Wings do not guarantee flight. You may think that the ability to fly might be one of the most envied and useful aspects of being a bird. However, there are numerous bird species which, through evolution, have lost their ability to fly over time. This has happened in different bird groups independently, meaning that flightlessness is a good […]
Tag: Galapagos Islands
Galápagos Yellow Warblers Living Near Traffic Noise Act More Aggressively, Study Finds
New research has found that the persistent sound of traffic can aggravate Galápagos yellow warblers and cause them to change their behavior, possibly because they realize their songs may be being drowned out by the noise. The study was led by experts from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and University of Vienna’s Konrad Lorenz Research Centre. […]
Droughts could change bird songs, creating new species, says study on Darwin’s finches
In the sunbaked Galápagos Islands, a male finch perches on a branch, hearing what sounds like another bird’s song. But something’s not quite right. The song is slower and simpler, like a familiar tune played at the wrong speed. The bird cocks its head, ruffles its feathers, but stays put. It’s just been fooled by […]
500 Giant Tortoises Reintroduced to Four Galapagos Islands in 2023
2023 was a banner year for the Galapagos Islands: that wondrous archipelago so famous for its giant tortoises and other endemic species. The long-serving conservation organization the Galapagos Conservancy, also endemic to the islands, recently published its annual report featuring standout figures like over 500 giant tortoises of 5 different species reintroduced to their natural […]
Lonesome George finally dies…
A lumbering giant Galapagos tortoise known as Lonesome George lifts his head up during a walk in his protected home in the island chain in Puerto Ayora this February. Lonesome George was the last remaining tortoise of his kind and a conservation icon Photo: (c) Stringer/Files Lonesome George, the last remaining tortoise of his kind […]