The nature and culture of birdsIn a guest post on Crikey’s Northern Myth blog, Shepard Krech III pens an essay on the interaction between culture and birds, and the difficulty with distinguishing between different bird species.
Nature
PHOTO GALLERY: Biodiversity in one square foot
How much life can be found in one cubic foot of nature? Photographer David Liittschwage documented the myriad lifeforms he found in 12 square inches of five different environments, with some pretty stunning results.
Tiny new chameleon discovered in the Mozambican rainforest
The scientist handles the tiny little hatchling chameleon with care, like a lady looking over a fine diamond.
Stoned wallabies, not aliens, damaging poppy crops
The mystery of crop circles in and around Tasmania’s legal opium poppy fields may have been solved. It’s not aliens, but junkie wallabies hopping around in dazed circles.
Amazon frog’s secretions turn humans into killing machines
Deep in the Amazon rain forest hides a very special frog called the Phyllomedusa bicolor. The Mayoruna tribe uses this frog’s gooey secretions to obtain superpowers that transform them into killer hunting machines. This helps them target their prey — monkeys. Yes, they eat monkeys.
Mockingbirds can hold a mean grudge
A new study has found that mockingbirds can recognise people who have threatened them in the past — and when they do, they can get pretty nasty.
Ants saved by their own stench
Research shows that while alive, Argentinian ants produce two odoriferous chemicals that prevent their compatriots from immediately carting their bodies away to the ‘morgue’. Handy.
Birds can dance — who knew?
Birds are the only animal aside from humans known to have rhythm. If it has a beat, they can dance to it…
The life story of a slug
Mroe than you ever wanted to know about these slimey little bugs.
The most deadly creature on the planet
The lion? Great White? Poison dart frog? Nope, it’s the mozzie, actually…
Another roo cull. There must be a better way
Kangaroos are under the gun again in the ACT, writes Lionel Elmore.
