Bird familly tree Experts used the family tree to map out where the almost 10,000 species of birds live to show where the most diversification has taken place in the world. Researchers, from the University of Sheffield, Yale University, University of Tasmania and Simon Fraser University, say the creation of new species has speeded-up over the last 50 million years. Surprisingly, species formation is not faster in the species rich tropics, but was found to be faster in the Western Hemisphere compared to the Eastern Hemisphere as well as on islands. source :  W. Jetz and all, The global diversity of birds in space and time, Nature.
Pop-upView Separately

Bird familly tree

Experts used the family tree to map out where the almost 10,000 species of birds live to show where the most diversification has taken place in the world.

Researchers, from the University of Sheffield, Yale University, University of Tasmania and Simon Fraser University, say the creation of new species has speeded-up over the last 50 million years. Surprisingly, species formation is not faster in the species rich tropics, but was found to be faster in the Western Hemisphere compared to the Eastern Hemisphere as well as on islands.

source :  W. Jetz and all, The global diversity of birds in space and time, Nature.

Elanion à queue blanche / white-tailed kite - Elanus leucurus Two white-tailed kites exchange their prey in mid-air. Photographer Steve Shinn captured the sight in rural Orange County, California. He says: “The male goes hunting and returns with loud chirps to alert the waiting female. She flies up to meet him and takes the prize from his talons. She then goes to a nearby branch to rip into it. Occasionally the male will return to eat one himself, but sometimes the female will fly over and take it from him by force and eat it while sitting next to him.” Picture: Steve Shinn / Rex Features
Pop-upView Separately

Elanion à queue blanche / white-tailed kite - Elanus leucurus

Two white-tailed kites exchange their prey in mid-air. Photographer Steve Shinn captured the sight in rural Orange County, California. He says: “The male goes hunting and returns with loud chirps to alert the waiting female. She flies up to meet him and takes the prize from his talons. She then goes to a nearby branch to rip into it. Occasionally the male will return to eat one himself, but sometimes the female will fly over and take it from him by force and eat it while sitting next to him.”

Picture: Steve Shinn / Rex Features

Corbeau et outil Called “feathered apes” for their simian like smarts, crows use tools, understand physics, and recognize themselves and humans. But new research suggests that the brainy birds may be even smarter than was previously thought. Given a complex problem and an assortment of tools, New Caledonian crows came up with a creative solution that hints at higher-order thinking…
View Separately

Corbeau et outil

Called “feathered apes” for their simian like smarts, crows use tools, understand physics, and recognize themselves and humans. But new research suggests that the brainy birds may be even smarter than was previously thought. Given a complex problem and an assortment of tools, New Caledonian crows came up with a creative solution that hints at higher-order thinking…

(via theantidote)

Source : veganlove