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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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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 ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. When it’s time to impress a potential mate, many birds rely on ...

An artistic rendering of the early Cretaceous era fukuipteryx prima, a dino-bird with a tail feather-supporting skeleton, which was discovered by researchers in central Japan. (Masanori Yoshida) (CN) ...

Its tail was over 150% the length of its body. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. A dinosaur-age bird's extravagant tail feathers ...

Humans aren't the only animals that dance to a beat: Deep in the forest of Southeastern Australia, male lyrebirds groove to their own music, a new study reports. The study researchers found that ...

Please take a look at the Mourning Dove in this photo. Notice that it doesn’t have a tail. Any idea what happened? Without its tail the dove looks a little strange, like a feathered ocarina. Can the ...

"We've never seen this combination of different kinds of tail feathers before in a fossil bird," says Jingmai O'Connor, a paleontologist at Chicago's Field Museum and one of the study's authors. "This ...