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raptors

Avian Influenza Detected in New York’s Wild Birds; Take Down Feeders

April 21, 2022 by Editorial Staff 2 Comments

Distribution of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5 and H5N1 in North America, 2021 2022The 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

Filed Under: Food, Nature Tagged With: birding, birds, DEC, local farms, nature, Public Health, raptors, Science, waterfowl, Wildlife

How Birds Weather New York Winters

February 4, 2022 by Guest Contributor 1 Comment

female northern cardinal courtesy Wikimedia user Rhododendrites Were it not for compelling evidence to the contrary, I’d believe I descended from birds – migratory birds in particular. So familiar to me are the urges and behaviors of migratory birds, I’m pretty sure I blushed, or at least looked around sheepishly, when learning of them in my undergraduate ornithology class. Take hyperphagia (excessive eating), if you will.

Every fall, like a songbird building fat reserves for its epic flight, I ransack my environment for calorie-dense foods. As the temperature drops, my hunger grows. By November, I’m buttering Fig Newtons. [Read more…] about How Birds Weather New York Winters

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: Bird Migration, birding, birds, nature, raptors, Wildlife, winter

Snowy Owls: Denizens of the North

January 8, 2022 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

snowy owl courtesy Wikimedia user Jongsun Lee Here’s a quiz for Harry Potter fans: What kind of owl played Hedwig in the movies?

If you guessed a snowy owl, you’re correct. With their bright yellow eyes, bulky-looking bodies, and white feathers that cover everything from their beaks to their large feet, these owls strike an impressive pose. And this winter, we may have a greater chance of glimpsing one of these amazing raptors from the far north. [Read more…] about Snowy Owls: Denizens of the North

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: birding, birds, nature, owls, raptors, Wildlife

Watchable Wildlife: Mongaup Valley Wildlife Management Area

January 4, 2022 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Mongaup Falls Reservoir courtesy DECThe Mongaup Valley Wildlife Management Area, located in the Catskills 75 miles northwest of New York City, was designated a Bird Conservation Area because of its unique combination of habitats important to bird species, including forests, reservoirs, and river habitat where bald eagles nest and overwinter. [Read more…] about Watchable Wildlife: Mongaup Valley Wildlife Management Area

Filed Under: Hudson Valley - Catskills, Nature, New York City, Recreation Tagged With: birding, birds, Catskills, Mongaup Valley, nature, Orange County, raptors, Sullivan County, waterfowl, Wildlife

Help Sought to Solve Eagle Shooting Case

May 5, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Bald Eagle shot in Broome CountyOn April 3rd, NYS Environmental Conservation Officer’s (ECO) received a complaint about an unknown individual shooting a duck or goose. ECO McCormick responded, and upon investigation, determined the shot bird was a bald eagle. [Read more…] about Help Sought to Solve Eagle Shooting Case

Filed Under: Nature, Western NY Tagged With: Bald Eagles, birds, Broome County, Crime and Justice, ECOs, nature, raptors, Wildlife

Threats to the Long-Lived Bald Eagle

April 17, 2021 by Editorial Staff 1 Comment

Bald Eagles courtesy Bill StraiteBald eagles are long-lived birds, with a lifespan in the wild of more than 30 years. Mating for life, they return to nest in the general area (within 250 miles) from which they fledged.

Once a pair selects a nesting territory, they use it for the rest of their lives. However, bald eagles face threats to their long lifespan and nesting territories due to a wide range of human impacts including habitat loss and plastic pollution. [Read more…] about Threats to the Long-Lived Bald Eagle

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: Bald Eagles, birding, birds, nature, raptors, Wildlife

Bald Eagle Numbers On The Rise

April 11, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Bald Eagles by Blaire Smith/Macaulay Library.In March, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the latest population estimate for Bald Eagles. Some 316,000 eagles now cruise the skies in the Lower 48 — more than four times the previous estimate, from 2009. [Read more…] about Bald Eagle Numbers On The Rise

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: Bald Eagles, birding, birds, nature, raptors, Wildlife

The Northern Harrier: One Unusual Hawk

April 10, 2021 by Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

Erie was perched on a sunny branch when I met her on a cold day in March. She turned her head this way and that to survey her surroundings at the Vermont Institute of Natural Sciences (VINS).

She is a slender hawk, brown above, with a dark-streaked, buff breast and a long, barred tail. A ring of light-colored feathers surrounds her face, giving her a facial disc similar to that of an owl. [Read more…] about The Northern Harrier: One Unusual Hawk

Filed Under: Nature Tagged With: birding, birds, nature, raptors, Wildlife

Eagle Banded 26 Years Ago Spotted In Lewis County

March 12, 2021 by Editorial Staff 1 Comment

Bald Eagles courtesy Bill StraiteIt is an outstanding opportunity to see three American bald eagles devouring their lunch, but even more fantastic of an opportunity to be able to learn there’s more to the story. [Read more…] about Eagle Banded 26 Years Ago Spotted In Lewis County

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Nature Tagged With: Bald Eagles, birding, birds, nature, raptors, Wildlife

Injured Hawk Gets a Helping Hand in Putnam County

February 6, 2021 by Editorial Staff Leave a Comment

Injured hawk prepared for transport to a rehabilitation facilityEnvironmental Conservation Officer Crisafulli reported that an injured hawk was spotted off the Putnam County Bike Path in Brewster, Putnam County, NY. [Read more…] about Injured Hawk Gets a Helping Hand in Putnam County

Filed Under: Hudson Valley - Catskills, Nature Tagged With: birds, DEC, ECOs, nature, raptors, Wildlife

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