The merlin, Britain’s smallest bird of prey, is one of more than 200 species that will become extinct in the UK if action is not taken to curb emissions and unsustainable land use, a study has claimed. According to the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), there is a 20-year window in which decisions […]
Tag: Bird of Prey
Police investigate after white-tailed eagles go missing across UK
One of the first white-tailed eagles to fledge in England for hundreds of years has vanished in suspicious circumstances, alongside two more “devastating” disappearances of the reintroduced raptor. Police are appealing for public help as they investigate the disappearances, which are a setback to the bird’s successful reintroduction. Their disappearance is being investigated by several […]
It skims the moors like a ghost, sports a wingspan wider than your outstretched arms and can drop on prey with pinpoint precision
The elegant hen harrier is perhaps the most iconic bird of prey in the uplands of northern England, but it is also one of the most endangered bird of prey in Britain. These large raptors wheel and soar above the moorland and, in late spring, perform a spectacular ‘sky dance’, exchanging tokens of their affection […]
A jester in the jungle: my quest to see a baby harpy eagle
Seeing a special bird can take enormous effort, as I discovered recently on a quest in the jungles of Guyana. As we headed along a narrow river towards our destination, we had to cope with heat and humidity and navigate huge rocks and fallen logs. All this just to see a baby bird. I say […]
36 extraordinary, astonishing bird facts, including a bird that has killed humans, a bird that likes to get drunk and one that can fly backwards
Did you know flamingoes are pink on the inside as well as the outside? Or how about the wild bird that’s over 70 years old? And have you ever wondered why woodpeckers don’t get concussion from their never-ending pecking? We’ve rounded up some of the most extraordinary facts about birds and their fascinating world….. 32 […]
Going extinct ‘right under our noses’: the quiet plight of Australia’s rarest bird of prey
Setting up a base in the tallest tree, usually around a creek somewhere, the red goshawk will hunt beneath the canopy – chasing down speed demons such as the rainbow lorikeet and plucking them out of the air. The soft thrum of their deep, powerful, metre-wide wings can be heard from the ground as they […]
Golden eagles poised for reintroduction in England
After more than 150 years, golden eagles could be set to return to England, as a study is expected to confirm there are enough suitable sites to support the reintroduction of the UK’s most iconic bird of prey. Golden eagles, which can have a wingspan of more than 2 metres, are occasionally seen in areas […]
Birds vs. Wind Turbines: New Research Aims to Prevent Deaths
Wind energy is an important tool for reducing carbon emissions. Hundreds of thousands of wind turbines now operate globally, and despite recent challenges in some countries, analysts predict that wind power capacity could grow tenfold by 2050. But wind turbines can have significant environmental impacts, particularly on birds. In 2021, the American Bird Conservancy estimated […]