This week in birds - #64

A roundup of the week's news of birds and the environment:

The American Bird Conservancy's Bird of the Week this week is the highly endangered Ochre-fronted Antpitta, a bird endemic to the cloud forests of northern Peru. This plump, long-legged bird is less than five inches long, with an olive-brown back and black-streaked white underparts. Males have the ochre-buff forehead that gives this species its name.

*~*~*~*

Swallows are known for their preference for living and nesting close to human habitations. A group of researchers studying them has come up with the theory that the birds developed this habit as a way of protecting their nests from nest parasitizing birds like Cuckoos that do not like to be close to humans. 

*~*~*~*

A beautiful striped bat discovered in South Sudan in Africa has been identified as an entirely new genus.

*~*~*~*

We have a new Secretary of the Interior. Sally Jewell was confirmed by the Senate by a 87-11 vote this week.

*~*~*~*

Most penguins are affected negatively by global climate change, but scientists have discovered one colony of Adelie Penguins that may actually benefit from the warming climate.

*~*~*~*

In an average year, there are 250 oil pipeline accidents. The resulting spills have caused billions of dollars of property damage and cleanup costs. 

*~*~*~*

Migrant species of birds, known as vagrants, that enter a new environment are often aided by the presence of nature reserves, scientists in the UK have found. Undoubtedly, it is true here, also.

*~*~*~*

Eastern Bluebirds living in Bermuda are considered by some to be a subspecies called the Bermuda Bluebird. They've long been considered a native bird, but, in fact, they only came to the island some 400 years ago.

*~*~*~*

Is clean air important? Well, statistics show that seven million people died as a result of air pollution in 2010. Over a third of those deaths occurred in China.

*~*~*~*

The American Bird Conservancy lists ten ways that you can assist migrating and breeding birds this spring. Number one is to keep your cat indoors.

*~*~*~*

Tens of thousands of gallons of radioactive water leaked from a large underground storage pool at the crippled nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan, and thousands more gallons could seep out before the faulty pool can be emptied, the plant’s operator said.

*~*~*~*

In February, scores of seabirds were injured and hundreds more killed by a sticky pollutant in the water along the south coast of England. Now it is happening again. More than thirty Guillemots have been rescued so far.

*~*~*~*

Around the backyard:

Project FeederWatch wrapped up for the season last week. My final reporting days were March 30-31. But there is still plenty of activity around the feeders this week, still primarily Pine Siskins. Following the front that came through in the middle of the week, most of the American Goldfinches have disappeared. I've seen only two or three at the feeders yesterday and again today. The siskins though show no signs so far of wanting to move on.

In other finch news, there have been two pairs of beautiful House Finches hanging around the feeders this week. They are always welcome visitors.