Posts
 |
| Black-footed Albatrosses / Photo by Eric VanderWerf/USFWS |
- The second batch of proposed AOS checklist changes (pdf) was released this week. Highlights for the ABA Area include genus-level splits among the dabbling ducks and blackbirds, family-level reorganization (and some splits) among nine-primaried songbirds, a shrike split, and a redpoll lump. See the ABA Blog for further discussion.
- A new report shows that most birds listed under the Endangered Species Act have either recovered or are safely on the road to recovery (pdf).
- Black-browed Albatrosses develop strong preferences for the habitat in which they forage, and those that return repeatedly to the same location have more success raising chicks.
- A climate-controlled study suggests that some bird species, like the White-throated Sparrow, may migrate later or not migrate at all given a warmer autumn.
- Given the vulnerability of penguins to climate change, it may make sense to protect more of their foraging areas.
- Mallards help preserve plant genetic diversity by dispersing seeds across fragmented wetlands.
- Several species of owls can be found even in or near urban areas as they are attracted by abundant prey.
- South Hills Crossbills evolved to feed on the cones of lodgepole pines and have become a distinct population despite the presence of other Red Crossbills that travel through the same area.
- Shorebirds are candidates for mainstreaming biodiversity conservation since they need conservation work and coordination across many borders.
- Camera traps provide a useful tool to study rare and elusive species like the Sira Curassow.
- Many waterbirds suffered steep declines along the Irrawddy River in Myanmar over the past two decades.
- Here is a gallery of Cactus Wren photos.
- Bald Eagles are nesting once again at the National Arboretum in Washington, DC. Two other eagle pairs are known to nest in DC. You can watch the Arboretum nest live on the Washington DC Bald Eagle Cam.
- A Bald Eagle whose carcass was recently found in Missouri bore a leg band that had dated back to 1988.
- Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography: Showcasing Manky Mallard Portraits – They Are Oddly Beautiful
- Ornithologi: Singing Brewer’s Sparrow (Spizella breweri) on Sagebrush
- BeautifulNativePlants: Viburnum Under Siege
- PLOS Ecology Community: Average Distance to the Nearest Forest is Increasing with Forest Loss in the US
- Reflections on Evolution: Redrawing Ratite Relationships
- Wild49: Where Do Canadian Ferruginous Hawks Winter?
- Nemesis Bird: Fighting the Doldrums of Late February Birding by Steve Brenner
- Monarch Watch: Monarch Population Status
- Released emails show that Scott Pruitt, the new head of the EPA, worked closely with fossil fuel companies to undermine the regulations that he will now be in charge of enforcing.
- An EPA employee vows to continue working to protect the environment and public health despite the confirmation of an anti-environment administrator.
- Trump's rumored pick as a science advisor believes that climate change will be good for humanity and repeats standard denialist tropes.
- A captive-rearing program is working to maintain a viable population of Oregon Silverspots along the Pacific coast in Oregon and Washington.
- We can expect to see more weather-related emergencies like that Oroville Dam as the climate warms.
- A recent study found that the number of spills at fracking sites is an order of magnitude higher than the EPA's official numbers indicate.
- Four new frog species have been discovered in India.
