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Parakeets Show Empathy Through Contagious Yawning

Good news! Parakeets might just be able to respond to how you feel!

Yes, a recent study in the journal Animal Cognition suggests budgerigars are capable of certain aspects of affective empathy. Let’s start with a little background on empathy: Over the years of psychologists conceptualizing empathy, researchers have basically agreed that there are two distinct components at play: cognitive empathy and affective empathy.

Written by: Robert Hutton

Published on: October 26, 2015

Education, Entertainment, Featured, Main Feed

Behind the Scenes at a Birds of Prey Show

A free-flight birds of prey show. I have seen hundreds of them, and I still get a wave of childlike giddiness every time I get the chance to see another one. I know I’m not the only one that believes that they are always an absolute highlight of zoo trips. There’s just something about watching a raptor soar inches above my head that takes my breath away. The speakers and trainers point, the bird flies, all of it happens in near perfect synchronization. Watching the speaker on stage, talking so calmly about the bird, engaging the audience with every syllable, it is extremely easy to believe that the entire show is effortless.

Written by: Flannery O'Brien

Published on: October 22, 2015

Entertainment, Humor, Main Feed

The Best Birds on Tumblr This Week 10/23/15

So many great posts of birds make it to Tumblr every week, so here is the first of a regular weekly recap of some of the best.

Written by: Jeff Mann

Published on: October 22, 2015

Education, Featured, Main Feed, Science

A Day in The Life of a Waterfowl Biologist

The day starts out by waking up to the sound of geese flying back to marsh after spending the night feeding in nearby rice fields. A day in the life of a waterfowl biologist is never dull; work is almost purely dictated by the birds themselves. There are two main seasons in California’s Sacramento Valley: the breeding season and the wintering season.

The waterfowl present during breeding season consist almost exclusively of Mallard, Gadwall, a handful of Cinnamon Teal, and a few other stragglers that didn’t feel like flying all the way up to Alaska.

Written by: Andrea Mott

Published on: October 21, 2015

Entertainment, Featured, Humor, Main Feed, Quiz

QUIZ: What Kind of Duck Are You?

There are hundreds of species of ducks out in the world. They come in all shapes, sizes, colors, plumages, and personalities.

What kind of duck are you most like? Take this quiz and find out!

Written by: Jeff Mann

Published on: October 20, 2015

Education, Featured, Guides, Main Feed

6 Things to Know Before Getting a Pet Bird

Birds are among the top five pets commonly found in households. People prefer them for various reasons. Some like talking birds because they can be easily taught specific words, some want birds that come in pairs because they look good together. Others, are simply intrigued by a certain species, making them want one as a companion just because.

Written by: Jordan Walk

Published on: October 20, 2015

how to record bird sightings using your phone

Featured, Guides, Main Feed

How to Record Bird Sightings with Your Phone

Recording the species and number of birds you see on your bird walks is good practice for reinforcing newly-learned birds and for contributing to citizen science. For a while, eBird has been the de facto website for submitting checklist of birds that you spot. There were a handful of bird checklist iPhone and Android apps out there for people, and BirdLog was one of the most popular. Here is a quick guide on how to record bird sightings with your phone using the new app.

Written by: Jeff Mann

Published on: October 16, 2015