How the Black Skimmer Catches Fish Without Diving
A Black Skimmer glides just above quiet coastal water, its long wings carrying its body only centimeters above the surface. The bird appears almost to be tracing a line across …
bird adaptations
The Bearded Vulture Drops Bones From the Sky — Here’s Why
High above a rocky mountain slope, a bearded vulture circles with something unusual clutched beneath it: a large bone. The bird releases its cargo, the bone crashes against exposed rock, …
How Shoebills Hunt With Extraordinary Patience
The shoebill hunting behavior is unlike that of almost any other bird. While many predators actively chase prey or constantly search for movement, the shoebill often does the opposite. It …
How Male Sandgrouse Carry Water to Their Chicks
The sandgrouse water-carrying feathers are among the most remarkable parental adaptations in the bird world. In some of Earth’s hottest and driest deserts, where water may be many miles from …
Why Hoatzin Chicks Have Claws on Their Wings
Few birds look as unusual as the hoatzin, but even fewer surprise scientists as much as its chicks. The hoatzin chick wing claws are one of the most remarkable survival …