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Shut up, Zebra Finch, you’re drunk

10,000 Birds

The findings of this research, as summarized by Discover Magazine : Zebra Finches are a good proxy for studying human speech. So researchers got a group of males good and liquored up (using juice with 6.5% alcohol content*) and prompted them to sing by playing recordings of females.

Zebras 176
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American White Pelicans in Key West

10,000 Birds

I was on a workshop field trip, learning about marine protected areas as my group snorkeled on one of the area’s famous coral reefs. American White Pelicans represent a conservation success story, and so their appearance was rather perfect for our group, as we were dedicated to learning about environmental conflict resolution.

Pelicans 100
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Stuck in the middle (of the AOU/COS meeting)

10,000 Birds

Handing out T-shirts at the registration desk with a summer intern from the Field Museum (one of the conference’s sponsoring groups) gave me a good feel for who was around and what ornithologists are like. Emptied of their contents, of course.). ” Fascinating stuff, with real conservation implications.

San Diego 178
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Potential Efficiency Improvements

10,000 Birds

Conclusion: Shanghai, with its juxtaposition of urban landscapes and thriving birdlife, is a testament to the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature. But anyway, my main point of contention is the style, not the facts. So, I tried again: “This sounds a bit too positive to me.

China 170
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Birds of Belize & Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide Review Doubleheader

10,000 Birds

Examples of two types of informational aids offered in both guides: Pictorial Contents for Songbirds (Birds of Costa Rica) and Key to Species Range Maps (Birds of Belize). The Species Accounts follow the ‘modern guide’ format, with illustrations clearly labeled and arranged in species groupings. Doing this work takes time!

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Wisconsin Falconer Legally Traps Snowy Owl

10,000 Birds

I would love to have a Red-tailed Hawk but with my travel schedule, there’s no possible way I could work with a bird, so I content myself with going out with my friends when they are gracious enough to invite me along like in the above photo when one of my falconer friends let me join him when he was hunting with his goshawk.

Wisconsin 246
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Noxious: Montana’s Battle With Spotted Knapweed, and What Birders Can Do

10,000 Birds

(Indeed, some reports take the term ‘noxious’ quite literally, stating that knapweeds exude natural herbicides to discourage competition and can cause irritation to the skin of humans trying to pull them; one rumor gives them the power to induce ‘hand cancer’ if not handled with gloves.)

Montana 164