article thumbnail

Every sperm is sacred

10,000 Birds

Because unlike those of mammals, avian ova need penetration by multiple sperm in order to successfully develop into baby birds. If you’re feeling particularly science-y, the full paper is here.). This differs from humans and other mammals, in which the addition of extra sperm essentially destroys the egg.

Zebras 145
article thumbnail

Honey, I Shrunk The Dinosaurs!

10,000 Birds

There is a fantastic paper just out in Science : “Sustained miniaturization and anatomoical innovation in the dinosaurian anceestors of birds” by Michael Lee, Andrea Cau, Darren Naishe and Gareth Dyke. So, for example, humans are apes. The paper that just came out in science has the following spectacular conclusion.

Camels 196
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Trending Sources

article thumbnail

Just like in people, yawning is contagious in birds

10,000 Birds

Science is fairly well established that yawning can spread like wildfire among groups of humans, as well as a few other mammals. (Our first victim appears to be the Ring-billed Gull above, photographed by Corey.) Don’t say you weren’t warned! Click here to go directly to the study.).

New York 157
article thumbnail

Birding Sepilok, Borneo (Part 2)

10,000 Birds

The scientific species name stricklandii commemorates Hugh Edwin Strickland (1811-1853), a British geologist, zoologist, and the coordinator of the Strickland Code, a code of nomenclature for taxonomic classification prepared by a committee of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, first published in 1842 ( source ).

Sri Lanka 205
article thumbnail

15 Australian Birds (Episode 2)

10,000 Birds

Quite likely, these birds are also the inspiration for Australian science communicator Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki. According to the HBW entry for this species, it “has been claimed that loss of native mammals after European settlement created shortage of nesting material, explaining this species’ penchant for taking hair from humans.”

Australia 189
article thumbnail

Great Tit Telomeres, Baby Talk, Brainy Birds

10,000 Birds

Third, which we already suspected, bird brains are adjusted to provide extra smartness in a way not seen in mammals. In humans, adults (probably mainly mothers) do this thing called “motherese” which is talking in a way one would normally not talk to another adult, to a baby. City Great Tit ( Parus major ) telomeres shortened.

Mammals 108
article thumbnail

The Geladas of Ethiopia

10,000 Birds

This was the local name meaning “ugly” used for these primates by the people of the Gonder area in northern Ethiopia when the German naturalist Rüppell “discovered” this species for science in the 1830’s. they are the most terrestrial primate after humans. . they are the most terrestrial primate after humans.

Ethiopia 159