News: Waterbirds & Waterfowl

[The Peregrine Chick]

Feel good story for a colder Friday ....

Team rescues Canada goose from icy pond

You will want to watch the video!!

This pond is from one of the constructed wetlands in one of the newer housing developments in Winnipeg.  The wetlands are constructed to act was stormwater systems but also work as wetlands cleaning the water and providing habitat for wildlife.  Interestingly, because it is a wetland with wetland vegetation in/around it rather than a pond with grass running to/near the water's edge, geese don't nest here - they move off to places where the vegetation is lower so they can see what might be coming to raid their nests.  These constructed wetlands are pretty neat actually, they are built usually before even the roads are installed so by the time the houses are being built, they are already doing their job to hold excess water and filter the water at the same time - so rarely are there algae blooms!  They also provide green spaces for residents, habitat for all sorts of wildlife - from the smallest water invertebrates to mammals of all sizes to a huge array of birds species.  They aren't mowed or cut back like more managed vegetation spaces rather they are "managed" with controlled burns every number of years to take out the accumulated old/dead vegetation which promotes healthy regeneration and prevents any particular plant species (including invasive species) from overwhelming the rest of the native plants which in turn helps keep the wetland healthy. 

As you can tell, I think these constructed wetlands in urban areas are kind of neat 

[carly]

Wow what an awesome sight to see!  Thank you for sharing that dupre501!

[dupre501]

'Goose Kindergarten' video goes viral
Dozens of Canada geese stopped traffic in Winnipeg, Manitoba this week.

In the video above two adult geese cross the road with dozens of goslings in tow. The footage was submitted to The Weather Network by Ed Solinske, and it's become a viral hit, racking up thousands of views.

The average Canada goose lays between 2 and 9 eggs each season but it isn't uncommon to see parents wandering the streets with two or three dozen goslings.

What you're seeing in the video above is referred to as a creche.

Canada geese will sometimes babysit, bringing goslings together in a kindergarten-style format.

Geese do this because there's safety in numbers. A group of goslings is far less vulnerable than one that's roaming solo.

It also frees up mature geese, allowing them to keep a protective eye over the entire flock.


https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/news/article/goose-kindergarten-video-goes-viral-creche

[The Peregrine Chick]

Third story today all looking at extinction events ... one is interesting but not really back from extinction, one is sad because we've let it get this far, maybe too far and the third, this one, a good news story, but with still a long way to go considering what caused their decline in the first place ...

Endangered bird returns to South Korea 40 years after extinction
John Sharman, The Independent / 22 May 2019



The endangered crested ibis has reportedly been reintroduced to South Korea 40 years after it went extinct in the Asian country.

Forty of the rare wading birds were bred in captivity before being released into the wild at Upo Wetland in South Gyeongsang province, southeast of Seoul, the Yonhap news agency reported. 

The last time a crested ibis was spotted on the Korean peninsula is believed to have been in 1979 when it was spotted in the demilitarised zone separating the south from North Korea.

The bird used to be a common sight until pesticide use reportedly damaged its food sources.

A designated national monument in South Korea, it is also seen in China and Japan.

The captive population in South Korea has now reached 363, according to the Agence France-Presse news agency.

The breeding programme began with a birds donated by Beijing.

In South Korea the crested ibis is linked to an eponymous popular children’s song, composed when Japan ruled the country.

source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/crested-ibis-south-korea-endangered-return-extinct-a8925846.html

[The Peregrine Chick]

British Isles populations of iconic curlew once hundreds of thousands strong ‘to vanish within a decade’
Phoebe Weston, The Independent / 3 June 2019



Curlews could be erased from their heartlands across the British Isles within a decade because of intensive farming, which is destroying their wetland habitats.

The British Isles used to be home to hundreds of thousands of the large wading birds, named after their haunting “cur-lee” call, but could soon be left with just fractured remnants of populations in northern England and Scotland.

There are now only 300 breeding pairs in southern England, 400 in Wales and 500 in Northern Ireland, while figures in the Republic of Ireland have dropped to 138, according to the latest research published in Wader Study.

If these trends continue, Dr James Pearce-Higgins, from the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), estimates that the birds could disappear from the British Isles entirely within the next 50-100 years.

“The populations are on a steady downward trajectory … On that basis, the future doesn’t look good,” he said.

In the Republic of Ireland the population has dropped by 96 per cent in 30 years. As recently as the 1980s, there were 12,000 pairs. 

To put that into perspective, this decline is equivalent to the population of the Republic of Ireland dropping from 4.8 million to 200,000. This collapse has happened in just one generation.

Lead author of the new study, Dr Barry O’Donoghue, from the National Parks and Wildlife Service in Ireland, told The Independent: “If you talk to anybody’s grandparents they’ll tell you that curlews were in almost every farm in Ireland. They will tell you the memories the curlew call brings back for them of working in the bogs or in the meadows.

“In contrast, you talk to their grandchildren and they might not have even heard of a curlew, let alone heard its beautiful call. We’re losing part of our cultural heritage as much as our natural heritage.”



Historically, the birds lived across marshes, heathland and farmland. In 1942 they were still so common you could buy them from UK butchers, and in Cornwall they were served up in pies.

Now they are on the Red List as being the highest conservation priority. “In areas such as Ireland, Northern Ireland, southern England and Wales curlews could go extinct in 10 years or so,” said Daniel Brown, senior conservation advisor at RSPB.

“It’s a really special bird and has been synonymous with the hills and valleys across the UK for hundreds of years. Lots of people want to keep it in the landscape,” said Mr Brown.

There are eight species of curlew in the world, two of which are already believed to be extinct. The survival of curlews in the British Isles is critical to global survival of the species, as it is home to 25 per cent of the world’s breeding population.

However, there are still signs of hope. Conservationists are working with landowners and community groups on grassroots projects to improve habitats.

Conservation programmes involving academics and stakeholders are being created up and down the British Isles.

