What makes a good bird name?

North American ornithologists are seeking to replace all bird species named after people - but what should they be called instead?

Andrew Gosler, Professor of Ethno-ornithology, University of Oxford • conversation
Jan. 3, 2024 • ~7 min

How a Victorian trip to Palestine spurred modern ornithology – and left it with imperial baggage

H.B. Tristram was a Victorian clergyman and ornithologist who categorised a list of birds he’d found in Palestine.

Jasmine Donahaye, Professor in English Literature and Creative Writing, Swansea University • conversation
Dec. 18, 2023 • ~7 min

How a colonial trip to Palestine spurred modern ornithology – and left it with imperial baggage

H.B. Tristram was a Victorian clergyman and ornithologist who categorised a list of birds he’d found in Palestine.

Jasmine Donahaye, Professor in English Literature and Creative Writing, Swansea University • conversation
Dec. 18, 2023 • ~7 min

Why dozens of North American bird species are getting new names: Every name tells a story

What’s in a name? A lot, if you’re an Audubon’s Oriole or a Townsend’s Solitaire.

Jared Del Rosso, Associate Professor of Sociology and Criminology, University of Denver • conversation
Dec. 7, 2023 • ~9 min

Scientists are using machine learning to forecast bird migration and identify birds in flight by their calls

Machine learning may not seem to have much connection with wildlife, but it’s starting to play a central role in bird conservation.

Miguel Jimenez, Ph.D. student in Ecology, Colorado State University • conversation
March 23, 2023 • ~9 min

Birds migrate along ancient routes – here are the latest high-tech tools scientists are using to study their amazing journeys

Satellite telemetry, tiny geolocation tags and passive acoustic recording are providing new insights into bird migration and vital data for conservation.

Tom Langen, Professor of Biology, Clarkson University • conversation
Sept. 2, 2022 • ~10 min

Canaries in the coal mine: why birds can tell us so much about the health of Earth

Want to understand your local environment better? Look to the birds.

Stuart Butchart, Chief Scientist, BirdLife International & Honorary Research Fellow, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge • conversation
May 18, 2022 • ~6 min

Why birds migrate vast distances – and how you can help during their breeding season

Birds are master navigators, negotiating journeys of thousands miles each year.

Louise Gentle, Principal Lecturer in Wildlife Conservation, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
April 14, 2022 • ~8 min

Here's how we proved that tropical birds are more colourful – and why colour helps them survive

We compared 4,500 species of songbird to finally confirm what Darwin suspected.

Gavin Thomas, Senior Lecturer, University of Sheffield • conversation
April 6, 2022 • ~7 min

Deer have antlers, walruses have tusks – here’s why so few birds have weapons of their own

Birds will shriek and dive at each other over food, territory or mates, but only a small number of species sport actual weapons. The reason: Flying matters more for their survival than fighting.

João C. T. Menezes, PhD Student in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, UMass Amherst • conversation
March 7, 2022 • ~9 min

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