Learn how you can prevent bird collisions with windows at your home by visiting the BirdSafe Homes registry from the Wisconsin Humane Society. You can even register your home as a Bird Safe Home. You don’t have to be a resident of Wisconsin to participate. Even if you don’t register, check out the great tips to make sure your birds won’t fall victim to a strike at your home.
From The Daily Citizen:
Have you seen a bird with a fat tick stuck to its face? If so, the University of Georgia would like to know about it. In fact, you can participate in a research project by donating the ticks to UGA. […]
Interestingly, if the ticks are removed before the bird develops breathing problems, all these effects will quickly be reversed and the bird will recover and be fine.
If you want to attempt to rescue the bird, recommendations are that you wrap the animal in a towel to keep it from struggling. Pick the ticks off, examining under the feathers carefully to be sure all have been removed. Avian rehabilitators suggest then placing the animal in a large paper bag or box for a few hours to allow it to recover before it is released in the wild, where it might be at a disadvantage if it encountered predators before regaining flight ability.
Full article here.
A new permanent exhibit called “Birds of Chicago” opened at The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum last Friday. The Nature Museum is located in Chicago at 2430 North Cannon Drive.
Learn about birds native to Illinois, with nearly 100 specimens on display that date back to the early 1900s. The birds range in age, size, color and rarity, showcasing everything from the large Midwest turkey and the common blue jay to the endangered prairie chicken. Touch screen kiosks provide visitors with additional information on the birds.
Visit The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum website for more information.
If you’ve ever wondered why the airlines don’t protect their planes from bird strikes by screening over the jet engines, check out this article from the New York Times.
The Times also has an interesting photo being called evidence of the first airplane bird strike. The photo of a French military plane was taken in 1916. Like US Airways 1549, the French plane also landed safely.
Judge the 13 beautiful images up for vote in The Nature Conservancy’s 2008 Digital Photo Contest. All photos are gorgeous images of nature.
Voting ends February 9th.
Check out this post over at Urban Hawks. Think this trick would make the Ibis popular at parties?
Did you know today is National Bird Day? In fact, today is the 6th annual National Bird Day, and this year’s theme is “Think Outside the Cage”. The theme is meant to call on activists “around the U.S. to take action on behalf of captive birds by drawing attention to the exploitation of other countries’ native birds by the U.S. pet industry.” There is a CafePress shop and an online auction starting today to support the cause. Check out the official website, www.nationalbirdday.com, for more information.
BirdLife is reporting that the U.K.’s Tristan Albatross population is being hit by predatory mice that were introduced to the island where they live. Gough Island is the only home of the Tristan Albatross as well as the Gough Bunting. Both species are hurting from the killer mice which prey on both species’ chicks. Read the whole article here.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer has an article about dead bird art on its blog today. Check it out. The first example (the painting) is kind of interesting, but I think the photos are creepy.
The latest bird news out of Australia is of a python snacking on a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. Pic not too graphic this time, luckily.
