Toucan's Beak Really Outsized Thermostat

Abnormality at 10 times normal levels

(NEWSER) - Something is warping the beaks of thousands of birds in Alaska and the Northwest. A recent US Geological Survey found a shocking number of birds with “avian keratin disorder,” which causes the either the upper beak, lower beak, or both to grow abnormally long and curved, often crossing the other beak. “The prevalence of these strange deformities is more than 10 times what is normally expected in a wild bird population,” one researcher told the AP . More»

Isolated finches develop the same song over time

(NEWSER) - DNA may carry the blueprint for culture, a study of zebra finches has revealed. When raised in isolation, the birds' complex mating song—usually taught by male elders—develops into a harsh clamor. But as their offspring learn the song, they tweak it slightly and recreate the melody within a few generations. "The culture was pretty much encoded," said the study's co-author. More»

(NEWSER) - Yes, it's an actual study: Parrots can dance. Really and truly dance. A painstaking review of lab video—and YouTube—revealed that the birds have rhythm, the Boston Globe reports. Frame-by-frame analysis of birds’ motion to music shows that they bob and weave in perfect sync to a beat, a new study shows. Scientists believe the bird’s mojo might be related to its talent for mimicry, which humans share. More»

(NEWSER) - The female Gouldian finch can control the sex of her egg to produce the strongest possible offspring, the BBC reports. The species comes in two head colors, red and black, and same-color mates are more compatible. If a female finds herself with a different color mate, her offspring will be 70% male, the heartier gender in that case. A same color match produces an equal number of males and females. More»

(NEWSER) - Researchers have tracked the migratory paths of songbirds for the first time, using small data-gathering “backpacks,” the Washington Post reports. The avian wanderers, who are so small they cannot be tagged with transmitters, move about 3 times as a fast as previously thought. The recovered data shows that birds traveling between the US and Brazil can make up to 311 miles in a day. They're usually faster heading south, possibly in a race to get the best breeding spots. More»