Blog for the Birds

Presidential Politics meets Audubon

Presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney showed his compassionate side this week recalling a story about how his sons saved a nest of chicks. The nest had apparently fallen and the Romney boys became committed to rescuing them. The birds surviving and Mitt Ronmey had this nice ending to tell. It may be a “Cheep Shot” but we love it.

The birds followed Josh and Matt wherever they would go. When they came home from school the birds would fly across the yard and land on their head, their shoulders.

Mitt’s bird saga a cheep shot?

Health Warning over PetSmart Birds

If you live in Minnesota and bought cockatiels or parakeets PetSmart after October 1, 2007, there is a health warning for you! Minnesota health officials warned that the birds could be infected with the bacteria that causes psittacosis (pronounced: sitta-KOH-sis). There has been no illness has been reported among bird owners so far.

Minn. bird owners warned of potential disease threat

Man Sues over Dead Moluccan Cockatoo

Thinking of getting an exotic bird like a Moluccan Cockatoo? Better check its age, preferrebaly with a veternarian. Jon Demarest of Paramus NJ, bought a Moluccan Cockatoo at Pet Goods with the understanding the bird was about 9 years old. But about 1 year later and many vet bills later, the bird died. According to the Vet, the bird was actually about 20 years old. These Cockatoos have a life span up to 120 years (amazing) so they can make good life long pets for people. The Moluccan Cockatoo Society has this to say about the bird in the wild:

The Moluccan Cockatoo is an endangered species endemic to the island of Seram, Indonesia. Virtually no scientific studies of the wild behavior of this bird exist due to the extreme remoteness and ruggedness of this island.

Court flap over death of exotic bird

Alaskan Bird up for Protection

The Yellow Billed Loon is an Arctic bird that has been dwindling in numbers along with the Arctic ice. A group of concerned environmentalists have sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to force them to list this bird under the Endangered Species Act. The motion was filed in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco yesterday. The worldwide population of the loon is approximately 16,500 with about 4,000 of those in Alaska.

Environmental groups sue to protect Alaskan bird

California Condor get Extra Protection

The California Condor once was found everywhere in lands in and around California. It was declared endangered a full 40 years ago, in 1967, but hasn’t really made the recovery that wildlife experts expected. It has long been suspected that lead poisoning is the cause of this as condors eat meat from animal carcasses that have been hunted and shot. Earlier this year, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill that banned most lead ammunition. A new regulation, to take effect July 1, 2008 expands on that and bans hunters from using lead ammunition in 22 caliber or smaller guns.

State commission imposes lead ammunition ban to protect condor

Bird Count Volunteers needed in Utah

Zion National Park needs bird count volunteers for an annual Christmas Bird Count to be held on December 15, 2007. Each group will have an assigned area about 15 miles in diameter. The data collected will be sent to the National Audubon Society headquarters. To find out more information about the bird count, contact Claire Crow at 772-0212 or claire_crow@nps.gov. Claire Crow? Now that’s a birders name.

Cerulean Warblers get some Help in MN

The cerulean warbler is a gorgeous blue bird that is among the Audubon’s endangered. It’s an insectivore whose breeding habitats are mature deciduous forests in the Midwest and eastern North America. Needless to say, mature deciduous forests are becoming fewer and fewer in the eastern US and this bird is stressed! In Minnesota, the DNR allocated 353 acres called the Avon Hills Forest Scientific and Natural Area which will hopefully serve as a habitat for the cerulean.

Survival of Avon bird in question