The Ornithologist

Bound by Coastlines: Genetics and the Hidden Structure of Mexico’s American Oystercatchers

Genetic evidence from Mexico’s coastlines reveals that American Oystercatchers are far less mobile than they appear, shaped by loyalty to place and hidden evolutionary boundaries.

Gyorgy Szimuly

8 Jan 2026 — 7 min read

Cormorants: Evolutionary Failure or Underwater Mastermind?

Evolution and Taxonomy

Gyorgy Szimuly

3 Jan 2026 — 6 min read

Not So Solitary: Female Ruffs Cluster Nests Around Leks and Neighbours

Ecology and Behaviour

Gyorgy Szimuly

23 Dec 2025 — 8 min read

Tracking a Siberian Bluethroat Across Asia

Movement and Distribution

Gyorgy Szimuly

18 Dec 2025 — 6 min read

Beyond North and South: Vertical Migration in the White-chested Alethe

Using a barometric pressure logger, researchers documented seasonal vertical migration in a White-chested Alethe, revealing how African forest birds track rainfall, food availability, and elevation rather than latitude.

Movement and Distribution

Gyorgy Szimuly

25 Jan 2026 — 5 min read

Sound-based surveys uncover fine-scale habitat selection in the declining Crested Tit

New research from Finland suggests that Crested Tits respond more to fine-scale forest structure than to forest age in early spring, challenging assumptions about how habitat quality is defined in managed boreal forests.

Ecology and Behaviour

Gyorgy Szimuly

20 Jan 2026 — 3 min read

Choosing Survival: Habitat Shifts in Wintering Taiga Bean Geese

When frost locks grasslands out of reach, Taiga Bean Geese turn to winter cereal fields to survive. New research shows how these fields become lifelines during the coldest days of winter.

Ecology and Behaviour

Gyorgy Szimuly

14 Jan 2026 — 4 min read

Bound by Coastlines: Genetics and the Hidden Structure of Mexico’s American Oystercatchers

Genetic evidence from Mexico’s coastlines reveals that American Oystercatchers are far less mobile than they appear, shaped by loyalty to place and hidden evolutionary boundaries.

Evolution and Taxonomy

Gyorgy Szimuly

8 Jan 2026 — 7 min read

Explore our archive of articles, interviews, and creative projects

Cormorants: Evolutionary Failure or Underwater Mastermind?

Cormorants are often labelled evolutionary misfits for having partially wettable feathers – hardly ideal for a diving bird. Their design is far from flawed. It is a finely tuned adaptation that reveals an unexpected path in the evolution of underwater hunting.

Evolution and Taxonomy

Gyorgy Szimuly

3 Jan 2026 — 6 min read

The Endangered Species Act Under Threat: Why It Still Matters for Birds

The world’s most important wildlife protection law is facing the greatest threats of our lifetime

Conservation

Chris Allieri

29 Dec 2025 — 5 min read

The Western Orphean Warbler’s Narrow Migration Corridor

New multi-sensor tracking shows that Western Orphean Warblers follow a narrow migration corridor along the western Sahara, moving in short, precise nocturnal jumps instead of long continuous flights.

Movement and Distribution

Gyorgy Szimuly

27 Dec 2025 — 5 min read

Not So Solitary: Female Ruffs Cluster Nests Around Leks and Neighbours

Female Ruffs reveal a hidden social strategy: new research shows their nests cluster around leks and neighbours, reshaping how we understand habitat selection in this declining wader.

Ecology and Behaviour

Gyorgy Szimuly

23 Dec 2025 — 8 min read