“Time will tell if it’s enough, but there’s definitely a real energy and determination for those involved. We don’t want to lose the bird that has sculpted our lives for generations,” said Dr O’Donoghue.


source: https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/curlews-a8936031.html

[The Peregrine Chick]

Amazing to consider the chance of this happening once, let alone twice!

Bird that went extinct 136,000 years ago comes ‘back from the dead’ after evolving again
Andrew Griffin, The Independent / 10 May 2019

A bird that previously went extinct rose from the dead after it evolved all over again, scientists have found.

The last surviving flightless species of bird in the Indian Ocean, a type of rail, has actually been around before, the research found. It came back through a process called "iterative evolution", which saw it emerge twice over, the researchers found.

It means that on two separate occasions – tens of thousands of years apart – a species of rail was able to colonise an atoll called Aldabra. In both cases it eventually became flightless, and those birds from the latter time can still be found on the island now.

Iterative evolution happens when the same or similar structures evolve out of the same common ancestor, but at different times – meaning that the animal actually comes about twice over, completely separately.

This is the first time it has been seen in rails, and one of the most significant ever seen in a bird of any kind.

Read the rest of the article here - https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/bird-extinct-back-from-dead-madagascar-white-throated-rail-a8908211.html

PS - I've included on the Waterbirds Board because Rails are Waterbirds, even though this is a flightless one the size of a chicken.  Seemed wrong to include with the penguins and we don't really have a Flightless Bird Board ...

[The Peregrine Chick]

This is one of the coolest time-lapse videos I've seen recently ...

Stork nesting on Tower as wetland burns all around
https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/videos/gallery/wildfire-burns-behind-stork-who-has-nowhere-to-go-in-fascinating-video/sharevideo/6036710519001

(no worries, bird and nest are fine  )

[The Peregrine Chick]

So often birding stories are sad or bad ... this one, not so much 


image from the International Crane Foundation website


Return of injured Siberian crane celebrated ahead of World Migratory Bird Day
Source: Xinhua | 2018-10-14 23:51:06|Editor: Mu Xuequan

BEIJING, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) - Qiangsheng, a Siberian crane whose name literally means "surviving gunshots," is a critically endangered migratory bird species on the IUCN red list.  Nobody had expected that the bird, whose wings and leg were gravely damaged by poachers' bullets, could fly thousands of miles to the Arctic Siberia where the white cranes breed.  Its rescuers never expected Qiangsheng to return to China. But after a few months, it did.

On Wednesday, Qiangsheng was spotted on a monitor, and its tracker data showed that it had come back to the wetland of Xianghai National Nature Reserve in the northeastern province of Jilin, after spending the summer in the Siberian tundra.  "Qiangsheng flew out of the country on May 14, returned to China on Oct. 9 and arrived at Xianghai Reserve at noon on Oct. 10, basically following the same route there and back," said professor Zhou Haixiang, a veteran ornithologist and member of China's State Committee of UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB).

For the Chinese volunteers who have been battling the poachers, the coming back of Qiangsheng was inspiring news ahead of World Migratory Bird Day on Saturday, the second such day within the year.  Even better, Qiangsheng might have participated in breeding activity this year, analyzed an expert based on data collected near the species' breeding areas.

SURVIVING GUNSHOTS

In March this year, Zhou and his team of volunteers found Qiangsheng with three bullet wounds in the wetlands of Liaohe River, in northeastern Liaoning Province. Its life was hanging by a thread.  The volunteers rushed the bird to Shenyang Predatory Birds Rescue Center, where a four-hour surgery managed to remove the bullets and save its life.  Qiangsheng's wings were shattered and had a broken leg. The volunteers had to bundle together eight of its primary flight feathers to hold its wing in place.  To avoid secondary damage caused by stress responses, Qiangsheng was released into Huanzidong Wetland Reserve in Liaoning shortly after the surgery.

Considering the severity of its wounds, the volunteers thought Qiangsheng would stay at the feeding site for the summer. But after only 50 days of unassisted recovery, it took off with his flock towards the Arctic tundra.  "On May 13, a flock of white cranes departed from Huanzidong Wetland in Faku District, Liaoning, and began their migration. By 5 p.m., the flock flew west by our location in Momoge Wetland," wrote Zhou in his journal.  "Qiangsheng landed 10 km north of us," he wrote, calling it "the white crane whom the volunteers are worried about the most."  Not even the experienced expert had foreseen that the crane, which had barely escaped death, could fly more than 400 km in one day.

FIGHTING POACHING

In the same location that Qiangsheng was found this spring, three other cranes were poisoned by poachers, including one of the only two young chicks of the flock born last year.  The chick and another adult died before rescuers reached them. The other crane was saved and set free a few days later.  After receiving the volunteers' report, Liaoning forest police established a special task force to investigate into the case. A few days later, three suspects were detained.

On Sept. 25, volunteers in Tianjin, a northern port city and important layover site for avian migration, reported two illegal sheds where captured wild birds were forcedly fattened and sold for meat. Over 100,000 birds were found in captivity.  In a matter of days, a joint operative was launched by state and municipal authorities, in which 19,800 law enforcement officers and volunteers conducted inspections of 12,518 risk sites and businesses as of Oct. 4.

China is determined to establish an ecological "red line" by 2020 that will make certain regions protected. Many wildlife experts in China and abroad, including Zhou Haixiang, have urged that wetlands, as a crucial habitat for biodiversity, should be included in the redlined areas to be "under mandatory and rigorous protection."  China plays a fundamental part in the global avian protection given its geographical importance along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, one of the three major migration paths, experts said.

The Siberian crane, also known as white crane or snow crane, is one of the most threatened of the 15 cranes species remaining on Earth, with an estimated global population of 3,200 as of 2010 and a low reproductive rate.  Every year they fly to breed in the Arctic and spend the winter in warmer wetlands in Asia. They have one of the longest migrations among all cranes.  Their wintering site in Poyang in central China holds approximately 95 to 98 percent of the total population.

