Close-up view at a burrow in Washington state that is home to 12 successfully reared owlets. The burrowing owlets run for cover and the parents stand watch as predator soars overhead.
Monthly Archive: July 2009
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/backyard-birding/baby-owls-run-for-cover-mom-and-dad-stand-guard/
Good News For Massachusetts Backyard Birders
According to Mass Audubon, good news for backyard birding enthusiasts and Bay State nature lovers, as for the first time in decades, Massachusetts is saving twice as much land as it is developing.
Thanks to the collaborative work of state environmental agencies and conservation organizations, no longer is Bay State open space gobbled up at the rate of 40 acres a day. For every acre developed, two are protected.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/new-england-living/good-news-for-massachusetts-backyard-birders/
Short video report about the amazing feeding and migration habits of hummingbirds – including slow motion in-flight video. Looking for a hummingbird feeder? click here
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July 31, 2009
New ‘Bald’ Bird Discovered
An odd songbird with a bald head living in a rugged region in Laos has been discovered by scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society and University of Melbourne, as part of a project funded and managed by the mining company MMG (Minerals and Metals Group) that operates the Sepon copper and gold project in the region..
Dubbed the “Bare-faced Bulbul” because of the lack of feathers on its face and part of its head, it is the only example of a bald songbird in mainland Asia according to scientists. It is the first new species of bulbul – a family of about 130 species – described in Asia in over 100 years.
A description of the new species is published in the July issue of the Oriental Bird Club’s journal Forktail. Authors include Iain Woxvold of the University of Melbourne, along with Wildlife Conservation Society researchers Will Duckworth and Rob Timmins.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/backyard-birding/new-bald-bird-discovered/
Backyard Birding: The State of Birds in the U.S.
A somber report for backyard birding enthusiasts, as the 2009 State of Birds report notes that of the 800+ species of birds in the U.S., nearly one third (251) are endangered or in decline. This report identifies habitat loss as …
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/backyard-birding/backyard-birding-the-state-of-birds-in-the-us/
Doves Found Clinging to Life After Wedding Release (video)
More than two dozen albino ringneck doves were found clinging to life in a group of trees in a Queens, NY park. The non-native doves had presumably flown there after being released following a wedding. Volunteers from the Wild Bird Fund helped capture about 15 of the birds. About 25 doves remain, some too weak to fly back up into the trees after falling from branches. It’s believed that the doves were bred to be pets, and have no experience in foraging for food or living in the wild.
The only type of birds that should be used for dove releases are well trained white racing pigeons. These birds are trained by professionals to return home after being released.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/backyard-birding/doves-found-clinging-to-life-after-wedding-release/
Ride a Golden Eagle! Bird’s Eye View Video
Take a flight with a Golden Eagle in Scotland with the help of the ultra lightweight animal camera. Great short video from BBC wildlife show Animal Camera. Flight footage starts at about 1:50 mark. Truly a bird’s eye view…
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/backyard-birding/ride-a-peregrine-falcon-birds-eye-view-video/
Some birds like it loud
A University of Colorado at Boulder study shows strong evidence that noise pollution negatively influences bird populations by reducing species diversity and increasing reproductive success of the birds in noisy areas.
The study published June 23rd in Current Biology, is the first to indicate that at least some bird species opt for noisy areas over quiet ones, perhaps because of their vocalization pitches, a reduction in predators and reduced competition from other songbirds that prefer quiet environments.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/backyard-birding/some-birds-like-it-loud/
Jailbreak! Zoo parrot is flight risk
An all points bulletin was issued Wednesday for an escapee fitting the description of having a bright yellow head, emerald-green rear, orange circles around its’ eyes, and a band on one leg.
The suspect is a zoo parrot called a sun conure, who “flew the coop” during a free-flight performance at the Philadelphia Zoo on Wednesday. It was one of 14 birds in the afternoon show, during which they soar across the stage and land on perches. At the end of the show, a “beak count” revealed only 13 birds had returned.
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/backyard-birding/jailbreak-zoo-parrot-is-flight-risk/
Dancing Bird Video – Superb Bird of Paradise
The Superb Bird of Paradise, Lophorina superba, is a small, passerine bird of the Paradisaeidae family (also sparrow, wren, cardinal, nuthatch). The Superb Bird of Paradise is distributed throughout rainforests of New Guinea. The male performs an amazing mating dance, as seen in this video (sans soundtrack).
Permanent link to this article: http://blog.newenglandbirdhouse.com/backyard-birding/friday-fun-awesome-dancing-bird/
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