The sneeze began as a tickle in my right nostril. It was almost imperceptible, like a mosquito landing lightly on my arm, ready to strike. Or a lone butterfly flapping its wings, producing a breeze that would unfurl into a tornado; a tidal wave of latent energy that demanded to be unleashed. Some people can […]
Tag: bird species
How seabird poop helped fuel ancient civilizations in Peru
The Chincha Islands off the coast of Peru are home to many seabird species that cover their island homes with thick layers of poop, or guano. New research now suggests that ancient Peruvians in the Chincha Valley on the Peruvian mainland hunted these seabirds, collected their guano, and used it to fertilize their maize crops, […]
‘Extinction crisis’ could see 500 bird species vanish within a century – report
More than 500 bird species could vanish within the next century, researchers have found, calling for urgent “special recovery programmes” such as captive breeding and habitat restoration to rescue unique species. Birds such as the puffin, European turtle dove and great bustard will be among those to disappear from our skies if trends continue, according […]
Collapsing bird numbers in North America prompt fears of ecological crisis – research
Bird populations across North America are falling most quickly in areas where they are most abundant, according to new research, prompting fears of ecological collapse in previously protected areas. Analysis of nearly 500 bird species across North America has found that three-quarters are declining across their ranges, with two-thirds of the total shrinking significantly. The […]
Arizona’s birds are disappearing fast
Birds that call Arizona‘s desert ecosystem home — including the state’s iconic cactus wren — are in serious decline, according to a sweeping new conservation report. Why it matters: Birds are indicators of the overall health of their habitats and signal early warnings of broader trouble. If these habitats can’t support birdlife, they likely can’t […]
Amazon Rainforest Birds Suffer Mysterious Declines in Pristine Habitats
Populations of Amazonian birds have been quietly plummeting for years, even in forests untouched by human activity. According to research highlighted by Tess McClure in The Guardian, scientists working at remote sites in Ecuador, Brazil, and Panama have found that bird numbers are falling generation by generation. These spots, such as the Tiputini Biodiversity Research […]
Conservationists Rally to Locate and Protect ‘Lost’ Bird Species
The list of missing avians includes species from diverse habitats and regions, ranging from the vibrant Santa Marta sabrewing last spotted in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains in 2022, to the elusive Rufous-breasted Blue Flycatcher and the iconic Ivory-billed Woodpecker, last documented in 1956. Each species on the list represents a puzzle piece […]
Bulldozers in Darwin begin destroying habitat of hundreds of bird species as Lee Point/Binybara construction begins
The destruction of woodland habitat for hundreds of bird species, including the endangered Gouldian finch, has commenced at a popular Darwin site, prompting conservationists, crossbench MPs and residents to condemn the federal government’s failure to protect the area from a defence housing development. As bulldozers moved into Lee Point/Binybara, which has been the focus of […]