Pairing Plovers.
Bird News Items
1. Let's start with a really interesting interview with two Yale Art professors on the history of feathers in art: Earlier this semester, a group of scholars gathered at Yale for a day-long discussion about a subject of surprising weight: feathers. The workshop, called “Feathers: A Transcultural Art History,” grew out of a dialogue between Marisa Bass and Allison Caplan, professors in the history of art department, about their mutual engagement with the long history of feathers in art. The event drew scholars — including literary historians, curators, conservators, and experts in visual and material cultures — from various universities and museums. In addition to a series of discussions, the scholars visited the Yale Peabody Museum to study examples of featherwork with Yale ornithologist Richard Prum, who shared his research on the aesthetic biology of feathers. (via Yale News)
2. Friendship - "scientists have just discovered something that looks a heck of a lot like it in birds": True friends, most people would agree, are there for each other. Sometimes that means offering emotional support. Sometimes it means helping each other move. And if you’re a superb starling — a flamboyant, chattering songbird native to the African savanna — it means stuffing bugs down the throats of your friends’ offspring, secure in the expectation that they’ll eventually do the same for yours. Scientists have long known that social animals usually put blood relatives first. But for a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature, researchers crunched two decades of field data to show that unrelated members of a superb starling flock often help each other raise chicks, trading assistance to one another over years in a behavior that was not previously known. (via The New York Times)
By Hap Ellis, Orchard Oriole - Arnold Arboretum, Boston, MA.
3. Wrap your brain around this fun theorem (aka the pigeonhole principle): They say a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, but for computer scientists, two birds in a hole are better still. That’s because those cohabiting birds are the protagonists of a deceptively simple mathematical theorem called the pigeonhole principle. It’s easy to sum up in one short sentence: If six pigeons nestle into five pigeonholes, at least two of them must share a hole. That’s it—that’s the whole thing. “The pigeonhole principle is a theorem that elicits a smile,” said Christos Papadimitriou, a theoretical computer scientist at Columbia University. “It’s a fantastic conversation piece.” But the pigeonhole principle isn’t just for the birds. Even though it sounds painfully straightforward, it’s become a powerful tool for researchers engaged in the central project of theoretical computer science: mapping the hidden connections between different problems.
4. Who carries a toxin that is deadlier than cyanide - the Hooded Pitohuis, that's who. Check this out from National Geographic: In the summer of 1989, Jack Dumbacher was a fresh-faced ornithologist-in-training on his maiden expedition to the lush rainforests of Papua New Guinea. One sticky afternoon, he noticed an unusual bird with gaudy black-and-orange feathers entangled in his mist nets. But as Dumbacher tried to set it free, the hooded pitohui scratched him. When Dumbacher consulted his local guides, they nodded knowingly, telling him how villagers would avoid the “rubbish birds,” eating them only if they were “skinned and specially prepared.” Curiosity piqued, the then-graduate student at the University of Chicago spent the next year collecting pitohui samples and searching for a chemist back home who could pinpoint the source of the peculiar sensations. In 1992, Dumbacher and his collaborators announced their astonishing findings: hooded pitohuis carry batrachotoxin. The toxin is deadlier than cyanide and is among the most lethal substances in the animal kingdom. It’s the same substance found in certain poison dart frogs halfway round the world. (via National Geographic)
*Click here for more on Hooded Pitohuis: Hooded Pitohui - Pitohui dichrous (via Birds of the World)
5. What it takes (to keep birds at bay around Portland's busy airport): When you think of airports, you probably picture security lines, baggage claims, and maybe air traffic control towers. But if you squint out your window seat, just past the runways at Portland International Airport, you might spot a team keeping watch over an entirely different kind of traffic — the feathered kind. One of those people is Nick Atwell, Senior Natural Resources & Wildlife Manager at Port of Portland. He’s part of a team of six biologists who work to keep birds and planes from crossing paths. For this installment of “At Work With,” we rode along with him to learn what it‘s like to be an airport wildlife technician. (via OPB)
6. From USF&W - working the window collision problem: Most artists dream of having their work displayed where thousands of people will see it. For Margaret Lepeshkin, it’s equally important that her artwork be seen by birds. Her new work, on permanent display at the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Studio Arts Building, is visible to human and avian viewers alike. Lepeshkin created the winning design for the “Make UMass Bird-Friendly Art Competition,” which invited members of the campus community to submit ideas for adhesive panels to install on the atrium windows at the Studio Arts Building to prevent bird collisions. (via U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
By Hap Ellis, Yellow Warbler - Arnold Arboretum, Bosotn, MA.
7. Hopefully important - new Biodiversity areas in Italy - part of the EU's 30-30 targets: Based on the latest ornithological research and conservation data, this update has identified 113 new IBAs and revised 118 existing ones, bringing the total number of IBAs in Italy to 240. The reassessment marks one of the most substantial updates to Italy’s IBA inventory to date. With the latest update, the total area of IBAs has expanded by 4 million hectares to over 9.35 million hectares. This means that Italy’s IBA network is not only more comprehensive, but now covers a much larger portion of the country. It represents a key step in identifying where conservation and restoration efforts should be prioritized, while supporting progress towards the EU’s 30×30 targets, to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030. (via BirdLife)
8. What do Seattle and Istanbul have in common?: Twice a year, millions of birds across the Earth embark on epic journeys between their breeding and wintering grounds in one of the natural world’s greatest wonders. Migratory birds are essential to sustaining the planet’s biodiversity. As seed dispersers and insect controllers, birds help maintain healthy ecosystems. Through their long journeys, they connect distant habitats and foster ecological balance. They also connect people across the globe, with the return of much-loved species celebrated in many cultures as a blessing and marker of the seasons—and honored annually on May 10, World Migratory Bird Day. But the journeys of birds, large and small, are full of danger. (via UNEP
9. And what do the Florida Scrub Jay and the American Flamingo have in common? Neither seem to be able to unseat the Northern Mockingbird as FL's state bird: The northern mockingbird has done it again. Known for its ability to vocally mimic at least a dozen other species, the gray and white bird held off challenges for a fourth consecutive year in the Capitol to unseat it from its perch as Florida’s state bird. Lawmakers this year even tried some new strategies. Sen. Tina Scott Polsky, a Broward Democrat, devised what she believed was a “smarter, more nuanced approach” by filing a bill that would give schoolchildren the opportunity to pick their favorite bird at various Summer camps over the next two years. Survey results would then be presented to the Senate President and the House Speaker in December 2026. Polsky said she believed involving children also would raise awareness about Florida’s birds. (via Florida Politics)
* The Northern Mockingbird is also the state bird of Texas - BNI thinks it should be this bird: Painted Bunting - Passerina ciris (via Birds of the World)
By Hap Ellis, Baltimore Oriole - Arnold Arboretum, Boston, MA.
