Effect of Weak Broadband EM

Biologists studying migratory birds accidentally discovered that the effects of low-level broadband electromagnetic fields common in cities and a thousand times below the range that affects human health can disrupt the behavior and magnetic migratory sense of urban songbirds.

New Bird Species in Metro Area

The Cambodian tailorbird (Orthotomus chaktomuk), a species new to science, was found in the capitol city Phnom Penh during routine checks for the avian flu in 2009, the first time a new animal species has been discovered in a modern urban environment.

Flying vs. Diving in Birds

A new study examining diving seabird species murres (Uria lomvia) and cormorants (Phalacrocorax pelagicus) finds these birds possess the most energetically inefficient wings for flight, concluding that flightless birds such as penguins lost their ability to fly as the adaptations for an aquatic lifestyle are unsuitable to maintain flight.

Two New Owl Species

Researchers have discovered two previously unknown owl species in the Philippines: the Cebu hawk-owl, once thought to be extinct due to deforestation, and the Camiguin hawk-owl, originally suspected to be a subspecies but both confirmed as distinctly new species.

Pigeons "Hear" Magnetic Fields

New research shows that cells from the part of the inner ear of pigeons called the lagena seem to encode information regarding a magnetic field's direction, intensity and polarity, possibly contributing to the bird's remarkable sense of navigation.

Birds Tweet Using Grammar

A new study shows the songs of Bengal finches follow defined rules of order, or "grammar," that consists of learned syntax and rules as to the sequential ordering of syllables in their songs.

Giant Stork Fossils

Fossil remains of a giant marabou stork (Leptoptilos robustus) that once stood 1.8-m tall have been discovered on the Indonesian island of Flores, the latest in a series of extreme-sized animals native to that island including dwarf elephants, giant rats and a species of "hobbit-like" hominids.

Half-Male, Half-Female Chickens

Scientists have decoded the genetic quirk of gynandromorphia, a condition in which 1 in every 10,000 chickens grows distinctly half-male and half-female, and found the condition develops in birds independently of sex hormones.

Why Flamingos Use One Leg

Through an exhaustive study of Caribbean flamingos, scientists have determined that the wading birds rest on one leg as a means of bodily thermoregulation as they stand in cooling waters.

Bald Bird Species Discovered

A rare new species of bald-headed bird, named the bare-faced bulbul, has been discovered in Laos, the first such find in over a century for Asia.

New Bird Species Discovered in China

Ornithologists from Guangxi University have discovered a new bird species in southwest China near its border with Vietnam.

Named Stachyris nonggangensis, or the Nonggang babbler after the wildlife reserve at which it was discovered, this bird is closely related to the known sooty babbler also of the Guangxi province of China. It seems to prefer running to flying, foraging for insects on the forest floor, in contrast to other babbler species that seldom come to the ground.

The new babbler species lives in what is known as the Chinese Mountains Endemic Bird Area, one of the most biodiverse tropical regions in the world. The discovery of a new species is significant as it may indicate many more as-yet unknown species in this part of the world that is quickly being deforested for lumber and charcoal.

These results were published in a recent edition of The Auk.

Source: ScienceDaily