bird conservation

Breeding Spoon-billed Sandpiper found in Chukotka

Breeding Spoon-billed Sandpiper has been found by a unique conservation collaboration between BirdLife International and Heritage Expeditions – a BirdLife Species Champion in far eastern Russia at the Chukotka coast.

Journal Club: Gouldian Finches’ fascinating mating system

Gouldian Finches occur in two morphs. Red heads or Black heads. Red-headed females prefer red-headed males – and black prefer blacks. In the small populations it is not always possible for the finches to chose their own type. When they cross the results are not good. However, a “hybrid” female will always have less viability than “hybrid” male. The stress of mating the “wrong”kind makes the Gouldian Finch able to regulate the outcome producing more male “hybrid” offspring which has better viability. Read Grrl Scientist fascinating account how the females do this.

Bustard and Bastard are not the same words

In 1960, the International Council for Bird Preservation met in Tokyo to encourage governments around the world to designate a national bird, particularly among species in the greatest need of protection in each country. Great Indian Bustard was one of the most threatened species on the Indian Sub-continent. An obvious choice to any conservationist. However, in the end, the Indian government decided to place the title to the peacock. The bustard was passed over because its name was similar to a pejorative term for an illegitimate child. Now the species is Critically Endangered.

Aegean Rainbow Continued . . .

Every year produces new and exciting bird and wildlife highlights in Lesvos, no tours are ever the same and there are always exceptional and often unexpected bird encounters which make […]

Naked Bittern Exposed

Minsmere is the RSPB’s premier nature reserve on the Suffolk coast, East Anglia, UK, and luckily for me, just a stones throw away from where I live half an hours […]

Featured Bird Blogger of the Week

Dawn Fine presents this weeks birdblogger: Laura Kammermeier – writer for ABA blog and birding magazines, freelance writer and new media consultant, she specializes in nature, travel, and birding, and is an accomplished online content strategist and web producer.

Short-tailed Albatross breeds on US soil

Short-tailed Albatross back from the dead Although it is far too soon to say danger is over, the Short-tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus has made a remarkable recovery. In 1949 it […]

Featured Bird Blogger of the week

Howdee all, Hope you are all enjoying this holiday season…are you ready for week 8 of Featured Bird Blogger?  This week I am very happy to introduce you to….. ~Larry […]

African vultures also in Danger

Kenya Vultures declining! Most birders have heard of the critical state of the vultures of the Indean Subcontinent because the use of Dichlophenac to treat sick livestock, and in the […]

Gull-ty Pleasure

UK Winter Wonderland – The weather in the UK has been more reminiscent of Siberia over the past 10 days of so, with thick snow in many parts and near constant […]

Featured Bird Blogger of the Week

Howdee all, Week 4 of Featured Bird Blogger of the Week. Hope you have enjoyed the past featured Bird bloggers..Links to all the previous posts here Today I would like […]

Addicted to birdwatching

Szimi Style birding Shorebirds, bird conservation, travelling for birds and bird photography and recently a blogger… these are the keywords which could describe me and my birding interest. I thought […]