Latest news with #birds
CBS News
2 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Record number of injured birds brought in to University of Minnesota's Raptor Center
The University of Minnesota's Raptor Center says a record number of birds are being brought in for injuries. "It's been a record-setting year. And last year was a record-setting year," said Interim Executive Director Lori Arendt. During the summer months, it's not unusual to see an uptick in eagles, owls, and hawks being brought into the U of M's Raptor Center. What is unusual is the record pace at which they're being brought in. "This morning, we were at 679 for the year. And last year we were at about 550," said Arendt. "We have birds that are hit by cars, by windows, that get caught in buildings and are hit by ceiling fans." Arendt said weather is a big part of the uptick. A milder winter means more mice. And more mice means more food for raptors, which in turn, means the population soars. "Our baby season has just been really, really busy," said Arendt. Those same chicks have fallen victim to storms and high winds, which have knocked down raptor nests. The wet spring can be blamed for more cases of West Nile Virus among the birds. Some mosquitoes carry the virus and they've been thriving in this weather. "We've already admitted more than 40 birds that we suspect have succumbed to the virus," said Arendt. The Raptor Center said their facilities are nearly full, workers are getting overtime, and they are relying on volunteers to fill the gaps. With more birds coming into contact with vehicles and viruses, Arendt thinks this could be a sign of things to come. "We are really looking at how can we be prepared for this higher case load and higher number or raptors that we are admitting to our hospital. How can we be proactive, so we are better prepared for it," said Arendt. As of May 31, the Raptor Center had 80 raptor babies admitted into their clinic, which is 30 more than their record high during the spring of 2023.
Washington Post
3 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Attack of the clever crows
Bruce M. Beehler is a naturalist and author, whose books include 'Birds of Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia,' and, most recently, 'Flight of the Godwit.' Few of us who were of moviegoing age in 1963 can forget Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Birds,' a horror thriller set in Bodega Bay, California, that pitted flocks of angry crows, seagulls and other avians against Tippi Hedren and a cast of undeserving human victims. Particularly gruesome was the demise by crow attack of the likable schoolteacher played by Suzanne Pleshette. Though its thesis was preposterous, the film has gained in popularity over the years — adding to the already uncertain reputation of crows. In general, crows elicit mixed reviews. They are intelligent, clever and innovative birds. But they are also feisty, conniving and predatory — known to pluck songbird eggs (and nestlings) from nests while helpless parent birds stand by and watch. Crows also get their reputation from their curiosity and cunning, as well as their occasional interactions with humans. A recent development in our area demonstrates just how remarkable these birds really are. I live in the little southwestern Bethesda neighborhood of Brookmont, which overlooks Lock 5 of the C&O Canal and the Potomac River above Little Falls. Brookmont does not usually produce a great deal of excitement on the birding front. But lately, we have been seeing extraordinary behavior among our local fish crows (the lesser-known of the two crow species inhabiting the D.C. region). For the 30-plus years my wife and I have lived here, fish crows have maintained a low profile. That abruptly changed this past spring. We were surprised over several days to find small parties of crows boldly settling onto our back porch, perching here and there, and showing little fear. Our dog, Scout, noticed and disliked the crows' presence. When we opened the back door, she would launch out barking at these unwelcome visitors. We didn't know why the crows were on our porch, but we rightly assumed they were up to no good. Our nearest neighbors mentioned that they, too, were being visited by these crows, which they said were coming to harvest the stuffing from porch pillows to use in their nests. The birds actively attacked the pillows, snipping open the seams to get to the innards. When I queried the neighborhood via our email discussion group, more than 20 people replied that they had witnessed this same remarkable phenomenon. One even sent me photographs of the crows in action. The birds were no doubt collecting the pillow stuffing to use as a soft inner lining to their large stick nests, to cosset the eggs and nestlings. Traditionally, the fish crow's nest lining is provided by bark, moss, plant fibers, mammal hair or pine needles. Brookmont's porches, it seems, offered an abundance of outdoor cushions filled with an all-new, fluffy and readily available nesting material. That I was able to document dozens of reports of pillow-stuffing harvest from this spring indicates two interesting developments. First, one of the neighborhood crows must have somehow discovered the utility of pillow stuffing and learned how to crack open a cushion. Second, this clever bird must have then educated other crows in the neighborhood about this potential nesting-material bonanza. The pillow attacks are typically carried out by groups of four or five birds. I'm guessing these groups include experienced individuals who know the drill, and followers wishing to learn from the experienced birds. This is an example of cultural learning in the fish crow. Without speaking, one crow informs others about a novel discovery so that members of the neighborhood assemblage (some of whom are most likely close relatives) can benefit. The most famous historical example of avian cultural learning involved chickadee relatives — blue tits and great tits — in 1920s England. The birds learned to remove the caps from glass milk bottles delivered to front-door stoops in the early morning and then sip the bottle's tasty and nutritious contents. Over the decades, birds that learned this clever trick spread the knowledge to more and more of their fellows throughout Britain. More remarkably, this knowledge was eventually spread across the English Channel to Western Europe, proving that birds are more than unthinking avian robots and can indeed learn from one another. That this learning transmission can be rapid is demonstrated by the sudden spread of the fish crow pillow attacks across Brookmont. But there is more. Like the birds in 'The Birds,' which no longer feared the humans who had taken over their habitat, the small groups of fish crows visiting our porches are unusually bold, often standing their ground when homeowners approach. That's not the retiring fish crow we're used to! The birds' behavior might actually be evolving. If it is, let's hope their newfound audacity stops at outdoor furniture and doesn't develop into more Hitchcockian aggression. After all, these days, given humans' seemingly ever-growing onslaught against nature, our wild birds might have a legitimate reason to push back.
