Monthly Archives: February 2007

Endangered Whooping Cranes Killed In Florida Storms

by Amy Posted on 4 February 2007

“All 18 endangered young whooping cranes that were led south from Wisconsin last fall as part of a project to create a second migratory flock of the birds were killed in storms in Florida, a spokesman said.”

“The cranes were being kept in an enclosure at the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge near Crystal River, Florida, when violent storms moved in Thursday night, said Joe Duff, co-founder of Operation Migration, the organization coordinating the project.”

Read the full article on CNN.com.

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Posted in Endangered, North America | Leave a comment

Decline Of Large Birds In West African Sahel

by Amy Posted on 3 February 2007

The results of parallel surveys run in the same part of West Africa in 1971 and again in 2004 show an alarming decline in the large bird populations there.

Birds like Arabian Bustards and Lappet-faced Vultures were once numerous in the West African Sahel region, but are virtually extinct today. The ostrich used to be widespread in this area but now is extinct in Africa west of Chad.

The dramatic decline in vultures can be in part attributed to the near extinction of wild antelopes and gazelles in the region, as well as poisoning of predators and intensified use of farmed cattle.

The report which accompanies the survey urges immediate actions including reintroduction of the Ostrich to the area.

Read more about the decline of bird life in West Africa.

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Posted in Africa, Endangered | 3 Comments

Eurasian Sparrow-hawk Threatens Sparrows

by Amy Posted on 2 February 2007

The Eurasian Sparrow-hawk has settled in Amsterdam, and this has been bad news for House Sparrows. Ten years ago the sparrow population in Amsterdam was 40,000 birds. Today the number has fallen to around 5400, in large part due to the sparrow-hawks.

Eurasian Sparrow-hawks in Amsterdam find House Sparrows a tasty meal.

Researchers have been keeping track of the sparrow population in Amsterdam for the past two years. The hawks favor the sparrows over other similar birds, like Blue and Great Tits, because the sparrows tend to congregate in the same places over time and they tend to travel in groups. This makes them easier for the Sparrow-hawks to hunt.

Researchers recognized that one hawk could be responsible for up to 400 sparrow deaths in a season. Sparrow-hawks in turn are threatened by hawks in Dutch forests. Many have fled to the cities to feast on sparrows and avoid capture themselves.

The sparrow has been recognized as a threatened species in the Netherlands since 2004.

Source: Sperwer bedreigt huismus

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Bald Eagles Put On A Show In Indiana

by Amy Posted on 1 February 2007

The water level Starve Hollow Lake in southern Indiana is being lowered and Bald Eagles are showing up to take advantage of the easy fishing. The water level is being lowered to reduce the population of a nuisance fish in the lake.

As many as 17 individual eagles have been spotted on the lake at one time, meaning the area population is healthy at around 25 birds. Birdwatchers from the region have come to the lake to watch the Bald Eagles feasting on fish.

eagle pair 664
eagle pair 664 by pmbell64, Creative Commons on Flickr

The eagles are expected to stay in the area until February.

Read more about the Bald Eagles at Starve Hollow Lake.

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