Sunday, May 30, 2010

Did you know: Rarest Birds

Did you know:
Only 61 Californian condors, most of which were bred in captivity, exist in the wild, with about 99 in captivity as of April 2000. The Californian Condor population in the wild dwindled to just 9 birds in 1985. The last remaining bird in the wild was captured in 1987 in an attempt to protect the species. Californian Condors had a high mortality rate due to collisions with power poles. Condors scheduled to be released to the wild now undergo power pole aversion training. Mock power poles are used which deliver a small electrical shock to the birds when they try to land on them.


Photograph- Scott Frier/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service



Lake Tahoe festival to teach about migratory birds

The Associated Press


SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif.—The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and the newly formed Tahoe Institute for Natural Science are teaming up for an International Migratory Bird Day Festival next Saturday at Lake Tahoe.

Officials say the June 5 event will run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center in South Lake Tahoe. The goal is to teach people about migratory birds and what scientists do to help them.

Free guided bird walks are scheduled from 8-10:30 a.m. at Spooner Lake, Cove East Restoration Area, and Blackwood Canyon. Space is limited and preregistration is required.

For walk registration, call Will Richardson at (530)587-6895 or e-mail will@tinsweb.org.
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Information from: Tahoe Daily Tribune, http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/

Saturday, May 29, 2010

62 oiled birds saved; most dead birds not oily

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW ORLEANS -- The number of birds being treated for oil from the Gulf of Mexico spill is rising. But, as with sea turtles and dolphins, the vast majority of dead birds found so far don't show any oil.

As of noon Saturday, 62 oiled birds and three oiled sea turtles had been rescued from the Gulf and in states affected by the oil spill, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported.
It said another 478 dead birds, 224 dead sea turtles and 25 dead marine mammals, such as dolphins, had been found.

At least 90 of the birds did have oil on their feathers or bodies, but at least 338 did not, the report said. The other 116 had not been classified. All but six of those "pending" birds were in Louisiana, where 14 dead, oiled birds had been found and 59 dead birds without oil on their bodies.

The other six were in Mississippi, where one live oiled bird had been rescued, two dead, oiled birds found and 30 dead birds without oil.

The report said some of the birds and animals "have likely died or been injured by natural causes," and that with so many people out looking for animals and effects of the spill, "it is also likely that we will recover more naturally injured or dead fish and wildlife than normal."
Nine oiled birds were rescued in Alabama and six in Florida. Six dead, oiled birds were found in each of those two states. Alabama wildlife teams had found 127 dead birds without oil, and their counterparts in Florida had found 118 dead, non-oiled birds. No birds in those states were unclassified.

Authorities said earlier that one dolphin and one sea turtle had oil on their bodies, and officials didn't know whether it got there before or after death.

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Oregon Field Guide | Vaux Swifts

Welcome!

Welcome to Oregon Backyard Birds! This is a relatively new site, but we will have some entertainment in no time!
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