Birds
Can animals catch yawns off humans? And why on Earth do we yawn anyway?
Although it might not be exactly clear why humans and animals yawn, the contagiousness of yawns is undoubtable – but how does it work in the animal kingdom?
How do wading birds find food in mud?
Discover how waders use their unique bills and special sensors to detect tasty treats.
Do seabirds drink saltwater?
We take a look at the drinking habits of seabirds
Do birds have ears?
How are birds able to hear so well? Sheena Harvey investigates
Magellanic penguin: meet the unlikely companion (and real-life acting superstar) in Steve Coogan’s film The Penguin Lessons
It’s not often a penguin gets a starring role in a hit film, but Steve Coogan’s The Penguin Lessons has ensured that the Magellanic penguin has landed the role of a lifetime
Meet the 10 bonkers birds that break the rules of nature
Discover the extraordinary birds that defy nature’s norms.
When explorers went to the Falkland Islands, a group of curious animals surrounded them
The huge birds approached the researchers “before giving a trademark side-eye and waddling off”.
"Mission Penguin was born": How one woman’s epic quest to photograph every penguin species helped heal her grief
Mourning her late husband, photographer Ursula Clare Franklin needed a new direction. Soon she was travelling the world, on a journey to photograph her favourite animal, the penguin – all 18 species of them.
How do birds fly in a V formation – without colliding?
Why do birds fly in a V formation - and how do they stay in one? Stuart Blackman explains the secrets of flight.
Could a swan actually break your arm?
They may look serene gliding across a lake, but swans are known to be fiercely protective. We explore whether Britain’s biggest bird really has the strength to snap a human arm...
Discover the 10 biggest, heaviest birds in the world: Towering giants that don't always get airborne
You wouldn’t want to find these beasts at your bird feeder…
There are probably more flightless birds than you think – Meet 11 curious - and often weird - land-based avian wonders
There are some birds that can't take to the sky, despite having wings. Discover 10 curious and wonderful birds that have lost the ability to fly
This giant bird was once extinct in the UK but is wading through its wetlands again
As winter rolls into spring, the common crane sings and dances through Britain's wetlands once again, says Mike Dilger.
What's the biggest owl? Here's a clue – it has a colossal 2 metre wingspan
Did you know the largest owl in the world has a wingspan of around two metres?
A deep, resonant call is rising through the reedbeds of Britain
During spring, Britain's loudest bird booms out its mating call – and following a record-breaking year in 2024, it's a sound conservations hope will continue to grow.
US State of the Birds: 2025 report reveals steep and widespread declines
The new report shows that North American bird populations have plummeted by 30 per cent since the 1970s.
Here's why 15 giant birds were just translocated to Patagonia National Park
It's all part of the first international rewilding project to help save Darwin’s rheas in South America.
"Uncharted territory": soft tissue of ancient animal found entombed in volcanic rock near Rome
The 30,000-year-old remains display microscopic details of animal tissue, including eyelids and perfectly preserved feathers, say scientists
Meet the skeleton-eating bird that dyes itself the colour of blood
Bearded vultures, also known as lammergeiers, turn their feathers red on purpose - experts have several theories why.
“If an eagle fell, I had to carry it back up without being torn apart” How one woman helped save the bald eagle
In the 1970s, the bald eagle was on the verge of extinction. Thanks in part to the pioneering work of one young biologist, this magnificent bird has made a spectacular comeback.
Hawk Mountain: how a deadly hunting ground in the Appalachian range became a sanctuary for raptors
Every year, thousands of eagles, falcons and kestrels soar past this great mountain ridge in Pennsylvania – here's the story of how it became the world’s first raptor sanctuary.
It lays luminous eggs on the jungle floor and then abandons them with the father – is this nature’s worst mother?
In a "recipe for extinction", the creature dumps their DayGlo eggs on the jungle floor and leaves them.
Do penguins really ‘propose’ with pebbles?
Is it true that penguins exchange stones as marriage proposals? Stuart Blackman investigates the popular belief.
Birds of paradise ‘glow’ in secret biofluorescent courtship dance
For the first time, a study has found that birds of paradise are biofluorescent – a skill they likely use for unique mating rituals.