article thumbnail

The Parable of the Goat Mites

10,000 Birds

And so, the foxes and shrikes endemic to the island began to suffer as the greenery went. And so, the local subspecies of Bewick’s wren, a bird described in 1908 a “very common on all parts of the island,” was gone by the 1940’s, its habitat converted into goat flesh.

Goats 166
article thumbnail

You’re Not Helping

10,000 Birds

The subject is one that comes up a lot in this blog and other bird blogs, the subject of cats and their effect on wildlife. As most people know cats, both feral and domestic, have a pretty big impact on wild birds and other wildlife, and the effect of mammals is particularly profound in New Zealand.

article thumbnail

That Awkward Moment With Feral Cats and Family

10,000 Birds

It started with donation requests for spay and neutering cats but then quickly transferred to a trap, neuter and release organization. ” Then my sister weighed in who is as passionate for cats as I am for birds, “Nature is nature. Does this mean we’re going to start trapping, neutering and releasing coyotes?”