The redder, the better. And I’m not talking about beets, roses or presidential candidates. I’m talking birds. Well, some birds. In various species, red coloration in a male’s feathers or beak is an ...

Carotenoids are the underlying pigment for much of the enormous variety in color found across birds and form the basis for the colors red, yellow, and orange. In a study published in Current Biology, ...

In the bird world, the color red has special significance. Many species use red signals to attract mates or deter rivals, adding the color to their beaks, feathers, or bare skin. Generally speaking, ...

Bird beaks have a variety of shapes and purposes. Here are common bird beak types you should look for and how they help birds find food.

For most birds, the redder the better. Having that vivid hue in their bills, feathers, and even on their bare skin may help males attract mates and ward off would-be rivals. In a pair of Current ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. GrrlScientist writes about evolution, ecology, behavior and health. I ran across a sweet little paper in Science recently that ...

Museum scientist Gary Graves has spent decades investigating why red-billed and black-billed streamertail hummingbirds remain distinct species despite on-going hybridization Erin Wunderlich Gary ...

This time of year in the Eastern U.S., the birds are emerging in force, many flashing their brilliant reds—bright summer and scarlet tanagers, male cardinals in peak plumage or crimson male house ...