Animals

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata): Identification, Behavior, and Habitat Blue jay Overview of the blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata): identification, behavior, diet, breeding, vocalizations and habitat across North America, plus notes on migration, caching and survi…

Blue peafowl (Indian peafowl) Blue peafowl Large, colorful pheasant native to the Indian subcontinent, known for the male's iridescent blue plumage and long train used in courtship displays. Covers appearance, behavior, his…

Blue shark (Prionace glauca) Blue shark A widespread pelagic requiem shark known for its slender blue body. Covers appearance, habitat, behaviour, reproduction, ecological role and conservation concerns.

Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) Blue tit A small, colourful passerine of the tit family found across temperate Europe and western Asia. Noted for its blue cap, yellow underparts and acrobatic foraging; common in woodlands…

Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) Blue whale The blue whale is the largest animal known, a baleen whale that feeds on krill, migrates between polar feeding grounds and warmer breeding areas, and remains an emblem of marine co…

Blue-ringed octopus Small Indo-Pacific octopus (genus Hapalochlaena) noted for iridescent blue rings and a powerful tetrodotoxin; inhabits shallow reefs around Australia, New Guinea, Indonesia and the…

Blue-tongued skink (genus Tiliqua) Blue-tongued skink Large, robust skinks of the genus Tiliqua from Australasia, known for their bright blue tongue, omnivorous diet, and distinctive defensive displays. Found in diverse habitats and k…

Bluebird (Sialia): appearance, behavior, habitat, and conservation Bluebird Bluebirds (genus Sialia) are small thrushes of the Americas known for blue plumage, cavity nesting, insect diets, open-country habitats and conservation efforts using nest boxes an…

Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) Bluefish Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) is a fast, predatory pelagic fish found in temperate and subtropical seas worldwide; important to fisheries and sport angling and subject to localize…

Bo (dog): The Obama family's Portuguese Water Dog Bo (dog) Bo (October 9, 2008 – May 8, 2021) was the neutered male Portuguese Water Dog owned by the Obama family and a well-known White House pet and cultural symbol.

Boa constrictor: biology, range, behavior, and relations with people Boa constrictor Overview of the boa constrictor: a non-venomous boid of the Americas, its appearance, distribution, behavior, reproduction, taxonomy, interactions with people, and conservation con…

Bobcat (Lynx rufus): North American wild cat Bobcat Overview of the bobcat, its appearance, behavior, habitat, ecological role, relationship to lynx, and interactions with people across North America.

Boidae: the boa family of nonvenomous constricting snakes Boidae Boidae is a family of nonvenomous snakes known as boas. This article summarizes their appearance, behavior, distribution, taxonomy, ecological role, and relationships to other snak…

Boiga (cat‑eyed snakes) Boiga Boiga is a genus of primarily arboreal, rear‑fanged colubrid snakes known as cat‑eyed or cat snakes. They are mostly nocturnal, mildly venomous predators found in South and Southea…

Bombardier beetle A group of ground beetles (Carabidae) known for ejecting a hot, pulsed chemical spray in defense; over 500 species worldwide and important in studies of animal defense and biomimet…

Bombinatoridae — the fire‑bellied toads Bombinatoridae Bombinatoridae is a small family of frogs known as fire‑bellied toads (genera Bombina and Barbourula), recognized for bright ventral colors, defensive toxins, aquatic habits and di…

Bombylius major (large bee‑fly) Bombylius major Bombylius major is a hairy bee mimic whose adults visit flowers while females parasitize nests of solitary bees and wasps; common in spring across Europe, North America and parts o…

Bongo (antelope) A large, forest-dwelling antelope with spiral horns in both sexes. Two subspecies — lowland (western) and mountain (eastern) — occupy African forests; the mountain bongo is critica…

Bonobo (Pan paniscus): biology, behaviour, and conservation Bonobo Bonobo (Pan paniscus) is a great ape of the genus Pan native to rainforests south of the Congo River. This article summarizes its appearance, social life, habitat, evolution and co…

Boo (dog): Pomeranian Internet celebrity and cultural phenomenon Boo (dog) Boo (2006–2019) was a Pomeranian who became an international internet celebrity through his distinctive appearance and hugely popular Facebook page, spawning books, merchandise and…

Booby (seabird) — members of the genus Sula Booby Boobies are marine birds of the genus Sula (family Sulidae). Known for plunge-diving for fish and squid, they have distinctive adaptations, island colonies, and notable courtship d…

Boomslang (Dispholidus typus) Boomslang Large, rear-fanged colubrid native to sub-Saharan Africa; largely arboreal, with potent hemotoxic venom that disrupts blood clotting. Shy and reclusive — prompt medical care and sp…

Border Collie: herding dog breed, traits, history and care Border Collie Border Collie — an agile, highly intelligent herding dog developed on the English–Scottish border; known for stamina, trainability, and a strong herding instinct. Overview, history…

Borealopelta — exceptionally preserved armored nodosaur from Alberta Borealopelta Borealopelta is a well-preserved nodosaurid ankylosaur from Early Cretaceous Alberta, notable for intact armor, soft-tissue preservation and evidence of coloration that suggests ca…

Borzoi: Russian sighthound known for elegance and gentle temperament Borzoi A graceful Russian sighthound, the Borzoi (Russian Wolfhound) is noted for its long coat, speed, quiet temperament and aristocratic history. This article covers appearance, history…

Boston Terrier: American companion dog breed Boston Terrier Compact, tuxedo-marked companion dogs from Boston. Overview of appearance, temperament, history, care, common health issues, and suitability for families and city living.

