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Old November 24th, 2017 #21
alex revision
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Galapagos finches caught in act of becoming new species


A population of finches on the Galapagos has been discovered in the process of becoming a new species.

This is the first example of speciation that scientists have been able to observe directly in the field.

Researchers followed the entire population of finches on a tiny Galapagos island called Daphne Major, for many years, and so they were able to watch the speciation in progress.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-42103058
 
Old December 27th, 2017 #22
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Bird of prey returning to Denmark in numbers


The population of red kites is taking off in Denmark, with at least 200 breeding pairs of the bird of prey now present in the country’s natural areas.

The Danish Ornithological Society (Dansk Ornitologisk Forening, DOF) has estimated that number will as much as double in coming years.

A limited number of areas across the country, including south-eastern Jutland, Funen, Bornholm and northern Jutland, are considered the current prime spots for the species.

But the growing red kite population is showing signs of spreading to other western and northern habitats, according to ornithologist Per Rasmussen, who has collected data on the animal.

https://www.thelocal.dk/20171227/bir...ark-in-numbers
 
Old December 27th, 2017 #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alex revision View Post
This giant vegan bird prowled prehistoric Arctic


Massive, flightless birds likely roamed the Arctic some 53 million years ago, according to a new study by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Colorado Boulder.

In the study, published Friday in the journal Scientific Reports, paleontologists identify two different ancient birds, Gastornis and Presbyornis. Of the two birds, Gastornis is (literally) the bigger discovery.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/201...istoric-Arctic
Only 500 years ago a giant flightless bird species called the Moa lived on New Zealand.

There have been claims over the years since its extinction that there are still Moa's living there but nothing has really ever went beyond supposed sightings by people.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moa
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"We say this, you don't have to be red and you don't have to be dead, not red, not dead, dead reds."

- George Lincoln Rockwell concluding his speech at Brown University in 1966
 
Old January 22nd, 2018 #24
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Hypnotizing video captures thousands of starlings zigzagging as hungry falcon attacks


Starlings are known to flock together into mesmerizing groups called “murmurations,” and then swoop and dive together in synchronized acrobatics shows.

But this group of starlings — part of a murmuration of as many as 10,000 that has gathered in West Cork, Ireland — started doing particularly impressive aerial tricks earlier this month. It was caught on video by a group of local birdwatchers, too.

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/na...#storylink=cpy
 
Old March 5th, 2018 #25
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These tropical hummingbirds make cricket-like sounds other birds can't hear


Researchers have found that a tropical species of hummingbird called a black jacobin makes vocal sounds with an unusually high-frequency pitch that falls outside birds' normal hearing range. It's not yet clear whether the hummingbirds can even hear themselves, the researchers say.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...0305130659.htm
 
Old July 1st, 2020 #26
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10 of the World’s Fastest Birds



From the peregrine falcon to the common swift, meet the cheetahs of the sky.

June 30, 2020

The cheetah will almost always win a race on land. But in the sky, the contest for the fastest bird depends on whether you're measuring level flight or speed while diving after prey.

Researchers aren't in agreement about which bird gets top honors. In fact, the Guinness Book of World Records was actually created in the 1950s when Sir Hugh Beaver, managing director of the Guinness Brewery, got into an argument with friends about the fastest game bird in Europe.

No one could find an answer in a reference book, so Beaver decided to create one.

Here are some of the speediest fliers in the skies.

https://www.treehugger.com/fastest-birds-5070090
 
Old July 3rd, 2020 #27
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Catchy Sparrow Song Goes 'Viral' Across Canada in Continent-Wide Phenomenon


2 JULY 2020

White-throated sparrows in British Columbia are whistling a new tune and it's going viral across Canada.

What started as a minor change to a common song has now morphed into a continent-wide phenomenon before our very ears.

https://www.sciencealert.com/this-sp...e-heard-before
 
Old August 19th, 2020 #28
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The pesticide that caused bee colonies to collapse is killing birds now

Neonicotinoids, thought to be responsible for colony collapse disorder, have detrimental effects on birds, too

Aug 18, 2020

Environmentalists and farmers were relieved to discover that the mysterious and sudden drop in bee populations in the past decade turned out to be linked to neonicotinoids, a class of insecticides that are chemically akin to nicotine. Solving that mystery was not merely important to ecologists, but also crucial to human survival: if major bee communities become extinct or near-extinct, it could devastate human food sources.

https://www.salon.com/2020/08/18/the...ing-birds-now/
 
Old August 25th, 2020 #29
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10 of North America's Most Endangered Birds


August 05, 2020

the number of endangered and threatened birds in North America is alarming. Threats from climate change, pollution, and habitat loss plague these amazing, unique, and beautiful birds. Some have been aided by conservation efforts including captive breeding, nest building, and bird sanctuaries. Learn about some of the species that need our care and attention.

https://www.treehugger.com/north-ame...-birds-4859234
 
Old December 15th, 2020 #30
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Audubon Christmas Bird Count Kicks Off

It's time for citizen scientists to get out their binoculars.

Dec 14, 2020

The 121st annual Christmas Bird Count (CBC) from the National Audubon Society begins on Dec. 14. Researchers are depending on tens of thousands of volunteers to grab their binoculars to help gather data about birds throughout the Western Hemisphere.

Experienced bird watchers and eager amateurs will be contributing to one of the longest-running wildlife surveys, which runs through Jan. 5. The CBC helps ornithologists study the movement, range, and fluctuation of bird populations across the continent, which enables them to better understand how bird species are faring and changing over time.

https://www.treehugger.com/audubon-c...ks-off-5092152
 
Old November 1st, 2021 #31
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California condors can have 'virgin births,' study finds

Researchers said they believe it is the first case of asexual reproduction in any avian species where the female had access to a mate.

Oct 29, 2021

Endangered California condors can have “virgin births,” according to a study released Thursday.

Researchers with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance said genetic testing confirmed that two male chicks hatched in 2001 and 2009 from unfertilized eggs were related to their mothers. Neither was related to a male.

The study was published Thursday in the the Journal of Heredity. It’s the first report of asexual reproduction in California condors, although parthenogenesis can occur in other species ranging from sharks to honey bees to Komodo dragons.

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...finds-rcna4087

https://news.yahoo.com/endangered-ca...064807982.html
 
Old May 4th, 2022 #32
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California condors take flight in Redwood National Park


May 3, 2022

A pair of California condors were released into Redwood National Park Tuesday, returning to Northern California for the first time in over 100 years.

Northern California’s Yurok Tribe has spent decades working to bring California condors back to their tribal lands. The birds were nearly driven extinct by habitat destruction and the introduction of toxic substances like DDT and lead.

Tiana Williams-Claussen is the director of the Yurok Tribe's wildlife department. She whispered just outside the enclosure as the two birds took off.

“That was just as exciting as I thought it was going to be," she says. "Those guys just took right off.”

The tribe released two of the four condors in their care, and the others will likely join them next month.

California condors take flight in Redwood National Park | Jefferson Public Radio
 
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