As a short winter's day ends and the light fades from the sky, a dense, pulsating, and humming mass materializes against the amber, blues, and violets of dusk. A flock of Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), ...

Love them or hate them, Pigeons are among the most abundant and successful bird families on the planet, with about 350 species distributed on six continents. They can be particularly common in urban ...

In 1782, the turkey narrowly missed out on the bald eagle for being named the national bird of the United States. However, as a symbol of family gatherings and gratitude, the appeal of the turkey ...

Birds of prey, or raptors, are carnivorous birds that hunt and kill prey using a combination of their keen senses, strong talons and sharp, hooked beaks. Ranging from the minuscule falconet to the ...

A group of ravens is called an unkindness — but why? Discover the origins of this and other raven collective nouns, plus the truth about raven behaviour and intelligence. A group of ravens is ...

Ospreys are common resident and migratory birds of prey that can be seen hunting over lakes, rivers, and coastal waterways all over the world. These successful raptors have perfected the art of ...

Baby peacocks - which are actually called peachicks - are the chicks of any of the three species of peafowl; the Indian peafowl, Congo peafowl and Green peafowl. Peacocks are actually just male ...

Flamingos are an iconic breed of bird, recognised by most people the world over, but actually seen in the flesh by far fewer, due to the locations of their habitats. There are in fact six species of ...

“Female peacocks” is an oxymoron. Peacocks are male peafowl, and peahens are female peafowl. There’s no such thing as a “male peacock”! Nevertheless, peafowl have come to be known simply as peacocks.

Herons are large, striking birds from the Ardeidae family that contains some 64 species. Herons, bitterns and egrets belong to the same family and are all wading birds with long legs, necks and bills.

Basics of Bird Mating: Birds mate briefly, often in seconds, despite elaborate mating displays. The act of mating, typically known as a "cloacal kiss," involves the cloaca, a single opening serving ...

The Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) is the epitome of speed and power. They strike fear into the hearts of the birds they hunt, a fact that falconers have enjoyed for over 3000 years! These ...