When Can a Bird Afford to Moult?
In Common Bulbuls, the conditions associated with starting moult differ from those associated with completing it quickly. An experiment in Nigeria shows how body condition and diet shape different stages of feather replacement.
How European Is the European Roller?
Conceptual Note: This piece sits deliberately between observation and explanation: it outlines what is currently supported by evidence, then turns to the not knowing that remains — treating uncertainty not as a failure of understanding, but as a necessary part of how knowledge advances. The European Roller carries one of the most self-assured names in ornithology. It sounds precise, settled, geographically honest. Yet the bird it describes has always been only partly Eu
Gyorgy Szimuly
Is Woodpecker Drumming More Than Noise?
Conceptual Note: This piece sits deliberately between observation and explanation: it outlines what is currently supported by evidence, then turns to the not knowing that remains — treating uncertainty not as a failure of understanding, but as a necessary part of how knowledge advances. The forgotten song Among birds, few behaviours are as immediately recognisable as the drumming of a woodpecker. Long before the bird itself is seen, the rapid, percussive burst carries
Gyorgy Szimuly
The Art of Recognition: Firefinch Reframes the Path to Becoming an Ornithologist
Birding apps usually promise speed, certainty, and instant answers. Firefinch moves in another direction entirely – towards attention, illustration, and the slower process of learning how to truly recognise birds.
Gyorgy Szimuly
World Curlew Day: The Long Decline of Curlews, Now Fully Understood
Curlews are not disappearing unnoticed. The causes of their decline are now well understood, yet across flyways and landscapes, recovery remains limited and uneven — raising a harder question about the scale and persistence of our response.
Gyorgy Szimuly
