Birds

A French theme park has trained a crew of six rooks to pick up after its messy guests.

By Jesslyn Shields

What benefit does one bird get from copying another bird's calls?

By Mark Mancini

It's easy to mistake a crow for a raven or vice versa. But the two birds are actually pretty different.

By Mark Mancini

Spontaneous sex reversal in chickens is pretty rare, but it does happen. Find out how Miss Lucille became Mr. Lucille.

By Alia Hoyt & Talon Homer

Most of the scientific attention to birdsong has been paid to the male of the species. But many female birds sing too - and scientists are starting to understand how important it is to study them as well.

By Alia Hoyt

Does your parakeet understand the cardinal chirping outside its window? Can a pigeon's noises mean anything to a crow? Yes, it can.

By Mark Mancini

Thanks to new technology, researchers have discovered that the common swift flies 10 months a year without landing, setting a world record for uninterrupted time aloft.

By Jesslyn Shields & Mack Hayden

Ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate annually from the U.S. all the way to Central America. How often would one need to stop? A new study reveals amazing abilities.

By Christopher Hassiotis & Zach Taras

When a friend decides to ignore their problems, you might liken them to an ostrich. But ostriches are much more likely to face a problem head-on than hide it in the sand.

By Bambi Turner

Nature can be a pretty cruel place. Out in the wild, it's either kill or be killed. But in the spirit of self-preservation, will a mama bird really abandon its young at the slightest sign of human interference? Let's check the facts.

By Kate Kershner

Red-tailed hawks are the most common hawk species in North America. These massive birds are known to mate for life, and, despite their name, to have feathers in a variety of colors.

By Wendy Bowman

Read the greatest stories of the pigeons who have served as invaluable to people who need to send important messages over long distances.

Check out our list of the most common myths about pigeons, and perhaps you'll learn a thing or two about our familiar feathered friends!

By Colleen Cancio

Whichever came first, the chicken or the egg, you want to know how to collect the eggs from a chicken. This article will tell you how to collect eggs from a chicken.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

You are an avid birdwatcher and would like to know how to identify birds. This article will tell you all about how to identify birds.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Many animals have defense mechanisms to ward off enemies. If you think it's a good idea to frighten a vulture, be ready for the smell of rotting flesh and acid-like burns.

By Cristen Conger

Did you know that it's the possession of feathers, not the ability to fly, that distinguishes birds from other animals? Take a view of these bird pictures to see how many you recognize.

By Marie Bobel

Geese don't exchange vows or rings, but they do search for their lifelong mate. However, are geese really faithful, or do they take a gander at the opposite sex?

By Jennifer Horton

The Millennium Falcon might be fast in a galaxy far, far away, but the peregrine falcon reigns supreme on Earth. This bird doesn't have warp speed, but it sure can zoom.

By Jennifer Horton

Penguins and puffins might love formal wear and waddling, but the similarities end there. These fish-loving birds don't see eye to eye on issues like transportation and real estate.

By Cristen Conger

Flamingos can stand on one spindly leg for hours. But why do they do it? Are they posing as a tree to trick prey, or simply avoiding a bathtub prune-foot?

By Julia Layton

Hummingbirds almost never stop moving is and their legs are small and weak. So do hummingbirds do everything in midair -- even mate?

By Julia Layton

All you amateur ornithologists might scoff at this seemingly simple question, but the answer isn't as straightforward as you think. And no, it's not just that their bones are hollow.

By Jennifer Horton

It can be scary to have an owl fly in front of you without it making a sound. Find out if this phenomenon is a supernatural power or something as simple as the hip bone being connected to the tail bone.

By Sarah Winkler

While the ostrich might look like an avian punch line, it's actually a nutritious source of red meat. Why do ostriches produce meat that's more like that of a cow than a chicken?

By Julia Layton