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From today's featured article

Red lory preening by drawing feathers through its beak

Preening is a bird maintenance behaviour that involves using the beak to position feathers, interlock the barbules, clean plumage, and reduce parasites. Feathers contribute to a bird's insulation, waterproofing and flight, so birds spend much time on preening. They may fluff up their feathers to "rezip" the barbules, and use their beaks to gather preen oil from a gland at the base of their tail. They spread the oil by drawing each contour feather through their bills. Ritualised preening has become part of some courtship displays and a displacement activity when birds are subjected to stress. Preening can be a social activity involving two or more birds called "allopreening", which occurs either between a mated pair or flock members in a social species. This may assist in grooming, the recognition of individuals, or reducing conflict. Most allopreening is confined to the head and neck. Ingestion of pollutants or pathogens during preening can lead to health problems. Injury and infection can cause overpreening in caged birds. (Full article...)

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Did you know ...

Isabelle Andréani as Carmen

... that Isabelle Andréani appeared as Bizet's Carmen (pictured in the role) first at the Opera de Marseille, and from 1960 in a production of the Opera de Paris?
... that during the production of Jeepers Creepers, a budget cut of $1 million resulted in a third of the film being rewritten?
... that West Virginia delegate Harry J. Capehart introduced bills establishing a state anti-lynching law, and a school for West Virginia's African-American deaf and blind students?
... that the Kharijites were the first sect to arise in Islam?
... that horticulturalist Albert F. Yeager's accomplishments led to him being referred to as the "plant wizard of the north" and the "Luther Burbank of North Dakota"?
... that one can accurately estimate the area of irregular objects such as plant leaves using only a transparent sheet printed with a grid of dots?
... that Smithe Redwoods State Natural Reserve was originally a privately-owned site that encompassed cabins, a post office, and a store?
... that H. J. Sterling once hired a detective to investigate players in the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association?

In the news

Mark Selby

An elevated section of the Mexico City Metro collapses, killing at least 26 people and injuring more than 70 others.
Mark Selby (pictured) wins the World Snooker Championship, defeating Shaun Murphy in the final.
Colombian president Iván Duque Márquez withdraws a proposed tax reform after nationwide protests leave at least 19 people dead.
In horse racing, Medina Spirit wins the Kentucky Derby, earning trainer Bob Baffert a record seventh victory in the race.
In Israel, 45 people are killed in a crowd crush at a religious festival on Mount Meron.

On this day

May 8: World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day; Anniversary of the birth of Miguel Hidalgo in Mexico (1753); Victory in Europe Day (1945)

Sketch of the Versailles rail accident

1821 – Greek War of Independence: At the Battle of Gravia Inn, a 120-man Greek force led by Odysseas Androutsos repulsed an Ottoman army of 8,000 soldiers.
1842 – A train derailed and caught fire (depicted) near Versailles, France, killing at least 52 people.
1957 – South Vietnamese president Ngô Đình Diệm began a state visit to the United States, his regime's main sponsor.
1972 – Four members of Black September hijacked Sabena Flight 571 to demand the release of 315 convicted Palestinian terrorists.
1987 – A British Special Air Service unit ambushed a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) unit in Loughgall, Northern Ireland, killing eight IRA members and one civilian.

Ali Bey al-Kabir (d. 1773)
Friedrich Hayek (b. 1899)
Soeman Hs (d. 1999)

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Today's featured picture

Mary Lou Williams (May 8, 1910 – May 28, 1981) was an American jazz pianist, arranger, and composer. She wrote hundreds of compositions and arrangements and recorded more than one hundred records. Williams wrote and arranged for Duke Ellington and Benny Goodman, and she was friend, mentor and teacher to numerous other jazz musicians. The second of eleven children, she was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A musical prodigy, she taught herself to play the piano at the age of three. This photograph of Williams at the piano was taken by William P. Gottlieb around 1946.

Photograph credit: William P. Gottlieb; restored by Adam Cuerden

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