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Altruism, Albatrosses, and Vicious Young Men

10,000 Birds

They emerged from their bloody rampage leaving fifteen adults dead, and fifteen destroyed nests with either smashed or missing eggs. There are eggs that are not viable, nestlings who fail to thrive, natural predators who snatch a chick for a meal, freak storms that blow through and destroy part of a population.

Albatross 214
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Come@Me: Hunting Is Not Conservation

10,000 Birds

The definition of the word HUNT is “to chase or search for game or other wild animals for the purpose of catching or killing.” One is defined as catching or killing and the other as keeping from injury. .” Why would any human being think that killing a Giraffe ( Giraffa ) is a good idea?

Hunting 115
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Tricolored Blackbird in Trouble in California

10,000 Birds

” Blackbirds, among other species, are also killed every year for consuming sunflower seeds mostly in Minnesota and the Dakotas. Therefore the actual numbers of birds killed are grossly underestimated. See Birdchick’s post here. Thus, the number of tricolors in California continues a rapid decline. www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rwi0SF8r8o.

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The Great Bustard Search is On (1)

10,000 Birds

Together with African Kori Bustard (which I observed on a camping trip in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve), this is the heaviest flying bird in the world. In breeding season grazing cattle may walk through the nest, breaking the eggs, while wild and domestic pigs may eat both eggs and chicks. m–8 ft 10 in).

Serbia 106
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Birding Shanghai in July 2022

10,000 Birds

I have written about the interesting sex life of these jacanas a few times already (short version: female mates with male, lays a bunch of eggs for him to incubate and raise the chicks, leaves him, finds another male, repeat). Apparently, after a male first mates with a female, he throws out the first one or two eggs she lays in their nest.

Birds 147
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Birding Sepilok, Borneo (Part 2)

10,000 Birds

The species is classified as Near Threatened for all the usual depressing reasons – pollution, drainage, hunting, and the collection of eggs and nestlings ( source ). Trust me, the species name makes sense for the male, though not for the female. It is also classified as Near Threatened. The dangers of being a geologist.

Birds 226
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Cliff Swallows and Pest Management

10,000 Birds

It is illegal for any person to take, possess, transport, sell, or purchase them or their parts, such as feathers, nests, or eggs, without a permit. As a result, certain activities affecting swallows are subject to legal restrictions 1. Completed nests during this breeding season cannot be touched without a permit from the U.S.

San Diego 165