Charismatic Chirps.
Bird News Items
1. Let’s begin with acoustic technology developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology which is helping doctors and researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine: Intrigued by the potential of this under-explored area of medical science, but lacking acoustics expertise, Dr. Rameau turned to the highly regarded Cornell Lab of Ornithology, where scientists have spent decades studying birdsongs. There she met Dr. Holger Klinck, director of the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics and one of the world’s foremost experts in the sounds of the animal kingdom. Dr. Klinck’s team developed Raven Pro, a powerful software used to analyze animal vocalizations — birdsongs especially, but also sounds made by elephants, whales and other “critters,” as Dr. Klinck calls his subjects. Raven Pro turns birdsongs, whale songs, elephant calls and primate chatter into beautiful visual representations. (via Impact)
2. More remote corners of Columbia accessible for birders and researchers (text and good visuals from the NYT): Just after sunrise, in a cloud forest surrounded by patches of bamboo trees and coffee plants, the singing started. Then, a flash of scarlet flew past the raised cameras and binoculars: an Andean cock-of-the-rock. The lone bird was soon joined in song by other males, spreading their wings in a competitive performance to attract a mate. In Colombia’s thick jungles, green is the dominant color, but sudden bursts of brilliant red, iridescent blues and multiple shades of yellow flutter through the canopy, too. The country’s wild spaces are home to about one-fifth of all the world’s avian species, making it a bird-watching wonderland. But this natural bounty was largely hidden away from the world for over 50 years. (via The New York Times)
By Hap Ellis, Ruby-throated Hummingbird - Kennebunkport, ME
3. Good question - is NYC prepared for a bird flu pandemic?: Four years after a new coronavirus swept through New York in what was called a once-in-a-century event, public health officials are beginning to prepare for the possibility that a far worse pandemic is on its way. The bird flu virus, H5N1, is not spreading among people. But the city is already preparing as if it could. It is considering plans to set up isolation and quarantine hotels. One New York City hospital system is taking steps to start testing its sewage for the virus, so that it will know if bird flu is silently circulating among patients and staff. But some epidemiologists worry that once again, the public health response in New York will be too sluggish in the early phases, should an epidemic break out in the city. (via The New York Times)
4. Welcome - and surprising! - news from an absolutely crucial river delta: Decades of conservation efforts are paying off at the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, with bird populations experiencing a remarkable surge in diversity. The latest monitoring data reveals a more than doubling of bird species documented at the reserve, from 187 in the early 1990s to an impressive 373 today. This positive trend extends to protected birds. The number of species categorized as nationally protected within China has grown significantly. First-class protected species have increased from 5 to 26, while second-class protected species have risen from 27 to 65. This highlights the reserve's commitment to safeguarding vulnerable avian populations. (via China Daily)
5. “No limits for this species when it comes to inventing new ways of acquiring food from people”: Despite being a blush-worthy moniker, at least for Americans, the great tit is one of the birds most familiar to people in Europe and Asia. And it’s among the most intriguing. The species shows a cognitive capacity that is amazing for a slight bird weighing only 18 grams. They produce false alarms to scare other birds off bird feeders, and they knock on kitchen windows to get seeds refilled. On cold winter days, they drum on bee hives, whereupon the bees will then come walking out, easy prey for the hungry birds. In combination with its broad food preferences the great tit’s cleverness has resulted in an unusual response to urbanization. By that, I mean they do not only get by, but they thrive. And their success at city living offers some lessons on how we can better get along with not just great tits, but our other urban animal neighbors. (via Scientific American)
6. Rock-dropper - An avian who-done-it in Detroit: This spring, birds began dropping rocks from the roof of Brewery Park onto the building’s front patio several stories below, where white-collar workers might step outside for lunch. “When they drop them, they drop them,” said Amanda Koss, curator of The Gallery at Brewery Park in the office building near Eastern Market. “They don’t know whether there’s people underneath. They don’t have common sense. They’re a bird.” Detroit was a forest not so long ago, andhumans here collide with wildlife more often than you might expect. Thankfully though, there are no reports of a bird’s air-dropped rock connecting with a human target. That’s thanks perhaps in part to the prompt response of Brewery Park Realty, which manages the building. When a custodian noticed rocks falling to the pavement, property manager David Wilson printed and laminated a sign for the front doors. (via Outlier Media)
