Loons return faithfully to the same wintering sites year after year

Date:  September 2, 2015

Source:  Central Ornithology Publication Office

Summary: Common Loons nest on lakes across Canada and the northern US, but every winter they disperse, many to the open ocean where they're difficult to track. It's been well established that many loons return to the same nesting sites every spring, but new research shows for the first time that they are similarly faithful to their wintering sites.

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Could more intensive farming practices benefit tropical birds?

Date: September 3, 2015

Source: Cell Press

Summary: Does it help when farms share the land with birds and other animals? The short answer is 'no,' based on the diversity of bird species. If the goal is to preserve more bird species, representing a greater span of evolutionary history, then it's better to farm more intensively in some areas while leaving more blocks of land entirely alone. In other words, land-sparing wins out over land-sharing, experts say.

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These live cameras will let you watch rare baby California condors grow up

By Elahe Izadi August 29 

Move over, panda cam. There's a new live video animal stream on the Internet and it's of rare, endangered baby condors.

Two cameras -- one in Southern California and another in Central California -- began live streaming wild condor nests this week. You can watch the camera pointed at a redwood tree in the Big Sur here, or look below to look below to watch the live stream of a nest near the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge in Ventura County:

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Protecting the Mediterranean’s migratory birds

Birdwatch News Archive

Posted on: 29 Aug 2015

After Birdfair, the fight goes on to protect the illegally hunted migratory songbirds of the Mediterranean fly-way.

During their twice-annual migration, birds face two natural hurdles along the Africa-Eurasia Fly-way: the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara desert. Even if they manage to cross those, many succumb to man-made dangers. In the first-ever assessment of the scope and scale of illegal killing in the Mediterranean by BirdLife International, it was found that 12-36 million birds per year, mainly songbirds, may be killed illegally by shooters and trappers.

Other serious threats to migratory birds come from power lines and wind turbines (which lead to collisions and electrocutions), and from the loss and degradation of crucial feeding and resting sites. Species such as European Turtle Dove, Black-tailed Godwit and Meadow Pipit are declining. With climate change predicted to increase desertification in the Sahel region of Africa, trans-Saharan migrants will increasingly struggle to survive.

BirdLife and its national partner organisations have developed a strategy for the African-Eurasian fly-way in order to give migratory birds a better future by 2020, and to stimulate the study and awareness of the magnitude and beauty of migratory birds. Part of this strategy is the development of a growing network of people and organisations that can share expertise and co-ordinate Mediterranean-scale initiatives to look after the birds. The Capacity Development for Flyway Conservation in the Mediterranean initiative, funded by the MAVA Foundation, is establishing a Mediterranean Fly-way Conservation Network involving over 20 NGOs.

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Britain's oldest-known golden eagle found dead after 'territorial dispute'

22:59, 28 AUGUST 2015

BY KARRIE GILLETT

A spokesman for RSPB Scotland said that the 18-year-old bird seemed to have been involved in a fight with a younger rival

Britain’s oldest-known golden eagle has been found dead after an apparent territorial dispute with a younger rival.

The bird was ringed at just a few weeks old in June 1997 and its carcass was discovered close to a nest site in Sutherland almost exactly 18 years later.

RSPB Scotland said tests confirmed it had died from natural causes.

A spokesman said: “We think what might have happened is that a younger bird has come along and there has been a bit of a tussle because the older one doesn’t want to give up its territory, and these fights can result in death.

“Although conjecture, we think that is the most likely explanation.”

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BEE EATER CHICKS EXPECTED TO DRAW BIG CROWD TO QUARRY NESTING SITE

By Jenny Brown

Last updated at 09:51, Saturday, 29 August 2015

Crowds of bird watchers are expected to flock to north Cumbria over the bank holiday weekend with the hope of being the first to see the chicks of exotic rare birds.

Experts say young bee-eater chicks could fledge from their nest at Hanson UK’s Low Gelt quarry, near Brampton, any day.

Bee-eaters, which are one of Europe’s most striking birds, have been living in the sand quarry since June and in the past month more than 5,000 people have visited the site with the hope of catching a glimpse of their kaleidoscopic feathers.

RSPB bee-eater warden Jason Moule said they were expecting a surge of visitors in the coming days.

“It’s still pretty busy and pretty steady at the moment but it could be that the chicks are going to fledge at any time now. It could be any day. It is very exciting,” she said.

They are almost at the stage where they are ready to fly and it will be the first time anyone has had the chance to see them.

The RSPB is expecting three or four chicks but bee-eaters can lay any amount of eggs between four and a maximum of 10.

Jason said: “They’ve been taking a lot of food in but at the moment now that’s starting to die down a bit because they’re trying to drop the weight of the chicks because they’re actually a lot heavier than the adults at this stage. They’re trying to get their weight down so they can fly.”

There were originally two pairs but one has moved on. Jason explained that until they can investigate the nest they can only guess the second pair left due to weather or because they sensed their eggs weren’t fertilising properly.

Another helper male has arrived and is also feeding the chicks.

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Feral cat grooming traps to secure site for rare night parrots

GREG ROBERTS

THE AUSTRALIAN

AUGUST 29, 2015 12:00AM

New traps that kill feral cats with a poisonous spray will operate soon at a southwestern Queensland site that is home to the only known population of the critically endangered night parrot.

Sharpshooters were deployed on the remote property this week and soft-jaw traps were set in an attempt to eradicate several feral cats prowling the area.

The menace of feral cats has emerged as the biggest threat to the survival of the population, with as few as 10 birds at the site on a grazing property southwest of Winton.

The “grooming” traps to be set can detect cats passing within 5m, triggering a spray of deadly gel that is ingested when the animal grooms by licking its fur.

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