Get ready to be inspired by one of nature's grandest migrations! This December 11-15, 2024, the 35th Annual Festival of the Cranes will take place in Socorro County, New Mexico, US welcoming bird lovers, photographers, and nature enthusiasts from all over the world to experience the breathtaking return of the Sandhill Cranes to the Middle Rio Grande Valley. Join experts and enthusiasts alike at the world-renowned Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge as thousands of Sandhill Cranes, along with Snow Geese and other migratory birds, make their winter home in this stunning desert oasis. With over 85 exciting events planned, including creative workshops, masterclasses, outdoor excursions, and in-depth seminars, there's something for everyon...
Read MoreTag: migratory birds
It now needs human help to migrate for winter How do you teach a bird how, and where, to fly? The distinctive Northern Bald Ibis, hunted essentially to extinction by the 17th century, was revived by breeding and rewilding efforts over the last two decades. But the birds — known for their distinctive black-and-iridescent green plumage, bald red head and long curved beak — don’t instinctively know which direction to fly to migrate without the guidance of wild-born elders. So a team of scientists and conservationists stepped in as foster parents and flight instructors. “We have to teach them the migration route,” said biologist Johannes Fritz. This photo provide by Waldrappteam Conservation & Research shows the migration from Northern Bald Ibis, or the Waldrapp from Seekirche...
Read MoreTunisia's lakes and coastal lagoons are parched and overheating, endangering a delicate ecosystem and disrupting the vast flocks of migrating birds that use the wetlands as a way station between Africa and Europe. Ariana lagoon just outside the capital Tunis has been left a cracked expanse of dry mud, its small islands where birds usually nest now surrounded by sand and bereft of life after months of drought and a ferocious heatwave. A view shows part of the dried-out Ariana lagoon, in Ariana, Tunisia August 11, 2023. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui Even the nearby Sijoumi lagoon, where water has always been more reliable, is half empty, its flocks of flamingos casting a pale pink smear across a patch of wetland as Tunis suburbs rise on the hill behind. "This year you can feel there...
Read MoreThe Bhitarkanika National Park played host to over one lakh migrant water birds this monsoon, a rise of seven per cent, as the sanctuary re-established itself as one of the most congenial breeding grounds in Odisha for the winged guests, officials said on Sunday. The arrival of these avian species at the wildlife sanctuary in Kendrapara district was delayed this time as the spell of rain was not uniform, he said. "Still, we've spotted an impressive congregation of the monsoon birds along the mangrove covers of the park," the official said. The enumerators counted 1.16 lakh birds this year in comparison to 1.09 lakh in 2021. Prominent among those arriving for nesting are herons, darters and egrets. Minimal human interference, ideal climatic conditions and the river syst...
Read MoreAfrica’s migratory birds are threatened by changing weather patterns in the center and east of the continent that have depleted natural water systems and caused a devastating drought. Hotter and drier conditions due to climate change make it difficult for traveling species who are losing their water sources and breeding grounds, with many now endangered or forced to alter their migration patterns entirely by settling in cooler northern areas. Roughly 10% of Africa’s more than 2,000 bird species, including dozens of migratory birds, are threatened, with 28 species — such as the Madagascar fish eagle, the Taita falcon and hooded vultures — classed as “critically endangered.” Over one-third of them are especially vulnerable to climate change and extreme weather, an analysis by environm...
Read MoreStudy relates island characteristics with the seasonal ebb and flow of bird species A new study examines how the geographic characteristics of the world’s islands influence seasonal variation in the number of bird species. The study determines how seasonal species richness of birds is affected by the size of the island, how isolated it is from the mainland and other islands, and the latitude in which it lies. The study’s findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. Tristan Thrush on access-restricted Nightingale Island. Photo Credit: James Holmes, Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “We used 21 years of bird observations on 690 islands from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird program,” said lead author Frank La S...
Read MoreDolphins now colonizing new areas of the brackish water lagoon Chilika lake, Asia's largest brackish water lagoon, has re-established itself as the one of the hotspots of biodiversity and shelters a number of endangered species listed in the IUCN red list of threatened species. The lake is a unique assemblage of marine, brackish and freshwater eco-system with estuarine characters. The lagoon houses about 155-165 dolphins and 10.5 lakhs water birds, representing 105 different species. Eurasian otter captured in camera trap at Chilika For the first time, near-threatened ferruginous ducks and a group of Eurasian otters were spotted in the lagoon in the 2022 Flora and Fauna Survey in Chilika Lake carried out on February 1, an official in the Chilika Development Authority (CDA) sai...
Read MoreBest conservation stories | Mangalajodi | Birdwatching | मंगलाजोड़ी | प्रवासी पक्षियों की अनूठी जगह
Mangalajodi Wetlands in Tangi block of Khurda district of Odisha are not just one of the most beautiful places for birdwatching but it is also one of the best conservation stories of our times. Part of the Chilika Lagoon in Odisha, Mangalajodi hosts lakhs of domestic and migratory birds every year. But it wasn't so always! Just until few years back, this place was known as a 'poachers' village'. But the turnaround brought not just the birds back but also awards, accolades and tourists along! Enjoy the virtual trip to this amazing place! ओड़िशा के खुर्दा ज़िले में तांगी ब्लॉक में है मंगलाजोड़ी गाँव व वेटलैंड्स। यह चिलिका लैगून का ही एक छोर है। यह न केवल बर्डवाचिंग की सबसे अनूठी जगहों में से एक है, बल्कि हमारे दौर में पक्षियों के संरक्षण की सबसे शानदार घटनाओं में से भी एक है। यहाँ हर सा...
Read MoreMigratory birds are specially adapted to find their way over extreme distances that represent remarkable tests of endurance. Now, researchers reporting December 6 in the journal Current Biology have discovered an unexpected way that migratory birds keep their cool during such arduous journeys: lighter-colored feathers. "We found across nearly all species of birds, migratory species tend to be lighter colored than non-migratory species,” said Kaspar Delhey of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany. “We think that lighter plumage coloration is selected in migratory species because it reduces the risk of overheating when exposed to sunshine. Lighter surfaces absorb less heat than darker ones, as anybody wearing dark clothes on a sunny day can attest! This would be pa...
Read MoreWinged guests have started flocking to Chilika, Asia's largest brackish water lagoon in Odisha, to feed and breed in its waters, officials said on Friday. The arrival of the migratory birds has been sighted in the second week of October, about a week later than the previous year, according to Sarat Chandra Mishra, assistant conservator of forests (ACF) of the Chilika wildlife division. Several birds were seen flying near Chilika without swooping down on the lake. They might land once the water level recedes in the lake, the official said. Migratory birds like northern pintail, gadwall, shovelers, common coot and several others were found in the lagoon, which is connected to the Bay of Bengal through a narrow sea mouth, and is spread across Puri, Khordha and Ganjam districts. ...
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