Στις πολύβουες πόλεις, τα πουλιά αναγκάζονται να αλλάξουν τροπάριο

In.gr, 5 Απριλίου 2012

Τα σπουργίτια του Σαν Φρανσίσκο τιτιβίζουν σήμερα διαφορετικά τραγούδια από ό,τι τη δεκαετία του 1970, και η πιθανότερη εξήγηση είναι ότι προσπαθούν να αντισταθμίσουν την ηχορύπανση της πόλης που ολοένα αυξάνεται.
Η μελέτη που δημοσιεύεται στην επιθεώρηση Animal Behaviour «δείχνει ισχυρό συσχετισμό ανάμεσα στην αλλαγή των τραγουδιών και την αλλαγή στο θόρυβο» αναφέρει ο Ντέιβιντ Λούθερ του Πανεπιστημίου George Mason της Βιρτζίνια. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

Η ρύπανση με υδράργυρο «οδηγεί σε ομοφυλοφιλία τα υδρόβια πτηνά»

In.g, 02 Δεκεμβρίου 2010

Αρσενικά υδρόβια πτηνά που εκτίθενται σε ρύπανση από υδράργυρο αποκτούν ομοφυλοφιλικές τάσεις οι οποίες μειώνουν την αναπαραγωγική τους επιτυχία και τις προοπτικές του είδους, υποδεικνύουν πειράματα στο εργαστήριο, τα οποία προσομοίωσαν τις συνθήκες που επικρατούν στο φυσικό περιβάλλον. Οι ερευνητές του Πανεπιστημίου της Φλόριντα στο Γκέινσβιλ θεωρούν αναμενόμενα τα αποτελέσματα της μελέτης, δεδομένου ότι ο υδράργυρος είναι γνωστό ότι επηρεάζει το ενδοκρινές σύστημα πολλών ζώων. Διαβάστε περισσότερα...

Power lines 'invisible' to birds

BBC News, November 02, 2010


Birds fly into power lines because they have "blind spots" in their field of vision, according to new research. Vision experts found that cranes, bustards and storks were unable to see obstacles straight ahead when they tilted their heads downwards in flight.Birds often look down during flight to find fellow birds as well as nesting and feeding areas, say the researchers.
The new evidence suggests that the problem cannot be prevented by altering the appearance of power lines.Read more...

NYC sky-scrapers dim lights to help migratory birds

BBC News, September 02, 2010

A growing number of New York sky-scrapers are switching off their lights to help reduce the number of birds hitting the high-rise buildings.The "lights out" project - organised by NYC Audubon - runs until 1 November, when migratory birds are expected to have completed their autumn migrations. The Empire State and Chrysler buildings are among those dimming their lights.An estimated 90,000 birds each year are killed in the city as a result of striking glass-fronted buildings. Read more...

Institute Studies Clash Between Wind and Raptors

MatterNetwork, July 16, 2009

A new group is attempting to better reconcile high velocity wind power development with its impact on avian victims.
Wind power has come a long way from technology employed earlier this century, but according to Dr. Judd Howell of the American Wind and Wildlife Institute, more research is needed
Recently named the first Director of Research at the AWWI, Howell's background is a combination of wind energy impacts and raptor studies, which culminated in extensive work in the Altiplan.
Raptors, as birds of prey and top predators, are fewer in number than other species and could be threatened by any excessive damage to their numbers. Read more...

Nearly a third of U.S. bird species in trouble

ENN, March 20, 2009

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly one-third of all U.S. bird species are endangered, threatened or in significant decline, with birds in Hawaii facing a "borderline ecological disaster," scientists reported on Thursday.
The State of the Birds report, issued by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar along with conservation groups and university ornithologists, also noted some successes, including the recovery of the bald eagle, the peregrine falcon and other species after the banning of the chemical DDT. Read more...

World's common birds 'declining'

BBC News, September 22, 2008

The populations of the world's common birds are declining as a result of continued habitat loss, a global assessment has warned. The survey by BirdLife International found that 45% of Europe's common birds had seen numbers fall, as had more than 80% of Australia's wading species. Read more...

Warming temperatures dangerously pushing bird migrations ever forward.

ENN, June 20, 2008

Many birds are arriving earlier each spring as temperatures warm along the East Coast of the United States. However, the farther those birds journey, the less likely they are to keep pace with the rapidly changing climate. Read more...