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The article explores whether humanity could survive without chickens. According to molecular biologist Olivier Hanotte, the human race would face global starvation without chickens. Topics include a brief historical overview of human-chicken relations, factors influencing the emergence of chickens as the most important animal species for humanity, such as their adaptability, the economic and environmental impacts of meat from other animals, and the expansion of the insect protein market.

The article discusses BirdLife International, an international conservation organization's estimation that turtle doves and common quails have reached the verge of extinction as they are killed or captured unlawfully by the hunters every year despite the ban around Mediterranean island of Malta.

The article reports on the possible extinction of the bright green Carolina parakeet in the U.S.

The article discusses findings from the 2018 State of the World's Birds report from BirdLife International on the threatened extinction of bird species due to ecological pressures from meat consumption and agriculture.

An image is presented of several members of an extinct species of bird, called the passenger pigeon, which includes a brief discussion on human factors contributing to their extinction, such as hunting, and de-extinction plans by U.S. environmentalist Stewart Brand.

The article discusses a 2012 remote sensing population census of emperor penguins in Antarctica by the British Antarctic Survey, focusing on the penguin colony near the Dumont d'Urville research station on the Adélie coast. Melting of sea ice resulted in high mortalities in this population that were attributed to breeding failure, a lack of stable ice during molting season, and reduced krill levels. It is noted that sea ice changes due to global warming could cause the species' extinction.

The article offers the author's experience in the genetic match making of kakapo parrot in Whenua Hou Island in New Zealand to prevent its extinction. Topics mentioned include the checking of the male parrot named Gulliver which is in perfect condition to mate, the collecting of its blood by team manager Deidre Vercoe to determine its vitamin D level, and the finding of the female kakapo named Kuihi which is the genetic match for Gulliver.

The article discusses efforts to help re-establish the population of California condors. Topics include the near extinction of the California condors due to lead poisoning from consuming gun ammunition in the 1980's, the use of electric shock therapy to train condors to avert electric cables in the wild when they are caught for monitoring and health screening, and the use of calcium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), forced regurgitation, and surgery to remove lead from condors.

The article discusses a 2014 report in "PNAS" regarding research by Morten Allentoft of the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and colleagues that suggests early human settlers in New Zealand caused the extinction of the flightless moa bird, based on the analyses of moa fossil DNA.

The article looks at a report published in "PLoS ONE" by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) researcher Wendy Foden and team which evaluated the extinction risk of bird, amphibian, and coral species due to climate change. They looked at the potential of a species to relocate or evolve to adapt to environmental changes. The results showed that up to one half of all bird species are highly vulnerable to extinction, as well as 44 percent of amphibians and 32 percent of corals.

The article offers feedback from "New Scientist" readers on miscellaneous topics. Topics include how the International Rugby Board calculates rankings for the rugby union World Cup competition, research conducted by the Institute of Ecology in the Netherlands that found an extreme change in climate temperature would cause the extinction of birds, called great tits, and an advertisement for Airsoft guns and accessories supplier Airsoft Megastore.