Q. Do brown-headed cowbirds select the nest of another bird to lay eggs in based on which species raised them as a nestling? In other words, if a cowbird is raised as a chick by a red-winged blackbird ...

Bird watchers love to see their favorite avians indulge in their yard's feeder or make a splash in their bird bath before taking flight again. When we begin to see these birds at the top of the ...

Nests are generally thought of as a bird’s home, but it is more appropriate to consider them a nursery for raising baby birds. S.K. Winnicki, a Ph.D. candidate in avian evolutionary ecology at the ...

During a birdwatching stroll last spring, John Bates spotted a newly hatched killdeer chick. Common in North America, the long-legged birds often dart across the ground hunting for insects. Bates ...

Of all the vertebrates on Earth—that is, animals with backbones—birds are the only ones that lay colorful eggs. Scientists are still unsure why, but new research brings us a step closer to finding out ...

Brood parasites like the cuckoo lay eggs in other species' nests to avoid parenting duties. Birds like the Asian Koel have evolved eggs that perfectly mimic their host's eggs. Cuckoo and honeyguide ...

Spring is in the air. Birds are singing and beginning to build their nests. It happens every year, like clockwork. But a new study in the Journal of Animal Ecology shows that many species of birds are ...

An Australian study reveals a surprising phenomenon: male birds laying eggs due to sex reversal. Researchers found that some birds' genetic makeup didn't align with their physical characteristics, ...

Spring is in the air. Birds are singing and beginning to build their nests. It happens every year, like clockwork. But a new study in the Journal of Animal Ecology shows that many species of birds are ...