pick … Continued
Do you know about nature's strangest symbioses?
Out in the natural world it’s survival of the fittest. Whether that means being the fastest or strongest, the best camouflaged or most poisonous, or perhaps simply the most intelligent—nature has thought of it all. Amongst the most ingenious strategies are symbioses. These are species that have adapted, through chance, to rely on and benefit … Continued
Lovers for life? The secret world of animal cheats
Think you love someone? Want to spend the rest of your life with them and raise lots and lots of cute kids? Sorry, that might be exactly what your genes want you to think. Monogamy is a strategy, and for species where the young are vulnerable or take a long time to mature then it’s … Continued
Is a crow smarter than a fifth grader?
Member’s of the corvid family, crows can solve complex puzzles, have excellent memories, and have been known to conspire with one another. Some studies have even suggested that they’re as intellectually advanced as human children.
These incredible bird photos are beyond beautiful
A magically moody shot of a mute swan has nailed the top slot at the very first Bird Photographer of the Year (BPOTY) competition, a new initiative held by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) in partnership with Nature Photographers Ltd. BTO President and competition head judge, Chris Packham, made the announcement during the awards … Continued
10 brightly coloured animals that look like they fell out of a rainbow
Mother Nature must have been tripping when she came up with this lot. From flamboyant birds to deadly snakes, meet the insanely colourful critters for whom camouflage probably means hiding in a box of fluorescent crayons.
The RSPB just pulled out of a government plan to save England's rarest bird of prey
The RSPB has pulled out of the UK government’s plan to save the country’s most endangered bird of prey, the hen harrier, declaring the controversial campaign a failure, and the charity is now calling for grouse shooting estates to be licensed, saying that is the only way to save the harrier from disappearing from England. … Continued
Success at Russian breeding grounds lightens grief over chick deaths
Thirty spoon-billed sandpiper chicks have been hatched by conservationists in Russia over the weekend. The good news follows the tragic death last week of the world’s first captive-bred spoon-billed sandpipers. The Russian chicks have been hatched from eggs taken from the wild by experts from WWT and Birds Russia, as part of a strategy known … Continued
Meet the Ryan Gosling of the forest
The male Temminck’s Tragopan pheasant has an incredible mating display, which has earned him the title of ‘Ryan Gosling of the forest’. See this pheasant strut his stuff in the clip above.
Sad news for spoon-billed sandpipers
This was one half of a pair of critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper chicks—the first ever bred in captivity—but sadly neither survived for more than 60 hours. Each weighed only a few grammes and was barely bigger than a bumble bee. Seven eggs were laid in total at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre in Gloucestershire, of which … Continued
'Spectacular' baby bird wings from the time of the dinosaurs found preserved in amber
The wings of two birds that lived among the dinosaurs have been discovered in top condition in Myanmar (Burma). Described in the journal Nature Communications, the tiny wings have been perfectly preserved in amber, after their owners—a brace of baby birds exploring their habitat—became fatally stuck in the ultra-sticky sap of a tropical tree some … Continued
7 GIFs showing the (wild)life of Europe's most interesting river
The Morava is one of the most beautiful and ecologically-valuable rivers in all of Central Europe—running alongside forests, wetlands, steppe and mountains. Like a green snake, slithering its way across the continent, the river forms a natural juncture between Central and Eastern Europe—the Alps on one side, the Carpathians mountains on the other. Home to hot and dry summers, which … Continued
Birds pushed to the edge by floods
A flock of cranes that ended up at the centre of a once-in-200-year flood has given researchers a rare insight into how wildlife copes with extreme weather. The cranes’ progress was being tracked by researchers from the University of Exeter, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) and RSPB when severe flooding hit the Somerset Levels … Continued
Everything you ever wanted to know about the common swift
Swifts are the quintessential birds, surpassing all others in their mastery of the air. Elegant, bewitching and indefatigable, from the moment a young swift takes flight for the first time, they will not touch land again for two years. This article explores how swifts have evolved as a synanthrophic species, making use of buildings and … Continued
One of the world’s rarest birds has laid eggs in captivity for the first time
Seven eggs have been laid so far by two spoon-billed sandpipers at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, UK. The flock was established in 2011 as a back-up in case conservationists run out of time to save the wild population from extinction. In the wild, only around 200 breeding pairs are left on … Continued
Frequent fliers: Arctic terns smash world record for the planet's longest migration
Arctic terns nest in their noisy thousands on the Farne Islands in the UK, and twitchers and scientists have long observed the birds disappearing over the southern horizon at the end of every summer, but until now they didn’t know where they were heading. The enigma has just been solved thanks to the invention of … Continued
6 surprising animals that can change sex
Lets face it; most things in the natural world revolve around sex. Specifically, making sure you survive long enough to find and impress a mate—then have lots of offspring. It’s a complicated game that has led to all sorts of adaptations, but the one we’re sharing with you today is amongst the most surprising—the ability … Continued
Is the cassowary the deadliest bird on the planet?
Armed and dangerous: Cassowaries have three-toed feet with extremely sharp claws. The claw on their second toe is particularly deadly, as it can grow to be 5 inches long! Imagine being kicked by one of these birds (which they are known to do). Their powerful legs combined with their razor-sharp talons makes them one of … Continued
10 facts you may not know about pigeons
Whether you consider them flying pests or lovely birds, pigeons are highly intelligent creatures. So intelligent, in fact, they were considered for part of a military program in which they would operate and guide missiles. Check the video above for more fun pigeon facts! For more fun animal facts, check out Animalogic on YouTube.