Latest news with #CornellLabofOrnithology
Otago Daily Times
24-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Our homes' silent kereru killer
A Queenstowner's advising people with large glass surfaces on their properties to implement bird-safe glass treatments. PHOTO: ARCHIVE A Queenstown gardener is appalled she's now seen three dead native wood pigeons, or kereru, in Kelvin Heights as a result of glass collision — the latest early this month. Brenda Gosling, a gardener for 18 years, is calling on homeowners to implement bird-safe glass treatments like frosted glass stickers. Gosling says she stopped working for a Kelvin Heights client when he refused to take action after a kereru died flying into his glass balustrade. "Wood pigeons are swooping down and smack into these glass balustrades and break their necks. "Many of us choose glass balustrades to keep our views unobstructed, but those same surfaces are a silent killer for our kereru." She notes kereru are vital to the health of our forests. "As one of the only birds capable of dispersing large native seeds, they play a crucial role in regenerating native bush." Local ecologist Dawn Palmer's aware of glass collisions involving kereru. "At this time of year, some of our trees, rowans, hawthorns, holly trees, they're producing seed and if the kereru sit on these trees and gorge themselves on fruit, they can become a bit heavy. "They can sometimes have some difficulties taking off, and sometimes that leads them to collide with glass." Palmer says there are a number of products that can be put on windows "so the birds perceive the window as a solid object rather than a fly-through space in the reflected image on the glass". She recommends people check out on YouTube a recent Cornell Lab of Ornithology webinar, 'It's Clear — Glass Kills. How to Prevent Bird Collisions at Your Home'. She adds people can also join online a free Birds NZ Otago branch talk this coming Tuesday, 7.30pm, on 'Reflections on Bird Window Strikes in the Philippines'. Palmer adds anyone finding a dead kereru could take it to Department of Conservation so it can learn more about the bird. Anyone else aware of birds colliding with glass can email Brenda Gosling — brendagosling45@
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Weather radar picks up over 1 million migrating birds
Twice a year, migratory birds travel thousands of miles in pursuit of food and nesting habitats in warmer regions. In the United States alone, around 3.5 billion birds arrive in the spring, with peak migration periods in April and May. This migration is so large that sometimes meteorologists pick it up on weather radar. A whopping 1,417,900 birds flew over Albany County in New York between Monday night at 8:10 p.m. and Tuesday morning at 5:30 a.m. EDT– more than enough to be spotted on a weather radar. 'The Migration of the birds continue,' Steve Caporizzo, chief meteorologist at News10 Albany, wrote in a Facebook post. 'On Radar you can actually see them. Typically [they] take off in flight around 8-830pm…..right after sunset. They migrate at an average elevation of 1,400ft.' In the pictures shared by Caporizzo, bright green splotches appear on radar images, with particularly intense ones in the image from 9 p.m. According to bird migration tracking platform BirdCast, the birds soaring over Albany on Monday night likely included Baltimore orioles, American redstarts, scarlet tanagers, and great crested flycatcher, among others. Weather radar antennas work by shooting bursts of microwave energy into their surroundings, and then measuring the energy that reflects back to detect rain, snow, or hail in clouds. During World War II, British radar operators documented strange reflections that had nothing to do with the weather, and it wasn't until 1958 that a high school student in the US discovered that the mysterious signals were flocks of birds. [ Related: Why do birds migrate? Scientists have a few major theories. ] Bird migrations are perilous journeys. Besides requiring enormous amounts of energy, the animals face predators, bad weather, and collisions with human-made structures. Most birds migrate at night, and artificial lights can confuse and disorient them. Every year, over 1 billion birds die because of collisions with buildings in North America, with most deaths occurring in cities during migrations. As such, 'knowing when the peak [bird migration] period of an area is can help inform both birding and conservation action,' wrote Andrew Farnsworth, an expert in radar ornithology and a visiting scientist at Center for Avian Population Studies at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (one of the groups that runs BirdCast). It can 'inform people what days it is most critically important to participate in turning out lights to reduce the collision risk and other hazards created by light pollution for migratory birds.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Weather Wednesday: Migrating birds and weather
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Signs of spring have been popping up across the state for the past month or so. Flowers blooming, your car turning green from pollen, the length of daylight, and even hearing more birds chirping and flying in the sky. Native birds that flew south for the wintertime are at their peak migration traveling back to Michigan during the day however most travel at night. Bird migration happens in seasons with the spring season happening between March and June and the fall migration occurring from late August to late November. Peak spring migration for Michigan typically occurs within the first or second week of May. In fact, according to BirdCast, a website created by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, data from 2023 found that for the Lansing area peak spring migration started around May 7th with the end of peak being around May 25th. Scientists say that peak migration is defined by the seasonal window during which about 50% of nighttime bird migration traffic passes through an area. Scientists say that during peak migration there could be as many as 500 million birds flying at night across the country. According to the National Audubon Society, about 70% of bird species migrate and of those about 80% migrate at night. But why do birds fly at night? And how does the weather play into this? By flying at night, it allows birds that aren't strong fliers to avoid tricky and dangerous flight situations. During the day the sun warms the ground, which as the ground warms it warms the air directly above it. As the ground starts to heat, pockets of warm air begin to rise. As