By Hap Ellis, Red-tailed Hawk - Batson River, Goose Rocks Beach, Kennebunkport, ME
7. Interesting interview with author, ecologist and bird guide, Melissa Hafting (complete with a great pic of a Tufted Puffin): Melissa Hafting has a long history with birds. Hafting, an ecologist and bird guide from Richmond, B.C., was introduced to birding by her father, eventually surpassing him in both enthusiasm and expertise. After he passed away in 2023, just fourteen months after her mother, she found refuge from grief in birding. This month, Hafting published Dare to Bird: Exploring the Joy and Healing Power of Birds, which pairs her photography with reflections on the lessons and insights she gleaned from observing — and protecting — birds. In a recent interview with The Narwhal, she talks about how to make birding more inclusive, the impacts of climate change on birds and how aspiring birders can get started. (via The Narwhal)
8. And speaking of Tufted Puffins, this “charismatic megafauna” is back for the first time since the 1990’s near Yaquina Head (hint: Oregon coast): A pair of tufted puffins are likely nesting near Yaquina Head for the first time since the late ‘90s and birders are gathering in Lincoln County to witness the homecoming. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Visitor Services Manager Dawn Harris told KOIN 6 News that two tufted puffins have been spotted in the area all-month long, indicating that the birds are likely nesting in the surrounding headlands. “It’s not unusual to see a puffin or two fly by Yaquina Head during the summertime nesting season,” Harris said. “That happens occasionally each summer. What’s unusual is that tufted puffins have been seen every day for almost a month.” (via KOIN News)
9. A nice overview of North America’s hummingbirds from USFW: Hummingbirds are tiny, vibrant marvels of nature, renowned for their dazzling colors and extraordinary agility. Despite being some of the smallest birds in the world, they have a big impact as pollinators, indicators of climate change , and in balancing insect populations. Weighing less than a marshmallow, they fly at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, constantly moving as they travel between plants. Hummingbirds have co-evolved with numerous plants to pollinate them as they drink from their nectar. While nectar is their primary food source, they also consume spiders, insects and tree sap, especially during the breeding season when protein is essential for their young. They live a very fast, busy life and do it mostly solo. (via U.S. Fish & Wildlife)
By Hap Ellis, Piping Plover - Goose Rocks Beach, Kennebunkport, ME
10. Back in Belgium after 500 years: When was the last time a white-tailed eagle nested in Belgium? If you guessed around the time the first European explorer laid eyes on Manhattan, you'd be right. But in a remarkable twist of fate, these majestic birds, once widely distributed across Europe, are finally making a comeback in Belgium after a 500-year absence. A pair of white-tailed eagles affectionately named Paul and Betty recently hatched a chick at the De Blankaart nature reserve in West Flanders, according to the Good News Network. The expecting parents are also keeping watch over a second egg, with hopes of welcoming another eaglet soon. While white-tailed eagles have been reintroduced in other parts of Europe like Great Britain and Ireland, this is Belgium's first recorded nesting in five centuries. Local officials are taking the momentous occasion seriously, setting up a protected area around the nest and threatening trespassers with hefty fines. (via The Cool Down)
11. Room for improvement (in the UK): A new legal requirement for developers to demonstrate a biodiversity boost in planning applications could make a more meaningful impact on nature recovery if improvements are made to the way nature's value is calculated, say researchers at the University of Cambridge. From 2024, the UK's Environment Act requires planning applications to demonstrate an overall biodiversity net gain of at least 10% as calculated using a new statutory biodiversity metric. The researchers trialed the metric by using it to calculate the biodiversity value of 24 sites across England. These sites have all been monitored over the long term, allowing the team to compare biodiversity species data with results from the metric. Plant biodiversity at the sites matched values produced using the metric, but bird and butterfly biodiversity did not. (via Phys Org)
