Peacock tails are just one example of how evolution walks a line between favoring traits that make it easier to survive, and traits that make it easier to find a mate. In a new study, scientists have ...

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. Scientists have ...

If you had to describe a male peacock’s tail feathers, you might pick words like “dazzling” or “beautiful.” You probably wouldn’t go with “stealthy,” “aerodynamic,” or “subtle.” Peacock tails are just ...

The ability to fly makes birds unique and fascinating. Have you ever wondered if a bird can fly without tail feathers? We asked birding experts for the answer. Learn all about bird wings and flight ...

The subject of this week's column is the hind end of the bird - the tail, in other words. This subject arises because during the week, I happened to see two bird species that use the tail extensively.

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. Beauty, they say, is in the eye of the beholder. Well, if ...

Like a peacock with its dazzling plumage, this Cretaceous bird had fancy tail feathers that likely served to attract mates. Reading time 4 minutes Introducing Yuanchuavis, an extinct bird that lived ...

Shimmery. Spiky. Shaggy. Soft. Feathers are what make birds so alluring—but these photographs remind us that they also tell a story about the science of evolution. It may seem wildly impractical, but ...

Berkeley -- The beeps, chirps and whistles made by some hummingbirds and thought to be vocal are actually created by the birds' tail feathers, according to a study by two students at the University of ...