Biologists Recommend Urgent Action to Protect California Spotted Owls
In the Pacific Northwest, the range expansion of Barred Owls has already contributed to a conservation crisis for Northern Spotted Owls.
Red-winged Blackbird Nestlings Go Silent When Predators Are Near
If you’re a predator that eats baby birds — say, an American Crow — eavesdropping on the begging calls of nestlings can be an easy way to find your next meal.
Rare Itinerant Breeding Behavior Revealed in California Bird
Reproduction and migration are the two most demanding tasks in a bird’s life, and the vast majority of species separate them into different times of the year.
Researchers Identify Previously Unknown Hybrid Zone Between Hummingbird Species
We usually think of a species as being reproductively isolated – that is, not mating with other species in the wild. Occasionally, however, closely related species do interbreed. New research just published in The Auk: Ornithological Advances documents the existence of a previously undiscovered hybrid zone along the coast of northern California and southern Oregon, …
Urban Living Leads to High Cholesterol… in Crows
Animals that do well in urban areas tend to be the ones that learn to make use of resources such as the food humans throw away. But is our food actually good for them? A new study published in The Condor: Ornithological Applications suggests that a diet of human foods such as discarded cheeseburgers might …
Despite Habitat Protection, Endangered Owls Decline in Mount Rainier National Park
When the Northern Spotted Owl was protected under the Endangered Species Act in 1990, the primary threat to the species was the loss of the old-growth forest it depends on. However, new research published in The Condor: Ornithological Applications shows that the Northern Spotted Owl population in Washington’s Mount Rainier National Park has declined sharply in the …
Additions, Deletions, & Changes to the Official List of North American Birds
The latest supplement to the American Ornithological Society’s checklist of North and Middle American birds is being published in The Auk: Ornithological Advances, and it includes several major updates to the organization of the continent’s bird species. The official authority on the names and classification of the region’s birds, the checklist is consulted by birdwatchers and …
Study Reveals Key Locations for Declining Songbird
Many of North America’s migratory songbirds, which undertake awe-inspiring journeys twice a year, are declining at alarming rates. For conservation efforts to succeed, wildlife managers need to know where they go and what challenges they face during their annual migration to Latin America and back. For a new study published by The Condor: Ornithological Applications, researchers …
UV Lights on Power Lines May Help Save Sandhill Cranes
Crane species are declining around the world, and lethal collisions with power lines are an ongoing threat to many crane populations. Current techniques for marking power lines and making them more visible to cranes aren’t always effective, but new research published in The Condor: Ornithological Applications shows that adding UV lights—to which many birds are sensitive—can cut …
Do Songbirds Pay a Price for Winter Wandering?
In years when winter conditions are especially harsh, birds that depend on conifer seeds for food are sometimes forced to leave their homes in northern forests and wander far from their normal ranges to find enough to eat. A new study published in The Auk: Ornithological Advances uses citizen science data to show for the first time …