Tag: birds
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It doesn’t blink. It just stares. Meet the shoebill stork.
The shoebill stork, Balaeniceps rex, also called the whale-headed stork, is one of the most unsettling and surreal birds on Earth. Standing up to 5 feet tall with an 8-foot wingspan, it towers over the African wetlands it calls home. Its bill looks more like a worn wooden clog than a bird’s tool, and its…
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How bizarre feet made the Eurasian coot a survival machine
They look like something out of science fiction. Long, finger-like toes with rubbery flaps that pulse outward when they hit water, then fold inward like origami when they step on land. These are the feet of the Eurasian coot,a medium-sized waterbird found across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. And while its black body and white…
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What science still can’t explain about the bee hummingbird (Zunzuncito)
It’s lighter than a dime. Smaller than your thumb. And when it flies, it doesn’t flap—it vibrates. Meet the bee hummingbird, or as it’s known in Cuba, the zunzuncito. At just two inches long and weighing less than two grams, it holds the title of the smallest bird on Earth. In the time it takes…
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A colossal iceberg the size of Rhode Island is putting South Georgia’s penguins on edge
A towering wall of ice the size of Rhode Island is on a slow collision course with South Georgia Island, a remote haven that supports one of the largest king penguin populations on the planet. This massive iceberg, known as A23a, stayed firmly rooted in Antarctic waters near its birth site on the Filchner-Ronne Ice…
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A tale of two black birds: How to spot Crows vs. Ravens
They swoop over city streets and country fields, dressed in nothing but black. You might catch their silhouettes against a gray sky, or hear their unmistakable voices echo off rooftops and pines. Crows and ravens captivate us with their dark feathers, sharp intelligence, and centuries of folklore. Yet despite their shared color and family ties,…
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Toxic secrets under the peel: Avocados and animal safety
It’s easy to picture a ripe avocado nestled on a kitchen counter, waiting to be sliced for toast. Most people don’t realize this fruit harbors a compound that’s harmless to us, yet toxic for countless other creatures. Some reactions can be so severe that animals may struggle with devastating symptoms in a matter of hours.…
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Tiny Backpack, Big Trouble: How A Pigeon Ended Up Smuggling Ecstasy
It happened quietly, almost absurdly: a single pigeon fluttering into view, carrying an impossible load on its back. Officers on the Kuwait-Iraq border were stunned when they discovered a tiny pouch strapped to the bird, one stuffed with roughly 200 ecstasy pills. It was a bizarre spectacle that felt less like a crime scene and…
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What Makes The Blue-Footed Booby’s Feet So Unforgettable?
They stand on rocky shores in the eastern Pacific, flaunting bright blue feet that look almost artificial against the muted tones of their brown-and-white plumage. Blue-footed boobies owe this vibrant color to carotenoid pigments, which come from the fish they eat, including sardines and anchovies. Their feet change in brightness depending on how many nutrients…
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Majestic Bald Eagle declared America’s ultimate symbol
The bald eagle has perched on the Great Seal of the United States since 1782, yet it was never officially declared the national bird. On a Tuesday morning, President Joe Biden signed a bill that corrects this oversight, giving the eagle its rightful place in the national code. Its image, instantly recognizable with a white…