Wildlife conservation actions tend to be focused in specific locations because the data that inform them also tend to be highly localized. But what if we could visualize where a species, or several, will be at any given time of the year, across vast — even continental — scales? An artificial intelligence model developed by […]
Tag: hummingbird
Keep Your Hummingbird Feeder In Tip-Top Shape With This Hydrogen Peroxide Hack
Hummingbird feeders are a charming addition to any yard, but it’s not enough to just hang them up and watch the birds flutter around them. They also require weekly upkeep, adding yet another thing to your chore list. Specifically, you need to clean them routinely in order to keep them hygienic and inviting, but, luckily, […]
Superior Vocal Learning in Birds Linked to Better Problem Solving and Bigger Brain Size
Originally introduced to North America in the 1800s, the European starling is a magnificent bird, tawny brown with white spots in winter, shining with iridescent purple and green feathers in summer. Not only are they dazzling, since starlings are also some of the most skilled vocal learners, with the ability to mimic the calls of […]
Do hummingbirds drink alcohol? More often than you think
You may not realize it, but that backyard hummingbird feeder filled with sugar water is a natural experiment in fermentation—yeast settle in and turn some of the sugar into alcohol. The same is true of nectar-filled flowers, which are an ideal gathering place for yeast—a type of fungus—and for bacteria that metabolize sugar and produce […]
More Than Half of U.S. Birds Are in Decline, Warns New Report
The Rufous Hummingbird, Greater Sage-Grouse, Pinyon Jay, and 67 other birds in the United States are teetering on the edge of disaster, having lost at least half of their populations in the past 50 years. A report released today by North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) calls these birds “Tipping Point” species, on track to […]
Man Finds Baby Hummingbird and Nurses her Back to Health Until She’s Strong Enough to Fly
This man spotted a tiny lump on the sidewalk and found out that it was a baby hummingbird. The baby was too young to fly and appeared malnourished, so Sammy took her home and nursed the bird back to health. Sammy didn’t have any birds, so all the tools he used were makeshift. He made […]
Petition: Protect the Termit and Tin Touma National Reserve From Oil Exploration!
The Termit and Tin Touma National Reserve in Niger was created in 2012 to protect the endangered wildlife that live in the region. It covers about 38,600 square miles of desert and low mountains in the southern Sahara. The reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its biodiversity. The addax and dama gazelle […]
Petition: Protect the Newly Discovered Blue-Throated Hillstar Hummingbird From Extinction!
Land exploitation harms the planet and drives many animals to near extinction. The most popular example would be what deforestation for palm oil production has done to orangutan populations. When humans destroy a species’ natural habitat, the animals are left with very limited amounts of land to live on and limited places to find food. […]