"May Qiangsheng fly free and prosper. May no harm ever be done to it or its kin," read a comment on the China Wildlife Conservancy Association's post on the crane's update in May.

source: http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-10/14/c_137532721.htm

[The Peregrine Chick]

Click on the photos of the tweet or the link below the tweet to go to the original posting if you want to see larger versions of the photos - they are worth taking a closer look at - all things we see in our own recycling or in the garbage - so a real think global act local moment (or I think so at least)

https://twitter.com/RobGMacfarlane/status/953632928097013760

[GCG]

CBC online reports of a Eurasian Crane in Churchill.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/blown-off-course-eurasian-crane-spotted-in-churchill-1.3104875

[Jazzerkins]

Absolutely precious!  I am so glad people stopped and helped them get to water. 

[Kinderchick]

Misplaced ducklings on Portage Ave. here in Winnipeg Tuesday afternoon. Great news story and video about them posted on the CBC website...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2013/06/05/mb-ducklings-cross-traffic-winnipeg.html

[Kinderchick]

Very interesting to read about The Great Crane Project in the UK. The egg is expected to hatch around May 25th if it is fertile. About the same hatching date as Princess & Ivy's date, I think.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Rare crane egg given 24-hour guard
The Guardian - 20 May 2013



The first common crane egg laid in western Britain for more than 400 years has been given a round-the-clock guard
full story - http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/may/20/rare-crane-egg-24-hour-guard


The cranes are Monty & Chris and are part of the Great Crane Project
http://www.thegreatcraneproject.org.uk/blogs/damon-bridge/fantastic-news-monty-and-chris-are-incubating

[The Peregrine Chick]

Video

Madagascar Pochard Saved From Extinction: Tyne And Wear Animal Manager On His Experience

http://tyneandwear.sky.com/news/video/17332/saving-a-species-one-ducklings-step-at-a-time

[The Peregrine Chick]

Nice flamingo story ... shows how it can be a delicate dance with some species ...

http://tyneandwear.sky.com/news/article/65932/frigid-flamingos-are-in-the-pink-after-adopting-five-hand-reared

here's a bit more

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-22400310

 

[The Peregrine Chick]

Cool research on animal symbiosis of the unlikely kind ...

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Beavers+help+nesting+geese+researchers+find/7961447/story.html

[Kinderchick]

All very interesting, jadoo and very sound advice from TPC... I didn't know that a goose had died while sitting on her nest last year. Do they know why this happened? And what happened with her eggs?

Okay, never mind about the last part of my post, concerning the goose and her eggs, jadoo. I just went back and re-read this thread where you have already posted about Mama Goose and her eggs. Sometimes hard to remember all the info and to keep it all straight.

[birdcamfan]

This is really great information to know. I wasn't aware of a lot of these rules. Thank you for keeping us out of jail!

[The Peregrine Chick]

Jadoo - you might want to suggest to your Building Services people that they contact Conservation now and ask if they can get permission to contact one of the wildlife rehab organizations if they can't get hold of a Manitoba Conservation (say on a weekend or in the case of an emergency) once the ducklings/goslings hatch and it looks like Mom is trying to get them off the roof.  Rehab organizations have some additional permit responsibilities and rights that might apply in this kind of situation.  I don't know if it will work, but it might be an option so long as: a) your Building Services folks don't disturb the birds until the Mom is trying to get them off (that's a violation of the federal legislation) and b) given that your building actually doesn't have anyway for the birds to get off.

It is not unusual for geese to nest high, higher than we think we would think safe - and they manage to get their kids safely to ground.  But sometimes that's just not the case.

Exclusion is always the best way to prevent occupation but your patios are too large to be able to exclude them.  Next option is to reduce the site's appeal.An option for next year is to see if an hourly run around your rooftop patios is a possibility by your Security Staff.  The geese are attracted to the fact that it seems safe from predators.  Security Staff would be seen as a predator so a slow walk around the patios hourly at the time that the geese are nesting - so April and May - could be enough to negate the appeal of the site.  Keep in mind that geese though ferocious at times are not like the peregrines - they aren't tied to nestsites or defending territories like the peregrines, they pretty much start fresh each year looking for a safe site though they may return to the previous year's site as a starting point.  And you avoid the potential for being found in violation of federal legislation entirely.

Just a suggestion ...  

[jadoo]

Glad to hear there there is a rescue plan in place, on the off chance that the eggs do hatch, jadoo. Is Mama Goose stilll incubating? Also, what exactly did happen last year? How exactly were migratory waterfowl interfered with, to the extent that fines could have been issued? You may have mentioned this before, but I don't recall.

...well, last year, the mama goose died, sitting on the nest...building services got special permission from conservation to remove the remains, but not to do anything about the nest.  now, that part had nothing to do with the fine potential - on the other side of the building, on a different roof, a duck had built her nest, and sometime after the goose died, the 8 ducklings hatched.  Mama duck led them off of the roof. but instead of ending up on the ground 3 stories below, they ended up on one of our 3rd floor patios (walls on all 4 sides, but no roof.  the walls were WAY too high for the ducklings to get out, so conservation was called again, but it was in the middle of the weekend, and building services couldn't get hold of anyone there.  so the decision was made (I don't know who made it) to rescue the ducklings off of the patio and get them down to ground level, which was successfully accomplished  (i'm tired - were those last words redundant?)   Anyway, that constitutes interfering with migratory waterfowl, so they could have been fined up to $5000 per duckling (hence the $40,000 figure), but they weren't, so now they are especially careful.

[Kinderchick]

...they have been in contact with conservation (they were told last year, after the duckling rescue - that they could have been fined up to $30,000 for that incident - $5,000 per duckling - for interfereing with migratory waterfowl) and they have been keeping a close eye on the situation.  If, by some strange happenstance, any eggs do hatch, they will contact conservation about what, if anything, to do in that situation...so, yes - there is a plan...

Glad to hear there there is a rescue plan in place, on the off chance that the eggs do hatch, jadoo. Is Mama Goose stilll incubating? Also, what exactly did happen last year? How exactly were migratory waterfowl interfered with, to the extent that fines could have been issued? You may have mentioned this before, but I don't recall.

