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delicatelysublimeforester · 18 days

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Wings of Wonder

Wings of Wonder: Celebrating World Migratory Bird Day 2024 As we navigate the critical juncture of climate change and biodiversity loss, the call to action resounds louder than ever. One essential step in this conservation journey is the creation of a biodiversity inventory, a collective effort to illuminate the richness of our urban wildlife and fortify measures for their…

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reasonsforhope · 4 months

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"Chicago’s 82-story Aqua Tower appears to flutter with the wind. Its unusual, undulating facade has made it one of the most unique features of Chicago’s skyline, distinct from the many right-angled glass towers that surround it.

In designing it, the architect Jeanne Gang thought not only about how humans would see it, dancing against the sky, but also how it would look to the birds who fly past. The irregularity of the building’s face allows birds to see it more clearly and avoid fatal collisions. “It’s kind of designed to work for both humans and birds,” she said.

As many as 1 billion birds in the US die in building collisions each year. And Chicago, which sits along the Mississippi Flyway, one of the four major north-south migration routes, is among the riskiest places for birds. This year, at least 1,000 birds died in one day from colliding with a single glass-covered building. In New York, which lies along the Atlantic Flyway, hundreds of species traverse the skyline and tens of thousands die each year.

As awareness grows of the dangers posed by glistening towers and bright lights, architects are starting to reimagine city skylines to design buildings that are both aesthetically daring and bird-safe.

Pictured: Chicago's Aqua Tower was designed with birds in mind.

Some are experimenting with new types of patterned or coated glass that birds can see. Others are rethinking glass towers entirely, experimenting with exteriors that use wood, concrete or steel rods. Blurring lines between the indoors and outdoors, some architects are creating green roofs and facades, inviting birds to nest within the building.

“Many people think about bird-friendly design as yet another limitation on buildings, yet another requirement,” said Dan Piselli, director of sustainability at the New York-based architecture firm FXCollaborative. “But there are so many design-forward buildings that perfectly exemplify that this doesn’t have to limit your design, your freedom.”

How modern buildings put birds in danger

For Deborah Laurel, principal in the firm Prendergast Laurel Architects, the realization came a couple of decades ago. She was up for an award for her firm’s renovation of the Staten Island Children’s Museum when the museum’s director mentioned to her that a number of birds had been crashing into the new addition. “I was horrified,” she said.

She embarked on a frenzy of research to learn more about bird collisions. After several years of investigation, she found there was little in the way of practical tips for architects, and she teamed up with the conservation group NYC Audubon, to develop a bird-safe building guide.

The issue, she discovered, was that technological and architectural advancements over the last half-century had in some ways transformed New York City – and most other US skylines and suburbs – into death traps for birds...

At certain times of day, tall glass towers almost blend into the sky. At other times, windows appear so pristinely clear that they are imperceptible to birds, who might try to fly though them. During the day, trees and greenery reflected on shiny building facades can trick birds, whereas at night, brightly lit buildings can confuse and bewilder them...

Pictured: A green roof on the Javits Convention Center serves as a sanctuary for birds.

The changes that could save avian lives

About a decade ago, Piselli’s firm worked on a half-billion-dollar renovation of New York’s Jacob K Javits Convention Center, a gleaming glass-clad space frame structure that was killing 4,000-5,000 birds a year. “The building was this black Death Star in the urban landscape,” Piselli said.

To make it more bird friendly, FXCollaborative (which was then called FXFowle) reduced the amount of glass and replaced the rest of it with fritted glass, which has a ceramic pattern baked into it. Tiny, textured dots on the glass are barely perceptible to people – but birds can see them. The fritted glass can also help reduce heat from the sun, keeping the building cooler and lowering air conditioning costs. “This became kind of the poster child for bird-friendly design in the last decade,” Piselli said.

The renovation also included a green roof, monitored by the NYC Audubon. The roof now serves as a sanctuary for several species of birds, including a colony of herring gulls. Living roofs have since become popular in New York and other major cities, in an inversion of the decades-long practice of fortifying buildings with anti-bird spikes. In the Netherlands, the facade of the World Wildlife Fund headquarters, a futuristic structure that looks like an undulating blob of mercury, contains nest boxes and spaces for birds and bats to live.

The use of fritted glass has also become more common as a way to save the birds and energy.

Earlier this year, Azadeh Omidfar Sawyer, an assistant professor in building technology in the Carnegie Mellon School of Architecture, working with student researchers, used open-source software to help designers create bespoke, bird-friendly glass patterns. A book of 50 patterns that Sawyer published recently includes intricate geometric lattices and abstract arrays of lines and blobs. “Any architect can pick up this book and choose a pattern they like, or they can customize it,” she said.

