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.
Discover more about birds
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Bruce the parrot is missing his upper beak — but that hasn't stopped him from becoming an undefeated jousting championA kea parrot in New Zealand who lost the top part of his beak when young has developed a new way to fight other males that has made him unbeatable.
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Can chickens really run around with their heads cut off?There's lore about chickens surviving from seconds to months after their heads are chopped off, but what does the science say?
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World's fattest parrot — on the verge of extinction 30 years ago — has record-breaking breeding seasonConservationists are celebrating the 105th kākāpō chick to hatch during the 2026 breeding season — the highest number reported since such records began 30 years ago.
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Birds are declining faster and faster in 3 US hotspots, new study findsResearchers have revealed that North American birds are declining at an accelerating rate in three regional hotspots associated with intense agriculture.
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Extraordinary photo captures first appearance of Siberian peregrine falcon in Australia's arid centerAn ecologist has captured a photo of a peregrine falcon subspecies in an unprecedented location.
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In the search for bees, Mozambique honey hunters and birds share a language with distinct, regional dialectsPeople searching for honey in Mozambique work with birds via a shared language in a rare case of cooperation between humans and wild animals. This language also comes with regional dialects — that appear to be driven by the birds.
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Rare nocturnal parrots in New Zealand are breeding for the first time in 4 years — here's whyThe 2026 breeding season for endangered kākāpō could produce the most chicks in decades.
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Last of its kind dodo relative spotted in a remote Samoan rainforestThe manumea, a critically endangered ground pigeon and one of the closest living dodo relatives, has been spotted multiple times in a remote Samoan rainforest.
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Why do vultures circle?Circling vultures aren't waiting for you to die, and seeing them should be a welcome sight because of the benefits they bring, experts say.