12. Remembering Rory & Silo - the star gay penguin couple in NYC’s Central Park Zoo: I don’t know about you but it’s deeply confusing to me that it’s already *checks calendar* June 27th? The year is…almost halfway over? I don’t think so, man. In that same vein, it feels like we only JUST began our Gay Animal Month and now it’s already coming to a close! Still, who are we without our traditions we take our traditions—especially when it comes to birds—very seriously. We want to end this celebration properly and damn it, that’s what I’m here to do. There is a rich bounty of iconic gay animal couples out there! If you’re ever in need of a sweet, anthropomorphized listicle to brighten your day, the internet can and will provide. But here is the most important thing I discovered in my quest, and something we must all understand: Penguins absolutely own the iconic gay animal couple category and there is not a competitor in sight for MILES. (via Discourse Blog)
By Hap Ellis, Young Piping Plover - Goose Rocks Beach, Kennebunkport, ME
13. Once again, birds and energy needs collide: Today the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved the largest liquefied natural gas export terminal in the United States, Venture Global's Calcasieu Pass 2 (CP2) facility, to be built in southwest Louisiana. The footprint of the proposed facility would destroy habitat that supports the Eastern Black Rail, a bird subspecies listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. "This project will have detrimental impacts to our climate, as well as to threatened birds like Eastern Black Rails and the wetlands and communities of the Louisiana coast," said Sarah Rose, vice president of climate at the National Audubon Society. "Audubon is deeply concerned about the disruption this facility poses to the region’s natural ecosystem, increased public health risks, climate pollution, and loss of habitats that birds and people rely on.” (via Audubon)
14. The pursuit of parrot pleasure: Birds have been known to seek out pungent chemicals for various reasons. Some consume fermented fruits with gusto and suffer the ill effects. Others expose themselves to ants, but only the stinky kind. These ants produce useful antimicrobials and insect repellents. In our recent research, my colleagues and I observed Norfolk Island green parrots applying chewed pepper tree bark and shoots to their feathers and skin during preening. We believe this is a rare example of a bird using plant matter to rid themselves of parasites. But there may be more to it. These birds do seem to be enjoying themselves. For more than a century, scientists have puzzled over the purpose of anting. When birds engage in this behaviour, they either actively spread ants or simply allow ants to move through their feathers. In defence, the ants release formic acid. Could birds be getting high on the fumes? Maybe pepper tree bark has more than medicinal effects too. It's highly likely such self-medicating is stimulating. (via Rare Bird Alert)
15. A balloon ban!: Sea turtles, marine birds and children under 7 will be protected under a new Florida law that bans the intentional release of balloons. The law, signed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday, replaces an existing ban of releasing ten or more balloons within 24 hours. The Legislature approved the bill with bipartisan support in March and the law is praised by environmentalists. “Balloons rank among the deadliest ocean plastic for key wildlife and are the deadliest form of plastic debris for seabirds. Florida’s new law will help save ocean animals from these preventable deaths,” said Hunter Miller, a Florida representative of the Washington-based environmental group Oceana. The law will exempt children under 7. Anyone else can be fined for littering for intentionally releasing a single balloon. The new law also removes an exemption for biodegradable balloons. DeSantis signed the bill in private and didn’t make a statement on it. (via The Washington Post)
16. Finally, a fun piece on “spark” birds: Think back to a time in your life when you saw a bird that piqued your interest and made you want to learn more about birds. Maybe it was the bird's colorful feathers or the way it sang that resonated with you. That’s your spark bird! For this month’s Chirp Chat, Lake Effect’s Xcaret Nuñez asked listeners to share the moment they discovered their spark bird and why it’s special to them. “This spark bird is really special to me because it reminds me of the summers I spent with my grandparents in Nevada,” says Nuñez, Lake Effect producer and host of Chirp Chat. “This pair of doves would nest in our porch light every summer, and we spent so much time just watching the Mourning Doves fly up and down, building their nests with pine needles or small twigs. And it was just a really special time in my life that I look back on a lot. (via WUWM NPR Milwaukee)
Bird Videos of the Week
The Sound of the Kookaburra - X.
“One of the world’s strangest birds is being raised by puppets” (via CNN)
Cornell Live Bird Cam - Nonsuch Adventures.
Cornell Live Bird Cam - Osprey cam.