birds

A University of Michigan-led study of approximately 70,000 North American migratory birds from 52 species found that body sizes have decreased and wing length has increased in all of the species since 1978. 

David Willard, a Field Museum ornithologist, has measured the Windy City's dead birds since 1978. Data from his calipers and scales reveal decades-long trends in bird bodies: Their legs, on average, are growing shorter. They have lost weight. Their wings are getting slightly longer.
These changes are present in nearly all of the species he measured, according to a study of 70,716 bird specimens from almost 40 years published Wednesday in the journal Ecology Letters. Morphing birds, Willard, and his colleagues say, reflect a changing climate: "Our findings suggest that warming‐induced body size reduction is a general response to climate change, and reveal a similarly consistent and unexpected shift in body shape. We hypothesise that increasing wing length represents a compensatory adaptation to maintain migration as reductions in body size have increased the metabolic cost of flight". 

h/t: WashingtonPost

A well a everybody's heard about the bird! It's not enough that birds can fly, but some birds about absolute beauts, too! 

We're not jealous or anything. It's not like we wish we were birds, so we can fly far far away from here.

Here are thirteen birds that we love and love to look at! 

First, there were snakes with noodle arms, which were just incredible. Now, comes an amazing new treat for us all -- birds with human arms!

But wait! That's not all! The birds with human arms are animated -- which make them 1000000x way more amazing than any other 'animals w/ drawn arms' that we've ever seen. 

Prepare to be amazed, and filled with happiness. 

We didn't know how much we needed these animated gifs in our lives, until now. 

According to News 12, several areas in the Garden State, New Jersey, are having issues with bold, menacing and mannerless gangs of wild turkeys. The birds, which can grow to be 25 lbs. and can reach running speeds of 20 mph, are reportedly breaking windows, blocking roads, "pecking at cars and behaving aggressively," with one resident telling News 12 that, "Sometimes I can't get out of my car. They go to attack you."

While residents are doing their best to avoid interactions with the birds,  they are also sharing their pest problems with the world on Twitter. One of them is MLB all-star Todd Frazier who tweeted about it, saying the birds "have come close to harming my family and friends". 

Story via People.com

The Bee Hummingbird has many different names and can be only found in Cuba. These are the smallest birds ON EARTH! Their eggs in nests are the size of a coffee bean but even when they grow they're scarcely than a bee, hence the name Bee Hummingbird. 

But they are so beautiful, and their size simply adds to their precious-ness. 

Move aside, cats and dogs! It's BIRB time. We just love this Tumblr page that is all about avian humor and funny bird gifs and videos.  

Prepare for your imagination to take flight! The 'Bird Photographer of the Year 2019 Winners' have been announced on BPOTY (Bird Photographer of the Year), known for celebrating bird photography from around the world. The site is home to the world-renowned photography competition and has a nonstop growing community of wildlife photographers and conservationists. 

It is on BPOTY where you'll find some of the most exquisite bird photography in the world! And here are the Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners of 2019:

Today is Just Because Day! Which gives us the opportunity to post this ridiculous list of some of the biggest birb misbehavior we've ever seen... just because! Enjoy their defiant and unruly ways that make them who the are.

Twice a day, Joseph Sekar, a camera mechanic, goes to the roof of his camera repair shop in Chennai, India, and feeds 8,000 parakeets. That's right, 8,000 birds, twice a day.  It's a lot, but for Joseph, nothing brings more joy than watching the birds fly and knowing they are well-fed and healthy. He's the Birdman of Chennai—and he couldn't be happier.

When you think "pigeon", you don't necessarily think of a unique and beautiful bird. Pigeons are common and dirty, not even close to being labeled as "beautiful". However, the Victoria Crowned Pigeon is the beautiful love-child of a pigeon and a peacock. No, not really. Just really looks that way!

With bright blue feathers and a feathered crown on top of it's head, it's totally mesmerizing! Plus, these birds could become as large as a turkey! 

If we had to choose, we'd say the Victoria Crowned Pigeon is our favorite "pigeon".

These birds have their own set of rules and it's not always similar to human rules. Here are some birds being jerks.