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☆ Tiny backpacks reveal newfound species of the world’s largest hummingbird
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Now, new research has revealed that there are two distinct species of giant hummingbird in South America — the northern giant hummingbird that lives year-round in the Andes, and the migratory southern giant hummingbird — and they have been evolving separately for millions of years. A southern giant hummingbird is seen flying from its breeding grounds in central Chile. “We wanted to finally solve this mystery.”Designing backpacks for hummingbirdsGiant hummingbirds differ from hundreds of other hummingbird species in many other ways. A southern giant hummingbird is fitted with a tiny backpack-like geolocator tracking device in central Chile. “The two forms of giant hummingbird look almost identical — for centuries, ornithologists and birders never noticed that they were different.

Persons: Charles Darwin, Darwin, Chris Witt, ”, Jessie Williamson, “, ” Williamson, Emil Bautista, Williamson, Christopher Witt, birders, ” Witt, chaskis, “ I’m Organizations: CNN, HMS, National Academy of Sciences, National Science Foundation, Cornell, of Ornithology, Swifts, Centro, Biology, Museum of Southwestern, University of New Locations: New York City, Buenos Aires, South America, Chile, Ithaca , New York, Peru, Biodiversidad, Lima, Peruvian, Chilean, University of New Mexico, Inca

☆ Special moments to watch for during the April 8 total eclipse
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —When the total solar eclipse traces a path across Mexico, the United States and Canada on April 8, spectators can anticipate a multitude of awe-inspiring moments. For those living outside of the path of totality, a crescent-shaped partial eclipse, rather than a total eclipse, will be the main event. A partial solar eclipse is seen between clouds from Socorro in Sao Paulo, Brazil on October 14, 2023. The diamond ring effect is seen during the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, in St. Louis, Missouri. And we’re living at the right time to truly enjoy the sight of a total eclipse on Earth, he said.

Persons: ”, John Mulchaey, Crawford H, Greenewalt, it’s, Robyn Beck, Igor, ” Mulchaey, “, It’s, you’re, Mulchaey, Francis Baily, Heinz, Peter Bader, X00316, Tim Spyers, Andrew Farnsworth Organizations: CNN, Carnegie Institution, Carnegie, NASA, Cornell, of Ornithology Locations: Mexico, United States, Canada, “, Prairie, AFP, Socorro, Sao Paulo, Brazil, St, Louis , Missouri

As climate change intensifies extreme heat, farms are becoming less hospitable to nesting birds, a new study found. Political Cartoons View All 1211 ImagesThe study concluded that species of higher conservation concern in the U.S. — those closer to being listed as federally threatened or endangered — were more vulnerable to extreme heat events in agricultural settings. But across the board, birds in forests were 14% more likely to achieve reproductive success in times of extreme heat. However, Rosenberg cautioned that more data might be needed to confirm that species of higher conservation concern were more vulnerable, since the overwhelming majority of the data involved species of low conservation concern. The researchers predicted how different bird species might fare in each landscape during extreme heat events.

Persons: ”, Katherine Lauck, Davis, Ken Rosenberg, Rosenberg, David Bird, Bird, “, Lauck, ___ Read, Melina Walling Organizations: University of California, Bird, Cornell, of Ornithology, McGill University, AP Locations: U.S, NestWatch, ___

☆ We Asked Readers to Spend the Summer Watching Birds. Here’s What Happened.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Emily Anthes | More About Emily Anthes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

One Saturday morning in June, Amy Simmons spotted some sparrows flitting around a coastal marsh in Maine. She and her two companions, all dedicated bird-watchers, quickly identified one of the foraging birds as a Nelson’s sparrow, a small, round bird with a yellow stripe over its eye. The stripe over this sparrow’s eye had a more saturated, orange tint, and its breast was speckled with black and white. It was a saltmarsh sparrow, a species threatened by sea level rise. Without significant conservation action, climate change could render the species extinct by the middle of this century, some scientists predict.

Persons: Amy Simmons, ”, Simmons, Ms Organizations: National Audubon Society, Cornell, of Ornithology Locations: Maine

☆ These tiny creatures are losing their battle to survive. Here’s what we can do to save them
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Amy Chillag | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The first time Mike Parr, president of the American Bird Conservancy, saw one, it was feeding on blossoms of a lemon tree in California. These tiny creatures are one of 70 bird species on the “Tipping Point” list that will lose another fifty percent of their populations in the same time frame if conservation doesn’t improve. You can create more habitat for birds by planting native species and not overly tidying your yard. They kill an estimated 2.4 billion birds every year in the US alone, according to the American Bird Conservancy. You can also help fight for the survival of bird species by donating to these groups: American Bird Conservancy, National Audubon Society and International Bird Rescue.