[jadoo]

...and, as I predicted, I got a very friendly phone call from the supervisor of the building services, who is pretty surprised by how many people are interested in this...anyway, the eggs should have hatched (by their estimation) about 10 days ago, so they are thinking that none of these eggs are viable, but they are going to keep watch just in case  - they believe this is a young (1st time) pair, and this same goose had a nest on the other side of the building, which she abandoned earlier this year...they have been in contact with conservation (they were told last year, after the duckling rescue - that they could have been fined up to $30,000 for that incident - $5,000 per duckling - for interfereing with migratory waterfowl) and they have been keeping a close eye on the situation.  If, by some strange happenstance, any eggs do hatch, they will contact conservation about what, if anything, to do in that situation...so, yes - there is a plan...

[jadoo]

Wow! That could be rather problematic when the goslings hatch, jadoo. Is anyone concerned about this? How will the parents get their goslings off the roof when they hatch? Is there a rescue plan?

...no idea - so, despite the ever-present danger (not really) of being slapped down for asking questions that are none of my business, I have emailed building services to ask them if there is a plan...(really, just kidding about the slap down - everybody at hydro is always very friendly...)

[Kinderchick]

Wow! That could be rather problematic when the goslings hatch, jadoo. Is anyone concerned about this? How will the parents get their goslings off the roof when they hatch? Is there a rescue plan?

[jadoo]

...hey Kinderchick, just to let you know, I've been watching the goose on our 3rd floor green roof - she is still on her nest, male still keeping a close eye out for any danger...today, there are some window cleaners using the ledge nearest the nest as their staging area...the goose moved off the eggs when they first showed up, but resumed her place soon after, when the male came in closer (I guess she felt like her backup was right there)...the window cleaners just finished re-setting themselves, and although she appeared startled off the nest for a minute or two, it looks like the geese have decided these particular humans are no threat, so she is back on the eggs again...(BTW, the blinking solar lights they set up to discourage them from nesting in the area?  The goose made her nest right beside one of them...)  (THAT sure worked...)   

[jadoo]

So are you saying that you had a nesting goose last year as well as a mother duck and ducklings, up there on the Hydro  garden roofs, jadoo? I didn't remember that. Maybe I'm the one who got mixed up. I thought I remembered there was a nesting goose but didn't remember the ducks. Boy, that really could become a problem. Or Hydro may need to think about building ponds up there.

...i knew about the goose when she was just settling onto her brand new nest and eggs; i came back after the weekend to find out she was dead, still on the nest.  i don't know why she died, and i don't think anybody does, the body was removed a couple of days later;  the eggs never hatched, of course...but i didn't know about the duck until i read about the rescue in our company newsletter - she was nesting on one of the green roofs on the other side of the building from me...

[allikat]

Not sure if this has been done or thought of yet...all it takes is one individual to take action and make his or her voice heard, then the word is spread for people to be on alert and perhaps aid in a potentially dangerous situation for a nesting duck or goose. 

[Kinderchick]

So are you saying that you had a nesting goose last year as well as a mother duck and ducklings, up there on the Hydro  garden roofs, jadoo? I didn't remember that. Maybe I'm the one who got mixed up. I thought I remembered there was a nesting goose but didn't remember the ducks. Boy, that really could become a problem. Or Hydro may need to think about building ponds up there.

[jadoo]

...looking out my window this morning in the dark, checking out the lights on the green roof - I can't see these things giving any geese pause, considering how many other lights are around here - they aren't very bright at all, however, perhaps much more clever minds than mine are at work here...in todays Free Press, they mention the lights, and also mention that we had a duck nesting on one of the roofs last year, but said that none of the ducklings survived, due to no nearby water or ponds for them.  However, on June 9/11, we had this article in the hydro newsletter:

Last Friday afternoon, Corporate Facilities received a call that a mother duck and her ducklings had suddenly appeared on the second floor outdoor terrace at 360 Portage Avenue.

It’s suspected that the ducklings, which couldn’t yet fly, actually fell from the third floor prairie grass rooftop. Aside from the high winds that were swirling them around on the deck, they were very resilient. Along with a little help from a few employees,  the tiny ducklings managed to huddle with their mother in a corner which was blocked from the wind.

Because it was late Friday afternoon, none of the wildlife centres that deal with these situations were available to take action. Recognizing that the ducklings would not survive the weekend if left as they were, two employees with assistance from security captured the mother duck and her ducklings. The family of 10 was taken to Waterfront Drive where they waddled down to the river and swam away — all in all without too many ruffled feathers.

...perhaps the Free Press got these guys mixed up with the nesting goose who died on her nest very early in the nesting season - none of her eggs hatched, of course...

[Kinderchick]

Well, I guess it is a good thing to keep the geese from nesting way up there again this year. No water for Mama Goose to lead her goslings to, once they hatch and it could be rather dangerous for them.

[jadoo]

...doubtful - i don't think the lights are that bright, and the only nearby apt complex i can think of is the one behind portage place - our green roofs are all on the third floor, so they aren't that high up, and would probably be blocked by the surrounding buildings.  I doubt the lights are retina-burners, anyway, they are solar powered...

[Kinderchick]

"... new lights installed on the green roofs at Manitoba Hydro Place this week to discourage geese and ducks from nesting. The intermittent flash from the solar powered light interrupts the fowls sleep...

Very interesting, jadoo. I wonder if the flashing lights will disturb the sleep of any of the human residents in nearby apt. complexes?

[jadoo]

...story in the Manitoba Hydro in-house news...

"... new lights installed on the green roofs at Manitoba Hydro Place this week to discourage geese and ducks from nesting. The intermittent flash from the solar powered light interrupts the fowls sleep. The building’s four green roofs each have two lights.
Previously, birds have attempted to nest on the building which has not been suitable for them."

...we shall see if blinking lights are enough to keep determined Canada Geese away from the area...

