Category Archives: Netherlands

Gay Storks Raising Young

by Amy Posted on 19 May 2006

Three homosexual stork couples in the Dutch zoo Parc Overloon are raising and caring for baby storks, the zoo announced Friday. There is one pair of lesbian storks while the other two couples are males.

While homosexuality is not uncommon in the animal world, the fact that these couples are raising young together is unusual. Most homosexual behavior in wild animals is limited to mating rituals. All of the storks in Overloon are caring for and feeding their young.

The zoo is not sure how the storks, especially the males, came to have eggs. It is possible the male couples stole eggs from another nest.

Source: Homo-ooievaars broeden eieren uit

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Posted in Netherlands, Offbeat, Zoo | Leave a comment

Netherlands Black Grouse Population On The Rise

by Amy Posted on 8 May 2006

The population of Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix) is rising in the Netherlands. This year park rangers and volunteers counted 23 of the bird in the National Park de Sallandse Heuvelrug in the province Overijssel. That’s the highest count in the last six years.

Last year only 13 birds were counted. In 2002 only 8 birds were found.

The Black Grouse is a protected species in the Netherlands and is extremely vulnerable. To preserve the species in this country, the agencies Staatsbosbeheer and Natuurmonumenten have been working together to improve the habitat for the birds.

The preservation agencies are working to improve the variety of plant species found in the heathlands where the birds live and breed. This will insure that insects thrive in the area, which is important for the Black Grouse as their young feed almost exclusively on bugs. Adult grouse feed on grasses, weeds and other plants. Improving the landscape for the grouse also has benefits for other ground-breeding birds, as well as lizards, butterflies, snakes and even deer.

Source: MEER KORHOENDERS OP SALLANDSE HEUVELRUG!

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Posted in Endangered, Netherlands | 1 Comment

Fewer Dead Birds Reported In Netherlands

by Amy Posted on 5 May 2006

The Dutch central organization for animal sickness control, CIDC-Lelystad, is receiving fewer dead bird reports. In the past few months the organization has examined 6,382 birds for the deadly H5N1 virus.

Because most migratory birds are now at their summer location, the chance of finding the virus in the Netherlands this season is very small. For this reason, the organization will only examine dead birds when found in groups of 20 or more. In the case of swans, ducks or geese, a group of 3 or more will be examined.

Source: Rustiger tijden na hoos dode vogels

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Posted in Aside, Netherlands | Leave a comment

Bird Hide Created For Wheelchair Users

by Amy Posted on 4 May 2006

The Dutch organization Natuurmonumenten has created a bird hide which is accessible for wheelchair users, in cooperation with the Friese Poort College in Drachten. The hide is located by the Zuidwest (southwest) lakes in the Fochteloërveen natural area.

The construction is large enough to be sure that wheelchair users can move around the hide easily. The lookout points are on different levels so wheelchair users can use them as well as bird enthusiasts who arrive on foot.

Four students worked for approximately two months to build the hide, which was tested by wheelchair users and a forest ranger soon after it opened. Some users reported difficulty entering the hut, so the students will adjust the doorway for better future use.

The Fochteloërveen is already equipped with a wheelchair accessible path and observation tower. Natuurmonumenten is organizing an excursion to the park for wheelchair users on 17 June.

Source: VOGELKIJKHUT SPECIAAL VOOR ROLSTOELGEBRUIKERS

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Posted in Bird Hide, Netherlands | Leave a comment

Green Heron Attracts Birdwatchers To Amsterdam

by Amy Posted on 3 May 2006

A Green Heron (Butorides virescens) which has settled in the Nieuwe Meer area of Amsterdam has attracted hundreds of birdwatchers from neighboring countries. Since the first confirmed sighting on Friday, 28 April, twitchers from all over the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany have come to see the bird.

The heron is a native of North America. The species is smaller than the native Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea ) of the Netherlands. The bird has settled along a ditch in the Nieuwe Meer area in the southwest of Amsterdam.

The bird, which is not ringed, has arrived from North America due to disorientation or unusually strong winds during migration, or the bird has “hitchhiked” to Europe on a ship.

Source: Groene reiger in Amsterdam trekt veel bekijks

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Posted in Netherlands, Rare / Vagrant | Leave a comment

The Year Of The Eurasian Skylark

by Amy Posted on 1 May 2006

Dutch bird protection groups SOVON and Vogelbescherming have named 2006 the Year of the Skylark (Alauda arvensis). The Skylark population in the country is declining due to decimation of habitat. The bird agencies will conduct a study in 2006 on the population of the species in the Netherlands. The groups hope the study will inspire action to save the Dutch Skylark population. The groups are seeking volunteers to help in a nation-wide Skylark count.

Source: Het jaar van de Veldleeuwerik 2006

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Posted in Endangered, Netherlands | Leave a comment

City Birds Beloved In The Netherlands

by Amy Posted on 30 April 2006

The Dutch BirdLife International affiliate Vogelbescherming conducted a survey of city dwellers and found that at least 93% of respondents find bird life in their city important.

The Netherlands is urbanizing at a fast pace and that means that more and more birds have to find a home in a city environment. They have to adapt to find their food, nesting locations and shelter in urban areas as their more natural habitats are developed by humans. Most people find that bird life makes a city more attractive and therefore space must be created for our feathered friends.

Vogelbescherming has developed an Action Plan with guidelines for cities to follow in order to make the environment more bird-friendly. The plan also has bird-friendly ideas for city planners, architects, housing agencies and construction companies.

The action plan calls to attention several projects which have already been completed which help to make cities friendlier for birds. These include swallow projects in Woensdrecht, Kampen, Almere and Bergen op Zoom.

The top three beloved city birds in the Netherlands are the House Sparrow, Tit and European Robin.

Source:
Nederlanders houden van stadsvogels! The Dutch love city birds!

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Dutch Police Catch Raptor Killers

by Amy Posted on 26 April 2006

The police in the Dutch town of Aarle-Rixtel last week arrested three people in connection with illegal killing of birds of prey. Two men and one woman were apprehended after an investigation into the poisoning deaths of six buzzards found in nearby parkland.

During a search of the suspects’ house, dead pigeons and poison were found. The pigeons were used to bait the birds of prey.

In nearby Laarbeek a day earlier the police arrested a man for killing a Northern Goshawk. The man, who was caught red-handed, explained he was eliminating raptors in order to preserve the other wildlife in the area.

The man also used dead pigeons to lure the birds of prey into cages. Once caught, he would kill the birds. Authorities were able to save a buzzard and some crows which sat in his cages.

Source:
AID en politie pakken illegale roofvogeljagers
Inspection Service and police catch illegal raptor hunters

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Posted in Law, Netherlands | Leave a comment

Rotterdam Nature Museum Fitted With Giant Crow

by Amy Posted on 19 April 2006

Last week a six-meter tall crow was placed atop the Natural History Museum in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The museum hopes the statue will prevent birds from flying into the glass windows of the building.

Birds regularly fly into the windows of the museum, killing themselves in the process. The birds are generally added to the collection of the museum. The museum has tried using models of birds of prey on the building to prevent the window crashes, to no success.

The huge crow is a work by Rotterdam artist Florentijn Hofman. The bird silhouette is made of black metal and was created for the 2005 Crossing Border Festival and stood for a time atop the city hall of The Hague.

Source: Natuurmuseum krijgt reusachtige vogelverschrikker

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Posted in Netherlands, Offbeat | Leave a comment