Birds
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.
Do all gulls live by the sea?
Crushing bone, spearing fish, tearing flesh... These are the 6 deadliest bird beaks on the planet and they are highly effective lethal weapons
Discover the strongest, most lethal beaks on Earth.
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What's the most common bird of prey in the world?
Have you spotted one of these mesmerising raptors?
Candy-coloured kingfishers, jewel-encrusted hummingbirds and pheasants in regal hues – discover the 11 most colourful birds
These avian wonders with brilliantly coloured plumage are found across the globe
“I know it’s natural but it’s bloody hard to watch.” There’s one rule in wildlife filmmaking – but this BBC team broke it
In a now-viral clip from BBC's Dynasties, the filming crew were faced with a tough decision
They strike with clenched talons at 200mph, crush skulls, shred prey, and can inflict deep head wounds on humans – 10 deadliest birds of prey on the planet
Silent wings, razor-sharp talons, and killer precision—these apex aerial predators rule the skies. Here are the world’s deadliest birds of prey
Do birds sweat, like other animals, to cool down?
Mike Toms explains how birds keep cool in hot weather
What’s the rarest bird in the world? Discover the ones on the brink of extinction
What are the rarest birds in the world? Stuart Blackman takes a look at the contenders
“I watch as a hissing, jostling scrum of over 60 vultures tears into the remains of a zebra foal”
Raptors have declined across Africa, but a new effort to safeguard them is underway
Why don't birds have weapons, like many other animals? Apart from lethal beaks and claws that is...
When it comes to fighting birds are ill-equipped compared to other animals
It's called a wader but doesn't wade – and doesn't like to fly either. Discover the bird that's regarded as something of an oddity
The non-wading woodland wader...
“These parrot apartment blocks can be the size of a small car” – and they’re causing chaos in a city near you
The monk parakeet has been a colourful, not to mention noisy, addition to the cityscapes of Madrid
How do diving gannets avoid breaking their necks when entering the water at speeds of nearly 100 km/h?
The sight of gannets diving into water for their prey is impressive to behold, but how do they avoid breaking their necks at such a high speed?
Dove vs pigeon: one gets bad rep, while the other is a symbol of peace – but what is the difference between these two similar-looking birds?
What's the difference between pigeons and doves? Are doves and pigeons the same bird? Tom Hibbert from The Wildlife Trusts takes a look
5 giants of the sky: Discover the birds with the biggest, most enormous wingspans – including one as long as a car
Meet the wandering albatross, whose wingspan is roughly the length of a Fiat 500, and four more feathered titans
Watch hungry gannets performing death-defying, perilous dives at breakneck speeds to catch food – where one small mistake can lead to death
This amazing filming shows the bravery and agility of female gannets
Why do some birds’ eggs have patterns?
Many birds' eggs have patterning on them. Mike Toms explains why.
Why are a peacock’s eyespots frozen in place even when the rest of the train ripples and moves? Why does that matter? The secret is hidden in the feathers
The vibrant colours of the male birds’ spectacular display conceal a miracle of engineering.
Do hens have teeth?
Stuart Blackman explains why just because hens don't have teeth at the moment it doesn't mean they won't ever have teeth...
Purple is nature's rarest colour but purple animals do exist: Meet 9 beautiful, incredible purple animals that look like they've been painted
Would a flamingo turn blue if it ate blue food?
Could we ever see blue flamingos?
36 extraordinary, astonishing bird facts, including a bird that has killed humans, a bird that likes to get drunk and one that can fly backwards
Impress your friends and family with your newfound bird knowledge.
This bizarre Galápagos bird hunts giant deep-sea squid at night. How it does it is astonishing
Far away in the Galápagos Islands, a peculiar nocturnal seabird is finally starting to give up its secrets