[Kinderchick]

I actually cheered in my car on my way to school this morning when I saw my 1st pair of geese standing in a nearby park!  

[Rose]

Some of the local geese are back, saw a pair on the ice of the pond just south of Richmond avenue and two small flocks (8 to 10 in each flock) flying low around this area.The snow is almost all gone in this area.

[pmg]

We saw and heard geese yesterday too, sitting outside and trying to not get a sunburn

[msdolittle]

That explains the geese I heard yesterday!

[The Peregrine Chick]

Not a new story but still news - the geese and some ducks are back at OHM - skating rather than swimming but given that we are suppose to hit double digits in the next couple of days they will be swimming soon enough!

[The Peregrine Chick]

Child Abuse in Birds: Study Documents 'Cycle of Violence' in Nature

Science Daily (Oct. 3, 2011)

For one species of seabird in the Galápagos, the child abuse "cycle of violence" found in humans plays out in the wild.

The new study of Nazca boobies by Wake Forest University researchers provides the first evidence from the animal world showing those who are abused when they are young often grow up to be abusers. The study appears in the October issue of the ornithology journal, The Auk.

"We were surprised by the intense interest that many adults show in unrelated young, involving really rough treatment," said Wake Forest Professor of Biology Dave Anderson, who led the study with Wake Forest graduate student Martina Müller. "A bird's history as a target of abuse proved to be a strong predictor of its adult behavior."

In Nazca boobies, traumatic abuse of developing young significantly increases the chances those maltreated individuals will exhibit the same maltreatment later in life as adults, Müller said. She is now at the University of Groeningen in the Netherlands.

The ocean-going seabirds live in colonies in the Galápagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador. Among Nazca boobies, victimization by adults on other birds' chicks is widespread. They raise solitary nestlings on the ground and frequently leave their offspring unattended while foraging at sea. So, there is much opportunity for adult birds to bully and beat up neighbor nestlings.

The abusive adults patrol the breeding colony, searching for unguarded chicks. They frequently bite and peck the chicks, and even make sexual advances, sometimes leaving the chicks bleeding and stressed. Female adults show more aggressive behavior than males do, on average.

The young birds nest years later in the colony where they were born, making them ideal models for studying the effects of "chick" abuse on lifelong behavior.

The researchers collected data during three breeding seasons documenting which nestlings suffered abuse or neglect, then several years later evaluated their behavior as adults in the same colony. They tracked the birds and identified them using leg bands.

The findings shed important light on animal behavior. "This is not some contrived experimental situation with freaked out captive animals. This is an animal in a natural situation experiencing natural stressors when young. And, the outcome is their behavior later is influenced by the social stress they experienced," Anderson said. "As we determine how similar the physiology of this response is to the human situation, we may find opportunities for research on this stress response that are not possible to do with humans."

Co-authors on the study included Wake Forest graduate students Elaine T. Porter, Jacquelyn K. Grace, Jill A. Awkerman, and Mark A. Westbrock and technicians Kevin T. Birchler, Alex R. Gunderson, and Eric G. Schneider.

The Wake Forest team of researchers is already exploring physiological responses to abuse and have found a dramatic increase in corticosterone, the primary avian stress hormone, after a chick has experienced abuse. The surge in stress hormone may influence adult bird behavior. The study, led by doctoral student Jacquelyn Grace, was published recently in the journal, Hormones and Behavior.

"It's fascinating that what many would consider an extremely complex human phenomenon is also occurring -- perhaps through the same physiological mechanism -- in Nazca boobies, which are more closely related to crocodiles than mammals," Grace said. "Both studies suggest Nazca boobies might be a good model system to begin understanding the mechanisms underlying the cycle of violence in humans."


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003132454.htm

[allikat]

Thank you for posting this Tracy!  

Wooping Cranes are absolutely magnificant birds to watch!  I call them graceful wings of the sky!  

Sometimes, it just feels like we can never do enough.

[The Peregrine Chick]

The Green Page: Researchers concerned as whooping cranes still flying through oilsands
Bob Weber, The Canadian Press  - 10 July 2011 - Winnipeg Free Press
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/greenpage/125308823.html

Oilsands threatens whooping cranes: endangered birds migrate through Alberta region, data shows
Bob Weber, The Canadian Press - 12 July 2011 - Winnipeg Free Press
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/oilsands-threatens-whooping-cranes-report-125398948.html

[pmg]

Bid to save sandpiper at risk of extinction in Russia

an interesting article from the BBC - http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/13627796

[Ellie]

Just thinking....could a peregrine have taken the idea that this goose was an intruder and much too close?  If they take ducks for food .........possibly a nesting goose??

[The Peregrine Chick]

Stop panicking about the City - they have an anti-poison policy for wildlife problems - the City has consulted us about using poisons and other toxicants in the downtown area.

And we try to keep in touch with private pest control companies to keep them up to date on the peregrines and many of them prefer not to use poison as it is just too difficult to be absolutely sure nothing will happen.  And besides, it doesn't solve the problem - kill the <insert species name here> and more move in because now there is a space for them in the environment.

[msdolittle]

that wouldn't be good either.  If a peregrine eats a pigeon that it'self has just eaton Pigeon poisen .....

[jadoo]

...no need to worry now, I guess you missed the previous postings - the female goose died, and the nest has been abandoned...maybe next year...

[Linder]

I thank you for your explanation, but I still have a problem with how they plan to get these goslings from the 3rd floor from the MB Hydro bldg to the nearest river with the parents in tow. Sounds like a very difficult thing to do. Maybe they should put a swimming pool up there until the goslings are ready to fly.   

[The Peregrine Chick]

Yes I agree does seem unusual. Someone said they are good nest sites. I thought once the eggs hatch, the mother wants to lead them to water. This is fine if they can waddle to the water but they definitely can't do it from a roof top. 