Pictured: The fritted glass used in Studio Gang’s expansion of Kresge College at the University of California, Santa Cruz, depicts the animals in the local ecosystem.

Builders have also been experimenting with UV-printed patterns, which are invisible to humans but perceptible to most birds. At night, conservationists and architects are encouraging buildings turn off lights, especially during migration season, when the bright glow of a city skyline can disorient birds.

And architects are increasingly integrating screens or grates that provide shade as well as visibility for birds. The 52-floor New York Times building, for example, uses fritted glass clad with ceramic rods. The spacing between the rods increases toward the top of the building, to give the impression that the building is dissolving into the sky.

Gang’s work has incorporated structures that can also serve as blinds for birders, or perches from which to observe nature. A theater she designed in Glencoe, Illinois, for example, is surrounded by a walking path made of a wood lattice, where visitors can feel like they’re up in the canopy of trees.

Pictured: The Writers Theatre, designed by Studio Gang, includes a walking path encased in wood lattice.

Rejecting the idea of the iridescent, entirely mirrored-glass building, “where you can’t tell the difference between the habitat and the sky”, Gang aims for the opposite. “I always tried to make the buildings more visible with light and shadow and geometry, to have more of a solid presence,” she said.

Gang has been experimenting with adding bird feeders around her own home in an effort to reduce collisions with windows, and she encourages other homeowners to do the same.

“I’ve found that birds slow down and stop at feeders instead of trying to fly through the glass,” she said.

While high-rise buildings and massive urban projects receive the most attention, homes and low-rise buildings account for most bird collision deaths. “The huge challenge is that glass is everywhere.” said Christine Sheppard, who directs the glass collisions program at the American Bird Conservancy (ABC). “It’s hard to know what I know and not cringe when I look at it.”

Tips for improving your own home include using stained glass or patterned decals that can help birds see a window, she said. ABC has compiled a list of window treatments and materials, ranked by how bird-safe they are.

Whether they’re large or small, the challenge of designing buildings that are safe for birds can be “liberating”, said Gang, who has become an avid birdwatcher and now carries a pair of binoculars on her morning jogs. “It gives you another dimension to try to imagine.”"

-via The Guardian, December 27, 2023

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rebeccathenaturalist · 3 months

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Today is apparently ANGRY STABBY BIRB DAY.

I was taking a walk on the boardwalk out near Bolstadt in Long Beach, when I came across this western grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) stranded on the path ahead of me. It looked alert and uninjured, so chances were just that it couldn't take flight off of the hard surface, but I called Peninsula Wild Care anyway to see if they wanted to bring it in for a checkup.

They quickly coordinated a couple of volunteers to meet me nearby, and I needed to get the grebe out of the way since a lot of people walk their dogs there and not all of them are on leashes. I figured okay, this is a relatively small bird, not as big as the muscovies I've carted around on the farm, and it seems calm, right?

NOPE. As I tried to gently reach for the grebe it turned from a calm, if confused pile of feathers on the decking to Stabby McStabberson, and I very nearly got jabbed and nipped a few times by a long, pointy beak attached to a surprisingly agile and very much NOT happy bird. I ended up having to take my hoodie off and dropping it over the entire grebe, and only when the lights were out could I bundle it up and carry it over to the meeting place.

Since it was pretty energetic, not obviously sick or injured, and its body condition felt decent (at least through the hoodie) I'm hoping it's going to get released soon enough after a checkup and a nice meal of fish. Many waterbirds have a lot of trouble taking off from hard surfaces because their feet are so far back on their bodies--which is great for swimming and water takeoffs, but not so helpful on land. If the bird had stayed stranded there they could have been injured or killed by another animal, or ended up dehydrated.

So let's hear it for Stabby the Angry Grebe, and wish them a good release back into the wild!

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probablyasocialecologist · 10 months

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With about 45 million birds lost from UK skies in the past 50 years, Knott said there was both a moral and legal responsibility to help wildlife recover. “We need to find ways to welcome wildlife into our everyday lives whether those be towns, cities, or indeed rural areas and help them.” Tom Stewart, from the British Trust for Ornithology, agreed. “We shouldn’t think of birds as an enemy,” he said. “We should think of them as species that we have a responsibility to protect.” And that, said Knott, could bring benefits for people too. “We know that people that go and spend time in nature, have access to nature [or] rich green space, tend to live longer, healthier, happier lives,.” he said.

