Endangered Scarlet Macaws have established a breeding colony on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The colony consists of macaws born in captivity at the ZooAve Center.
Read more about the program: Endangered parrots born in captivity reproduce in wild.
A new species of hummingbird was recently discovered in the Serrania del Pinche mountain range in southwest Colombia. The colorful Gorgeted Puffleg was first seen during surveys of the area done in 2005.
New plant species had recently been discovered in the area so researchers looked for other new species, expecting to find amphibians. The discovery of the bird was unexpected.
Experts believe the range of the Gorgeted Puffleg must be extremely small due to the fact that it had previously been undiscovered by man. The area where the bird was first seen is subject to slash and burn agriculture so environmentalists are scrambling to have the area protected.
Evidence of a so-called “terror bird” has been found in Argentina, scientists revealed last week. The bird, part of a family of flightless carnivores called phorusrhacids, reached up to three meters in height and was among the top carnivores in South America. Mammals hold that distinction in all other parts of the ancient world. Read the full story Big bird had swift legs at Nature.com.
About 100 oil-coated penguins have turned up dead in recent weeks off the coast of Argentina. Environmentalists are searching for the source, but so far no oil spills have been found. About a hundred live penguins have also been found covered in oil. Caregivers are trying to insure their survival.
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