There are Canada Geese that nest on the roof at Oak Hammock and the building management lay out multiple little ramps to help them work their way down to the ground.  When they have nested in other higher-than-ground level situations sometimes they just jump (like from the haystack goose in Alberta a couple of years ago - or heck woodducks do it on purpose) - depending on the surface at the bottom, the chicks can bounce quite successfully.  On even higher locations, building managers or wildlife managers risk the parents ire to scoop up the goslings and their parents and taken them down by stair or elevator - that kind of egress is a bit hairy for everyone involved but quick and effective when done by folks that know what they are doing.  I don't the spot they were nesting on this year (not at all) so I can't propose possible scenarios, I can just tell you a couple I know have been done elsewhere.

[Linder]

Yes I agree does seem unusual. Someone said they are good nest sites. I thought once the eggs hatch, the mother wants to lead them to water. This is fine if they can waddle to the water but they definitely can't do it from a roof top. 

[Pam]

Seems unusual, doesn't it? 

[Doreen]

Very sad. 

[susha]

Awww So sad

[Kinderchick]

...sad news...got to work this morning to find out that the female goose died sometime this weekend, apparently it was just lying there on the eggs, not moving...

Sorry to hear that, jadoo.

[jadoo]

...very; but these are probably pretty good nest sites - i wouldn't be surprised if this happens again next year (hopefully without the death of the sitting female)...and I have to wonder about the goose on the top of the Boyd building...also, these were not the only low-flying geese I've seen around downtown winnipeg, who know's what might be on some of the other roofs...

[birdcamfan]

Isn't that a strange ending?

[jadoo]

...sad news...got to work this morning to find out that the female goose died sometime this weekend, apparently it was just lying there on the eggs, not moving;  the body was apparently removed yesterday, and the nest is still sitting there with the eggs, looking all forlorn...no word on how the bird died;  there is a goose hanging out on the roof of the Boyd building - don't know if it's the male for this nest, or if there is something else going on on the Boyd building, but now we'll never know how the chicks were going to make it to the river...sigh...

[sami]

...I'm kinda wondering how they'll get down off the 3rd floor roof...

Jump  

Only if they get fitted with a parachute first, please.

[des]

...I'm kinda wondering how they'll get down off the 3rd floor roof...

Jump  

Yikes - no photos please!

[photosbydennis]

...I'm kinda wondering how they'll get down off the 3rd floor roof...

Jump  

[allikat]

Sometimes, humans just need to lend a helping hand when required!  
In this situation, calling Fort Whyte or Oak Hammock Marsh would be a good thing!
Whatever "we" can do to help!

[Helen b]

will be interesting I have heard of different ways of gettign ducks to the river but from the 3rd floor.  Maybe they can put a little pool up there for them until they are biger adn can be captured adn set free.

[Pam]

One of my coworkers had a goose in a tree in her yard.....strange goose-goings-on this year!

[msdolittle]

i had taken a picture of a goose that was sitting on the hydro building last week on portage ...who knew they were nesting there

[Kinderchick]

Yikes! I wonder if these are the same geese I saw perched on the guard rail in between the traffic when I was driving over the Provencher Bridge the other day?! It was very strange to see this.

[jadoo]

Not to mention pedestrians in the area!!!  Its a long walk to the river, may need a fledgewatch all its own to herd them down the streets to the Assiniboine ...

...unless they decide to go right down Portage Ave to the Red...(yikes)...

[jadoo]

...I'm kinda wondering how they'll get down off the 3rd floor roof...

[The Peregrine Chick]

Not to mention pedestrians in the area!!!  Its a long walk to the river, may need a fledgewatch all its own to herd them down the streets to the Assiniboine ...

[jadoo]

There is a Canada goose nesting at the Hydro Building in downtown Winnipeg - the building has "green" roofs and a pair of Canada geese have been seen sticking around the area for a week or so, chasing off any crows landing in their vicinity...well, the mom has been observed nesting on the northwest green roof, 3 floors up.  Don't know where dad is, but i suspect he's lurking nearby.  I bet the moving of the chicks once (or, if) they hatch will be interesting...

[Kinderchick]

Devotion rather than emotion seems to be driving the buck.
"The deer and the goose are not in love,” Thomas said.

LOL! Great story, TPC. Thanks for posting.

[The Peregrine Chick]

Another gem from Loriann (and the Toronto Sun) ...

Deer stands guard over goose nest in cemetery

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A deer has been standing watch for several days over a female goose nesting in a city cemetery, a scene normally reserved for a children’s movie.

“People always want to turn it into a Disney story and in this case it’s not far off,” said Gina Browning, director of the Erie County SPCA.

For at least four days, the buck stood guard near the nest of a Canada goose as she sits on her eggs inside a large urn at Forest Lawn cemetery, home to the remains of President Millard Fillmore and rock icon Rick James.

“He does appear to be guarding the goose, as it were,” Erie County SPCA Wildlife Administrator Joel Thomas said. “He’s within touching distance of her — there’s no doubt what’s going on.”

The deer, which he said looks like a buck that has shed its antlers, has not strayed from his post. Employees at the cemetery were alerted to the situation after the animal positioned itself between the bird and an employee of a company that traps and relocates geese, which Thomas said have become a messy problem in large numbers.

“When he approached the bird with a net, the deer puts itself between him and the bird, and he’s repeated that behavior for some time,” he said.

Typically positioning himself broadside to any car or passerby who comes near the nest, the deer stares intently until the potential aggressor moves on, he said.  Why exactly the deer has chosen to champion a bird of a different feather is a complicated question, Thomas said. While interdependence among species in the wild is not unheard of, Thomas said whatever is causing this animal kingdom alliance is anybody’s guess.

“From a human standpoint we can fill in a lot of blanks but it doesn’t mean we’re right,” he said. “Does he know she’s nesting? I don’t know. Is he going to leave when the chicks hatch? I don’t know.”

One thing is clear: It could go on for some time.

The gestation period for a Canada goose is up to 31 days, Thomas said, with the nesting season only just beginning. While normally both the male and female share the task of keeping the eggs warm, the expectant mother at Forest Lawn appears not to have that luxury.

