The Quantum Compass: Birds May Use Physics to Navigate
A European Robin, one of the key species in magnetoreception research, may rely on quantum entanglement to sense the Earth’s magnetic field. © Santiago Caballero Carrera
Avian Biology

The Quantum Compass: Birds May Use Physics to Navigate

A light-sensitive protein in birds’ eyes may help them perceive magnetic fields, suggesting that evolution has crafted a quantum compass for migration.

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Engineering Elegance: The Paradise Riflebird As Nature’s Most Theatrical Engineer
A male Victoria’s Riflebird in full theatrical flair, arching his jet-black wings and iridescent breast shield as he engineers a multisensory courtship spectacle – each gesture finely tuned by evolution to captivate the discerning female. This species shares the same extraordinary display mechanics described in recent Paradise Riflebird research. © Paul Maury 

Engineering Elegance: The Paradise Riflebird As Nature’s Most Theatrical Engineer

With a wave of his wings and the snap of a feather, the Paradise Riflebird transforms the rainforest floor into a stage. Recent research reveals that this avian dancer doesn’t just display beauty – it performs biomechanics at its evolutionary peak.
Avian Biology
The Ornithologist

The Ornithologist
North America’s Bird Declines Reveal a Global Conservation Blind Spot
Eastern Meadowlark — a defining voice of North American grasslands, now in steep decline. Its disappearance reflects the wider crisis of common birds. © Shelley Rutkin

North America’s Bird Declines Reveal a Global Conservation Blind Spot

Common species are the backbone of ecosystems, yet new research shows they are declining at a scale that reshapes the conservation challenge. If familiar birds disappear, the loss will be both ecological and cultural — and it may already be happening faster than we think.
Conservation
Gyorgy Szimuly

Gyorgy Szimuly