Botfly (Oestridae): parasitic flies and their life cycle Botfly Botflies (family Oestridae) are a group of flies whose larvae parasitize mammals. Article covers appearance, life cycle, hosts, health and economic impacts, notable species, and ap…

Bothriospondylus — a fragmentary sauropodomorph genus Bothriospondylus Bothriospondylus is a fragmentary genus of sauropodomorph dinosaur known from a few vertebrae. Named for its ‘excavated vertebrae’, it is historically unstable and often treated as…

Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): biology, behavior, and conservation Bottlenose dolphin The bottlenose dolphin is a widely distributed, intelligent marine mammal known for its curved snout, social pods, echolocation, and close interactions with people. This article co…

Boulengerula taitana — Taita African caecilian Boulengerula taitana A limbless, burrowing amphibian from Kenya's Taita Hills, notable for subterranean life, wormlike appearance and maternal care including skin-feeding (dermatophagy).

Bouvier des Flandres A large Belgian farm and working breed originally used for cattle, sheep and cart work; valued today as a guardian, police and companion dog with a coarse protective coat.

Bovids (Family Bovidae): Characteristics, Diversity, and Human Uses Bovid Bovids are ruminant, even‑toed ungulates including cattle, sheep, goats and many antelopes. This article covers their features, evolution, classification, uses, and conservation.

Bovinae: the subfamily of cattle, buffaloes, bison and their relatives Bovinae Bovinae is a subfamily of the ruminant family Bovidae that includes cattle, bison, yaks, buffaloes and several wild species; important ecologically, economically and culturally wor…

Bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchidae): elaborate courtship, ecology, and behaviour Bowerbird Bowerbirds are an Australasian family of passerines noted for males building decorated structures to attract mates; they vary in size, diet and habitat, and play distinctive roles…

Bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) Bowhead whale Large Arctic baleen whale noted for its massive bow-shaped skull, thick blubber, Arctic ice adaptations, long lifespan, and a history of exploitation followed by conservation effor…

Box jellyfish (Cubozoa): biology, venom, and human interactions Box jellyfish An accessible overview of box jellyfish (Cubozoa): anatomy, senses, venom effects, distribution, life cycle, treatment and notable species.

Boxer (dog) — breed overview, history, care, and characteristics Boxer (dog) Boxer: a medium-to-large, energetic dog breed of German origin, known for a short coat, muscular build, and playful temperament. Common as a family companion, working dog, and serv…

Brachiopod (lampshell): anatomy, fossil record, ecology and modern status Brachiopod Brachiopods are a phylum of marine, shelled animals with a long fossil record. This article covers their anatomy, ecological roles, major groups, evolutionary history and how they…

Brachiopod classification: schemes, groups, and debates Brachiopod classification Summary of how brachiopods are classified, the traditional Articulata/Inarticulata split, modern three-group schemes (Linguliformea, Craniiformea, Rhynchonelliformea), evidence typ…

Brachiosaurs — long‑necked sauropod dinosaurs with elevated forelimbs Brachiosaur Brachiosaurs were large, herbivorous sauropods noted for longer forelimbs and high shoulders. They lived from the Middle Jurassic to the Early Cretaceous and include genera such as…

Brachiosaurus — large arm-limbed sauropod of the Late Jurassic Brachiosaurus Brachiosaurus is a genus of large, long-necked herbivorous sauropod from the Late Jurassic, notable for its long forelimbs, high-browsing feeding style and a complex taxonomic hist…

Brachylophosaurus: the short-crested duck-billed dinosaur Brachylophosaurus Brachylophosaurus, a medium-sized Late Cretaceous hadrosaur, is known from well-preserved skeletons and rare soft-tissue remains from Montana and Alberta. It is important for studi…

Braconidae: family of parasitoid wasps Braconidae Braconidae are a large family of parasitoid wasps with tens of thousands of species worldwide. Many attack insect pests and are important in ecology, biological control and entomol…

Branchiopoda — small gill-foot crustaceans of freshwater and ephemeral habitats Branchiopoda Branchiopoda are a class of mostly small crustaceans with gill-bearing limbs. They include fairy shrimp, tadpole shrimp and water fleas and play key roles in freshwater food webs a…

Briard (Berger de Brie) — French long-coated herding dog Briard The Briard, or Berger de Brie, is a French long-coated herding and working dog noted for its loyalty, intelligence, distinctive coat and long history as a shepherd and guardian.

Bridle: Equipment for Steering and Controlling a Horse Bridle A bridle is a headgear used to control a ridden or driven horse. This article explains its parts, common types (bit and bitless), historical development, fitting and typical uses i…

Brindle (coat pattern) Brindle Brindle is a mammalian coat pattern of narrow, often irregular dark stripes or streaks on a lighter background found in dogs, cats, cattle, horses and other animals.

Brine shrimp (Artemia): biology, habitat, life cycle and human uses Brine shrimp Brine shrimp (genus Artemia) are small halophilic crustaceans adapted to hypersaline waters; notable for dormant cysts, hemoglobin-rich blood, and widespread use as live feed in aq…