“If the deer is determined, he’s going to be on the job for at least three weeks,” Thomas said.

Devotion rather than emotion seems to be driving the buck.

"The deer and the goose are not in love,” Thomas said.

http://www.torontosun.com/news/weird/2011/04/08/17921931.html

[The Peregrine Chick]

New Seabird Discovered In Chile

A new species of seabird has been hiding in plain sight in coastal Chile.

The small black-and-white bird had been spotted by birders for years, but was only recently recognized as a new species of storm petrel, the first new species of seabird in 55 years, the Los Angeles Times reported.

A new petrel hadn't been spotted in 89 years, Peter Harrison, an ornithologist, told the Los Angeles Times. Harrison is the author of "Seabirds: A Complete Guide to the Seabirds of the World." (Stackpole Books, 1997)

"If we had won the lottery, we could not feel better," Harrison told the Los Angeles Times. The announcement was made at a recent ceremony held by the San Diego Bird Festival/Audubon California Assembly in San Diego.

Harrison may have been the first to photograph the seabird species, back in 1983. He had seen the bird occasionally through the years, but always grouped it with a similar looking storm petrel species.

Harrison said there are thousands of these storm petrels along this stretch of the Chilean coast. Yet they haven't been noticed by all the ships coming and going from the port. Charles Darwin even missed them when he surveyed the area.

Researchers are analyzing blood and feather samples to learn about the birds' migration and breeding, and to further characterize the seabird as a new species. Storm petrels, 22 species in all, are called "the ballerinas of the sea." They seem to dance on water with their webbed-feet.

The new discovery was made in Puerto Montt, Chile.


http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/new-sea-bird-discovered-110323-1287/

[carly]

Oldest Whimbrel Recorded in Shetland

A whimbrel ringed on a Shetland island almost a quarter of a century ago is now believed to be the world's oldest, RSPB Scotland has said.  The bird was ringed on Fetlar in 1986 and has now been identified breeding on the same island.

RSPB Scotland said it was believed to be the oldest surviving ringed whimbrel in the world, more than doubling the typical 11-year lifespan. The previous oldest 16-year-old was shot in France in 1995.

Dr Murray Grant, principal conservation scientist with RSPB Scotland, said: "I first came across this bird 24 years ago during my PhD research on whimbrel in Shetland.

"It was probably at least two or three years old then, as that's when these birds normally start breeding, so it is a great surprise to learn that it is still revisiting Fetlar after so long."  

However he explained: "My pleasure at learning of this record-breaking whimbrel is tempered by the fact that we've only found it because of our research into their population decline on Shetland. When I first encountered this bird there were some 80 pairs of whimbrel breeding on Fetlar, now there are probably fewer than 25. Sadly, it seems that this level of decline is typical of the rest of Shetland, which holds a vast majority of the UK population."

RSPB Scotland has initiated new research on the species. Dr Grant said: "The UK population looks like it may have declined by up to 50% in the last 20 years. "The reasons for these very rapid decreases aren't clear but we hope that our study of the species, which has started this year, will help us understand the difficulties they face.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-11435139

[The Peregrine Chick]

Rare ducks stolen from Washington Wetlands Centre (UK)


Only about 10,000 Philippine ducks are thought to remain worldwide Eleven endangered ducks have been stolen from Washington Wetlands Centre.

The rare Philippine ducks were taken from the bird sanctuary at the centre, near Sunderland.  The break-in was reported to police on Bank Holiday Monday but officers say the ducks could have been stolen up to 11 days earlier. The birds have a mostly black and chestnut head with a greyish-brown body. Police are appealing for information.

Neighbourhood beat manager Pc Richard O'Sullivan said: "We'd urge anyone with any information about the whereabouts of the ducks and who is responsible for stealing them to call the police."

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources there are only about 10,000 Philippine ducks left in the world because of over-hunting and the loss of wetland habitats.

'Sought after'
 
Washington Wetland Centre marketing manager Leanne McCormella said: "We are devastated by the loss of these beautiful birds, which were a notable breeding success for WWT Washington this year.

"Different species become valuable to private collectors at different times and Philippine ducks, which are part of the mallard family, are difficult to breed. This breeding season has been a particularly poor one for the species nationally and, unfortunately, this has made them more sought after. We still have our adult breeding stock and there are two remaining ducklings, which are now being transferred to our headquarters at Slimbridge, in Gloucestershire, to become part of their breeding programme."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wear-11153313

[Alison]

Birds rescued from hail storm

NORMAN, OK -- As the storm rolled in on Sunday afternoon those who could, took cover. But that luxury wasn't available to all. As the Webster family emerged from their shelter to survey the damage, they found tiny victims of the hail. A whole flock of birds hit hard by icy stones littered their neighborhood.

Ashlee Webster says, "These birds were so hurt, that they couldn't even go anywhere. At one point I had three or four in my hands at one time like picking Easter eggs out of the yard. To see them all in one concentrated area, just all come down like as if they were picked from the sky by a hunter or something, it was just really sad."

Half of the flock died during the storm, but 16 made it through.

The family scooped up as many birds as they could, wrapped them in towels and took them to WildCare in Noble.

Rondi Large, WildCare's Director says, "They were very neatly wrapped up in these little towels and very secure. Due to the trauma, it's very important to get these guys to us as soon as possible."

Some have had surgery already and more are planned for later in the week.

Though they are in bad shape, the prognosis is pretty good.

The goal is to release them together.

However, Rondi says if some are ready for release before others, they will be sent off in waves.

WildCare took in about 150 animals after Monday's tornado and the calls just keep coming after this hail storm.

Rondi says they are expecting a whole slew of songbirds, some ducks, a Peregrine Falcon and some Mississippi Kites.

http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-news-birds-hurt-hail-storm,0,3783138.story

There is a video of some of the birds.

