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New species!: tiny robin from Gabon
"A red-breasted bird discovered by accident in the forests of Gabon is a new species, U.S. scientists said on Friday.
They have named the little bird the olive-backed forest robin, or Stiphrornis pyrrholaemus, but say they know little about it yet.
The Smithsonian Institution team found the bird while visiting the forest on a biodiversity project, said Brian Schmidt, a research ornithologist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.
"I suspected something when I found the first bird in Gabon since it didn't exactly match any of the species descriptions in the field guides," Schmidt said in a statement.
"Once I was able to compare them side by side to other specimens in our collections, it was clear that these birds were special."
Genetic tests confirmed the bird, which measures 4.5 inches
in length and averages half an ounce (14 grams) in weight, was a unique species.
Writing in the journal Zootaxa, the Smithsonian team said the males have a fiery orange throat and breast, yellow belly, olive back and black feathers on the head. Females are similar, but less vibrant. A distinctive white dot in front of each eye helps distinguish the species.
"Although finding an unknown species like the olive-backed forest robin was not the goal of the ... project, it is definitely a reminder that the world still holds surprises for us," Schmidt said."
Hmm, so far on Current we've seen tiny lemer, tiny snake, tiny bird...Is evolution going small on us? "A red-breasted bird discovered by accident in the forests of Gabon is a new species, U.S. scientists said on Friday. ... more -
Bird terror: couple rescued from bird attack
A couple from London was attacked by angry seabirds on the Scottish island of Orkney and had to be airlifted to safety by the coastguard.
The pair was targeted by great skuas after accidentally stumbling on their nests. Most residents of the Northern Isles know to stay well away from the great skuas, or "bonxies" as they are known, which are renowned for their swooping assaults on humans who invade their territory during the breeding season.
A direct "hit" is extremely uncommon, but the aerial bombardment, designed as a scare tactic, can be frightening and intimidating for the victims.
Doug Gilbert, an ecologist with RSPB Scotland, has experience of being hit by bonxies and Arctic skuas: "I've been dive-bombed in Shetland and elsewhere, it's an occupational hazard. They swat the back of your head with their feet or use their wing tips to belt you. I've felt the 'sting' from a great skua's feet; it's like getting a whack on the head with a ruler. If you're not expecting it it can freak you out." A couple from London was attacked by angry seabirds on the Scottish island of Orkney and had to be airlifted to safety by the coastgua... more -
Plane's nose damaged during flight
Northwest Airlines says it's investigating after the nose cone on one of its planes was damaged during flight.
The plane had been scheduled to fly to Minneapolis from Tampa, Florida. But that flight was delayed after the plane was damaged sometime during a flight between Detroit and Tampa.
Retired Northwest pilot Richard Duxbury says the plane was likely hit by something, possibly a bird. He says bird strikes can be a significant safety issue.
The airline hasn't confirmed that a bird hit the plane. In a statement, Northwest says none of the passengers or crew members were hurt in the incident. Northwest Airlines says it's investigating after the nose cone on one of its planes was damaged during flight. ... more -
Bird Flu spreads, prompts mass cull
Hong Kong ordered a mass cull of all poultry on Wednesday in a bid to stop the spread of the H5N1 virus between birds in hundreds of markets scattered across the territory. Hong Kong ordered a mass cull of all poultry on Wednesday in a bid to stop the spread of the H5N1 virus between birds in hundreds of m... more
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Amazing miracle: Bird calls upon "Allah"?
The bird repeats the name of "Allah" several times recorded on this video footage.
"Allah" is the Arabic word for God and is one of the names used for God in the Holy Quran which Muslims believe was revealed to the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh). The bird repeats the name of "Allah" several times recorded on this video footage. ... more -
Bebop Charlie - Fretless Bass
Joseph Patrick Moore's song, "Bebop Charlie" written for Charlie Yardbird Parker.
Featuring:
Joseph Patrick Moore - Fretless Bass Guitar
Emrah Kotan - Percussion
Video shot by:
Andrew P. Byrd & Ben Williams for "Full Phase Productions".
Video edited by:
Bubba Smith for "Compass Productions"
www.JosephPatrickMoore.com
www.myspace.com/josephpatrickmoore.com
www.emrahkotan.com Joseph Patrick Moore's song, "Bebop Charlie" written for Charlie Yardbird Parker. Featuring: ... more -
Seal tries sex with Penguin
A seal has been framed trying to have sex with a penguin. The roughly 240-pound seal subdued the 30-pound adult penguin by lying on it. The hapless bird of unknown sex struggled, rapidly flapping its flippers and attempting to stand and escape. A seal has been framed trying to have sex with a penguin. The roughly 240-pound seal subdued the 30-pound adult penguin by lying on it... more
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Hope Grows With 5 New Parrot Chicks
It is flightless, helpless and looks like a giant budgie, but New Zealand's rare kakapo ground parrot is clawing its way back from the brink of extinction.
