Birds

Birds

Josef Stefan

“I was photographing seabirds on a remote island off Norway. Then a huge predator appeared from nowhere”

Wildlife photographer Josef Stefan on no-show bustards, eagle drama and a lens cap fail
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Wirestock/Getty Images

“It's deadlier than cyanide and causes paralysis and death. And, unfortunately, there's no known antidote..." 8 most poisonous BIRDS on the planet

They say that you are what you eat – and these unassuming birds eat toxins like it’s nothing.
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Meet the mighty, majestic Andean condor, one of the world's most powerful and impressive birds and at 15kg the heaviest bird of prey

The mighty Andean condor – the heaviest bird of prey in the world and the raptor with the longest wingspan – needs little introduction, says Mike Dilger. Learn all about them in his expert guide - including where to see them
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Biggest birds of prey

Fierce, majestic – and built to kill – The world's biggest and mightiest birds of prey

All you need to know about the magnificent birds of prey, including the biggest in the world
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A dipper perching on a rock surrounded by water.

"It stands on its rock looking not so much like a streamlined submariner as an overfed blackbird"

Known in Welsh as a ‘bird of the torrent’, the dipper is the UK’s only aquatic songbird and always fascinating to watch.
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kingfisher mid poo © Yaorusheng/Getty

Do birds pee as well as poo?

When it comes to excretions, birds do a two-for-one deal
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Golden pheasant

8 astonishing close-up photos of the world’s most beautiful pheasant

Resplendent in red, gold and blue, the male of this spectacular species sports a crest like a barrister’s wig – even if it leaves him with massive blind spots
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How chickens can survive without a head

What is a chicken wishbone – and why on Earth do people fight over it?

Just how useful is a wishbone to a chicken? Find out with our expert guide
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Shetland wren (Troglodytes troglodytes zetlandicus) calling on a mossy stone against blue sky, Shetland Islands.

These tiny birds are doubling in size on remote Scottish islands – and are on their way to “becoming a new species”

Isolated on remote Scottish islands, tiny wrens have recently been discovered to be a fascinating case of island gigantism.
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Hyacinth Macaw poster shot from getty

What's the world's biggest parrot? There are two contenders: one has a massive 1m wingspan and the other weighs a whopping 3kg

Meet two giant birds fighting for the title of world's biggest parrot.
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A colony of wrinkle-lipped free-tailed bats (Mops plicatus) in flight above tree canopy

Bat vs bird: what's the difference between these two winged animals?

What are the actual anatomical differences between bats and birds?
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Why are some young birds bigger than their parents?

Why are young birds sometimes bigger than their parents?

Just why do some young birds bigger than their parents? Mike Toms explains
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Oropendola bird nests hanging from tall trees in the Peruvian Amazon.

The weirdest bird nests on the planet – including a 2-tonne giant and one bound together with spider webs

Discover a host of weird nests built by remarkable birds that steal, sew and regurgitate to look after their chicks
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Aerial view of New York City skyline with Central Park and Manhattan, USA

A mighty hawk has made a home in New York City's Central Park. This is its story

Red-tailed hawks have taken up residence in the heart of Manhattan.
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A lava covered seashore and palm trees on a tropical island

“It attacks with a short movement, sucking up the prey with an expansion of its tubular snout.” Meet 8 weirdest, bizarrest animals in Hawai'i

From a squid that projects moonlight to hide from predators to a snake that reproduces by cloning itself, Hawai'i's wildlife is stranger than you'd expect
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Lesser kestrel

“They simply moved in.” Thousands of tiny falcons are taking over this ancient Italian city

Thousands of lesser kestrels have been living in and around the ancient Italian city of Matera for centuries
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Peregrine falcons London

It’s the fastest animal on Earth and ruthlessly kills prey in mid-air – and it’s taking over London’s skyscrapers

The fastest animal on Earth is proliferating among the skyscrapers of central London
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Rome starling murmurations

“They produce 7 tonnes of guano – nightly”: Romans in biohazard suits are facing a relentless rain of oily poop. Here’s what’s going on

Millions of starlings descend upon Rome every year, creating spectacular murmurations – and a mess
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Monk parakeet

“These parrot apartment blocks can be the size of a small car” – and they’re causing chaos in a city near you

The monk parakeet has been a colourful, not to mention noisy, addition to the cityscapes of Madrid
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Blue-footed booby

“They stick out like a sore thumb.” This clown-like bird has really weird feet – and here’s why

There’s a lot more to these quirky seabirds than their eye-catching limbs
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A juvenile kingfisher perched on a branch waiting for a fish. © Gary Chalker/Getty

Everything you need to know about kingfishers

All you need to know about the common kingfisher
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Aerial view of a rugged island

70 nesting adults per square metre of cliff face – this is probably the highest nesting density of any bird in the world

Early summer is a busy time of year for Britain's seabirds, as they crowd on coastal cliffs and islands to rear their young.
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Mike the Headless Chicken'

Who was 'Mike the Headless Chicken' – and just how long did he live without a head?

Ellen Husain recounts the story of 'Miracle Mike the Headless Chicken'
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