The scientific data does not support Mark Glover’s assertion that the release of gamebirds results in “environmental devastation” (Slaughter of UK-imported gamebirds carries a hefty price, 22 July). In support of his argument that the release of pheasants is causing an increase in the fox population, he cites Stephen Harris’ paper for the Labour Animal […]
Tag: Ornithology
Should feeding gulls be banned to prevent pollution of beaches?
According to ornithology specialists, warnings on Scottish beaches not to feed gulls because their droppings contribute to water pollution are “massively out of proportion.” The posters, which are a part of Keep Scotland Beautiful’s My Beach Your Beach campaign, have additionally come under fire for “demonizing” gulls and adding to the widespread misunderstanding of bird […]
Rare Deep-Sea Whale Washes Up on California Beach
A mysterious deep-sea whale washed up on a California beach on Sunday. The 16-foot beaked whale was discovered by a passerby at Mendocino County’s Jug Handle State Natural Reserve near Fort Bragg, which is 3.5 hours north of San Francisco, SFGate reported. Because beaked whales live deep beneath the waves and can dive down as […]
Some hummingbird females display male coloring to avoid being harassed
Female hummingbirds sometimes look like the brightly colored males of their species. Researchers have long pondered the reason for this. Now, a study of hummingbirds in Panama suggests that sporting male-like feathers helps some females avoid intense bullying, researchers recently reported in Current Biology. To find out why this surprising pattern arises, researchers studied the […]
Cloud cuckoo land? How one bird’s epic migration stunned scientists
When Onon took off above the rolling hills of the Khurkh valley in Mongolia last June, researchers had no idea if they would see him alive again. Along with one oriental cuckoo and three other common cuckoos, each fitted with a tiny tracking device, he was about to embark on an epic journey to southern […]
The UK’s barn owls are growing in number – and for once it’s thanks to humans
My mum fist-pumped when I told her I had seen a barn owl using a nest box on our farm. She has been trying to coax them in since she moved here 35 years ago. There were signs the owls might be thinking of settling down – we found a pellet (regurgitated fur and bones […]
In Quarantine, I Finally Understood the Magic of Birds
The cardinal was my gateway bird. Eight weeks ago, and newly quarantined at my in-laws, I joined my husband and five-year-old son at a nature preserve. They’d come for birds, equipped with binoculars and cameras; I’d just wanted out of the house. Not long into the walk, the wind picked up and misty rain started […]
Despite Their Tiny Brains, These African Birds Can Form Complex Relationships
Existing harmoniously in a complex society isn’t easy, even for humans. Scientists have long thought that it takes a big brain and high intelligence. But in a study published on Monday, researchers found that the tiny-brained Vulturine Guineafowl go about their days in highly cohesive groups that coexist without the typical aggression common in other […]