Birds

October 23, 2020

Researchers Discover Rare Gynandromorph Bird That Is Both Male and Female

Researchers in Pennsylvania made a startling discovery while recording and tagging birds on in Powdermill Nature Reserve in late September. The team encountered, tagged, and photographed a very special rose-breasted grosbeak. Although a fairly common East Coast species of woodland bird, this particular creature is a bilateral gynandromorph—genetically part male and part female, split visibly down the middle.

Read Article

September 10, 2020

Underwater Video Captures the Unusual Way Flamingos Eat

Have you ever wondered how flamingos eat with their curved bills? The San Diego Zoo is educating the public on flamingo feeding habits with a new video showing the brilliantly pink birds feeding underwater. The video was taken at the birds' mealtime by an underwater camera placed inside the zoo's flamingo feeding pool. In the video, the birds dip their hooked bills to skim the bottom.

Read Article

June 16, 2020

Woman Sets Up Bird Feeder Cam to Capture Close-Ups of Diverse Birds Visiting Her Backyard

Intrigued by the diverse range of birds who frequently visit her garden, Lisa (aka Ostdrossel) created a homemade feeder cam—hidden within a weatherproof box—so she could capture her feather friends on camera without scaring them away. “I have always been fascinated with birds but it only became more of a hobby after I moved to the U.S.,” Lisa (who is originally from Germany) tells My Modern Met.

Read Article

May 5, 2020

These Tiny Birds in Japan Look Like Fluffy Little Cotton Balls

In Hokkaido, Japan’s second-largest island, fluffy white little birds flitter through the trees. They look like white cotton balls with wings, bouncing around. They are beloved by the Japanese, who call them shima enaga. In English, they’re known as long-tailed tits, though this particular subspecies is only found in Hokkaido. What makes Hokkaido’s long-tailed tits so special?

Read Article

My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.