Awesome Things We Learned About Birds in 2022

Podcast Summary

• New study reveals hummingbirds see over 2,000 unique colors: A study on hummingbirds' color vision revealed they can perceive over 2,000 unique colors, significantly more than previously estimated, highlighting the importance of considering species-specific visual capabilities in scientific research.

  Learning from this episode of The Science of Birds podcast is that birds see a much wider range of colors than humans do. A study published in the journal Communications Biology in 2022, led by Richard Prum's lab at Yale University, focused on estimating the color gamut for hummingbirds. Hummingbirds, known for their vibrant colors, were underrepresented in a previous study from 2011 that analyzed the color gamut of 111 bird species. The new study analyzed colors in 1,600 feather patches of 114 hummingbird species, representing about one-third of all hummingbird diversity. The results showed that the color gamut for hummingbirds is significantly larger than previously thought, with an estimated 2,200 unique colors. This discovery highlights the importance of considering the unique visual capabilities of different species when studying their biology. Birds' ability to perceive a wider range of colors plays a crucial role in their communication, mating, and survival. So, the next time you admire the stunning colors of a hummingbird, remember that it's seeing even more vibrant hues than you can imagine.

• Newly discovered hummingbird colors expand bird palette: Hummingbirds display over 1,005 unique hues, with most vibrant colors on their crown and throat feathers, which can appear different depending on light angle. Birds like sulfur crested cockatoos adapt to urban environments, showcasing their ability to adjust to changing surroundings.

  A recent study on hummingbirds discovered that they have a much broader color gamut than previously thought, expanding the range of known bird colors to over 1,005 unique hues. The most vibrant colors were found on the hummingbirds' crown and throat feathers, which are often iridescent and can appear dramatically different depending on the angle of light. Among the hummingbirds analyzed, the velvet purple coronet was the most colorful, boasting a wide range of colors including black, purple, green, buffy, and turquoise. Hummingbirds use these brilliant colors to attract mates or intimidate rivals. Interestingly, sulfur crested cockatoos, a common bird in Sydney, Australia, have adapted to urban environments and are known for digging through people's trash in search of food. While this behavior can be a nuisance for locals, it highlights the remarkable ability of birds to adapt to changing environments.

• Sydney's sulfur crested cockatoos and the garbage arms race: Cockatoos learn from each other to open wheelie bins, leading to an ongoing innovation race between them and humans, as humans develop new bin protection methods, only for the cockatoos to adapt and overcome them.

  The interaction between sulfur crested cockatoos and humans in Sydney, Australia, has led to an innovation arms race over garbage. Cockatoos have learned to open wheelie bins through social learning, and humans have responded by developing various methods to protect their bins. A recent study by the Clever Cocky Project found that human bin protection behaviors are geographically clustered, indicating that residents learn from their neighbors. However, the cockatoos quickly adapt to these new protection methods, making the arms race a continuous cycle. This research showcases the importance of social learning and innovation in nonhuman animals.

• Human-bird bin protection arms race continues, but birds often outsmart solutions: Continuous innovation and adaptation are crucial in the ongoing battle between humans and birds for bin protection, as well as in the natural world, where creatures like woodpeckers continue to surprise us with their adaptations.

  The arms race between humans and birds for bin protection continues to escalate with innovative solutions, but the birds often find ways to outsmart them. The situation is reminiscent of an arms race with no clear end in sight. One Australian man invented a device called Secure A Lid to keep wheelie bin lids from being lifted, but it opens when the bin is picked up by a garbage truck. The woodpecker's supposedly spongy bone shock absorber in its skull has been questioned in a recent study, challenging long-held assumptions. Innovation and adaptation are key themes in both the human-bird bin protection arms race and the natural world. The woodpecker's adaptation to protect its brain during pecking has been a popular example of biomimicry, but the spongy bone's shock-absorbing capabilities may not be as definitively proven as once thought. The arms race between humans and birds for bin protection, and the woodpecker's adaptation for pecking, highlight the importance of continuous learning and questioning assumptions.

• Woodpecker skulls do not have a shock absorber: Despite common belief, woodpeckers don't rely on spongy skull bones for shock absorption. Their small brains and evolutionary adaptations protect them from brain damage.

