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Vagrancy in Birds: A Book Review

10,000 Birds

There are many more factors than I imagined: compass errors, wind drift, overshooting, extreme weather and irruptions, natural dispersal, and human-driven vagrancy. The chapter on compass errors will probably be the most popular amongst birders who love to discuss reversal and mirror-image migration routes.

Birds 261
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From Today's New York Times

Animal Ethics

We pay lip service to more humane treatment of the animals that we eat, but how many of us look beyond the label on the package of chicken cutlets? Mr. Kristof is attuned to issues of human suffering and injustice. I look forward to casting my vote for compassion. I grew up on a dairy and hog farm in central Massachusetts.

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Prima Facie vs. Ultima Facie Wrongness

Animal Ethics

He clearly thinks that it is wrong to cause animals to suffer unnecessarily, but he appears to be somewhat ambivalent about killing animals (provided the killing is carried out humanely). I suspect that underlying his thinking here is a common rationalization that many of my students initially embrace. Running time: 12 Minutes.