The first ever bird to inhabit the Earth used its robust hind legs to make two or three powerful leaps while flapping its way to flight, according to a study by the University of Southampton.

Scientists have shown that genomics can help identify which wild populations are most vulnerable to climate change – offering practical guidance for the conservation of threatened species before declines become irreversible.

The study, led by researchers from Flinders University's Molecular Ecology Laboratory and published in the Journal of Heredity, examined the endangered southern pygmy perch across Australia's Murray-Darling Basin.

CORVALLIS, Ore. – In a rare study of snakes as nest predators, scientists found nesting birds were loath to strike rattlesnakes even though they likely had no previous experience with vipers.