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Maja Mielke

@maja-mielke.bsky.social

490 followers 330 following 120 posts

Researcher, nature artist, & science writer with a focus on birds. University of Antwerp 🇧🇪 I write 'Beaks & Bones,' a newsletter on bird science. https://beaksandbones.substack.com Contact: http://www.mielke-bio.info/maja/contact/ 🇩🇪 in 🇧🇪 she/her

beaksandbones.substack.com

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · Mar 14

Researchers around the world discover fascinating things about #birds every day, but most of their findings remain unnoticed in the community of #bird enthusiasts. 🪶

You don't want to miss out on what they discover? Then my bird #science newsletter might be just for you.

beaksandbones.substack.com

Pencil drawing of a bird skull in side view. Below the skull the text "Beaks & Bones", drawn in bold letters.

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · 5h

New Beaks & Bones newsletter published! 🥳

Why do fairywrens sing to their eggs? 🪶🧪
beaksandbones.substack.com/p/singing-to...

Why fairywrens sing to their eggs

Superb fairywren moms teach their unhatched babies a vocal password to distinguish them from cuckoo intruders.

beaksandbones.substack.com

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · 19h

A gibbon for #Inktober day 8: "reckless".

#Inktober2025

A pen and ink drawing of a gibbon running over a rope.

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · 1d

This is for #Inktober day 7: "starfish".

#Inktober2025

Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · 2d

A sea urchin for #Inktober day 6: "pierce".

#Inktober2025 #iInktober6 #InktoberPierce #SciArt

A pen and ink drawing of the underside of a sea urchin with long spines.

Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · 3d

This is for #Inktober day 5: "deer".

#Inktober2025 #Sciart

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · 4d

A fish with barbels for #Inktober day 4: "murky".

A barbel is a sensory organ near the mouth of some fish that helps them navigate in "murky" waters.

#Inktober2025

Pen and ink illustration of a fish with barbels.

Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · 5d

A Secretary bird for #Inktober day 3: "crown". 🪶

#Inktober2025

A pen and ink drawing of the head of a secretary bird with head feathers arranged at the back of the head like a crown.

Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · 6d

A Village weaver for #Inktober day 2: "weave".

#Inktober2025

A pen and ink drawing of a Village weaver building its nest.

Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · 7d

OK, here we go!
An Emperor tamarin for #Inktober day 1: "mustache".

#Inktober2025

A pen and ink drawing of an Emperor tamarin.

Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · 9d

#inktober, anybody?

I'm going for an animal-themed Inktober, following the official prompts.

I've tried several times in previous years, and I hope that this year I'll finally make it to the end!

Who else is planning to participate?

#Inktober2025

Image with the 31 official prompt words for the 2025 Inktober drawing challenge.

Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · 14d

Green woodpecker for #BirdWhisperer! 🪶

Photo of a page in a ruled Moleskine notebook with the drawing of a Green woodpecker on the left page. The drawing tools (a ballpoint pen and colored pencils) are lying on the right page.

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · 14d

“What a beautiful reminder that cooperation and care are universal—a lot for us to learn from.”

My latest newsletter for Beaks & Bones on how birds form 'friendships' to help each other raise their young! 🪶🧪

beaksandbones.substack.com/p/bird-frien...

original study: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Birds form long-term 'friendships' to help each other raise their young

Superb starlings in Kenya show that cooperative breeding is not limited to close family members.

beaksandbones.substack.com

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · 28d

It’s been seven months since I launched my Beaks & Bones newsletter.

Thank you to everyone who already subscribed. You make all of this make sense. 🙏🏼

I’ve published 20 stories about fascinating bird research so far. 🪶🧪 All are available to read in the archive:

beaksandbones.substack.com/archive

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · Sep 5

“Our lights, which we cast more or less mindlessly into the night, are having widespread and often subtle effects on the lives of animals all around us.” (B. Pease) 🪶🧪

www.sciencenews.org/article/bird...

Around the world, birds sing longer in light-polluted areas

In light-polluted landscapes, birds' singing time is an average of 50 minutes longer per day. It's still unclear if this hurts bird health or helps.

www.sciencenews.org

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · Sep 4

They’re fierce. They’re endangered. They’re beautiful!

Learn about the impressive secretary #bird and its hunting technique in my latest newsletter post for 'Beaks & Bones'. 🪶🧪

beaksandbones.substack.com/p/secretary-...

