Mike Lee, Flinders University and Paul Oliver, Australian National University
The Earth is full of many varied species from the largest mammals to the tiniest organisms. But we now think there could be ten times more species than was originally thought.
Why are our cities full of crows, ravens and rainbow lorikeets, while other species decline? The answer comes down to street smarts, adaptability, and sometimes plain bullying.
Research on animals like the Black Sparrowhawk, using biomarkers, can help map how urbanisation affects animals.
David Berliner/ Flickr
Given the global commitment to conserve biodiversity in the face of climate change, it is important to understand how biodiversity arises in the first place – and how it is maintained.
Movements of insectivorous species that migrate, like the cuckoo, may be influenced by the migration of prey insect groups.
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Birds migrating to Africa are threatened by issues like habitat loss. Studying their movement patterns will show the challenges these species encounter on the continent.
The singing behaviour of migratory birds functions as a rehearsal period before the big show in Europe the following spring.
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It is unusual for songbirds migrating from Europe to Africa to sing. A new hypothesis suggests an interesting reason for why such singing sometimes happens.
Dead river red gums line a dry creek west of Mildura.
Gillis Horner
The extinction threat you haven’t heard of: several South American birds teeter on the brink of existence due to habitat loss. And history is not the best guide for how to save them.
Birds are more dangerous to aircraft than drones.
kvoloshin/flickr
Drones don’t pose much of a risk to traditional aviation. Our research shows that collisions with manned aircraft are far more likely to involve a bird.
The southern black-throated finch could be brought to the brink by coal-mining developments.
Seabamirum/Wikimedia Commons
More than half of the remaining habitat for Queensland’s southern black-throated finches is potentially subject to mining development. If these mines go ahead, it will be bad news for these birds.
The Spangled Drongo is a frequent mimic.
David Cook/flickr
There are birds we love to hate, such as the Noisy Miner. But much of the annoying behaviour on show may be a result of human-induced changes to habitats.
You can encounter at least one of the six guineafowl species in sub-Saharan Africa.
Tim Crowe
Biodiversity is known to suffer in human-altered agricultural areas. But the Verreaux Eagle is an exception and has seen its numbers increase in agricultural land..