1. Love Triangle: A scandal is unfolding at UC Berkeley, and at its center are the flirtations of an interloper and a wounded mate. Grinnell and Annie have made their home atop the Campanile, a 307-foot bell and clock tower overlooking the university’s campus, since at least 2016. The peregrine falcons are resourceful, territorial birds, and they generally mate for life. But last month, 8-year-old Grinnell was found badly wounded at a tennis club about two miles from his nest. He was missing a large patch of feathers on his chin and throat. One of the raptor’s wings was injured, and the tip of his upper beak was broken off. The good news is, Grinnell is expected to make a full recovery. But try telling that to Annie. (via Los Angeles Times)
2. Good question: When the dinosaur-killing asteroid collided with Earth about 66 million years ago, it triggered a slew of horrific events — shockwaves, wildfires, acid rain, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and nuclear winter-like conditions — that killed about 80% of all animal species. But, mysteriously, some dinosaurs survived: the birds. But why did some lineages of birds endure, while others perished? New research on a well-preserved ancient bird skull suggests that the bird species that survived the cataclysm had bigger cerebrums, or forebrains — the front region of the brain. (via Live Science)
3. A bird flu prevention zone has been declared across Great Britain to stop the spread of the disease among poultry and other birds. Since 5pm on Wednesday, all bird keepers have been legally required to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks. Bird flu circulates naturally among wild birds, and when they migrate to the UK from mainland Europe in winter the disease can be spread to poultry and other captive birds. Under the prevention zone, people with more than 500 birds must now restrict access for non-essential visitors, change clothing and footwear before entering enclosures, and ensure vehicles are cleaned and disinfected regularly. (via The Guardian)
4. Drought effects: Just off Stateline Highway, about 100 feet into California from the Oregon border, Klamath National Wildlife Refuge Manager Greg Austin stands on the edge of a marsh. There are flocks of mallards and some geese, but as one of America’s main stopovers for migratory birds, this wetland is almost completely dry this year. “This is the only water we have. And we can get 5,000 birds down here right now,” he said. Five thousand? They should have 700,000 birds this time of year. If you look at a map of the North American bird migration route known as the Pacific Flyway, the Klamath Wildlife Refuge Complex is like the narrow middle of an hourglass. (via OPB)
5. One of the only proven preferences that female zebra finches have is for male birds that sing in the same dialect as them, meaning they have songs similar to those in the female finch’s home habitat. But in a setting where there are not that many male birds, researchers recently found that this pickiness has little effect on reproduction. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology simulated scenarios where female finches did not have much choice in males to understand if being picky affected the number of offspring the female finches ended up having. It turns out, the female finches remained selective and got creative: The female birds who ended up without a mate still laid plenty of eggs, but instead of taking care of them, the finches dumped them in other nests. (via Popular Science)
6. A marvel of nature: Birds, like mammals, are warm-blooded. It’s an adaptation known as endothermy. Along with feathers and other key anatomical features, endothermy is a fundamental trait carried over from their non-avian dinosaur ancestors, active hunters known as theropods, like the fearsome Velociraptor or the T. Rex. Birds’ bodies maintain a constant temperature, around 106 degrees. Their four-chambered hearts run larger than those of mammals, relative to body size, and they’re coupled with extremely efficient cardiovascular systems. An active hummingbird’s heart pumps at 1,200 beats per minute; a flying pigeon’s heart beats at 600. But a human athlete during exercise builds up a heart rate to around only 150 beats, a mere fraction of the hummingbird’s heart rate. (via Audubon)
7. City bin chickens could mutate – or they could save their dwindling country cousins, new research is suggesting. Global heating, increasing drought, water extraction and habitat degradation have driven the Australian white ibis out of inland river systems. But dumpster-diving ibis in cities thrive, meaning there are now tens of thousands of urban birds, while only about 3,000 inland. Macquarie University researchers wanted to see if genetic differences were emerging between the “beautiful, elegant white birds” inland on one side of the Great Dividing Range and “their grubby and cheeky city cousins” on the other. (via The Guardian)