This post was inspired by an episode from @strangebynaturepodcast.com!

The Secretary bird’s skull-crushing kick

Secretary birds stomp their prey to death with forces up to 5 times their body weight.

beaksandbones.substack.com

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · Aug 27

Pompadour cotinga for #BirdWhisperer. Ballpoint pen and colored pencils in #Moleskine notebook.

#Birdart #Sciart #NatureJournal #sketchbook

Photo of a double page in an A6 ruled Moleskine notebook with a drawing of a Pompadour cotinga (a red bird sitting on a branch). Above the notebook, the drawing materials are shown (a Bic round stic ballpoint pen and four colored pencils in yellow and different shades of red). The name of the species is stamped with letter stamps next to the drawing. In handwriting, next to the drawing, this text:

Scientific name: Xipholena punicea

The distinct coloration of the males is based on eight different carotenoids. Six ofthese are only found in this species.

The Pompadour cotinga lives in the rainforests across South America (including regions of Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, and the Guianas). It is primarily frugivore, but may supplement diet with meat during breeding season.

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Reposted by Maja Mielke

Bird Whisperer Project @birdwhisperers.bsky.social · Aug 2

Calling all bird loving artists! This month's bird is the Pompadour Cotinga. ❤️ Draw! Paint! Sculpt! We hope you'll join us. Posting day is August 27th.

Rules and Full Size Ref. Photo here: birdwhispererproject.com/participate/

#birds #BirdWhisperer #art

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · Aug 25

Sad news. 😧

The kākāpō population has dropped to 238.

If you'd like to learn more about what experts and volunteers do to save this species from extinction and how we all can help, take a look at my original blog post: 🪶🧪

beaksandbones.substack.com/p/241-kakapo

#kakapo #parrots #conservation

Photo of a kākāpō (stuffed specimen from a museum). White text on top of the photo:

"Only 241 [that number crossed out and corrected as 238] kākāpō are alive today.
Here's how we try to save these charismatic parrots from extinction. And how you can help."

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · Aug 21

Meet Snowball, the dancing cockatoo!

Take a look at my latest newsletter to see the video of Snowball dancing to 'Another One Bites the Dust' by Queen and learn about brand-new science on dance behavior in cockatoos: 🪶🧪

Click here:
beaksandbones.substack.com/p/dancing-co...

#scicomm #Beaks&Bones

Photo of a white cockatoo, text on top of the image:
30 killer dance moves discovered in cockatoos
So far, parrots are the only known non-human animals that can dance to the rhythm of music.

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · Aug 18

Absolutely!

Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · Aug 18

In how many languages do you know the name of your favorite #birds? 🪶

I'm German. I live in Flanders. I write in English. I'm a scientist. Thus, I would love to know my birds in German, Dutch, English, and Latin.

I have my field guides set up. But where and how to begin!? 😬

Photo of a stack of three bird field guides, one in German, one in English, one in Dutch.

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · Aug 15

Yes, indeed! 😊 Thank you.

Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · Aug 14

To strengthen my #art skills, I'm currently working on my pen and ink techniques by drawing lots of ... (surprise!) BIRDS! 😍

Here are some studies on a European stonechat (Saxicola rubicola).

#birdart #moleskine #sketchbook #penandink #birds

Photo of the double page of an A5 Moleskine sketchbook with several pen and ink sketches of a European stonechat.

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Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · Aug 12

Tauben sind sooo viel toller, als ihr alle denkt!

Jasmin Schreiber @schreibersnaturarium.de · Aug 12

Ein Plädoyer für Tauben:

steady.page/de/db21f...

Genies der Lüfte

🕊️Tauben erkennen Picassos, diagnostizieren Krebs und hören Infraschall. Warum wir eines der klügsten Tiere unserer Städte als "Ratten der Lüfte" verachten.

steady.page

Maja Mielke @maja-mielke.bsky.social · Aug 1

Kākāpō are charismatic, nocturnal, flightless #parrots endemic to New Zealand.

And they're on the brink of extinction.

Here's what we do to save the species. And how you can help too. 🧪🪶

beaksandbones.substack.com/p/241-kakapo

#kakapo #conservation #biology #ornithology

Only 241 kākāpō are alive today

Here's how we try to save these charismatic flightless parrots from extinction. And how you can help.

beaksandbones.substack.com

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