CBC
5 days ago
- Science
- CBC
Bald eagle makes surprise appearance in Rankin Inlet
A bald eagle was seen chowing down on a fish caught in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, this week. There have been a lot of eagles spotted in the community this year. Some Inuit say it's unusual to see the birds this far north, while a wildlife biologist says before breeding, eagles will fly far distances.
E&E News
16-07-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Audubon snags ex-Obama EPA official
Joel Beauvais, a veteran of the Obama EPA and Exelon, is joining the National Audubon Society to work on conservation and climate programs. Audubon hired Beauvais for a newly created position as its managing director for North America, Beauvais posted on LinkedIn this week. 'I'll be leading Audubon's conservation and climate programs in the United States and Canada, overseeing a staff of 500 including Audubon's state and regional offices across the country,' Beauvais wrote. 'I'm excited to join this great team working with communities and stakeholders across the hemisphere to protect birds and the places they need and mitigate climate change.' Advertisement Beauvais joins the conservation group after a stint at the utility Exelon, where he has worked for more than six years in roles including senior vice president and deputy general counsel. He was a partner at Latham & Watkins from 2017 until 2019.
ABC News
15-07-2025
- ABC News
‘Falling from the sky': Investigation launched into suspected Melbourne native bird poisoning
A Melbourne wildlife carer estimates 400 native corellas and pigeons may have died from suspected poisoning in Melbourne's south-east over the weekend. Warning: This story contains images some readers may find distressing. Michele Phillips, who has worked as a wildlife carer for 35 years and runs the South Oakleigh Wildlife Shelter, was called to the Springvale South Shopping Centre in Melbourne's south-east after reports of many deceased birds in the area. "There was a house over the road that had its roof covered in dead and dying birds. People in different houses came out, they all had dead or dying birds." Ms Phillips said cleaners at the centre had been clearing dead birds from the area since Friday night and said "no doubt" poisoning was to blame. "They bleed from their nose and eyes [after poisoning] … This was exactly the same," she said. "Corellas, they mate for life — so it was horrible because you were seeing their partners next to them knocking them around, trying to [understand] what was happening." Corellas are one of the native bird species protected under the Victorian Wildlife Act 1975. The maximum penalty for hunting, taking or destroying protected wildlife in Victoria is $10,175.50 and six-months' prison, plus $1017.55 for every head of wildlife involved. Speaking on Radio National Breakfast, Wildlife Victoria CEO Lisa Palma said multiple volunteers helped collect the bodies of dead birds after receiving "multiple emergency calls" about birds behaving "abnormally". Ms Palma said other native bird species including the crested pigeons, ravens, sulphur-crested cockatoos and silver gulls were also found among the dead birds. The birds were sent to Healesville Sanctuary for toxicology testing. Healesville Sanctuary said the Conservation Regulator at the Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action is leading the investigation. A spokesperson for the Conservation Regulator confirmed an investigation "into the cause of death of a large number of corellas" is underway. According to the department, anyone who sees five or more sick or dead wild birds or wildlife should report it online or on 136 186. Any sightings of sick or dead penguins or pelicans, birds of prey, black swans and marine mammals should also be reported. It is unclear what caused the deaths of these birds. Earlier this year, an investigation was launched by Agriculture Victoria and the Conservation Regulator after dozens of corellas were found dead in the Wimmera. The Horsham Rural City Council suspected poisoning as the cause of death after seeds were found scattered in the area. After the Springvale South incident, Ms Palma warned people against feeding native birds. "We did have reports from members of the public that someone was leaving bird seeds out in the area, and we understand the department has collected some of that bird seeds as well for testing," she said. Ms Phillips said she sees people feeding birds "all the time". "People were dropping off seeds and rice and throwing it on the ground, I ended up ringing the council and asked them to clean the area up," she said. "[The birds] know how to survive. People feeding wild birds, it encourages disease and it encourages the birds to be dependent on that food." In a statement, Greater Dandenong City Council executive director Community Strengthening, Peta Gillies said the discovery of deceased birds was "distressing" for the community and said the council is supporting the relevant organisations in the investigation. In Victoria, bird feeding laws differ in each local government area. According to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, 14 of the 31 local councils in Greater Melbourne have laws regarding feeding wild birds.
