History, Natural History & the Arts
One cold spring morning, a turkey vulture soared across the sky and landed high in a tree behind my house. I soon noticed another vulture, most likely its mate, in a nearby oak.
This one was perched with its back to the sun and its gigantic wings outspread. It remained in place, giving me a good look at its impressive wingspan – nearly 6 feet – and the light filtering through its long, silvery wingtips, or “fingers.” [Read more…] about The Horaltic Pose: Sunbathing Birds
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the grand opening of the Central-Finger Lakes segment of the New York State Birding Trail to highlight the state’s world-class and wide-ranging birding opportunities.
The Central-Finger Lakes segment includes 54 locations throughout 15 counties, providing a variety of quality birding experiences for New Yorkers and visitors to enjoy. [Read more…] about Central-Finger Lakes Segment of Statewide Birding Trail Opens
DEC recommends cleaning your bird feeders at this time of year.
Two diseases are commonly spread at bird feeders are Salmonellosis, which affects common redpolls, pine siskins, and other songbirds; and, Finch conjunctivitis which primarily infects house finches and American goldfinches. [Read more…] about Spring Chores: Sanitize Your Bird Feeder
Staggering declines in bird populations are taking place around the world. So concludes a study from scientists at multiple institutions, recently published in the journal Annual Review of Environment and Resources.
Loss and degradation of natural habitats and direct over-exploitation of many species are cited as the key threats to avian biodiversity. Climate change is identified as an emerging driver of bird population declines. [Read more…] about Global Bird Populations Steadily Declining
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced the grand opening of the Hudson Valley segment of the New York State Birding Trail to highlight the State’s world-class and wide-ranging birding opportunities.
The Hudson Valley segment includes 39 locations on public lands throughout six counties, providing a variety of quality birding experiences for New Yorkers and visitors to enjoy. [Read more…] about Hudson Valley Segment of Statewide Birding Trail Opens
The Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge, a 187-acre peninsula on Long Island‘s Noyack and Little Peconic Bays, boasts exceptionally diverse birding habitats. Sandy and rocky beaches fringe the peninsula, while wooded bluffs overlook the bays. The refuge consists of upland forest, fields, ponds, salt marsh, beach, and a lagoon. [Read more…] about Birding Spotlight: Long Island’s Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has confirmed that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus has been found in multiple wild bird species in several areas of New York State.
No known HPAI human infections are documented in the U.S., and according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these recent cases of HPAI do not present an immediate public health concern for most people. However, people in contact with known infected or possibly infected birds should take precautions to protect against infection and avian researchers are concerned that bird baths and bird feeders can help spread the virus and are asking that they be taken down for a few months. [Read more…] about Avian Influenza Detected in New York’s Wild Birds; Take Down Feeders
Birds use a wonderful variety of materials and techniques to create their nests. Some nests are small and tidy, like grass baskets lined with cozy feathers. Others are large and messily blobbed with mud.
Some species build their nests in trees, some on the ground, and others woven into wetland plants or adhered to cliff faces – or your back porch wall.
I’ve spotted and admired many birds’ nests, but never one made by a ruby-throated hummingbird or a blue-gray gnatcatcher. This is likely because both species shingle their nests with lichens, making them exceptionally well camouflaged. [Read more…] about Lichens and Birds’ Nests
It is always difficult to predict when the ice will go out on a given body of water in the Adirondacks, however, it is easy to say when that waterway will be occupied by a loon, as this symbol of the northern wilderness always seems to arrive within hours of the ice disappearing.
The urge to return to its breeding territory is especially strong in male loons. Because of a recent population increase in this species, there can be intense competition for the remote sections of the large lakes and back country ponds that are highly attractive to this bird with the haunting voice. [Read more…] about When Ice Goes Out The Loons Arrive
Over the past 20 years, mallard populations in New York and the Northeast have declined significantly, leading to limits on hunting them starting in 2018.
To understand what factors may be contributing to the decline, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), Pennsylvania Game Commission, Ducks Unlimited, SUNY Brockport, and the University of Saskatchewan partnered with 22 state, federal, and non-governmental organizations to start one of the largest telemetry projects ever conducted in North America. [Read more…] about Banding Study Hopes To Understand Mallard Declines