That Bird Blog – Bird Care and History for Pet Birds

Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is best known as the last stronghold of the Mountain Gorilla.  However, this troubled African wildlife paradise is also home to at least 43 finch species, many of which face a future as uncertain as that of the Mountain Gorilla.  While most bird enthusiasts are aware of the problems facing Africa’s parrots (please see this article), the plight of the continent’s finches receives far less attention.  Through birding trips and hands-on projects, the Rare Finch Conservation Group is working to change that situation, but it’s been a long, uphill battle.

Troubles and Opportunities

The Rare Finch Conservation Group (RFCG) was formed in 2005, but has already made significant progress in addressing the problems that face Uganda’s finches.  Mountain Gorillas act as “umbrella species” for the region’s wildlife – concern for them indirectly benefits many animals – but the RFCG believes that finches and other small birds deserve more direct conservation action.  The organization is currently formulating a plan to study the needs of a locally-endangered bird, Shelly’s Crimsonwing.  Read More »

Parrot conservation news has been somewhat dismal lately (please see here for some examples), so today I’d like to highlight a bright spot. Surveys have shown that Bolivia’s Barba Azul Reserve supports a breeding population of Blue-Throated Macaws (Ara glaucogularis), a species so rare that it was believed extinct until its “re-discovery” in 1992.  Maned Wolves, Orinoco Geese, Bush Dogs, Pampas Deer and other rare animals are also making themselves at home in the reserve’s 12,300 acres.

Wildlife Oasis amid Ranches

Managed by the World Land Trust, Barba Azul Reserve is comprised of tropical savannas, “forest islands” and marshes.  I had the good fortune to work in a similar area inVenezuela, and can attest to the incredible diversity of wildlife that such habitats support.  As was true for protected areas in Venezuela, Barba Azul is surrounded by huge cattle ranches.  Read More »

Vulture welfare tends not to arouse much concern, even from bird enthusiasts.  However, several species are now at the center of a growing extinction crisis in south Asia. The story illustrates just how complicated things can become when the needs of livestock, people and wildlife collide, and why we must look below the surface when we consider the conservation of any bird or other animal.

A Double-Edged Sword

Diclofenac, a drug used to treat both people and livestock, is at the heart of the troubles afflicting India’s vultures.  Dead cattle and water buffalos, many of which have been medicated with Diclofenac, are a major source of food for at least 3 species of Indian vultures.

Diclofenac is fatal to vultures when consumed, and has been identified as the major reason behind the steep decline in their numbers in India.  In the 1980’s, the White Rumped Vulture was considered to be the world’s most abundant large bird of prey.  It has now declined by a staggering 99.9%!  Populations of Indian and Slender-Billed Vultures are now at 3% of their 1990 levels. Read More »

In times of economic distress, government-funded wildlife conservation often takes a back seat to competing concerns.  InAustralia, private (non-governmental) groups are taking up some of the slack…and doing a fine job.  Over 6,000,000 acres of land are now being privately managed for the benefit of native animals and plants.

Wildlife in Peril

Parrot conservation often takes center stage when talk turns to Australian wildlife, but a wide variety of other animals are also in trouble.  A recent report (please see below) states that 27 species of Australian birds are now extinct, 20 are critically endangered, 68 are vulnerable and 63 are classified as near-threatened. Australia leads the world mammal extinctions, and severe declines have also been noted among reptiles, amphibians and fishes. Read More »

The Eclectus Parrot is well known for an unusual degree of sexual dimorphism (males are emerald green, females bright red) and a breeding strategy wherein several males mate with a single female.  But no one expected the results of a recent study: under certain circumstances, mothers will kill their male chicks and raise only females.  Other than humans, Eclectus Parrots are the only species known to kill offspring based solely upon gender.

Harsh Conditions and Drastic Adaptations

The study, published in the journal Current Biology (October, 2011), was conducted by researchers based at the Australian National University.  The study site was at Cape York, Queensland, in Australia’s tropical northeast (Eclectus Parrots are also found on New Guinea and many Indonesian islands).  Read More »