#conservation #birds #wildlife #I for one support an immediate ceasefire and armistice with our avian comrades

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wingedjewels · 3 months

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Azure-crowned Hummingbird by Adam Rainoff Via Flickr: In the lush environment of Villa Verde, nestled in the city of Gracias, Lempira, Honduras, I had the unique opportunity to photograph the Azure-crowned Hummingbird (Saucerottia cyanocephala). This image encapsulates the essence of this stunning bird, set against the vibrant backdrop of its natural habitat. The hummingbird, known for its dynamic presence and exquisite coloring, is highlighted in a moment of serene beauty. The challenge of capturing such a rapidly moving subject was met with a combination of patience and technical precision, resulting in a composition that balances sharp focus on the bird with a softly blurred background, emphasizing its striking features. From a photographic standpoint, this shot required a keen eye for detail and an understanding of the bird's behavior. The interplay of natural light and shadow brings out the intricate patterns and colors of the bird’s plumage, while the subtle hint of pollen on its beak adds depth to the story behind the image. This photograph is not just a visual record; it’s a celebration of the unique wildlife found in Central America, and a testament to the art of bird photography. ©2022 Adam Rainoff

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christinatravel · 1 month

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Bluebird's Sanctuary

Click on the image to see more landscape

#bluebird #birdwatching #wildlife #nature #nesting #tree #conservation #avian #outdoor #birds

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parveens-kitchen · 10 months

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Oriental Magpie Robin from my balcony

Also in the blog now: Small Batch BrowniesBlack and White birds from my balconyRose Ringed Parakeets from my balconyBreakfast plate dosai waffles sundal Check out my Instagram profile and highlights for more pics and recipes – @Fhareena #parveenskitchen #foodblogger

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transroadwarrior · 1 year

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Imagine, if you will, that you are a greater sage-grouse, that large and most noble of North America’s upland game birds. While there are certainly some fearsome predators that might make your life difficult, it is the middle of the cold, cold winter night, and golden eagles are likely roosting, while coyotes and bobcats are perhaps more liable to miss your scent in the snow or are themselves hunkered down from the frigid elements. Your thick, warm feathers are keeping you well-insulated as you huddle down into the snow under a large sagebrush. All is right with the world.

But then you hear a roaring in the distance. Well, that’s not too much of a concern, really. You’re not that far away from one of those weird ribbons of black and yellow that snake across the steppe, and also not far from one of those odd riverbed-looking features that wind into the hills. More than likely it’s just one of those large rolling creatures that speed along such things.

The roaring gets closer. A blinding light strafes you. Well, now that is odd, but sometimes there are bright lights in the sky. Such is the way of the world. You are hidden, and your hiding place is safe and warm. Certainly nothing with big bright lights has attacked you before. The roaring dies. There! No problem here.

But then, oh then, the roaring returns with a vengeance, coming ever nearer, the bright light is suddenly focused on you, twitching and holding your gaze. Louder and louder and brighter and brighter and then oh, oh! A bizarre creature leaps from behind the light and a gigantic web of fibrous material is closing over you and you are pinned to the snow even as you try to escape, far too late. And that being is holding you down.

It is tall, taller perhaps even than the sagebrush around you, and taller than a coyote or an eagle. It is puffy, its exterior hiding many features and rustling like leaves in the wind. Two of its appendages grasp you as another of the beasts falls on you, and grasps you as well. They make odd noises at each other as your eyes slowly adjust to the light. You must escape! You struggle and attempt to flap and maybe you get a wing out or maybe not, but even if you do, it is soon re-folded to your body and then a black nothing comes over your eyes and head. You freeze. What does this mean? The creatures still hold you, and they are doing something strange. Putting something over your body, securing it around your legs. What an odd sensation! The thing sits low on your back and is cinched tight. After a few more manipulations, they hold up some sort of shiny stick to your legs, beak, and wings, and then secure another odd thing around your leg. You are stuffed in a sack and hung suspended in the air for a brief moment.

And just like that, it’s over. Their grasp on you releases, and you stare around wildly for a second before running and the flapping away, adjusting quickly to the odd additions that the being made to you. Honestly, the audacity. Time to find a new bush to rest under, thank you very much. Perhaps a good rest will wash away this weirdness.

Anyway, sage-grouse trapping has gotta be wild from a grouse’s perspective

#greater sage-grouse #avian ecology #conservation ecology #fieldwork #stories

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firebeetlefables · 2 years

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HAPPY AVIAN AUGUST!!!

So, I heard Avian August existsTM the other day and as an amateur birdwatcher and lover of all those funky little guys, I thought I’d throw together a post listing some of my favorite birding apps, websites, and books!!!

1. THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY

Website: https://www.audubon.org/

App: https://www.audubon.org/app

Hardcover books from Thriftbooks (U.S birds): https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-audubon-society-field-guide-to-birding/13733264/vintage/?vid=739862108&gclid=Cj0KCQjwuaiXBhCCARIsAKZLt3mcEKLtGgjVw2uoTDSHtbvxYOi4J9FAxl2TeKwl8Ua7rxpjx6GFnAYaAgn1EALw_wcB

DONATE LINK: https://act.audubon.org/a/donate?ms=digital-fund-web-website_nas-topmenu_donate_202107&_gl=1*s6v9yu*_ga*ODk4NzE4MDE3LjE2NTk1NDg1MDM.*_ga_X2XNL2MWTT*MTY1OTU0ODUwMy4xLjEuMTY1OTU0ODczNC4zOQ..

The Audubon Society is a FANTASTIC birding, education, and conservation organization that focuses on the conservation of not only the birds but every creature on earth. They do amazing work for diversity and equity on the human side of things, too!!! For artists, their app is FREE and contains photos of hundreds of birds!!!

2. CORNELL LABS RESOURCES

Cornell Labs dept. Of Ornithology website: https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/

“All About Birds” page of their website: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/?_gl=1%2A1o0j52%2A_ga%2ANzIzODYwMjQzLjE2NTgyNDU0NjU.%2A_ga_QR4NVXZ8BM%2AMTY1OTU0OTI1OC4zLjEuMTY1OTU0OTMzOC42MA..#_ga=2.214611415.1953545901.1659549259-723860243.1658245465

Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Labs website (has mobile app): https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

eBird by Cornell Labs website (has mobile app): https://ebird.org/home

DONATE LINK: https://give.birds.cornell.edu/page/87895/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=WEB&utm_source=BCE&utm_medium=Website&utm_campaign=Evergreen-Appeal&utm_content=home-page&_gl=1*1rjzpll*_ga*NzIzODYwMjQzLjE2NTgyNDU0NjU.*_ga_QR4NVXZ8BM*MTY1OTU0OTI1OC4zLjEuMTY1OTU0OTMwOC4xMA..#_ga=2.214611415.1953545901.1659549259-723860243.1658245465

Cornell Labs is a PHENOMENAL resource for birdwatchers and artists alike. Based out of Cornell University, not only do they focus on conservation, education, and identification, their eBird app allows YOU to participate in their research through citizen’s science! You can log a time, a location, and share what birds you saw during your birdwatching session, which helps scientists know who’s in the area and when!!!

3. SIBLEY GUIDES

Sibley homepage: https://www.sibleyguides.com/

Sibley guides, paper copies: https://www.sibleyguides.com/product-category/books/

Sibley Birds v2 app: https://www.sibleyguides.com/product/sibley-birds-v2-app/

Song Sleuth: https://www.sibleyguides.com/product/song-sleuth/

David Allen Sibley is an illustrator and ornithologist, and his GORGEOUS illustrations hold a special place in my heart, as his guide was my first! His app is a little pricey as are his books, but IMO if you have the dough it's well worth the purchase. The song sleuth app helps identify birdsongs and is FREE!

Additionally, the NatGeo book on birds is great! That can be found on the Audubon shop, linked below.

NATGEO GUIDE: https://www.theaudubonshop.com/product/national-geographic-field-guide-to-birds-of-north-america-seventh-edition/

AUDUBON SHOP: BOOKS AND FIELD GUIDES: https://www.theaudubonshop.com/product-category/books-field-guides/

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chrismilliganphoto · 2 years

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Nothing catches the eye quite like a Scarlet Macaw sweeping over the jungle canopy. These incredible birds are the subject of my latest blog post - see bio for details. ** Nada llama la atención como una ara volando sobre la jungla. Estas increíbles aves son en mi última publicación en el blog; consulte la biografía para obtener más detalles. @macawbirdwatching @costaricabirdingjourneys @_macaws @rainforestalliance #scarletmacaw #macaw #red #scarlet #birds #avian #avefauna #ara #conservation #costarica #costarican #puravida #wildlife #wild #nature #jungle #rainforestanimals #rainforest #carara #parquenacionalcarara #puntarenas #chrismilliganphoto #stopclearcutting https://www.instagram.com/p/ChhA6vguT58/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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tiktokparrot · 19 hours

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Protect your feathered friend from silent killers in your home! Learn how to safeguard your bird from toxic fumes and create a safe haven. Read now and breathe easy!