Persons: Mike Parr, ”, Parr, “, Laura Erickson, ” Parr, they’re, “ We’ve, Greg Homel, landscapers, catios, they’ve, everybody’s Organizations: CNN, American Bird Conservancy, Cornell, of Ornithology, Bird Conservancy, National Audubon Society Locations: California, Alaska, Mexico, Rocky Mountain, North America, United States, Arizona

☆ For Migrating Birds, It’s the Flight of Their Lives
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Emily Anthes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +17 min

Simone NoronhaFor Migrating Birds, It’s the Flight of Their Lives Leer en españolAmerica’s birds are in trouble. If migrating birds lose their winter refuges, the consequences will ripple across the hemisphere. MissouriMissouri provides breeding habitats for many grassland bird species, which have been faring especially poorly in recent decades. “This is a classic Pacific Northwest to west Mexico species,” Mr. Jiang said. The birds breed at marshes and wetlands across the Western United States and Canada.

Persons: Simone Noronha, “, ”, Viviana Ruiz, Gutierrez, Jeremy Radachowsky, Ken Rosenberg, Deb Hahn, Hahn, Anna Lello, Smith, Sarah Kendrick, Nick Bayly, That’s, Andrew Stillman, Archie Jiang, Mr, Jiang, Dr, Stillman, Camila Gómez, ” Dr, Ruiz Organizations: Center, Avian, Cornell, of Ornithology, Wildlife Conservation Society, Partners, New, New York Metro Area, UNITED STATES, BERMUDA BAHAMAS MEXICO Maya, PERU Moderate, Forest, Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, Southern Wings, The, Central, Mesoamerican Alliance for People, Forests Initiative, Forests Initiative . Missouri, CANADA UNITED STATES, BERMUDA CUBA MEXICO VENEZUELA COSTA RICA BRAZIL, U.S . Fish, Wildlife Service, Missouri Department of Conservation, Colorado Colorado, CANADA, ARGENTINA CANADA Colo, U.S, Bird Conservancy, Rockies, , Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability, UNITED STATES Calif, Western Locations: North America, United States, Canada, Costa Rican, Caribbean, U.S, eBird, New York, BERMUDA BAHAMAS MEXICO, BRAZIL, PERU, CHILE, ARGENTINA, PERU Moderate CHILE, Forest BRAZIL, CHILE ARGENTINA, Forest BRAZIL PERU, New York City, Bahamas, The New York, Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Central America, Central American, Forests Initiative ., Forests Initiative . Missouri Missouri, South America, BERMUDA MEXICO VENEZUELA COSTA RICA, Missouri, BERMUDA MEXICO VENEZUELA COSTA RICA BRAZIL, BERMUDA CUBA MEXICO VENEZUELA COSTA RICA, BERMUDA CUBA MEXICO VENEZUELA COSTA RICA BRAZIL PERU, Venezuela, Argentina, Cuba, Central, South, SELVA, Colombia, Costa Rica, Plains, UNITED STATES MEXICO ECUADOR, Colorado, UNITED STATES Colo, MEXICO ECUADOR BRAZIL, Northern Mexico, Texas, California, West Coast, Alaska, Pacific, MEXICO, URUGUAY ARGENTINA Alaska, Salt, CHILE URUGUAY ARGENTINA Alaska, BRAZIL PERU BOLIVIA, URUGUAY ARGENTINA, Sierra Nevada, Chile, Western United States

☆ In New York City, the Odds of Spotting a Rare Bird are Rising
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Lola Fadulu | More About Lola Fadulu | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Birds that were once rare in New York City have been making more frequent appearances in recent years, to the thrill of local bird-watchers. Birders have also noticed a reduction in the number of birds passing through New York City, said Marshall Iliff, the project leader for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird project. Many birders love to watch warblers on their southward migration in mid-August, but Mr. Iliff noted that the wildfires in Canada caused many birds to leave earlier than expected. “It’s those kind of things that sort of raise the question of whether birds are going to be able to adapt to these changing environments,” Mr. Iliff said. He said that as the forests dry out and as fires increase, birds that are expected to be seen passing through Central Park in spring could become “these really rare, rare events.”

Persons: ”, Heather Wolf, Marshall Iliff, Iliff, “, Mr Organizations: Cornell, of Ornithology Locations: New York City, Canada, Central

☆ Can You Understand Bird? Test Your Recognition of Calls and Songs
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Elaine Chen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Language has long been considered the exclusive provenance of humans. But in the animal kingdom, birds, not primates, communicate with the level of vocal complexity and variability closest to ours. This summer the New York Times birding project is encouraging readers to try birding by ear. Each bird species has its own distinct set of sounds. Consider the black-capped chickadee, which frequents the northern United States and southern Canada year-round.

Persons: here’s Organizations: Cornell, of Ornithology, New York Times Locations: United States, Canada

☆ Christian Cooper and Amy Tan on How Birding Brings Them Joy: a Live Event
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Christian Cooper and Amy Tan came to birding from very different paths. Cooper had found refuge in birding as a child, long before the Central Park incident that brought him to national attention. For Tan, birding was a more recent discovery, prompted by a need for an outlet away from political events. The conversation will be hosted by Dodai Stewart, a birding enthusiast and a Metro writer for The New York Times. We’ll also tell you how you can start birding as part of The New York Times summer birding project.

