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Bird News

A woodpecker stuck to a glue trap with several bugs. Its wings are splayed out stuck to the paper with many feathers ripped out.
Meant to Catch Spotted Lanternflies, Glue Traps Are a Horrifying Hazard for Birds
March 29, 2023 — Wildlife rehabilitators, unable to save many victims, are urging the public to choose bird-safe methods of managing the invasive insects.
A group of birds at a hanging feeder, two of them appear to be having a fight.
In Bird Feeder Battles, Social Species are Featherweights
March 09, 2023 — A new study finds ‘groupy and wimpy’ birds have a hard time fending off competition, but they can gain a boost among friends.
Bird Science
A large streaky brown owl with bright orange eyes perches on a tree with blurred city lights in the background.
What Should Be Done About Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl Loose in New York?
March 07, 2023 — After the zoo fugitive learned to hunt rats in Central Park, some fans are cheering for his freedom. But ornithologists argue he should return to his enclosure, for his sake and for that of local wildlife.
‘Like Finding a Unicorn’: Researchers Rediscover the Black-Naped Pheasant-Pigeon, a Bird Lost to Science for 140 Years
November 17, 2022 — A successful expedition in Papua New Guinea captured photos and video of the chicken-size pigeon, highlighting the value of local ecological knowledge as scientists seek out other long-missing species.
An orange bird with a dark blue stripe through its eye and a large head and beak perches on a branch in an indoor facility.
The Guam Kingfisher Could Soon Return to the Wild After a 30-Year Absence
September 09, 2022 — Extinct on its native island since the late 1980s, the endangered bird may fly free as soon as 2023—but not on Guam.
Conservation News
Oldest Known Roseate Spoonbill Identified Thanks to Lucky Photograph
April 18, 2022 — After closely examining images taken by photographer Mac Stone, experts were able to identify a spoonbill banded as a chick 18 years ago.
The Inspiring Ascent of Master Falconer Shawn Hayes
March 21, 2022 — How one determined man built his dream life with birds of prey
Profiles
Many Birds Are Shrinking and Growing Longer Wings as the World Warms. Why?
February 07, 2022 — A growing body of research suggests a warming world could mean smaller birds with longer wings, but nothing about the findings is settled.
Climate
A plump gray bird with a black head and dark wing and tail tips perches on a slim branch, standing out against the green canopy behind it.
The Encouraging Comeback of the Azores Bullfinch
January 04, 2022 — At a time when most European bird populations are shrinking, the recovery of a Portuguese songbird is a bright spot that underscores the importance of habitat restoration.
Conservation News
The ‘Kill Bill Tanager,’ a Species New to Science, Finally Has a Real Name
November 16, 2021 — A bird sighting on Kosñipata road in southeastern Peru led to a 20-year quest to confirm the new species: the gloriously yellow Inti Tanager.