Loose Feathers #492

Mountain Bluebird / Photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS

Birds and birding news

• Next Saturday, May 9, eBird is calling for a Global Big Day to record as many of the world's bird species as possible. The event coincides with the World Series of Birding, which is held each year in New Jersey. (I will be participating in the WSB as a member of the Middlesex Merlins.)
• State-owned buildings in New York will shut off their lights during peak migration periods to reduce bird fatalities. 
• Monk Parakeets in both the US and Europe come from the same small area and have lower genetic diversity than birds in their native range.
• A study of Golden-winged Warblers tested a new method for tracking songbirds on their migratory paths. (The journal article can be read here.)
• The spring hunting season in Malta was ended early after a Eurasian Kestrel was shot and landed in a schoolyard during recess.
• Around 30-37 million acres of forest is lost each year, which puts additional stress on songbirds that depend on forest habitat.
• A town in Massachusetts is trying to increase access for ORVs while still protecting Piping Plovers.
• New territories for the endangered Long-billed Tailorbird were found in Tanzania.
• Spring is a good time to get back into birding. 
• Project SNOWstorm has updates on two owls whose transmitters stopped working.

Science and nature blogging

• A Way To Garden: the tick-borne disease equation, with dr. rick ostfeld of cary institute
• Not Exactly Rocket Science: Chinese Dinosaur Had Bat-Like Wings and Feathers
• Flatbush Gardener: Pine Barrens Soil Horizons

Environment and biodiversity

• A recent study found that pesticide treatments harmed native bees far more than honey bees, which highlights the need for more study and conservation of native bees. And those native bees are beautiful.
• A British entomologist declared yesterday World Robberfly Day. You can read about robberfly biology at that link or look at the photos people posted on Twitter under the #worldrobberflyday hashtag.
• There is a new key for the diverse rove beetle family (Staphylinidae) in North America.
• The Field Museum has a guide to common spring wildflowers for the Chicago area.
• Moths launch themselves into flight by jumping and then flapping. You can watch video of their takeoffs at the link.
• Creating wildlife corridors is essential to the conservation of mountain lions in southern California.
• Graffiti artists are now tagging sites in national parks.
• One of New Jersey's rarest flowers is the federally-protected swamp pink.