As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Wednesday 20 February 2013

Birds grow bigger beaks to attract potential mates: Study



If you’re a single bird comparing potential mates, size matters. At least, that’s what the results from a recent study suggest.
Photo:  (Ray Danner)

According to the study, certain species of birds even experience beak growth during mating season.

Conducted by researchers from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and published in the latest issue of Ecology and Evolution, the study compared beak size and growth by examining X-rays from thousands of horny bills (no pun intended) belonging to a species of tidal marsh sparrows.


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