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 …
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 …
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. …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Road Proximity May Boost Songbird Nest Success in Tropics
In the world’s temperate regions, proximity to roads usually reduces the reproductive success of birds, thanks to predators that gravitate toward habitat edges. However, the factors affecting bird nest success …
Possible Oahu Populations Offer New Hope for Hawaiian Seabirds
The two seabird species unique to Hawaii, Newell’s Shearwaters and Hawaiian Petrels, are the focus of major conservation efforts—at risk from habitat degradation, invasive predators, and other threats, their populations …