"Females can afford to be choosier in their social relationships because of their higher ranking..."
Find out why females are in charge of the complex social systems of laughing hyenas
What happens when a fly lands on your food? It’s not so much about the fly as where it's been... (poop!)
The time a fly spends stomping around your meal increases the associated health risks, so the natural instinct to swat it away immediately is right on the money.
Sir David Attenborough's 5 must-see magic moments on film
Picking our five greatest moments from David Attenborough's documentaries was no easy task, but we gave it a go - do you agree with our choices?
3 miles down, deep-sea robots discovered an incredibly hostile habitat with scorching 400°C waters, smoking black chimneys and – somehow – life...
The Beebe Vent Field in the Cayman Trough is home to the world’s deepest known hydrothermal vents
Scientists drop recorders into Amazon stream – and catch predators hunting like orcas
Electric eels 'switch off' their electronic pulses to sneak up on prey – a hunting strategy similar to that of orcas using (and not using) echolocation.
Rabbit vs hare: Just what's the difference between these two hopping marvels?
A hare might look very similar to a rabbit, but they are two very different species, with very different social structures. Nicole Wallace takes a look at how they differ
Quokka, quahog, quetzal... 9 amazing animals beginning with 'Q'
From a quail to a quoll, here are nine animals starting with a 'q'
Giant squid detected in deep-sea canyon off coast of Australia
Scientists have found evidence of giant squid and numerous other rarely seen marine creatures off the coast of Western Australia.
23 extremely rare North Atlantic right whales born off US coast
There are fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales on the planet, so a strong birthing season gives conservationists hope for the future of the critically endangered species.
"Its nickname is the ‘undertaker bird’, thanks to its hunched posture and huge black wings that resemble an ominous cloak." 8 ugliest animals on the planet...
Are these the ugliest animals in the world? And why do we find some animals ugly and some animals cute?
Birds
"Incredibly emotional." Red-and-green macaws return to Brazil’s Atlantic Forest after 200-year absence
Freshly fledged red-and-green macaw chicks mark a major milestone in the recovery of the colourful birds along the Brazilian coast, say conservationists.
Bald eagle vs golden eagle: what's the difference between these two gigantic raptors?
How exactly do you tell the difference between a golden eagle and a bald eagle?
"They can survive up to an hour in the icy water and use razor-sharp protruding teeth to scrape away ice."10 amazing, remarkable Antarctic animals...
Discover the most remarkable, captivating wildlife that thrives in one of the least hospitable places on Earth – Antarctica
It has a dagger beak, red throat and torpedo body – and its eerie cry is echoing across remote lochs
The red-throated diver, or red-throated loon, has one of the most evocative calls in the bird world.
"The only way a female avoids starvation is by being fed by males hoping to mate with her. Females might have up to five males in attendance..."
Often male birds are more colourful than their female counterparts, but the ecelctus parrot bucks the trend, as zoologist and broadcaster Lucy Cooke explains.
Crow vs raven: what's the difference between these two very similar-looking black birds?
Don't know how to tell a crow from a raven? Stuart Blackman explains how to tell the difference between these two common corvids
How to identify wildlife
Red squirrel vs grey squirrel: Think you know how they differ? Think again as the differences between these two squirrels will surprise you
We take a look at how the red squirrel differs to its American grey cousin
Brown rat or water vole: How to tell the difference between these two lookalike-rodents
When all you've seen is a flash of brown fur, it can be hard to know whether it was a water vole or rat. Though the two species tend to live in different habitats, there are areas where they overlap, potentially leading to cases of mistaken identity. So how do you tell rats and water voles apart?
Mink or otter? What's the difference between these two slippery, semiaquatic lookalikes?
How do you tell the difference between otters and mink?
LRPs, PG Tips and Jizz: Cracking the secret language of birders
You’re sitting in a hide and overhear other birders talking. The conversation ranges from ‘LRPs’ and ‘roosting Leos’ and you scratch your chin as you try to decipher their code – welcome to the world of birding jargon.
It's the fastest animal in the world and its deadly claws can catch prey mid-air: Meet one of the world's most incredible birds of prey
Peregrines are the ultimate urban predator. Learn all about them, including how to spot them ‘stooping’ to catch prey
Save 30% when you subscribe to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus receive Simon Barnes’ latest release, Spring is the Only Season
Save 30% when you subscribe to BBC Wildlife Magazine, plus receive Simon Barnes’ latest release, Spring is the Only Season
Plants
David Attenborough as you've never seen him before – him laughing at the noisiest plant in the world might be the most joyful thing you'll watch today
The noisiest plant in the world is actually quite amusing, as this BBC video with David Attenborough proves.
It rains poison, blinds on contact – and its fruit could kill: Inside the ‘Tree of Death'
"The ghostly trunks of a vast forest, submerged for tens of thousands of years, rose out of the sediment. These mighty trees had lived for hundreds of years before their watery grave"
The mystery of 60,000-year-old trees that still smell like fresh incense
"It explodes with a loud bang, flinging toxic seeds at speeds of up to 150MPH." 8 weirdest, wackiest trees on the planet, including one that walks...
Meet some of the weirdest and oddest trees on the planet
