Birds

Caught, plucked, and kept ALIVE: Does this deadly predator take ruthlessness to a new level, inflicting a fate worse than death on its prey?
Do Eleonora’s falcons cach migrant birds alive to eat later?

Villagers in Mozambique talk to birds to help them hunt. How they do it is amazing
In an astonishing parallel to how human language evolves, communities in Mozambique use different ‘dialects’ to coordinate cooperation with wild birds.

“It will perish.” A penguin chick has a lucky escape from being crushed to death. Then disaster strikes
In footage filmed for the BBC's Penguins: Meet the Family, a chick gets separated from its parent – will they reunite?
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10 jaw-dropping eagle moments captured in photos and film that reveal the brutal hunting behaviour of this powerful bird of prey
Discover the raw power of this striking bird, as well as the fierce clashes it will endure to ensure a meal

Gigantic 10ft-wide raptors released in Patagonian mountains
The Andean condor is the largest raptor in the world and can live for up to 70 years.

“It seemed like a matter of urgency – who knew if these sounds would be accessible to me if I put things off for another year?”
Progressive hearing loss prompted a memorable quest to absorb nature’s calls and choruses

“Imagine committing fratricide before you can walk.” This parasitic birds lays its eggs in the nests of other species
Does a cuckoo know it's a cuckoo? The answer is more difficult than you might think, explains Richard Pallardy

It’s the most numerous bird on Antarctica and charges at predators with flailing flippers – but what species is this cutie?
How big are Adélie penguins? What do they eat? Learn all about these charismatic birds in our expert guide.

Why is a group of crows called a murder?
Wondered why a group of crows earned the rather dark title of 'a murder of crows'? Mike Toms explains how this strange collective noun came about

It once numbered in the millions and even blocked out the sun – so why did the passenger pigeon suddenly become extinct?
All you need to know about the passenger pigeon, including why this once abundant bird went extinct

Researchers strapped cameras to penguins in Antarctica and followed them into the deep. What they filmed is incredible
Scientists put tiny cameras on penguins’ backs in efforts to gather evidence to support new marine protected areas in Antarctica.

Firestarter: They set the land ablaze from the sky – and then wait for their prey to run
Feathered arsonists spread fire to fill their bellies

Can birds understand each other? Just how do they team up to fight predators?
Birds speak different languages – but when danger strikes, some learn to listen, decoding unfamiliar calls through the voices of others

Buzzing chainsaws, clattering machine guns and metallic hammering: 7 of the weirdest bird noises on Earth
Not all birds have a sweet-sounding melody, as this raucous bunch proves...

Rare 9ft-tall 'camel birds' released into Saudi Arabian desert
The release is a milestone for an ambitious rewilding project in the country's northwest.

This bird’s song sounds exactly like dripping water. Scientists just worked out how it does it
New research reveals how cowbirds make their astonishing liquid song.

Were these colourful parrots released into London by rockstar Jimi Hendrix, or on the set of a famous adventure movie?
Noisy flocks of emerald-green birds are becoming an increasingly common sight in the UK, from London's Hyde Park to as far north as Glasgow. Naturalist Mike Dilger tells you everything you've ever wanted know about this exotic non-native bird.

Is this the world's biggest owl gathering? During winter nearly 1,000 owls descend onto a tiny Serbian town centre – and at night it's party time
A huge parliament of long-eared owls has made an unlikely home in a Serbian town square

10 fastest birds of prey in the world – able to reach speeds of almost 200 MPH, these deadly aerial predators strike in a blink of an eye
Able to reach speeds of almost 200 MPH, these aerial predators are nature’s ultimate hunters

Watch agonising BBC footage of baby ostriches making a perilous journey for water and survival in the soaring heat of the Kalahari Desert
Ostrich chicks race against time in the scorching Kalahari, crossing the vast Etosha Salt Pan in search of life-saving water

10 fastest birds on the planet, including one that can cruise at 169kph for hours
From lightning-fast dives to marathon high-speed flight, these are the 10 fastest birds on Eart

The 12 birds of Christmas? Discover the birds hiding in the famous carol and their surprising stories
It’s got doves, hens and, of course, a partridge, but Stephen Moss explores how a much-loved carol may be all about birds, plus why the robin rules Christmas.

Do all gulls live by the sea?

Crushing bone, spearing fish, tearing flesh... These are the 6 deadliest bird beaks on the planet and they are highly effective lethal weapons
Discover the strongest, most lethal beaks on Earth.