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Honey, I Shrunk The Dinosaurs!

10,000 Birds

There is a fantastic paper just out in Science : “Sustained miniaturization and anatomoical innovation in the dinosaurian anceestors of birds” by Michael Lee, Andrea Cau, Darren Naishe and Gareth Dyke. Whales are cows. The point is, of course, that whales are not cows. You should have said whales. Cows do not.

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Songbird-parrot link strengthened in new study, with implications for vocal learning

10,000 Birds

The post stimulated some great discussions but not really any additional commentary on the science behind these proposed relationships. Last month, I wrote about hypothesized relationships between passerines, parrots, falcons, and seriemas , noting a need for further research on the subject.

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Birding by Volunteering

10,000 Birds

In California I smelt the breath a Blue Whale as it passed feet beneath my boat. Ugandan Mangabeys were part of my family once. There is no feeling in the world like knowing your helping something you care about, whether its sharks or puffins, protecting forests or reefs, advancing science or communities.

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Why Do Penguins Wear Tuxedos?

10,000 Birds

Artists rendition of Inkayacu paracasensis There are 17 living species of penguins, which make up their own Linnean family (Spheniscidae), which is the only family in the order Sphenisciformes. Fossil Evidence for Evolution of the Shape and Color of Penguin Feathers Science, 330 (6006), 954-957 DOI: 10.1126/science.1193604

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Unflappable by Suzie Gilbert–An Author Interview

10,000 Birds

I come from a family where the worse the situation, the faster and more furiously the wisecracks fly, so I suppose I’m hardwired to look for humor. The book is darkly funny. Why did you decide it was important to find humor in Luna’s experience? I can’t write stories that are unrelentingly grim. I just can’t take it.

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Birding Protection Island, Washington

10,000 Birds

Having flown to Washington State on a family vacation the first obstacle was easily out of the way, which you knew already if you ever read this blog. There was no pretending this was a whale-watching trip, a ruse that is growing stale anyway. when the puffin flew past, a bird that the whole family can appreciate.

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Days of Guano

10,000 Birds

Large areas of the islands are taken over as the breeding grounds of the Western Gull , a large bird that is without question the most ornery member of the family I have ever encountered. A great place to watch whales and pelagic seabirds. And it isn’t just on the ground or an occasional accidental hazard. Note about images.

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