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: wild birds
How to Support Your Local Wildlife
Wild birds, insects and other wildlife populations are on the decline. These creatures need all the help they can get to cope with a changing planet. If you’re wondering what you can do to give your local wildlife a helping hand, here are some suggestions from the team at Really Wild Bird Food, who grow […]
Wild birds gain immunity to avian flu in ‘encouraging sign’ amid deadly outbreak
Some birds have developed immunity to avian flu, according to scientists who say there are “encouraging signs” that the deadly virus could kill fewer birds this winter. The current H5N1 bird flu outbreak, which started in 2021, has been the worst recorded, and is thought to have killed millions of wild birds. Mortality rates appeared […]
France accused of flouting EU rules on trapping of wild birds
Bird protection campaigners have accused the French government of flouting European regulations after it rescinded a ban on traditional hunting. They accuse ministers of giving in to lobbying by powerful hunting groups to allow the trapping of thousands of birds as part of an “experimental study”. Most traditional trapping methods were banned in France in […]
Trafficking of thousands of songbirds highlights rampant trade in Indonesia
MEDAN, Indonesia — Smugglers managed to ship more than 7,000 birds, including wild-caught songbirds, by air from Sumatra to Java in Indonesia, highlighting the country’s weak enforcement against the deeply entrenched bird trade. Indonesian authorities said the birds were transported in several batches on flights on June 11 and 12 from Medan in North Sumatra […]
Just Kingfishers in Suffolk
Whilst visiting a local nature reserve in Norfolk we met another visitor who recommended a visit to Lackford Lakes. This is a reserve run by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust that has a good record of Kingfisher sightings. It is just across the border in Suffolk so not too far from our home. With the prospect of clear […]
POLL: Should the wild bird trade in Southeast Asia be banned?
A cacophony of birdsong rings out from hundreds of wire and bamboo cages strung along awnings and crisscrossing the ceilings of cramped open-air stalls at Pramuka, Indonesia’s biggest bird market, in the capital, Jakarta. Thousands of wild birds—ranging from tiny brown finches and brilliant rainbow lorikeets to small-bodied, large-eyed owls—will be sold as pets to […]
Siloy – Cebu’s Endangered Black Shama
“SILOY,” that is what this Philippine Cebu Endemic is locally called. I have thought that photographing this bird would be a walk in the park, but it was quite difficult for us. Our local guide Pedro Villarta, who is one of the wardens of Nug-as forest in Alcoy, said that the bird is territorial and […]