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Every sperm is sacred

10,000 Birds

That’s the finding of researchers from the University of Sheffield in the UK, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. (If By studying Zebra Finches and domestic chickens, the scientists discovered that multiple sperm appear necessary for a fertilized egg to progress to the embryo stage (a process called “polyspermy”.)

Zebras 145
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Great Tit Telomeres, Baby Talk, Brainy Birds

10,000 Birds

Research done quite a while back suggests that this is adaptive. Researchers have been studying song learning in birds for some time. In this study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a group of juvenile zebra finches was allowed to interact with an adult.

Mammals 113
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Birding Sepilok, Borneo (Part 2)

10,000 Birds

Even to the author of the paper, who cautiously adds that “nest architecture is unlikely to be irrelevant to females, and its role deserves further investigation” (if swear words were allowed on 10,000 Birds, I would say that he is trying to cover his ass).

Birds 226