they rise, they spin around and bump into other pockets of warm air. Thermals rise cool and eventually reach the same temperature as the surrounding air and flatten out. This is what causes the turbulence we feel when flying in an airplane. This continues to happen throughout the day and typically starts to end as we head into the evening and overnight hours. At night we tend to see calm winds and cooler conditions which is perfect for birds so they can avoid exerting too much energy and stay away from daytime predators. Scientists also believe that some birds use the stars as a compass to guide their journey and to know their direction when traveling. How can you help migrating birds this spring and this fall? Since a lot of birds migrate at night, they can become disoriented by light pollution leading to collisions with larger buildings. To help limit these collisions, officials say to shut non-essential lights off between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m However if you do need lights on, consider changing the color from cool toned to warm toned and finally directing lights to the ground to prevent shining into the night sky. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Migrating birds are passing over Michigan - Here's how to track them
The Brief Bird migration patterns can be tracked live through the BirdCast map. According to data from the BirdCast dashboard estimates, nearly 49 million birds have already crossed Michigan during this year's migration. People are asked to turn off non-essential lights at night to help limit migrating bird collisions. (FOX 2) - As birds continue to migrate this spring, you can track their journey live. Created by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, BirdCast offers real-time predictions about when and where birds will be migrating over certain areas at night. This is done by using the U.S. weather surveillance radar network between sunset and sunrise to track bird patterns. According to the migration dashboard, approximately 992,100 birds crossed Michigan between 8:50 p.m. May 4 and 6:20 a.m. May 5, with more birds continually flying over the state. According to data from the BirdCast dashboard estimates, nearly 49 million birds have already crossed Michigan during this year's migration. Current precautions show that Monday night will have a low intensity of birds flying over the Detroit area, while Tuesday is predicted to be medium - meaning that between 6,000 and 10,000 birds are expected per kilometer per night. In addition to the number of birds passing overhead, the BirdCast dashboard tracks the direction and speed birds are traveling, and the altitude of these animals. Find the live migration maps here. What you can do Migrating birds tend to begin migrating 30-45 minutes after sunset and continue through the night, with the greatest influx of birds typically in flight two to three hours after that. Since birds travel at night, they can become disoriented by light pollution, leading to potential collisions with buildings. To help limit these occurrences, shut non-essential lights off between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. The Source This information is from the Cornell Lab.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists issue urgent warning after alarming collapse of bird populations across the US: 'We have a full-on emergency'
A report from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology shows that bird populations across every U.S. habitat are plummeting, with 229 species in urgent need of help. And the impacts go far beyond bird-watching, pointing to deeper risks for ecosystems, economies, and human health. The 2025 State of the Birds report, released in March by a coalition led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and detailed in a university release on found that bird populations continue to decline. More than one-third of bird species are considered of high or moderate conservation concern, and 112 species are labeled "Tipping Point" birds, meaning they've lost more than half of their populations in the last 50 years. Birds such as Allen's hummingbird and the salt marsh sparrow are barely hanging on. Duck populations, a rare bright spot in past reports, are also beginning to decline. "Birds tell us that we have a full-on emergency across all habitats," said Marshall Johnson of the National Audubon Society. The data builds on the 2019 finding that North America has lost nearly 3 billion birds since 1970. Those losses aren't slowing down, and experts say the reasons are clear: habitat destruction, pollution, and extreme weather. Birds pollinate plants, spread seeds, and eat pests. Their decline points to deeper environmental issues that also threaten human health and well-being. "When we see declines like those outlined in the report, we need to remember that if conditions are not healthy for birds, they're unlikely to be healthy for us," said Amanda Rodewald from Cornell's Center for Avian Population Studies, per There's also an economic impact. According to the 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, birding supports 1.4 million jobs and generates $279 billion annually. That's a huge loss if birds — and the people who travel to see them — disappear. And mental health research published in Scientific Reports shows that hearing or seeing birds can help lower anxiety and depression symptoms, especially in urban environments. Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always Yes — often Yes — sometimes No — never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Conservation efforts work if they're well funded and wide reaching. The State of the Birds report outlines successful strategies such as wetland restoration, forest renewal, seabird translocation, and coastal habitat protection, all of which have helped some species recover. Private land programs such as Audubon Conservation Ranching and Ducks Unlimited's wetland partnerships show how farmers, hunters, scientists, and communities can work together to rebuild habitats. One of the most effective things you can do is create a bird-friendly home and yard. That includes turning off outdoor lights during migration season, planting native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Apps such as Merlin Bird ID and eBird also help scientists track populations and can make birding more fun and accessible. "Birds unite us across the hemisphere and across the political spectrum — there should be no hesitation as we move to protect them today and in the future," said Johnson. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