  The spongy bone in woodpecker skulls does not act as a shock absorber, contrary to popular belief. Research shows that the beak and eye decelerate at the same rate when a woodpecker hits wood, and the distance between the eye and beak markers does not change. Woodpeckers have evolved to keep as much energy as possible concentrated at the tip of their bill when it strikes wood, making a cushioning mechanism less effective. Instead, their small brains, which have low inertia, help protect them from brain damage. This misconception highlights the importance of new research and data in updating our understanding of how nature works. It's a reminder that science is an ongoing process of discovery and refinement.

• Study reveals unusual bird species at higher risk of extinction: Unusual bird species with unique body forms and beaks are more likely to go extinct, potentially leading to ecological imbalances and a homogenized avian fauna.

  The most unusual and specialized bird species, often with unique body forms and beak shapes, are at a higher risk of going extinct. This research, led by Emma Hughes, involved measuring morphological characteristics of over 8,400 bird species and removing those at risk of extinction from the dataset. The results showed that larger and smaller species, as well as those with unusual morphologies and ecological roles, are more likely to disappear. Losing these species could have significant ecological consequences, such as the loss of vultures leading to an increase in rotting corpses, or the extinction of toucans preventing the dispersal of rainforest tree seeds. This trend towards the loss of diverse bird species could lead to a homogenized avian fauna, with potential devastating consequences for ecosystems and birdwatching enthusiasts alike.

• Ancient bird with teeth had a flexible upper palate: Scientists found that an ancient bird with teeth had a flexible upper palate, contradicting the belief that such a feature emerged later in avian evolution

  Scientists once believed that birds with teeth from the Mesozoic era had primitive, immobile upper jaws, similar to their dinosaur ancestors. However, a recent discovery of a fossilized bird, Gynavis phenalodens, revealed that this ancient bird actually had a flexible upper palate, similar to modern birds. This finding challenges the long-held belief that such a feature emerged much later in avian evolution. The discovery of this flexible palate in an ancient bird with teeth adds to our understanding of the evolution of birds and their distinct anatomical features.

• Ancient bird with flexible upper jaw challenges evolutionary beliefs: A new study suggests that an ancient bird species, Janavis phenalidens, had a flexible upper jaw, contradicting common beliefs about bird evolution. Other notable 2022 studies reveal a new world record for bird flight endurance and the ongoing avian influenza outbreak.

  That the discovery of a flexible upper jaw in an ancient bird species raises intriguing questions about the evolutionary history of birds. The possibility that paleognaths had a flexible palate but later lost it is a controversial finding, as it goes against the general belief that such a trait would be beneficial. The name of the ancient bird species, Janavis phenalidens, was proposed in a 2022 study, with the name reflecting the bird's status as the last of the toothed birds that ever lived. The speed round segment of the podcast highlighted other notable studies from 2022, including a new world record for the longest non-stop flight by a bird, a 5-month-old bar-tailed godwit that flew 8,435 miles from Alaska to Tasmania, and the ongoing worst avian influenza outbreak, which has affected a large number of wild birds. The studies showcase the incredible physical endurance of birds and the challenges they face in the natural world.

• From energy-efficient brains to brilliant tail feathers, 2022 was a year of intriguing bird discoveries.: Birds have energy-efficient brains with more neurons than expected, Eurasian woodcocks have brighter tail tips for mating displays, and technology like the Robo Falcon is used to prevent bird strikes at airports.

  Despite having more neurons in their brains, birds use less energy than expected, making their brains less costly than assumed. Another intriguing discovery is that the Eurasian woodcock's white tail tips are 30% brighter than other white feathers due to microscopic structures that enhance light reflection, potentially serving as a signal for females during mating displays. Additionally, the use of technology like the remote-controlled Robo Falcon to scare away birds at airports to prevent bird strikes is an innovative solution to a common problem. Overall, 2022 was a year filled with fascinating bird research, from energy-efficient brains to brilliant tail feathers. The support from patrons on Patreon was essential in keeping this podcast going, and I look forward to exploring more bird biology with you in the new year.