A decade ago the species was down to just 51 birds, but the hatching of five new chicks in recent weeks has boosted the population to 91. Another two eggs are about to hatch, conservationists have said.
Even a modest increase in numbers was "awesome, especially considering these birds only breed every few years," said Emma Neill, a senior official from New Zealand's Department of Conservation.
The kakapo is the world's heaviest species of parrot and is found only in New Zealand. It is also nocturnal.
Once common, with no natural predators, it has been devastated by introduced pests such as the Polynesian rat, brought by Maori, and cats, dogs, stoats and weasels brought by European settlers in the 19th century.
The last time kakapo bred successfully was in 2005, when four chicks were produced - an overall fertility rate of just 58 per cent. The record year was 2002, when 24 chicks emerged.
This year all the eggs laid by the parrots turned out to be fertile. "Because not every egg results in a hatching and not every hatching results in a healthy chick, we are doing all we can to improve survival rates," Ms Neill said.
Surviving kakapo are now kept on two small, predator-free offshore islands and the latest hatchlings are all from Whenua Hou, or Codfish Island, two miles off Stewart Island in the far south of New Zealand.
The only other island the birds are found on is Anchor Island in Fiordland.
Volunteers camp by the kakapos' nests to give the eggs the best chance of hatching, occasionally covering the eggs with a heat-pad if the mothers leave on foraging expeditions.
During the breeding season, male kakapo swell up like a balloon and emit a low booming sound that can travel up to three miles. The birds cannot fly but are adept at climbing trees.
The parrots have yellow-green plumage, a large grey beak, short legs, large feet, and relatively short wings and tail.
Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick said the latest hatchings were testament to New Zealand's international reputation in species recovery.
"We should take pride in the fact that our efforts with kakapo are recognised worldwide," he said.
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If we continue to strive to protect endangered species, slowly but surely they'll come back around and maybe this time, we can learn to coexist happily. It is flightless, helpless and looks like a giant budgie, but New Zealand's rare kakapo ground parrot is clawing its way back fro... more -
Pollution makes birds more sexy, but sick
Scientists recently found that starlings that ingested estrogen-tainted earthworms became brain damaged, and paradoxically, were more attractive to females. The affected male starling produced a far more complex mating song, according to a recent article published by the Public Library of Science.
Because female starlings choose mates based on the complexity of a male’s song and with their singing ability, the affected starlings are breeding more. The downside is the chemicals weaken the starlings’ immune systems and cause other anatomical and behavioral issues.
The affected birds are more likely to reproduce sick offspring and the researchers could not predict how this would affect the already declining wild population of starlings in the coming years
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I read other articles on this story and while this study was done as a controlled experiment, the estrogen chemicals come from our plastic products that contaminate the soil. It causes this type of chain reaction. Worm eats tainted soil, birds eats worm, predator eats bird, human uses plastic to store the rest of the predator's manufactured pet food, etc, etc.
So, the big question is: If this is what happens to birds, what is it doing to us? Scientists recently found that starlings that ingested estrogen-tainted earthworms became brain damaged, and paradoxically, were more ... more -
Rare Parrot Gets 1500 Acre Reserve
A parrot species found deep in the Andes mountain range of Columbia has newfound hope.
Fundación ProAves, a partner group of the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), opened up a conservation area in February 2008 for the Fuertes’s parrot (Hapalopsittaca Fuertes), which was once thought to be extinct. Employees at the 1,500-acre reserve located in the Central Andes in Columbia set up a plan to study and monitor the parrots.
It is estimated that only 160 Fuertes’s parrots remain in existence. The bird species had not been seen since 1911 until Alonso Quevedo, president of Fundación ProAves, found a flock of 14 birds in 2002.
“He played a central role protecting and studying the bird with Fundación Loro Parque support, and he negotiated and acquired the land on behalf of Fundación Proaves,” said Paul Salaman, ABC spokesperson. A parrot species found deep in the Andes mountain range of Columbia has newfound hope. ... more -
Boy, raised as a bird, found in Russia
Sqaawk!!!! I don't think I buy this story...seems as real to me as that bat boy
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I know we're not the "Cat video" network, but really, this is funny...
I generally don't go for the stupid pet trick videos, but this cockatoo dancing to backstreet boys is hilarious...he even takes a bow at the end--I think he should have a dance off with Current's resident dance king, Scott. I generally don't go for the stupid pet trick videos, but this cockatoo dancing to backstreet boys is hilarious...he even takes a... more
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