Bird news, features and articles

A small white bird with a black head spreads its wings against a blue sky
A forester's tern in flight. (Image credit: Stan Tekiela Author / Naturalist / Wildlife Photographer via Getty Images)

The skies are filled with thousands of bird species (not to mention a few that prefer to stay on land), and each one has special adaptations, distinctive behaviors, and an evolutionary lineage that ultimately stems from the dinosaurs. With such a dizzying variety of our feathered friends — living and extinct — Live Science's expert science writers and editors have plenty to say about birds. Whether you're interested in sunbirds singing the same songs for a million years, explaining how crafty cuckoos trick other birds or ranking the biggest birds on Earth, you can find the latest bird news, articles and features here.

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Fossil of huge penguin that lived 3 million years ago discovered in New Zealand — what happened to it?

By Daniel Thomas, Alan Tennyson, Felix Georg Marx published

The newly-discovered penguin species went extinct when the ice age hit, but researchers don't think the cold was to blame for their demise.

Penguins
Composite of the newly discovered bird (center) is a hybrid of a blue jay (left) and a green jay (right), with distinguishing features of both species.

Rare blue-and-green hybrid jay spotted in Texas is offspring of birds whose lineages split 7 million years ago

By Skyler Ware published

The hybrid bird is the product of two species whose habitat ranges began to overlap a few decades ago, potentially due to climate change, researchers said.

Birds
Ostrich tilting head towards the camera lens.

'Rare' ancestor reveals how huge flightless birds made it to faraway lands

By Chris Simms published

The mystery of how related flightless birds ended up so far apart on different continents may have been solved.

Birds

Best bird song identification apps in 2025 — Identify bird calls and improve your avian knowledge

By Kat Bayly published

Impress your friends and learn how to identify birds by their calls with one of the best bird song identification apps — suitable for all age ranges.

Birds
The kākāpō.

Kākāpō: The chonky parrot that can live almost 100 years

By Mindy Weisberger published

This flightless nocturnal parrot is only found in New Zealand.

Birds
Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) in a spring meadow

Japanese quail: The bird with weird sperm foam, a post-sex strut and a spot in space history

By Richard Pallardy published

Male Japanese quails produce a strange seminal foam that appears to enhance the chances of successfully fertilizing an egg.

Birds
a group of ostriches taken from below, showing their necks and head, with one looking menacingly at the camera

14 of the biggest birds on Earth

By Scott Dutfield last updated

Reference From 9-foot tall ostriches to albatrosses with gargantuan wingspans, here are some of the biggest birds in the world.

Reference

Crows: Facts about the clever birds that live all over the world

By Marilyn Perkins, Alina Bradford last updated

Discover interesting facts about how crows remember faces, mimic human speech and more.

Birds

How do migrating birds know where they're going?

By Marilyn Perkins published

To navigate the skies, birds rely on a complex sensory tool kit.

Birds

Southern cassowary: The giant prehistoric bird with dinosaur feet

By Lydia Smith published

These large, flightless birds have powerful, muscular legs and tough, prehistoric-looking feet with claws that can deliver a powerful blow.

Birds
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