Brown Pelicans off the coast of Galveston.
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Scientists have discovered that diving birds that survive their first year can generally expect a relatively long and healthy life. Guillemots, which look like penguins but can fly, can live well into their 30s and then seem to die rather suddenly without experiencing long illness.
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The Dragonfly Pond Watch is a citizen science project of the Migratory Dragonfly Partnership. The Dragonfly Woman wrote in her blog this week about her participation in the project.
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Scientists have been working on sequencing the DNA of parrots and they believe that they have isolated the gene which allows that family of birds to mimic sounds.
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An Arizona mining company is being fined more than $6 million for its role in the deaths of many migratory birds. The birds drank acidic water that had been allowed to collect on waste rock as a result of the company's mining practices.
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It is generally not a good idea to "rescue" young birds unless they are in eminent danger from a predator. In almost every case, the parent birds will be nearby and are taking care of their progeny.
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Many endangered Hawaiian birds are being found at lower elevations than where they traditionally ranged and it is believed that this is a sign that they have developed immunity to some diseases and that it may bode well for their chances for survival.
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The record-breaking wildfires in the West over the last couple of years are almost certainly being exacerbated by global warming. Since we do not seem to possess the political will to do anything to reverse the phenomenon, we had better get ready for more such fires in the future.
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Why would a scientist force a Rock Ptarmigan to run on a treadmill? Well, they were trying to assess the bird's fitness. What they found was that the bird that fattens itself to face the winter is just as fit as the svelte bird of summer.
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White-nose syndrome, the fungal disease that is decimating bat colonies in the Northeast, is more deadly among those species that are more social and that tend to hibernate in close proximity to each other.
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Bar-headed Geese are some of the highest-flying birds in the world. They fly over the Himalayas on their migration. Scientists are using a wind-tunnel to mimic the conditions of their flight and try to figure out how the birds are able to accomplish that extraordinary feat.
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Around the backyard: There are at least two Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in the backyard now. One of them may be a juvenile but I've only had fleeting glances as the birds zip by and haven't really been able to confirm that.
A female Ruby-throat sits on the hook that holds the sugar-water feeder, guarding her treasure.
The Tufted Titmice have been shepherding their family of youngsters around the backyard this week. In addition to those fledglings, I've seen young (and very noisy!) Blue Jays, Northern Mockingbirds, Downy Woodpeckers, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers.
Almost every afternoon, I see one or two Mississippi Kites circling over my yard. The sight of them has reminded me that I have not seen any Swallow-tailed Kites over the yard this summer, nor did I see any last summer. Prior to that, they had been present every summer for several years. And, of course, that's not to say that they might not be here this year, too, but I haven't seen them. Although it may seem like I'm out watching the skies for birds every waking hour, I'm really not! Just most of them.
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