10. In Belgium one enterprising gentleman is trying to "make sea gulls sexy again" (we know, there are no "sea gulls", but work with this): Beachgoers know the seagull as either feathered friend or foe, swooping in for a French fry or potato chip, an old piece of bread. But they’re actually quite smart, and they’re just trying to live. In an effort to teach people more about the beach-loving birds and maybe even inspire greater affection, Claude Willaert, who works in Belgian coastal education and comedy, created the European Gull Screeching Championship in 2020. Held in De Panne, a Belgian beach town, the competition started as a local event, but has since expanded to include 70 people from 14 different countries. It recently celebrated its fifth anniversary. (via Good)
11. A feel good story - thinking locally and acting locally as reported by the local paper: The Delaware Ornithological Society (DOS) has donated $50,000 to support the preservation of Ard Na Gréine, an 88-acre open space along the Georgetown-Lewes Trail, thanks to funds raised during its 2024 Delaware Bird-A-Thon. The contribution was made to the Sussex County Land Trust (SCLT), which is leading the $9 million effort to acquire and restore the property. The name “Ard Na Gréine, meaning “the rise that catches the sun” in Irish Gaelic, reflects the site’s unique beauty and ecological significance. Located near Ebenezer Branch and the Great Marsh, the land will eventually feature public trail access, a parking area, native habitat restoration, and opportunities for passive recreation. (via Milford Live)
12. Piping Plovers (again!): Piping Plovers are one of the earliest migrants to arrive in New York, and they quickly begin pairing off and searching for suitable nesting habitat. As of early May, our staff have identified five active nests within the five sites we monitor on Long Island. Staff and volunteers quickly mobilized to exclose three of those nests to protect the eggs from predators, as there are cats, racoons, and other animals on our beaches. Common and Least Terns have also been arriving but have not paired off yet. This year, Audubon is working across 14 sites. Partnerships across the island are stronger than ever, and we are participating in a long list of state and town-sponsored events and activities this summer. (via Audubon)
By Hap Ellis, Northern Parula - Arnold Arboretum, Bosotn, MA.
13. Speaking of Florida, the state's largest newspaper has an Australian bird story - success for the Little Tern in New South Wales: As spring approaches in the Southern Hemisphere, a group of little birds make a long journey. Little terns, a small seabird, travel hundreds or even thousands of miles across the ocean to land on the beaches of Australia to breed. This year, they came in record numbers. “Little terns in (New South Wales) have experienced another great breeding season, with more than 900 nests counted across the state, the second-highest number in 24 years,” wildlife officials said in a May 5 news release from the environment and heritage department. There were 24 nesting sites found along the coast, including nests from 485 breeding pairs, officials said. This was a jump from the year before, which saw 430 breeding pairs. (via Miami Herald)
* Little Tern - Sternula albifrons (via Birds of the World)
14. No good news comes out of Afghanistan it seems, but then there was this item: The Herat Department of Environmental Protection has announced that over 2,500 rare and wild birds, which were illegally hunted, have been rescued and returned to nature over the past year. Environmental officials in Herat Province have reported increased efforts to protect rare bird and animal species. The birds were confiscated from local poachers and informal markets. These birds belonged to endangered and vulnerable species. After receiving temporary shelter and medical care, they were reintroduced into their natural habitats. Many of the rescued birds had been kept by wildlife traffickers for illegal sale. The Herat environmental authority stressed that hunting of any wild birds or animals in the province is strictly prohibited, and violators will face legal action. Experts warn that continued illegal hunting poses a serious threat to ecological balance and the survival of local biodiversity. (via Khaama Press Agency)
15. Finally, enjoy this op-ed piece from the NYT - the message: slow down!: It’s full-on springtime now. My blackberries are sending out new canes, and the passion vines have broken ground. The nestlings in the bluebird box are old enough for their cries to be heard across the yard. The front-stoop skinks are awake, the first lightning bugs are blinking in the trees, and the first ruby-throated hummingbird has migrated safely back to Tennessee from his wintering grounds in South America. As they do every year, these signs of spring work to keep my anguish for the world at bay. Not all signs of spring are a relief to see. For weeks now, robins have been crisscrossing the roads, flying right at tire level. I don’t know why they do this. Are they too crazed by hormones to remember that their one advantage over automobiles is flight? Are they too hungry after a lean winter to leave the ground and its spring-waking insects? Whatever the reason, I hold my breath a little every morning, hoping for the best for low-flying robins. (via The New York Times)
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Bird Videos of the Week
Video by Terra Mater - The Secret Lives of Hummingbirds.
Video by BarkplaceTV - Straight from the Source!
Cornell Live Bird Cam - Moss and Maple.
Cornell Live Bird Cam - More of Moss and Maple!