This bird’s song sounds exactly like dripping water. Scientists just worked out how it does it
New research reveals how cowbirds make their astonishing liquid song.
“It seems so cruel.” Steve Backshall’s disturbing killer whale encounter on a beach in Patagonia
TV presenter and wildlife filmmaker Steve Backshall recounts a pod of orcas engaging in ‘surplus killing’
“I had to spend the entire night in a foetal position under some tree roots.”
Biologist and photographer Chien Lee on shrew loos, rogue drones and being rained out of bed
Inside the world's most otherworldly wildlife destinations
Exploding comet may have wiped out mammoths and other enormous Ice Age mammals
Did mammoths, sabre-tooth tigers and other Ice Age megafauna face a similar, impact-induced fate to the dinosaurs? That’s what new evidence may be starting to suggest…
In the dead of the night, this diver saw a bizarre thing scuttling out of the darkness
During a night dive in Bali, an underwater photographer happened upon a fascinating example of symbiosis between a carrier crab and an upside-down jellyfish.
A venomous viper, ‘psychedelic’ tarantula and a fish shaped like a guitar are on the brink of extinction, say experts
Conservation charity Fauna & Flora has released its 2026 Species to Watch list, which spotlights some of the most endangered animals on the planet
It's sleek, black, incredibly beautiful and very fast – and is known as the 'cheetah of the deep sea' despite weighing over a tonne
Learn all about the unmistakable pilot whale, from their diet and size to life in the pod and why, sadly, they're prone to beaching
"Imagine an elephant that stood no taller than your waist and was covered in a coat of fuzzy hair - cute, right?" Meet 10 cutest prehistoric animals ever
Not all animals from prehistory were monsters, some would even have made great pets…
"A bull elephant appeared from the bush. Ambling over to the carcass, the immense creature used his tactile trunk to gently caress the bones of his fallen comrade"
A cheery safari trip takes a solemn turn
Birds
Were these colourful parrots released into London by rockstar Jimi Hendrix, or on the set of a famous adventure movie?
Noisy flocks of emerald-green birds are becoming an increasingly common sight in the UK, from London's Hyde Park to as far north as Glasgow. Naturalist Mike Dilger tells you everything you've ever wanted know about this exotic non-native bird.
Is this the world's biggest owl gathering? During winter nearly 1,000 owls descend onto a tiny Serbian town centre – and at night it's party time
A huge parliament of long-eared owls has made an unlikely home in a Serbian town square
10 fastest birds of prey in the world – able to reach speeds of almost 200 MPH, these deadly aerial predators strike in a blink of an eye
Able to reach speeds of almost 200 MPH, these aerial predators are nature’s ultimate hunters
Watch agonising BBC footage of baby ostriches making a perilous journey for water and survival in the soaring heat of the Kalahari Desert
Ostrich chicks race against time in the scorching Kalahari, crossing the vast Etosha Salt Pan in search of life-saving water
10 fastest birds on the planet, including one that can cruise at 169kph for hours
From lightning-fast dives to marathon high-speed flight, these are the 10 fastest birds on Eart
The 12 birds of Christmas? Discover the birds hiding in the famous carol and their surprising stories
It’s got doves, hens and, of course, a partridge, but Stephen Moss explores how a much-loved carol may be all about birds, plus why the robin rules Christmas.
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
What can tree rings tell us, apart from a tree's age?
Naturalist and author Amy-Jane Beer sheds light on what tree rings can tell us.
It may look like ice – but don't be fooled for this is a rare and alive eerie woodland phenomenon that even astounds the experts...
Nick Baker takes a look at the weird phenomenon that produces hair ice, a rare winter wonder formed by a bit of alchemy magic
On the brink of disappearing forever: Kew Gardens reveal the world’s rarest, most threatened plants
We take a look at 10 rare plants on the brink of extinction (or already extinct) in the wild, with the experts at Kew Gardens
10 animal killer plants that trap and devour their prey
Not all carnivores have teeth… Read on to learn about 10 ingenious - and deadly - meat-eating carnivorous plants.