The annual International Black-faced Spoonbill Census recorded 3,356 individuals in January 2016, an increase of 2.6% from the last year’s 3,272 individuals, and a record recent count for this Endangered Asian waterbird. An annual census of Black-faced Spoonbill Platalea minor has been ongoing since 2003. This year’s census was held on 15-17 January, with the […]
Tag: birdlife international
Meet pesticides, the silent bird killers that protect our crops
The illegal killing of birds with poisoned baits and their accidental deaths from pesticides occurs on a global scale: Tens of millions have died, leading to a decline in numerous species’ populations. Birds of prey are targeted with poison baits if they are seen as predators by racing-pigeon enthusiasts, gamekeepers, livestock farmers, poultry farmers and […]
POLL: Should toxic ammunition be banned in the EU?
Birds in Europe will continue to be put at risk from lead poisoning, as the European Commission today announces it will continue allowing the chemical’s use in ammunition. Lead ammunition use will be regulated on a limited basis under the EU chemicals regulation REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), despite it being responsible […]
‘Catastrophic’ decline: nearly 99% of African grey parrots wiped out in Ghana
African grey parrots are known to be smart, talented mimics. Alex, one of the most well-known African grey parrots in the world, could mimic over 100 human words, differentiate between various shapes and numbers, and would even wish his trainer “goodnight”. Predictably, these birds are extremely popular as pets. But their popularity has taken a […]
Red List reveals Europe’s farmland wading birds in crisis
The latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is out – and it’s sounding alarm bells for some of Europe’s most charismatic and cherished shorebirds (also known as wading birds). The list highlights sharp declines in most farmland wader species across much of Europe in recent decades. In some cases, these falls […]
Bar Tailed Godwit: New Zealand’s Bird of the Year
The bar-tailed godwit (kuaka) has been crowned New Zealand’s Bird of the Year after three weeks of close competition, heated campaigning and attempts at cheating. The Bird of the Year competition is run each year by Forest & Bird, the New Zealand BirdLife partner. The godwits spur public imagination having the longest migratory flight of […]
25 million songbirds slaughtered each year in the Mediterranean
The Egyptians line their beaches with fine two-metre high nets that can stretch for miles across the Nile delta and will catch any bird coming close; the Maltese will cover whole trees in nylon; the Cypriots smear branches in glue to stop birds flying; the Italians will kill nearly anything that flies and the French […]
Poll: Should the illegal trapping of birds in Cyprus be stopped?
At roughly 250 km long by 100 km wide, Cyprus is the third largest island in the Mediterranean and is used as a crucial stopover site by migrating birds during their sea crossings. The volume of migration there is actually quite incredible with millions of songbirds, waterfowl and birds of prey passing through twice a year. With such […]