Birds Content

H5N1 Causes Die-off of Antarctic Skuas, a Seabird

Katherine E Kerlin — February 05, 2026 - 7:00am

More than 50 skua deaths in Antarctica from H5N1 mark the first confirmed die-off of wildlife from bird flu on the continent, reports study from UC Davis and Erasmus MC.

Julian Johnson’s Big Year of Birding

Katherine E Kerlin — January 27, 2026 - 3:48pm

Julian Johnson didn’t even consider himself a birder until a couple of years ago, but the UC Davis undergraduate student broke the Yolo County Big Year record for birding in 2025. He recorded 275 species while spending more than 1,000 hours birdwatching in the country last year. His achievement came just months after a UC Davis team broke the” Big Day” record for Yolo County.

An Extreme Tree Hunt in the Sierra Nevada

Katherine E Kerlin — November 10, 2025 - 9:00am

Across 24 peaks and 240 miles through the Sierra Nevada, a UC Davis team searches for high-altitude Jeffrey pines to learn how climate change is reshaping forests.

These Songbirds Learn More From Siblings Than From è��

Katherine E Kerlin — October 09, 2025 - 11:00am

The powerful role of siblings is highlighted in this UC Davis study of a songbird species with limited parental care.

Helping Birds and Floating Solar Energy Coexist

Katherine E Kerlin — May 12, 2025 - 2:00am

How might floating solar energy projects impact wild birds and vice versa? A UC Davis paper outlines key considerations for a growing floating solar industry.

Can Citizen Science Be Trusted? New Study of Birds Shows It Can

Andy Fell — April 15, 2025 - 4:18pm

Platforms such as iNaturalist and eBird encourage people to observe and document nature, but how accurate is the ecological data that they collect?

Little Birds, Little Poops, Little Food Safety Risk

Katherine E Kerlin — January 21, 2025 - 2:16pm

It doesn’t require a degree in ornithology, a lab test or even an app for most growers to determine whether bird poop near their crops presents a food safety risk. They just need to ask themselves a simple question: How big is it?

Black Phoebe Project Aims to Protect Bird Species from Urban Sprawl

Amy M Quinton — August 19, 2024 - 12:26am

A tiny songbird called the black phoebe is trying to adapt to city life – and it’s not an easy job. They didn’t naturally evolve in the city, and they face different threats than they might in their natural habitat. Black phoebes may encounter tougher predators, more chemical pollution and hotter temperatures in the city.

Heat Waves Harm Bird Reproduction on Agricultural Lands

Tiffany Dobbyn — October 19, 2023 - 11:00am

Extreme heat diminishes bird reproductive success in agricultural landscapes more so than in forests, a UC Davis study found.

Efforts Intensify To Assist Avian Botulism-Affected Birds At Tulare Lake

Katherine E Kerlin — September 09, 2023 - 9:27am

The UC Davis-managed Oiled Wildlife Care Network responds with CDFW and partners to birds affected by avian botulism at Tulare Lake in California.