1. Wildlife trumps coconuts: If you stand on the northernmost tip of Bird Island, it can feel like you're looking at eternity: there is ocean as far as the eye can see. The effect is similar when you snorkel off the same shore; not far out from the beach, the Earth plunges away into a dark oceanic abyss hundreds, then thousands, of metres deep. Bird Island is the most northern isle of the Seychelles' 115-island archipelago. It sits on the outer rim of the vast, undersea Mascarene Plateau, an extraordinary uplift of mid-ocean shallow water that covers an area larger than Portugal. Bird tells a parallel story of natural renewal, one almost without peer in the world of birds. And it all has to do with the ultimate contradiction: Bird was once a tropical island with too many palm trees. (via BBC)
2. New study on light pollution from Cornell: Nighttime light pollution levels are increasing the most in the southeastern United States, Mexico, and Central America — findings based on year-round data collected over the last two decades in the Western Hemisphere. This trend is a real concern for birds that fly at night during spring and fall migration and even during non-migratory seasons. Results of the study by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Colorado State University are published in Ecosphere. Birds largely avoid light during the breeding and non-breeding season. During migration, however, these associations break down as birds travel across a wide range of habitats, including populated areas that contain higher light pollution levels. (via Cornell University)
3. Brain size matters: Parrots are famous for their remarkable cognitive abilities and exceptionally long lifespans. Now, a study led by Max Planck researchers has shown that one of these traits has likely been caused by the other. By examining 217 parrot species, the researchers revealed that species such as the scarlet macaw and sulphur-crested cockatoo have extremely long average lifespans, of up to 30 years, which are usually seen only in large birds. Further, they demonstrated a possible cause for these long lifespans: large relative brain size. (via Science Daily)
4. “Cryptic dialects”: Male zebra finches learn their song by imitating conspecifics. To stand out in the crowd, each male develops its own unique song. Because of this individual-specific song, it was long assumed that dialects do not exist in zebra finches. However, with the help of an artificial intelligence technique, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology (Biological Intelligence, in foundation), have now been able to show that the songs of four different zebra finch populations differ systematically. They also discovered that these "cryptic dialects" are decisive for the females' choice of mate. Thus, female zebra finches pay more attention to a cultural trait than to male appearance. (via Science News)
5. The value of webcams: A few weeks after officials in California issued the first stay-at-home orders of the pandemic, back in 2020, something amazing happened on the internet. Well, not on the internet exactly – it happened in a gravel box high up on a bell tower, while thousands of us tuned in by webcam to see two peregrine falcons snuggling their freshly hatched chicks. Over the next few months, we watched the Cal Falcons webcam as the tiny chicks grew into fierce adults. The sight was a balm. It was a scientific wonder as well. Thanks to decades of conservation efforts, the raptors are making homes in our cities, even in a noisy bell tower in the middle of the University of California, Berkeley, campus. (via New Scientist)
6. What 21st century birdwatching looks like: Technological innovations have profoundly changed the way we look at nature at large. Birding is now carried out with binoculars, spotting scopes, and e-copies of bird books on smartphones. From guns to binoculars and cameras to smartphones, the history of bird-watching is fascinating. Technology has not only revolutionized bird-watching: it has transformed our relationship with nature as well. Such disruptive changes aren’t restricted to this century: binoculars, for example, heralded ‘watching’ instead of the then-normal hunting. Today, many birders watch and learn about birds on their screens – via social media platforms, YouTube, etc. – even as some remain skeptical over the disconnect from nature. (via The Wire)
7. Country diary: Barely a breath of wind this morning, but the branches of an alder overhanging the riverbank are shaking. Siskins are feeding on seeds from its small woody cones. Marvelously acrobatic, stretching, dangling, twisting this way and that to reach their reward. They are quiet, preoccupied with feeding on their own cluster of cones, so different in behavior from the feisty siskins that have been feasting on our garden bird table all winter. Those are mutually aggressive and constantly challenge greenfinches and tree sparrows for a perch on the feeder containing sunflower kernels. Sometimes violent conflict breaks out. They are so different in demeanor that they could almost be a different species. (via The Guardian)
8. Number 492: It’s been 17 years since Pink Floyd made a daring escape from a zoo in Kansas. Now the African flamingo – who also goes by No 492 – has been seen living the life of a fugitive 700 miles to the south, in Texas. The bird fled the Wichita county zoo in 2005 after keepers failed to clip his wings (or her?; the bird’s sex is unknown) , the New York Times reported. The flamingo’s survival in the wild was unlikely – indeed, a buddy who also made it out, No 347, hasn’t been heard from since. But Pink Floyd, as No 492 was nicknamed by Texas officials, was spotted this month by a fishing guide, David Foreman, to his intense surprise. (via The Guardian, The New York Times)
9. This is pretty cool: Hawaiian Airlines is doing its part to conserve a local seabird species by flying chicks and eggs to safer territory. In partnership with Pacific Rim Conservation, HA has flown this special cargo for the past two years as the birds face the threat of rising sea levels. The black-footed albatross, known in Hawaii as Kaʻupu, are large seabirds primarily found in Papahānaumokuākea, a protected marine area consisting of 10 islands and atolls across 1,510,000 km2 of ocean. Their eggs on Midway Atoll are in danger of being swept away by the ocean, forcing conservationists to intervene. The chicks and eggs have been transported to the Mexican island of Isla Guadalupe via San Diego. (via Simplifying)
10. Explaining murmurations: Shape-shifting flock of thousands of starlings, called a murmuration, is amazing to see. As many as 750,000 birds join together in flight. The birds spread out and come together. The flock splits apart and fuses together again. Murmurations constantly change direction, flying up a few hundred meters, then zooming down to almost crash to the ground. They look like swirling blobs, making teardrops, figure eights, columns and other shapes. Scientists think a murmuration is a visual invitation to attract other starlings to join a group night roost. One theory is that spending the night together keeps the starlings warmer as they share their body heat. It might also reduce the chance an individual bird would be eaten overnight by a predator such as an owl or marten. (via Big Think)
11. BNI travel tip – Bill Williams River NWR: Arizona's Sky Islands are known around the world as a birding mecca. Birders who visit the southeastern part of the state can find species such as the violet-crowned hummingbird, Montezuma quail and elegant trogon. But this isn't the only place in Arizona to see a great diversity of resident and migratory birds. The less-visited Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge, along the Colorado River in western Arizona, is a 6,105-acre wildlife haven that sees over 340 species of birds annually. Why does this off-the-beaten-path environment teem with so many species? The Arizona Republic talked to Steven Prager, education biologist for Audubon Southwest, to learn what makes the area an ideal habitat for so many kinds of birds. (via Arizona Central)
Bird Photo of the Week
Photo by Hap Ellis, Eastern Screech Owl – Forest Hills Cemetery, Boston, MA.
Bird Videos of the Week
By BBC, “Drinking Monkeys & Bathing Birds”.
Cornell Live Bird Cam- Great Horned Owl nest.
Cornell Live Bird Cam - Isle Boca Brava.