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Sentient: a book review

10,000 Birds

The subtitle of Jackie Higgins’ book Sentient: How Animals Illuminate the Wonder of Our Human Senses , aptly sets forth her thesis – though the “wonder” it refers to could equally well be used to describe animal (not just human) senses, as she shows in fascinating detail.

Humane 255
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Birding Shanghai in June 2023

10,000 Birds

Cattle Egrets are thoroughly modern birds – they were among the first species to ditch mailed letters for faxes, then switched to email early, and now (at least in China) mostly communicate by WeChat. They are also early adopters with regard to their foraging – nowadays mostly following tractors rather than cattle.

Birds 130
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Revenge Birding (Shanghai, early June 2022)

10,000 Birds

If I was an ornithologist aiming for a grant, I would now definitely highlight the need for more research on this topic. The researchers are quite aware of the differences between humans and birds and thus have completely ignored another explanation for this behavior. The Hair-crested Drongo is a bit more common here.

Singapore 147
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Animal Welfare Act Inadequate for Farm Animals

Critter News

Humane treatment runs counter to the entire industry when the point is to make money by processing these animals as fast as possible. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, “farm animals are regulated under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) only when used in biomedical research, testing, teaching and exhibition.

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Birding Shanghai in March 2023

10,000 Birds

”, which by some remarkable coincidence is also the title of a paper on “Physical-Attractiveness Evaluations and Dating Preferences as a Function of One’s Own Attractiveness” (among humans, not Grey-capped Greenfinches).

Birds 218
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Pig Castration in Europe - An Animal Welfare Concern

Critter News

They castrate piglets in Europe for sanitary purposes (to avoid taint in the meat), but the methods are not terribly humane. This year, the European Commission will issue a research contract, worth up to €1 million for a study into alternatives to the castration of pigs and dehorning of cattle.

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What to Do at High Island When the Winds are South

10,000 Birds

Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary was an amazing and unexpected treat, but that’s because I failed to do my research. They did flush eventually, but not because of humans. I hear Seaside Sparrows occasionally out on Long Island during the summer, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen so many so close.

Houston 233