8. Colors matter: Common waxbills with the highest social ranks aren’t necessarily larger or more intelligent than their peers – but they do have chest feathers that are a richer shade of red. This may be because individuals are so healthy that they can spare resources on accentuating their colors. Patrícia Beltrão at the University of Porto in Portugal and her colleagues discovered this by evaluating dozens of common waxbills (Estrilda astrild) that were captured as adults in a large outdoor netted area. (via New Scientist)
9. Seabirds need our help: On October 28, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) reintroduced the Forage Fish Conservation Act, which will help protect forage fish—the small but important schooling fish that serve as a critical food source to vulnerable seabirds. “This bill will protect seabirds’ primary food source, to help safeguard them from the dramatic population declines we’ve seen in recent decades. We are grateful to Congresswoman Dingell for her conservation leadership, which recognizes the benefits that forage fish provide to wildlife and the local economies that depend on them to thrive.” (via Audubon)
10. Gobsmacked: One of the rarest and most impressive birds of prey in the world has been spotted in Windsor, N.S. The Steller's sea eagle, which is native to eastern Russia, seems to be making a tour of North America, having previously been spotted in Alaska, Texas, New Brunswick and Quebec. Phil Taylor, a biology professor at Acadia University, was the first person to spot the bird in Nova Scotia. With a giant yellow beak, large white patches on its wings and a big white tail, Taylor said the bird is very distinctive. It isn't known if the bird is male or female, he said, but it is an adult and is bigger than the bald eagles that are more common in the area. (via CBC)
11. Concerning: I first saw Demoiselle Cranes (Grus virgo) on the wet meadows of Lake Khovsgol National Park in northern Mongolia more than a quarter of a century ago. They were performing their flamboyant courtship dance, creating a lot of noise, and made a lasting impression. It is therefore particularly poignant that this species appears on the front cover of our new European Red List of Birds*, because it now has the status of Endangered. New data from across its European range (mainly Russia and Ukraine) shows its population has declined by more than 50%. Demoiselle Cranes are just one of 105 species now considered Threatened or Near Threatened with extinction – that’s nearly one in five of all bird species in Europe. (via Birdlife International)
12. Constant concern: Healthy microbialites look like slimy underwater rocks but are formed by a community of tiny living organisms on Great Salt Lake’s floor, a partnership between life and minerals similar to coral reefs. The lake and its associated wetlands and uplands support about 338 different bird species, and are a critical stopover site for millions of migratory birds every year, says John Luft, Great Salt Lake ecosystem program manager at Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. It’s also a nesting ground for waterfowl like Cinnamon Teal and Gadwalls, waterbirds like American Avocets, and the largest breeding population of Snowy Plovers anywhere. For birds, it’s “an oasis in the desert,” Luft says. The lake’s importance for birds owes much to microbialites. Great Salt Lake hit its lowest recorded water level ever this month, leaving many microbialiates out of the water. (via Audubon)
13. Unintended consequence: Out on Bolivar Peninsula, just a little past the ferry landing, is Rettilon Road. (Spell that name backwards to find out what you shouldn't do on beaches, or anywhere, really.) The road ends at what's known as the Bolivar Flats, some 1,200 acres of coastal prairie and marsh, along with the namesake mud flats. The Houston Chronicle’s Emily Foxhallwent out there recently with the folks from Houston Audubon. Birders from all over come to see what might be passing through. It's like Bush Intercontinental for our feathered friends. The sanctuary and its visitors are a key part of the ecosystem here. (via Houston Chronicle)
Bird Photo of the Week
Photo by Hap Ellis, Osprey.
Bird Videos of the Week
By Bizarre Beasts, “The Weird Thing Storks Can Smell”.
Cornell Live Bird Cam - Feeder Mix.
Cornell Live Bird Cam - Flight School.