[Kinderchick]

After 200 Years, Swans Return To Montana

POSTED: Wednesday, May 5, 2010
UPDATED: 11:51 am CDT May 5, 2010

OVANDO, Mont. -- After nearly 200 years, trumpeter swans have returned to Montana's Blackfoot Valley region.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service workers released eight of the birds back into the wild this week east of Ovando. The birds were born a year ago in Canada, then reared in Wyoming, through a federal effort called the Trumpeter Swan Restoration Program.

"Through an effort to bring trumpeter swans back to this great habitat that we have here in the Blackfoot Valley, we began an introduction program," said Greg Neudecker, a Fish and Wildlife Service biologist.

Five years after its start, the program has evolved into a partnership between the core members, as well as teachers and schoolchildren from nearby communities.

"You get to hug a swan for about 15 minutes," said Reid Fleshman, a teacher at Sunset Elementary School. "It's a pretty neat experience to have these birds back here in the Blackfoot Valley."

Fleshman was on hand to witness the release of the trumpeter swans, and said his students are learning more about the birds in the classroom.

"There's several lessons that we do about the habitat that the swan prefers," he said.

The Blackfoot Valley is a pristine area for the yearlings to grow. It has shallow waters, which are perfect for feeding, and a low elevation, which is perfect for breeding.

"Hopefully, we'll have a breeding pair either this year or next year," Neudecker said. "The goal of the program is to release birds until we have seven breeding pairs."

[Alison]

N.J.'s Raptor Trust heals Canada goose injured by arrow

MILLINGTON -- A Canada goose with a hunter's 26-inch arrow sticking out of its chest picked the right place to land.

"This is a smart goose," said Bernard Levine, the retired veterinarian in whose Toms River backyard the wounded bird showed up a few weeks ago. "He happened to come into the yard of a veterinarian that could take care of him."

So Levine, 82, fed the goose, helped capture it, performed lifesaving surgery and transported it to the state's largest bird rehabilitation facility, The Raptor Trust.  All patched up after a three-week stay at The Raptor Trust, the goose was released last week into a stream in a wooded area on the trust's property with Levine witnessing the payoff for his kindness.

"It feels great to see him free and liberated, enjoying life the way a goose should," Levine said, as the goose preened and waded downstream.

Although birders generally praise Levine's efforts, some say saving geese is not an imperative because the birds have long been an overly abundant nuisance, according to Peter Bacinski, director of the Sandy Hook Bird Observatory and a New Jersey Audubon member.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife biologists estimated the population of Canada geese in 2009 to be about 1.1 million in eastern North America from Quebec to South Carolina, an 11 percent decline from 2008 because the geese built fewer nests. Colder May temperatures in 2009 and the resulting snowmelt delayed prolonged migration to nesting grounds, the biologists concluded.

Ponds created in parks, golf courses and corporate properties have attracted geese, which pollute water and grounds with their excrement, stop traffic on roads and take over public parks, Bacinski said.

"A once regal bird has become a pimple on the rump of society," said Bacinski, a birder for 40 years.

But Raptor Trust founder Len Soucy, who self-financed the facility with his wife in the 1960s, rejects such negative opinions of geese.

"The diversity on this planet keeps us healthy," Soucy said. "To say that one goose doesn't matter, or one eagle doesn't matter, or one human being doesn't matter, I don't subscribe to that. It all matters.''

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/04/njs_raptor_trust_heals_canada.html

[Alison]

Fears for whooper swan as it disappears into volcanic cloud

Whooper swan Y6K, which is being tracked using satellite technology, seems to have flown into difficulty on its return migration to Iceland. It was last recorded at 10.46 this morning (Friday) heading towards the cloud of ash from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano.

WWT researchers noticed the bird’s position on the online tracking map www.wwt.org.uk/whooper. Y6K is approaching Iceland from the south east, which is one of the main landfall areas for swans arriving in the country, but this is very much in line with the fallout from the volcano. The satellite transmitter attached to the bird is due to give a further reading in two days time, so it will be an anxious weekend for researchers and enthusiasts those following its progress online.

Migration to Iceland

Given that this is the main goose migration period, there is also concern for the welfare of greylag geese, pink-footed geese, light-bellied brent geese, Greenland white-fronted
geese and Greenland barnacle geese migrating to or through Iceland at this time.

On Iceland itself, the volcanic eruption is causing concern for the returning waterfowl. A report from WWT’s colleague Dr Olafur Einarsson in Reykjavik confirms that that there is dense ash and total darkness to the southeast of the volcano, near the area dubbed “Whooper Airport” because it is where most of the birds land after their migration.

http://www.surfbirds.com/sbirdsnews/archives/2010/04/fears_for_whoop.html

[Alison]

Shorebird flew 14,170 miles to and from Virginia

By Diane Tennant
The Virginian-Pilot

As the poet said, "Hope is the thing with feathers," and as the scientist said, here she comes now.

After a round-trip of 14,170 miles, a shorebird named Hope arrived this week on the Eastern Shore near Machipongo carrying a satellite transmitter that was attached to her 11 months ago at the same location.

"That's amazing to me," said Barry Truitt, senior scientist for The Nature Conservancy, which helped with the transmitter project in conjunction with the Center for Conservation Biology of the College of William and Mary/Virginia Commonwealth University.

Just how far is 14,170 miles? It's more than twice the distance around the moon.

Hope is a whimbrel, a species of long-billed wading birds. Whimbrels spend about three weeks on the Eastern Shore each spring and late summer, feasting on fiddler crabs. Virginia is a rest stop, where they take on fuel, doubling their weight, during their migrations.

Hope took two days to reach Virginia after wintering in the Virgin Islands at a location that has been proposed for construction of a resort-casino. Her presence has helped make a case for preservation of the site.  Whimbrel populations have declined by 50 percent in the past decade. The transmitter project is designed to identify sites important to the birds.  Hope is expected to stay on the Eastern Shore for a while, feeding and rebuilding strength before taking off for her nesting grounds in western Canada, near Alaska.

"This bird actually came back to the exact mudflat where we caught it last year," Truitt said. "How do these birds do that? We don't know yet."

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/04/shorebird-flew-14170-miles-and-virginia