Flaco, the Eurasian eagle owl who gained fame after living free in New York City after escaping from captivity, was weakened by rat poison and a pigeon virus to the extent he would have died even if he had not fatally collided with a building earlier this year, a postmortem has found. Flaco was 13 […]
Tag: birds of prey
Scottish grouse moors to be licensed in attempt to protect birds of prey
Grouse moors across Scotland will be required to hold licences and could face shooting bans as part of radical measures to combat bird of prey persecution passed by MSPs on Thursday. The Scottish parliament voted for the controls amid intense pressure from conservation scientists and campaigners after decades of illegal attacks on birds of prey […]
Saudi Prince ‘booked out 80 seats on public flight for his killer falcons’
A trip on a flight is rarely something people look forward to and that’s without the jet being filled with killer birds. That’s what a bizarre image that has been taking the internet by storm purports to show. Row after row, regular economy-class seating is taken up not with crying babies and men with nauseating […]
Africa’s Birds of Prey Are Experiencing an Extinction Crisis
Birds of prey in Africa are currently experiencing an extinction crisis, with more than two-thirds potentially threatened, according to a new study by an international research team led by The Peregrine Fund and researchers from the University of St. Andrews. Of the 42 species profiled in the report, 88 percent have declined over a 20- […]
Illegal bird of prey killings fall to lowest level in decade, but ‘true figure may be far higher’
Confirmed incidents of the illegal persecution of birds of prey have fallen to their lowest levels for more than a decade, according to the latest RSPB Birdcrime report. But the conservation charity warned that the reduction in incidents to 61 in 2022 is distorted by a failure to examine dead raptors caught in the avian […]
Peak District bird-watcher describes moment owl ‘burst into a cloud of feathers’
A bird-watcher has spoken about the horrifying moment an owl he was watching was shot. The man, who asked to remain anonymous, saw the short-eared owl shot in front of his eyes while birding on Broomhead Moor in the Peak District. Having stopped at the walking spot in the north of the national park on […]
What Should Be Done About Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl Loose in New York?
All eyes are on New York City’s latest avian celebrity: Flaco the Owl. In February, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl, a large species native to Europe and Asia, escaped his enclosure in the Central Park Zoo after an act of vandalism. News of his escape quickly spread, and almost immediately Flaco became a star of the local […]
Why Weasels Should be the New Poster Animal for Biodiversity Conservation
When you think of biodiversity loss, what animal comes to mind? If you’re like most people, you probably think of the panda. After all, pandas are beloved and widely recognized as a symbol of conservation efforts. But here’s the thing: while pandas are certainly at risk, they’re not the only animals in danger. Many species […]