1. Satellite imagery has uncovered 11 new colonies of Emperor penguins in Antarctica. According to new research, the global population is up to 10 percent bigger than previously thought. Since the flightless birds themselves are too small to be seen from satellites, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) used images from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 observation program to track penguin guano. These revealed the additional 11 colonies, bringing the total colony count on the whole continent to 61, according to the study published in Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation. (via France24)
2. For two years the Tufted Puffins of Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge have nested under the still gaze of Cosmo, a silent sentinel of sorts. Perched on a cliff called Coquille Point, he resembles the clownish seabirds—only Cosmo stands six feet tall and is made of marine debris. Cosmo is one of 80 flotsam sculptures that Angela Haseltine Pozzi, founder and artistic director of Washed Ashore, and her team have built to educate the public about plastic pollution. (via Audubon)
By Wendy R. Fredericks, Tufted Puffin.
3. For the next seven weeks, more than 1 billion birds will travel through Texas as they fly between food sources during the fall migration period. Most residents will never see the superhighway of birds moving south, since the vast majority of birds fly at night. That’s why a new campaign is urging Texans to prevent birds from colliding with buildings by turning off outdoor and indoor lights between 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. during the migration period, which is expected to last from Sept. 5 to Oct. 29. The Lights Out Texas campaign, a partnership between the Texas Conservation Alliance, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Dallas Zoo and the Perot Museum, hopes to raise awareness of how light pollution directly leads to bird mortalities. (via Fort Worth Star Telegram)
4. There’s a weary traveler enjoying a layover on the shores of Summit County’s Nima-Sila Reservoir. It’s a seabird called Brown Booby that some believe was blown off course by hurricane winds. It’s drawing quite the attention from the bird watching community. They stand in the woods. They stand in the water. All to capture an image of a weary traveler. Summit Metroparks biologist Dan Toth is an avid birder, but he never expected to see this rarity in Ohio. (via WKYC Radio)
5. This month, hummingbirds will depart our yards for their long migration to Mexico and Central America. Male birds leave first, followed by females. In preparation for their journey, they feed voraciously and develop fat deposits that almost double their weight. While over land they travel about 20 miles a day, but over the Gulf they fly 500 miles in less than a day. Leaving your hummingbird feeder out does not cause birds to postpone migration. They will depart whether or not your feeder is out. In fact, leaving it out will help migrating birds who are passing through, and the stragglers who won’t come through until early October. (via National Public Radio)
By Hap Ellis, Ruby-throated Hummingbird.
6. House sparrows can be found on nearly every continent including North America, South America, Africa and Australia, where they are not native but an invasive species. New research into these highly social songbirds reveals that they can learn from each other and adapt their behavior. House sparrows can often be observed in large flocks and this research suggests they may watch and learn from each other. The ability of house sparrows to adjust their behavior after a social experience provides evidence of social learning. (via Science Daily)
7. Researchers at Queen Mary University of London and University of Cambridge have recently reviewed past findings related to the evolution of cognition in birds, focusing on a sophisticated cognitive tool kit that birds might share with humans and other mammals. An interesting argument made by the researchers is that the advanced mental abilities observed in birds involve what is known as metacognition. Metacognition is the ability to understand and monitor internal states, such as thought processes. In other words, the researchers argue that the fact that some avian species are capable of advanced cognitive skills could be an indication that they have some level of self-awareness. (via Phys Org)
By Hap Ellis, Instacart on the flats: Common Terns.
8. It’s not easy to be an eagle in the Judean Desert, and it’s even more difficult during nesting season. But a survey by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority shows a small but hopeful rise in the number of nests built by both the Bonelli’s eagle and the golden eagle. During the observation period, eight pairs of golden eagles were spotted, begun nesting and produced 13 chicks. Among the Bonelli’s eagles there were 16 pairs that nested and produced 19 chicks. The findings also reveal the host of threats looming over these birds, for whom the future poses real risks. (via Haaretz)
9. The number of American white pelicans at a North Dakota wildlife refuge is down dramatically due to high water that has gobbled up much of their nesting grounds, the Fish and Wildlife Service said Friday. An aerial survey showed about 14,200 birds nesting at the Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge, or about half the number recorded two years ago, acting refuge manager Jeff Dion said. Heavy snow melt followed by a wet spring swamped much of the pelicans’ main nesting grounds at the refuge known as North America’s largest for the big-billed birds. Despite the low numbers, the pelicans appear healthy, Dion said. (via The Washington Post)
10. Eight years ago, rising water levels in Kenya’s Lake Nakuru drove away the clouds of pink-coloured flamingos that were the park’s biggest draw. Now they’re back. Flamingos eat insect larvae and algae that gives them their pink hue. High water levels shrink the birds’ ideal breeding and feeding grounds. When Nakuru lake first rose, Mwebia said, flamingos left for nearby lakes like Bogoria and Baringo whose waters were shallower. But heavy rains in recent years have also flooded those lakes, forcing the birds to return to Nakuru, where they are such an intrinsic attraction that the street leading up to the park is decorated with flamingo-shaped lampposts. The global pandemic has battered Kenya’s tourism industry, but Nakuru at least sees a bright spot on the horizon. (via Reuters)
11. Waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors are among some of the families of birds that stage impressive migrations. The Arctic tern, for example, truly takes migration to extremes. This small seabird travels each year from its Arctic nesting grounds to the Antarctic region, where it spends the winter months. Put into terms of mileage, the Arctic tern can travel about 50,000 miles in a single year. For a bird with a body length of about 15 inches and a wingspan of about 28 inches, this incredible migration is an astonishing feat. These statistics permit the Arctic tern to easily lay claim to the title of champion migrant among our feathered friends. (via The McDowell News)
By Hap Ellis, Wilson’s Storm Petrel.
12. The UK's smallest seabird regularly travels up to 186miles (300km) to feed in stormy waters off Shetland, according to new satellite tag data. Adult storm petrels on Mousa, Shetland, were fitted with GPS devices to better understand where they foraged for plankton and small fish at night. The data revealed they were flying to a previously unknown feeding area 68 miles (110km) south of their colony. One bird even ended up almost 248 miles (400km) in Norway. It took just 24 hours to fly back to Mousa. (via The BBC)
Bird Photo of the Week
By Hap Ellis, Great Blue Heron.
Bird Videos of the Week
By CBS Evening News, “Captain develops close bond with seagull he saved”.
Cornell Live Bird Cam, Great Horned Owl via Savannah Osprey Cam.
Cornell Live Bird Cam, Northern Royal Albatross.