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Nighttime light pollution levels are increasing the most in the southeastern United States, Mexico, and Central America—findings based on year-round data collected over the last two decades in the Western Hemisphere. This trend is a real concern for birds that fly at night during spring and fall migration and even during non-migratory seasons. Results of the study by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Colorado State University are published in Ecosphere.View the full article -
A team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology and California Polytechnic State University, has found that the broken wing tactic used by some birds to lure predators away from their nest is more widespread than previously thought. In their paper published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the group analyzed data from multiple sources to learn more about the prevalence of the broken wing tactic.View the full article
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Parrots are famous for their remarkable cognitive abilities and exceptionally long lifespans. Now, a study led by Max Planck researchers has shown that one of these traits has likely been caused by the other. By examining 217 parrot species, the researchers revealed that species such as the scarlet macaw and sulfur-crested cockatoo have extremely long average lifespans, of up to 30 years, which are usually seen only in large birds. Further, they demonstrated a possible cause for these long lifespans: large relative brain size. The study is the first to show a link between brain size and lifespan in parrots, suggesting that increased cognitive ability may have helped parrots to navigate threats in their environment and to enjoy longer lives.View the full article
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A research team led by Dr. Li Zhiheng and Dr. Thomas Stidham from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has discovered the amazingly well-preserved fossil skeleton of an extinct owl that lived more than six million years ago in China. Their detailed study of the skeleton's fossilized eye bones shows the owl was active in the daytime, not the night.View the full article
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Male zebra finches learn their song by imitating conspecifics. To stand out in the crowd, each male develops its own unique song. Because of this individual-specific song, it was long assumed that dialects do not exist in zebra finches. However, with the help of an artificial intelligence technique, researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology (Biological Intelligence, in foundation), have now been able to show that the songs of four different zebra finch populations differ systematically. They also discovered that these "cryptic dialects" are decisive for the females' choice of mate. Thus, female zebra finches pay more attention to a cultural trait than to male appearance.View the full article
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Size matters when it comes to preserving biodiversity in natural areas. Larger and strictly protected areas are clearly more effective, according to biologists from Utrecht University and international colleagues. Examining the biodiversity of more than 700 natural areas worldwide, their study could help pinpoint the most suitable areas for protection.View the full article
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Although many wild birds carry Salmonella, the strains of the bacteria they convey usually do not harbor antimicrobial-resistance genes, according to Penn State researchers, who led a team conducting a new, nationwide study.View the full article
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The sounds of nature could help us recover from mental fatigue, but this power may be under threat as ecosystems deteriorate and people disconnect from the natural world, according to new research published in the journal Global Environmental Change.View the full article
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Five factors, including human activity such as road accidents, affect the survival of injured or displaced wildlife, a comprehensive review finds.View the full article
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The ancestors of many animal species alive today may have lived in a delta in what is now China, new research suggests.View the full article
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Forest bird nestlings are significantly smaller and more likely to die as a result of extreme heat compared to their urban counterparts, reports a new study. This research is among the first to measure the joint impact of urbanization and the climate crisis on wild vertebrate animals. The results suggest that the climate crisis may particularly stress animals in natural settings.View the full article
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A series of studies on endangered species that make their homes on the border of Vietnam and China underscores the growing importance of transboundary conservation efforts in the face of climate change. As the world warms, many plant and animal species migrate from their traditional habitats, increasing the likelihood of local and global extinctions. A special issue of the journal Frontiers of Biogeography co-edited by the American Museum of Natural History's Director of Biodiversity Informatics Research Mary Blair stresses that strategic, coordinated approaches toward managing transboundary species and landscapes is essential to preventing biodiversity loss.View the full article
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With spring migration picking up and warmer days ahead, researchers are preparing for another season of bird banding—an effort to understand how local birds are faring and future challenges they may face.View the full article
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Gun and ammunition sales in the U.S. have skyrocketed in recent years. And although it may come as a surprise, this trend has supported conservation activities.View the full article
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The confirmation of bird flu at another Iowa egg-laying farm will force the killing of more than 5 million chickens, state officials said Friday.View the full article
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Ruffs are characterized by three supergene variants that lead to different appearances and courtship behavior in males. Whether these variants affect females was previously unknown. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, in foundation (i.f.), now show that females of the so-called Faeder variant produce less offspring. However, this female handicap helps their males: Disguised as females, Faeder males benefit from their own rarity and obtain more matings. The contrasting effect of the variant in males and females thus contributes to its persistence over time. The study thereby provides important insights into the mechanisms that maintain biodiversity.View the full article
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When you walk through a rainforest, you might feel like you're missing out. You can hear birdsong and insect noises from way up high. For decades, the rainforest canopy was called "the last biotic frontier," due to the sheer difficulty of getting up there.View the full article
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We should assume that animals can have feelings too. From an ethical point of view this should inform our dealings with animals, researchers from Leiden University and Utrecht University argue in an opinion article that was published in the scientific journal Affective Science on Thursday 10 March.View the full article
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Foxes kill about 300 million native mammals, birds and reptiles each year, and can be found across 80% of mainland Australia, our devastating new research published today reveals.View the full article
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A team of researchers from the University of Exeter and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology has built a model to show where human-animal interactions are in the best interests of the animals. In their paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the group describes the factors they used to create their model.View the full article
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A leading ecologist from the University of St Andrews calls for coordinated action to investigate the environmental impacts of humanity's emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic.View the full article
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Offshore windfarm developments could avoid adding to the plight of wild birds such as the black-legged kittiwake by ensuring that the most recent data on local populations is considered when planning, reports a new study led by a University College London (UCL) and Zoological Society London (ZSL) researcher.View the full article
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New research led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst into the life and times of a New England salt marsh fundamentally changes our understanding of how salt marshes acquire the sediment that keeps them viable. This research, published recently in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, has wide-ranging implications for managing New England's coastline as it struggles to keep up with development, sea-level rise and other environmental impacts.View the full article
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A new seabird scarcely bigger than a swallow and endemic to New Caledonia is described in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club (11 March 2022) by a team including CNRS and INRAE scientists from the Chizé Centre for Biological Studies (CNRS / La Rochelle University). The discovery is all the more remarkable because the New Caledonian storm petrel, sighted since 2008, is represented by three "forgotten" museum specimens. It is believed that, with an estimated population of 100 to 1,000 pairs, the species is already endangered.View the full article
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Camouflage or communication: How birds use odor
PhysOrg posted a topic in Bird Research in the Media
What senses do birds use? Obviously, they use hearing and sight—after all, they sing and often have colorful plumage. But what about the sense of smell? For a long time, it was thought that olfaction played no role in birds. In recent years, however, a number of papers have emerged that refute this assumption—including research that looks at the secretion from the preen gland that birds smear on their feathers several times a day. Scientists, including some from Bielefeld University, have investigated what changes there might be in the composition of the secretion and what role smell plays in this. Their study was published on 6 February in the journal Biological Reviews.View the full article
