Category Archives: deforestation

Yes, we know that “the climate has always changed”…


… but that’s not the point. Here’s what that point really is. The concentration of global, atmospheric CO2 today exceeds 400 ppm. The last time that happened on Earth was something like 2–5 million years ago, in the Pliocene Epoch … Continue reading

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The state of global biodiversity — it’s worse than you probably think — ConservationBytes.com


Sobering synopsis here by CJA Bradshaw. For those of us who study natural history, such information confronts us every day. It can be easy to forget that we are a tiny minority of the billions of humans on this planet … Continue reading

Posted in bat conservation, birds/nature, deforestation, editorial, Endangered Species Act, environment, evolution, history, IUCN, nature deficit disorder, No Child Left Inside, overpopulation, paleontology, population estimates, population monitoring, skepticism and science, wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

You Share the Planet With #1: The Malay Peacock-pheasant


If you’re like most people – I mean literally most, as in >99% of the people who have ever lived – then this one you will file under TIL (today I learned). My Ornithology students are currently exploring the diversity … Continue reading

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HBW Alive #42 – December 2017


The latest newsletter update from the Handbook of the Birds of the World is out, and it took me about 10 seconds to open the file and learn something new. In this case, the first thing I learned was that … Continue reading

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Some perspective on peak abundance of Passenger Pigeon


You’ve heard the story before, and it’s sobering: Once perhaps the most abundant vertebrate on the planet, a combination of unremitting exploitation and habitat loss reduced the Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) from billions to none in a few short decades … Continue reading

Posted in bird evolution, birds/nature, deforestation, editorial, Endangered Species Act, environment, history, IUCN, life, Links, National Audubon Society, Partners in Flight, population estimates, population monitoring, skepticism and science, wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Why can’t humans affect the climate?


If you have insights on this please help me understand.  As noted this week, discussions of anthropogenic climate change have peaked since President Trump’s decision to renege on US commitments to the Paris Climate Accord.   One of the primary … Continue reading

Posted in birds/nature, deforestation, editorial, Endangered Species Act, environment, evolution, life, skepticism and science, weather, wildlife, wind power | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Functional diversity assessment – traits!


Post provided by Samuel RP-J Ross Our newly-developed method simulates intraspecific trait variation when measuring biodiversity. This gives us an understanding of how individual variation affects ecosystem processes and functioning. We were able to show that accounting for within-species variation … Continue reading

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2016 Partners in Flight Landbird Conservation Plan


The updated Landbird Conservation Plan from Partners in Flight has just been released. As with previous iterations, the emphasis is on applying objective criteria to determine those species in most need of conservation, delineating the habitats within ecoregions important for … Continue reading

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Birding Community e-Bulletin, August 2016


The Birding Community E-bulletin is distributed to active and concerned birders, those dedicated to the joys of birding and the protection of birds and their habitats. This issue is sponsored by the producers of superb quality birding binoculars and scopes, … Continue reading

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The Waterthrush Podcast #20: Little Martha


Today, 1 September 2014, is the centenary of the death of Martha, the very last Passenger Pigeon.  In an op-ed published today by the New York Times, executive director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology John Fitzpatrick shares his thoughts … Continue reading

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NABCI All-Bird Bulletin: Wetlands Conservation in Mexico


bulletinfall13 Newsletter of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative.

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American Bird Conservancy: webinar on Northern Spotted Owl


To: All Conservation Organizations and Scientific Societies From: Steve Holmer Date: May 24, 2012 Fly-in June 18-20 to Conserve Northern Spotted Owl Habitat Conservationists from California, Oregon and Washington State are invited to Washington, D.C. June 18-20 to meet with … Continue reading

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West Virginia Smiles revisited


‘Twas way back in 2006 that I posted chord progression and lyrics to my song West Virginia Smiles. Way back then, I promised to figure out how to post mp3s, and it looks like I can finally make good on … Continue reading

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How they do it in Colombia – bird conservation and kids


International Migratory Bird Day Celebrations:  Just look at those angelic faces, turning out to celebrate their unique place in the world as a home to migratory birds! Here’s a description of International Migratory Bird Day from the link above, but … Continue reading

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The Wildlifer – Issue 369


Follow this link to Issue 369 of The Wildlifer, the e-newsletter of The Wildlife Society. There’s an especially important article there from Executive Director Michael Hutchins on “PUBLIC DENIAL OF SCIENCE AND THE ROLE OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES.”

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Pro-Aves: Nov. 2010 update on Colombian Conservation


E-newsletter accessed here.

Posted in animal behavior, birding, birds/nature, deforestation, Endangered Species Act, environment, IUCN, Links, migrants | Leave a comment

Simple pleasures, important pleasures: birding


It’s a singular irony that many folks who have pursued careers as professional ornithologists seldom have time to just go birding. Blue-winged Teal at Teal Ridge Wetland in Stillwater, OK. That’s why I try to steal a couple of hours … Continue reading

Posted in animal behavior, birding, birds/nature, Christmas Bird Count, deforestation, editorial, Endangered Species Act, environment, life, Links, migrants, wildlife | 2 Comments

ProAves update #81 on Colombian Conservation


Follow link here.

Posted in animal behavior, bird banding, bird evolution, birding, birds/nature, deforestation, Endangered Species Act, environment, evolution, hummingbirds, IUCN, migrants, wildlife | Leave a comment

NABCI All-Bird Bulletin


Latest bulletin downloads as a pdf from here.

Posted in animal behavior, bird banding, bird evolution, birding, birds/nature, Christmas Bird Count, deforestation, editorial, Endangered Species Act, environment, evolution, IUCN, kids, life, Links, migrants, skepticism and science, wildlife | Leave a comment

NABCI meeting notes – August 2010


Follow this link for the latest update from the North American Bird Conservation Initiative.

Posted in animal behavior, biofuels, bird banding, bird evolution, birding, birds/nature, Christmas Bird Count, deforestation, editorial, Endangered Species Act, environment, IUCN, life, Links, migrants, skepticism and science, wildlife | Leave a comment