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delicatelysublimeforester · 1 day

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Urgent Call To Action. Deadline Monday Apr 13 at 5 pm for the Upcoming SEAC meeting

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scientificinquirer-blog · 12 days

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DAILY DOSE: H5N1 Bird Flu Infects Dairy Cattle, Concerns Rise; Chinese Covid Researcher Kicked Out of Lab.

H5N1 BIRD FLU INFECTS COWS, SHOCKS SCIENTISTS WORLDWIDE The recent discovery that the H5N1 bird flu virus, historically known for its impact on poultry, has infected dairy cattle has surprised scientists and raised significant concerns. Unlike in birds, the virus primarily targets the mammary glands of cows, leading to severe implications for dairy farming. The mode of transmission among cows is…

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#Africa #Asia #Australia #avian influenza #cancer #CAR-T #conservation #environment #Europe #Featured #influenza #North America #politics #South America

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everythingaboutbirds · 9 months

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#Bird Migration Routes #Avian Journeys #Birdwatching Adventures #Discover USA Birds #Ornithology Exploration #Bird Species Migration #Nature Travel #Birding Hotspots #Wildlife Migration #Bird Conservation #backyard birds #birdwatching #birdphotography #birds #birding #ornithology #birdlovers #bird

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gelastocoridae · 9 months

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Digging through my bird guide books to help myself identify the group of little gray birds I briefly saw in Littleton and I accidentally find out the reason we haven't seen any cliff swallows at the wildlife rehab this year (they're adorable, we had plenty last summer) is because the nonstop cooler rainstorms and flash floods have likely starved their babies to death :((((

I've been theorizing the constant rainstorms and resulting swarms of mosquitoes/massively increased bug spray usage/sparse and late flower blooming were the reason for the dozens of hummingbirds we've gotten, many of which seemingly developed new neurological symptoms and passed away without explanation (developmental problems from contaminated insects, runoff, and nectar plus lack of flowers -> parents abandon the babies -> good Samaritans bring the doomed babies to us?). Plus other strange things like fledgelings going into torpor in random places in the daytime and dying from starvation.

We've had to deal with an insane amount of parasite bugs on our birds this summer, too. Countless birds of all ages absolutely infested with mites. Dozens and dozens of birds with flatflies, which most of us had never seen before, but now live in constant fear of carrying them like ticks to our pet birdies at home or finding them on the other animals in our care because they're so damn fast you blink and you'll never see them again (this is a Diptera hate blog for good reason).

I wonder whether the reason we've gotten more of some less common species is because they're also getting desperate from the storms and finding trouble instead of food/safe nesting areas. Most of the ones whose rescuers didn't try to keep them at least healed and were able to return to the wild. I hope they are wiser for it and survive to breed another year.

It would really suck if this summer's freak weather seriously impacts these and other bird populations in their winter homes. I'm kind of dreading next summer already ;-; here's to hoping the species diversity of our baby birds doesn't crash next year.

#for once there are no crazy wildfires in this state and for once the temp has mostly stayed below 100° but the one brief heat wave between #neverending series of storms killed off a lot of plant growth. west nile virus is getting pretty bad. and now the birds are dying #i mean they were already tangoing with avian influenza pandemic cant they get a break?#climate change amiright #ill actually bet this is due to the devastating wildfires in canada drifting smoke down the Rockies #the stormclouds forming from the hot heavy smoke. the air quality on the colorado front range is so awful despite the amount of rain #it hailed in random patches yesterday #maybe its not even the deet but whatevers in the canada ash in the water hurting the hummingbirds #yeesh. the wildlife will sure tell you when something is very wrong if youre listening #ornithology #birds #wildlife rehabilitation #science #zoology #ecology #conservation

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wingedjewels · 4 months

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flickr

Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird by Adam Rainoff Via Flickr: In the serene setting of Villa Verde, near the entrance of Celaque National Park in Honduras, I had the privilege of photographing the Sparkling-tailed Hummingbird (Tilmatura dupontii). The challenge of capturing this dynamic creature, known for its fleeting movements and stunning iridescent plumage, was an exhilarating experience. The bird's vibrant greens and blues stood out brilliantly against the lush backdrop, a testament to the rich biodiversity of the region. From a technical standpoint, this shot required a balance of patience and quick reflexes. I used a fast shutter speed to freeze the bird's rapid motion, coupled with a wide aperture to ensure a sharp focus on the hummingbird while softly blurring the background. This technique helped in highlighting the delicate details of the bird's feathers and its graceful poise. To fellow photographers, this image represents not just the beauty of wildlife photography, but also the satisfying challenge it presents in capturing nature's fleeting moments. ©2022 Adam Rainoff

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