Scientists determine geese involved in Hudson River plane crash were migratory
Scientists at the Smithsonian Institution examined the feather remains from the Jan. 15 US Airways Flight 1549 bird strike to determine not only the species, but also that the Canada geese involved were from a migratory, rather than resident, population. view more (2009-06-09)
Livestock in salt marshes help farmers and geese
If livestock are allowed to graze in salt marshes in the Wadden Sea area, the vegetation remains in a good condition for the hundreds of thousands of Brent Geese which forage there en route to Siberia. When such grazing does not take place on a large scale, the geese are likely to become more dependent on pastures. This is the conclusion reached... view more... (2002-10-24)
New host species for avian influenza identified
In a new study published online in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens, Dr. Vincent J. Munster, of Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, and colleagues identify new host species for avian influenza A virus (H5N1) and provide important information on the distinctions between the ecology and epidemiology of various global strains of the virus. view more (2007-05-11)
Urbanization favors sedentary males
Urbanization changes landscapes and local environments, which can alter the life histories and traits of the creatures living in and around these areas. view more (2007-05-02)
Study finds migratory birds not picky about their rest stops
If a lush, protected forest with a winding stream is considered luxury accommodation for a migratory bird, a Purdue University study shows that those birds would be just as happy with the equivalent of a cheap roadside motel. view more (2009-08-13)
We're off then: the evolution of bat migration
Not just birds, but also a few species of bats face a long journey every year. Researchers at Princeton University in the U.S. and at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Radolfzell, Germany studied the migratory behaviour of the largest extant family of bats, the so-called "Vespertilionidae" with the help of mathematical models. view more (2009-11-24)
Whale shark protected in new marine conservation project
Dr Callum Roberts of the Environment Department at the University of York has been awarded £130,000 by the UK Darwin Initiative fund to work with the Belize Department of Fisheries, conservation organisations and local communities on conservation strategies for migratory species such as the threatened whale shark. Many marine migratory... view more... (2000-03-09)
In the migratory marathon, parasitized monarchs drop out early
A little-studied outcome of animal migration is whether these long journeys can limit the spread of parasites by weeding out diseased animals. Monarch butterflies in eastern North America fly up to thousands of kilometers from Canada to Central Mexico - one of the longest migrations of any insect species. view more (2005-02-08)
For some young fish, early gene expression is a clear harbinger of fated lifestyle
As juveniles, individuals of many fish species face a developmental choice that will profoundly affect their future: whether to adopt a sedentary or migratory lifestyle. view more (2006-04-18)
Flu can bide time in icy limbo before re-emerging
It sounds like a campy '50s horror movie ("It Came from the Ice!"), but a Bowling Green State University biologist believes it's a very real possibility. Dr. Scott Rogers is talking about the potential for long-dormant strains of influenza, packed in ice in remote global outposts, to be unleashed by melting and migratory birds. view more (2006-11-29)
A giant wind-powered generator
The new TWT-1650 wind-powered generator presented in Pamplona has 36-metre vanes which, in a circular movement, sweep an area greater than that of a football pitch and which can withstand extremes of weather, including winds of up to 110 kilometres an hour. This device, made by Grupo Mtorres in collaboration with the Institute for the... view more... (2003-10-14)
West Nile Virus infections detected in Britain
A paper in the Journal of General Virology reveals that evidence of West Nile virus infections has been found in birds in Britain, according to a team of scientists led by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) at Oxford. There are no known cases of human infection and no disease reported in birds. Dr Ernie Gould and colleagues believe that... view more... (2003-07-18)
Tropical winter habitat drives natal dispersal of young migratory birds
A new study by scientists at the Migratory Bird Center at the Smithsonian's National Zoo shows that the factors determining where birds settle and nest in the first breeding season depends on the habitat they used during their first winter in the tropics. view more (2008-02-19)
Overbearing colored light may reveal a second mechanism by which birds interpret magnetic signals
Magnetic orientation is critical to the migratory success of many bird species. By studying the influence of light on the ability of migratory birds to orient to magnetic signals, researchers have found clues to suggest that birds' orientation abilities may be more complex than previously thought. view more (2005-08-23)
New research predicts US entry of H5N1 avian influenza
Scientists at the Consortium for Conservation Medicine (CCM), the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo report that H5N1 avian influenza is most likely to be introduced to countries in the Western Hemisphere through infected poultry trade. view more (2006-12-05)
Displaced songbirds navigate in the high Arctic
By experimentally relocating migratory white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii) from their breeding area in the Canadian Northwest Territories to regions at and around the magnetic North Pole, researchers have gained new insight into how birds navigate in the high Arctic. view more (2005-09-07)
Northern birds are fatter!
"The further birds migrate north for the summer, the faster they put on weight", says Dr Williams (Simon Fraser University, Canada) who has been tracking migrating birds for several years. view more (2006-04-04)
Mountain caribou's ancient ancestry revealed
The declining mountain caribou populations of Canada's southern Rockies are a more distinct breed than scientists previously believed, according to a new study by University of Calgary researchers that is shedding light on the ancient ancestry of the mountain-dwelling herbivores. view more (2009-01-29)
Why do birds migrate?
Why do some birds fly thousands of miles back and forth between breeding and non-breeding areas every year whereas others never travel at all? view more (2007-03-02)
Beavers: Dam good for songbirds
The songbird has a friend in the beaver. According to a study by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the busy beaver's signature dams provide critical habitat for a variety of migratory songbirds, particularly in the semi-arid interior of the West. view more (2008-10-09)
|
|
