Soaring is better than flapping for birds big and small

Small migrating birds save energy as they fly. Large birds, such as storks, save energy on the flight to their wintering grounds by soaring through the air on thermal currents. Until now, however, we knew nothing about the flight patterns of small migrating songbirds, such as whether they flap their wings or soar and whether these styles of flight allow them to save energy. Now, a team of scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Radolfzell, Ben-Gurion-University of the Negev, and Hebrew University of Jerusalem have tracked the movement of European bee-eaters (Merops apiaster) along the Africa-Eurasia migration flyway with the help of tiny radio transmitters.

Lees meer: SciendeDaily

Bird-Brained? Birds' Personalities Are Correlated With Their Hormone Levels

Any dog or cat owner will agree that animals have personalities but it may come as a surprise to many to learn that birds also do. As an example, individual birds vary in their levels of curiosity, with distinctions being made between “fast” and “slow” explorers. A considerable body of research has examined the differences between fast and slow birds but the levels of stress hormones (glucocorticoids) have not previously been investigated, although these hormones are known to be important in a number of aspects of bird behaviour.

Lees meer: ScienceDaily