Fresh look at mysterious Nasca lines in Peru

Using a taxonomic approach, scientists have re-identified the huge birds drawn on the desert plains of Peru as hermits or pelicans

Date:  June 19, 2019

Source:  Hokkaido University

A scientific approach has been used to re-identify huge birds etched into the desert plains of southern Peru around 2,000 years ago. The birds appear to be exotic to the region and further studies could help explain their significance. The study is published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.

The lines and geoglyphs of Nasca and Palpa are located some 400 kilometers south of Lima, Peru and form a World Heritage Site covering an area of about 450 square kilometers. They were carved into the ground between 400 B.C.E and 1000 C.E. by pre-Inca people, and include lines, geometric designs, and animal and plant drawings. Most of these etchings are so large that they are best seen in aerial photographs. Identifying what they represent is an essential first step towards unraveling the mystery of why they were drawn in the first place.

Masaki Eda of The Hokkaido University Museum, Takeshi Yamasaki of Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, and Masato Sakai of Yamagata University in Japan applied an ornithological approach to identify the 16 bird geoglyphs among more than 2,000 drawings present in the area. "Until now, the birds in these drawings have been identified based on general impressions or a few morphological traits present in each figure. We closely noted the shapes and relative sizes of the birds' beaks, heads, necks, bodies, wings, tails and feet and compared them with those of modern birds in Peru,"says Eda.

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The fellowship of the wing: Pigeons flap faster to fly together

Date:  June 18, 2019

Source:  PLOS

New research publishing June 18 in the open-access journal, PLOS Biology, led by Dr Lucy Taylor from the University of Oxford's Department of Zoology now reveals that homing pigeons fit in one extra wingbeat per second when flying in pairs compared to flying solo.

Birds that fly in 'V'-formations, such as geese, are able to conserve energy by flying in aerodynamically optimal positions. By contrast, in species that don't fly in formation, such as homing pigeons, the costs and benefits of flocking have been less well understood.

The research indicates that flying with another bird requires more energy compared to flying solo. 'The results of this study were completely unexpected. Energy is the currency of life so it's astonishing that the birds are prepared to pay a substantial energetic cost to fly together," said lead-author, Dr Lucy Taylor.

The team used high frequency GPS and accelerometer bio-loggers to measure how pigeons changed their wingbeat patterns when flying in pairs compared to flying solo. The accelerometers act much like fitness trackers but, instead of measuring steps, the researchers measure wingbeats. 'The increase in wingbeat frequency is equivalent to Usain Bolt running the 100m sprint at his usual speed, whilst fitting in nearly one extra step per second. The pigeons are flapping faster when flying in pairs but hardly going any faster," said Dr Taylor.

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‘Rapidly evolving’ birds taking over island prove we’re capable of stunning transformation

CREATURES evolving at breakneck speed have taken over a Hawaiian island and may have proven humans could be capable of rapid morphing in just a matter of months.

By Anders Anglesey / Published 16th June 2019

 “It is typically thought that evolution occurs over millennia but we see significant changes over only 50-90 years”

Dr Jason Gleditsch

Incredible research has shown how a series of invasive birds have replaced native species by transforming at shocking speeds, proving how beasts can be capable of spectacular transformations over a short period of time. 

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Public bodies admit sea eagles in Scotland are killing healthy sheep

June 19, 2019


Sea eagles reintroduced to Scotland are preying on healthy lambs, it has been formally acknowledged for the first time.

Crofters have long believed that the birds of prey will kill and eat very young sheep, but public bodies behind the reintroduction of sea eagles have finally admitted that it is the case.

The white-tailed eagle is the largest bird of prey in the UK and the fourth largest eagle in the world.

Its wingspan can be almost 2.5 meters in length, standing at a height of almost a meter and were reintroduced in Scotland using birds from Norway, in 1975 and 1985 – with further releases this century.

Breeding in Scotland has now been so successful that there are an estimated 130 pairs of White-tailed Eagles spread across the west Highland coast and islands.

But warnings have been issued that should the number of sea eagles increase, the livelihoods of crofters will be affected – impacting the most eco-friendly form of farming.

Scottish Natural Heritage has finally admitted the eagles are swooping on lambs – an acknowledgement described as “long overdue” by the Scottish Crofting Federation.

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Couple from Knott End held prisoner in own home - by seagulls

RICHARD HUNT

Published: 11:13 Thursday 20 June 2019

Pensioner Roy Pickard had only just walked out of his own front door when he was hit hard on the back of the head - hard enough to draw blood.

Shocked and confused about who or what had hit him, he whirled around and was confronted by a squawking seagull, circling close above him.

A ferociously protective seagull prevented Knott End pensioner Roy Pickard from leaving his house after its two chicks ended up on the canopy directly above his front door.

And then retired ambulance man Roy, aged 77, realised what the commotion was about.

He saw that the two seagull chicks, which had previously been on the highest point of the bungalow roof, had somehow slipped down and were now on the canopy directly above Roy's front door, only about nine feet off the ground.

It was the start of a six-day siege in which Roy, whose wife Brenda is not mobile and relies on him to get out and about, were unable to do what most people take for granted - get out of their front door.

Frantic Roy phoned the RSPCA, the RSPB, Wyre Council and even a number of national newspapers in a desperate attempt to get help, before Graham Liver, of BBC Radio Lancashire, came to the rescue.

After Roy spoke to him, the BBC man and a firm crew visited the couple's home and arranged for a gazebo to be set up temporarily, right outside the door, to provide some relief for the couple.

Roy, of Wyresdale Road, Knott End, said: "It started on the Friday last week and it's been absolutely terrible.

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Mysterious prehistoric ‘birdman’ costume found in Siberian grave

AN ANCIENT burial site in Siberia contained an extraordinary ritual armour made of bird beaks.

By Michael Moran / Published 29th May 2019

Siberia: Ancient ‘birdman’ discovered by archaeologists in Russia

The site is thought to be the work of the Odinov culture, who thrived in the area up to about 4,000 years ago.

But the discoveries in the ancient necropolis do not match previous artefacts from these ancient people, say puzzled archeologists.

In one grave, researchers found a pair of bronze ‘spectacles’ which are thought to be around 5,000 years old. 

Their exact use is unknown, but like the birdman costume was probably related to religious or magical rituals conducted by a shaman.

“These are unique items”Lilia Kobeleva

That’s certainly the opinion of researcher Lilia Kobeleva, from the Novosibirsk Institute of Archeology and Ethnography. She says the beaks, numbering between 30 and 50, may have been an integral part of a ritual costume or an elaborate headdress or armour.

“The beaks were assembled at the back of the skull, along the neck, as if it was a collar that protected the owner when he lived here,” she says.

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Rare seabird colony on Chesil Beach growing after years of decline

13th June

By James Moules @DorsetEchoJames

Things are getting better for a colony of rare seabirds.

The colony of little terns at Chesil Beach has seen growing numbers recently.

After years of decline through the 1990s and 2000s - with no breeding pairs at all in 2009 - a recovery project has successfully helped the colony grow in size again.

Ben Harrington, Project Officer for the Little Tern colony, said: "The colony is doing great, the number of nests has been rising rapidly and is very likely to keep on going. We had our first two chicks hatch, with plenty more to hatch in the next few days.

"In recent years the population at the colony has been fairly steady, at about 38 pairs, but hopefully this year we will have even more.

"The colony has successfully fledged plenty of chicks over the last few seasons and they should hopefully be returning soon."

The little tern colony at Chesil Beach is the only one of its kind in the south west.

As a result of the efforts of the project, there are now 36 nests, 22 of which have 3 eggs.

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