Species must reproduce to survive, and animals have found unique ways of achieving this. For some, including us, it seems as though producing a few offspring that require extended care is the best ...

The zebra finch is a sought-after pet bird prized for its beauty, antics, and interactive nature. Reaching only four inches in height, these tiny birds are easy to house and care for. Zebra finches ...

Some female zebra finches foist a part of their eggs on their neighbours. Scientists of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Seewiesen discovered that in every fifth nest there is one egg that ...

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American During my PhD I worked with zebra finches, a ...

In zebra finches, sperm velocity and morphology and hence reproductive success strongly depend on a specific mutation (an inversion) on one of the sex chromosomes, called Z. This gene inversion gives ...

Zebra finches sing a special song to their eggs to warn them about hot weather, and these calls seem to program the hatchlings’ cells to harness energy from food without creating excessive heat. This ...