Birds
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
null
undefined
“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
8 craziest, weirdest bird beaks on the planet: Meet the most bizarre beaks in the world – where evolution let its imagination soar
Uncover the secrets behind their extraordinary beaks and what they reveal about their lifestyles.
“They need to find a way of managing land without killing birds of prey” – inside the controversial world of grouse shooting
We go inside the debate on grouse shooting and the perceived benefits of burning heather
300,000 raptors take to the skies in “superhighways” where Europe meets Africa. Here’s what’s going on
Raptors and storks are prize species to spot as thousands of birds take to the skies above the Strait of Gibraltar
Why do little egrets have yellow feet?
BBC Wildlife contributor Mike Toms answers your wild question.
Do birds go grey in old age?
Science writer Stuart Blackman answers your wild question.
10 smallest, tiniest birds in the world – including one that weighs just 1.95g
Birds vary enormously in size and shape. The ostrich can grow up to 9ft tall. But what about at the other end of the spectrum? Here are the world’s 10 very smallest birds.