“At the height of the breeding season, the males perform this routine in sessions lasting three or four hours.”
The courtship displays of this game bird bring a flurry of flamboyance to its monotonous prairie home
Ginormous king penguin colony filmed on remote Atlantic island. The sound of it is ear-splitting
Listen to the remarkable sound of thousands of penguins calling to each other in South Georgia.
"It has huge back legs armed with dagger-like claws that can reach 12cm long." 10 bonkers birds that break the rules of nature
Discover the extraordinary birds that defy nature’s norms.
Into the wild: Where to spot rare species in 2026
Adventure on your own terms
Florida's 'spinning' sawfish were in trouble. Now, scientists think they may have hope
An area of the Indian River Lagoon in Florida may be providing suitable habitat for juvenile smalltooth sawfish, suggesting there is hope for the recovery of the critically endangered species.
Baited camera dropped to Pacific seabed. Then this happened
Scientists use weights to keep their camera equipment in place on the seabed – but this ocean dweller was strong enough to shift it.
Divers stumble upon pod of sleeping giants in Caribbean Sea
Researchers were on an expedition in Dominica when a pod of enormous sleeping sperm whales appeared in front of them.
The world’s largest reptile is a deadly apex predator that’s 5 metres long and weighs half a tonne
The saltwater crocodile is a huge apex predator that you definitely wouldn't want to encounter
Wolf vs dog: what’s the difference between this deadly apex predator and man’s best friend?
Many people ask what the difference is between a wolf and a dog, but the answer is not as straightforward as you would think
Colossal prehistoric creatures once “ruled the oceans”. Now see them close-up at the Natural History Museum’s new London exhibition
Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep is a new exhibition coming to the Natural History Museum this spring
Birds
“Viewers have been absolutely hooked.” Over 100,000 tune in to watch rare New Zealand parrot raising her chicks
Reality TV meets conservation – Kākāpō Cam is the most heartwarming thing you'll see all day.
It weighs as much as a piano and is nearly as tall as a basketball hoop: The 10 biggest, heaviest birds on the planet
You wouldn’t want to find these beasts at your bird feeder…
It builds skyscraper cities full of cosy, egg-shaped hammocks 30 metres above the ground
If Coco Chanel gave the common blackbird a makeover, the result would be the oropendola. With a minimalist colour palette and an occasional pop of colour, these mid-sized birds ooze chic simplicity.
“Our guide told us there was a bear cave 300m away. We didn’t take him seriously. It was a miracle we survived”
Boris Belchev on birds, batteries and battling bears with pop music
“At first, we were puzzled.” Scientists track 69 ravens through Yellowstone – and make remarkable discovery
The researchers wanted to find out exactly how ravens find wolf kills in the US national park.
Fiery eyes, fluffy 'horns' and a strange hoot – meet one of Britain's most mysterious predators
Long-eared owls are one of the most secretive birds in Britain.
How to identify wildlife
Red squirrel vs grey squirrel: Think you know how they differ? Think again as the differences between these two squirrels will surprise you
We take a look at how the red squirrel differs to its American grey cousin
Brown rat or water vole: How to tell the difference between these two lookalike-rodents
When all you've seen is a flash of brown fur, it can be hard to know whether it was a water vole or rat. Though the two species tend to live in different habitats, there are areas where they overlap, potentially leading to cases of mistaken identity. So how do you tell rats and water voles apart?
Mink or otter? What's the difference between these two slippery, semiaquatic lookalikes?
How do you tell the difference between otters and mink?
LRPs, PG Tips and Jizz: Cracking the secret language of birders
You’re sitting in a hide and overhear other birders talking. The conversation ranges from ‘LRPs’ and ‘roosting Leos’ and you scratch your chin as you try to decipher their code – welcome to the world of birding jargon.
It's the fastest animal in the world and its deadly claws can catch prey mid-air: Meet one of the world's most incredible birds of prey
Peregrines are the ultimate urban predator. Learn all about them, including how to spot them ‘stooping’ to catch prey
Save 30% when you subscribe to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus receive Simon Barnes’ latest release, Spring is the Only Season
Save 30% when you subscribe to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus receive Simon Barnes’ latest release, Spring is the Only Season
Plants
Stunning wildflower 'superbloom' sweeps through Death Valley. It's the best display in a decade
The hottest place on the planet has transformed into a sea of colour, as desert gold and notch-leaf phacelia flowers fill the valley floor.
Do plants sleep?
When the sun goes down, some flowers appear to tuck themselves in for the night.
But this curious habit is actually driven by a fascinating piece of plant science.
“These beacons of light in the mud do so much more than promise us brighter days ahead.”
The first signs of spring aren’t just beautiful – they’re essential to awakening wildlife, too
It's as big as a tractor tyre and smells like a rotting corpse
Why the biggest flower in the world is also the smelliest...