Persons: Christian Cooper, Amy Tan, Cooper, Tan, ”, Dodai Stewart, We’ll, Alan Burdick, Jenna Curtis Organizations: Metro, The New York Times, New York Times, The Times, Cornell, of Ornithology

☆ We're losing the battle against bird loss. Scientists estimate North America's bird population is down 3 billion and dropping fast in other countries worldwide.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Emily Sohn | Knowable Magazine | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

In North America, more than half of 529 bird species have declined, according to one study. Another study of 378 European bird species estimates numbers fell by as much as 19% from 1980-2017. There are birds on mountains, birds in cities, birds in deserts, birds in oceans, birds on farm fields and birds in parking lots. Bird numbers are falling across a broad range of habitats, as these graphs from Europe and North America show. A recovery program has boosted the species' numbers to more than 500, with several hundred living once more in the wild.

Persons: —, Peter Marra, It's, Alexander Lees, Lees, Christopher Michel, Marra, we're, Lees et, Philip McGowan, Glenn Simmons, McGowan Organizations: Service, Penguins, Earth Commons, Manchester Metropolitan University, Cornell, of Ornithology, National Audubon Society, Survey, US Geological Survey, Environment Canada, European Union, International Union for Conservation, Environment, Resources, Newcastle University, IUCN, California condor, Recovery Initiative Locations: North America, Antarctica, ptarmigan, Everest, Georgetown, England, Canada, United Kingdom, Gould Bay, eBird, United States, Science, Costa, India, Europe, California, Arizona, Brazil

☆ This Summer We’re Helping Scientists Track Birds. Join In.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( The New York Times | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +21 min

This Summer We’re Helping Scientists Track Birds. This data will help scientists understand better how birds are affected by forces like climate change and habitat loss. We’re obviously a little bit biased here, so I’m going to recommend the Merlin Bird ID app. Nearly half of all bird species worldwide are known or suspected to be in decline, and climate change could accelerate this trend. Look up past reports of that species on the eBird Species Map and zoom in on your city.

Persons: Mike McQuade, We’ll, Michelle Mildenberg Daryln Brewer Hoffstot, phoebe, Hoffstot, Indigo Goodson, “, Kirsten Luce, Alli Smith, Merlin, —, It’s, That’s, Andrew Spear, ”, Tom Auer, Mr, Auer, birders, James T, Tanner, Steven C, Latta, Chris Elphick, . Latta, Michaels, et, Christine Schuldheisz, Richard O ., Ivory, they’d, Mark, Elphick, there’s, ” Dr, eBird, I’m Organizations: Birds, Cornell, of Ornithology, The New York Times, New York Times, University of Connecticut, Credit, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Yale, Times, Cornell Lab, Walmart Locations: Pennsylvania, North America, Virginia, South America, Canada, Alaska, Louisiana, Pittsburgh, United States, Cuba, Arkansas, eBird

☆ The ‘Devil Bird’ Lands in New York, With More Likely to Come
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( James Crugnale | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For two weeks, a strange bird has perched in Brooklyn over the treetops of one of the Three Sisters Islands in Prospect Park Lake. It shows no signs of heading back to the place it most likely came from in the South. Meet the anhinga, a large water bird with a snaky neck that has joined other high-profile vagrant birds in recent years by making a rare appearance outside of its typical migration range. The Prospect Park anhinga is the first devil bird observed in Kings County, and only the second sighting in New York City since 1992. When Radka Osickova first spotted it with the Brooklyn Bird Club, she couldn’t believe her eyes.

☆ Trying to Find Your Place in the World? Try Birding From a Different Angle.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Ty Burr | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

A waxwing slain beneath a living-room window, its biannual journey stopped dead by the sky in a pane of glass. After 40 mostly satisfying years as a film critic, I began to feel all those imagined visions closing around my head. I yearned to shake them off, to return to reality; birding has come to seem one of the more graceful ways to do that. To me, the nightly BirdCast map is a corrective to our human-centric view of the planet. In April and May, the map’s a rainbow of arrival, a feathery procession as brilliant as a pride parade.

☆ Long-lost pigeon species 'rediscovered' in Papua New Guinea
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Zoe Sottile | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A bird thought to be extinct for 140 years has been rediscovered in the forests of Papua New Guinea. Rediscovering the bird required an expedition team to spend a grueling month on Fergusson, a rugged island in the D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago off eastern Papua New Guinea where the bird was originally documented. The team consisted of local staff at the Papua New Guinea National Museum as well as international scientists from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the American Bird Conservancy. Many members of the community told the team that they hadn’t seen the black-naped pheasant-pigeon in decades, says the news release. So the expedition team placed a camera on a 3,200-foot high ridge near the Kwama River above Duda Ununa, according to the release.

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