A female kakapo on a nest facing the camera, with a young chick in front of her. Credit: Andrew Digby
This year's #kakapo breeding season has been the biggest on record:
- 256 eggs (252 in 2019)
- 148 fertile eggs (116 in 2019)
- 105 eggs hatched (86 in 2019).
It'll be 2+ months until we know how many chicks will fledge (73 in 2019). There are currently 95 alive. #conservation #kakapo2026 #birds
Photo of a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher by Jon Cox with text saying The 2026 issue of MAPS Chat is out now.
🪶MAPS Chat is the newsletter for our Monitoring Avian Productivity & Survivorship (MAPS) Program. It's full of great info for any bird bander, inc. how to use the Wolfe-Ryder-Pyle system of ageing by plumage + a DEEP dive on Woodpecker molt by Peter Pyle. Read it here: birdpop.org/docs/misc/MA...
I wrote about how the campaign against trans people in the United States is one of social murder.
www.thedissident.news/every-trans-...
Landscape photo of Alaguan Bay area on Rota. Vivid blue sky and sea contrast with the emerald green of the vegetation. White clouds cast subtle reflections on the surface of the water.
In-hand photo of a kingfisher during bird banding near the last image. The kingfisher's head is white with green crown stripes. She has a green back and turquoise blue wing. Photo for documentation before release. All birds banded by federally permitted researchers.
White, blue and green. Rota (Luta), Bird Sanctuary overlook and Luta Sihek (Mariana Kingfisher)
👩🏼⚕️🧪🪶🌏
Check out this article in BirdGuides that highlights our Song Meters! With guidelines from @lesserspotnet.bsky.social
www.birdguides.com/news/birders-encouraged-to-detect-lesser-spotted-woodpeckers-with-passive-r/
#birding #LesserSpottedWoodpeckers #woodlandbirds
"Normally, examination of the clues and evidence [from an aircraft birdstrike] will lead to a straightforward bird identification; however, one recent situation presented a puzzling result that required a great deal of sleuthing to solve." #ornithology
Sorry I didn’t hear you I was entranced by this Ovenbird
Pls share: I'm seeking ornithologists willing to comment about how the Bird Banding Lab &/or Breeding Bird Survey are crucial to their research & conservation efforts, for a piece for @therevelator.org defending these programs. Reply, DM, or email me at rebecca dot heisman at gmail. #ornithology
In case y'all missed it - Utah Republicans ordered a study on transgender healthcare, expecting it to come back unsupportive.
Instead, it found that trans youth care was safe and effective, and that transgender youth need it.
Whoops.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Close-up photo of an olive green bird with a white belly and throat, a gray cap on top of its head and a gray stripe through the eye leading to the gray beak. It has bluish short legs and a red eye.
On the bird walk I led last Saturday we spent an hour listening to Red-eyed Vireos sing from the tops of trees before we managed to spot one. It was a lifer for a few folks on the walk.
Afterwards I went to the Magee Marsh boardwalk and they were all over, at eye-height. Look at that red eye!
🪶
Ah yes, the Forest Chicken
(Ovenbird)
🐦🫐 Anthropogenic disturbances simplify frugivory interactions in Amazonia
vist.ly/3n4e9td
📷 © Edson Lopes
#βdiversity #ForestFires #FrugivoryNetworks #SeedDispersal #SeedPredation #TropicalForests
Every year I end up with a warbler of the year, one I see unusually often that spring.
Black-throated Blue Warblers were my warbler of the year just 2 years ago because I saw 4 of them in central Illinois.
This year, in Ohio? I'm up to 9!
This lovely lady was on my back step when I walked out:
A photo of a Blackburnian Warbler, a striking black and white bird with a black and orange face, partially obscured by a big branch blocking the bird. It is especially obscuring his orange throat and chest, the most exciting part of his plumage.
Going to be the album cover photo for my album #StickHappens
Red Knot with a motus tag
Inforgraphic on how Motus works.
Map showing locaitons of active MOTUS Wildlife tracking stations (all around the world).
An old barn with a MOTUS antenna structure attached
Small tags, big discoveries: Celebrating 10 years of the Motus Wildlife Tracking System driving conservation through collaboration www.birdscanada.org/small-tags-b...
#Birds #conservation
Photo by Hal Tractenberg of a House Wren, with a beak full of spider egg sacs, about to enter its nest hole. Text on the graphic says "Unsolicited Bird Fact: Many birds nests can become infested with mites and other parasites that feed on nestlings. House Wrens are known to bring spider egg sacs into their nest cavities. Some think they do this to reduce nest parasites as the hatchling spiders will feed on the pests, however experimental evidence for spiders actually reducing parasite populations is weak so far. "
Did you ask for a bird fact? No, but you're getting one whether you like it or not. 🪶
A Massachusetts Democratic Representative is saying voting no on an anti-trans amendment would "not have advanced the interests of transgender people."
I can't even with some blue state dems, y'all.
I watch Zooey in Montana, and red state dems, take this vote EVERY day.
Graphic with IBP logo that says "The Institute for Bird Populations could really use your help right now."
🪶 Today, more than 1/3 of the federal grant $$ we were relying on to finance our science & conservation work in 2025 is paused w/ no indication of when, or if, we will be able to access it again. Your tax-deductible donation helps us weather this period of uncertainty. birdpop.org/pages/do... 1/2
Celebrating the #GBBC2025 with some birding at work! Saw about 12 Redheads on our lake-super exciting!
#GreatBackyardBirdCount2025
a very large owl
Dear Twin Cities Bird & Book Enthusiasts: I am giving a free, in-person presentation about OWLS OF THE EASTERN ICE with Minneapolis Audubon on Friday Feb 14, 1-2pm, at Bryant Square Park Building (3101 Bryant Avenue South, Mpls). Come for my charisma & modesty, stay to get a book signed 🦉🌍
Rough sketch of many bird of paradise males flying at a diagonal from lower left to upper right over a pale blue background. All species are ones that are present in the full game, all positioned to fill a square space and roughly all to scale.
Rough sketch of a displaying male lophorina facing a female, while dancing on a broad diagonal log over a brilliant yellow background. The displaying male is oval in shape, black, with beak open, turquoise crown and breast shield spread.
View from above of a female Western Parotia (brown, upper left) looking down on the display of a male. The display is intended to be seen by the female from above - and so here he looks like a dark purple circle with flashing yellow and pale blue patches and bright blue eyelids. The background shows his cleared display space with vegetation around the edges.
Rough sketch inspired by old natural history illustrations showing a ton of different male birds of paradise all in the branches of the same tree.
Some declined cover sketches for the #boardgame Birdwatcher! I still really like the perspective of a female Western Parotia looking down on a displaying male - it's one that's going to live somewhere in the back of my brain as a potential future personal piece. 🎨🪶 #SciArt #BirdArt
Big love to our worldwide trans whānau today. Loved everyday, but acknowledging the particular fuckery going on in America today.
You are loved, you are welcome, you make the world brighter. We are lucky to have you. 🏳️⚧️🩵🤍🩷
A small flock of mixed species ducks is swimming around a branch protruding from rippled water.
My Merlin bird of the day is the American Wigeon. This is a clusterduck including Wigeons, Ring-necked Ducks, and Gadwalls. #birds #ducks
Red-Headed Woodpecker
#wildlife #wildlifephotography #nature #outerbanks #nc #nature #animals #outdoors #animalkingdom #animalsofinstagram #photo #photography #bokeh #bird #birdsofinstagram #obx
Pay attention. We are witnessing a turning point in history. The fear of a more diverse and united America is driving desperate tactics of division. The real power lies in our UNITY, in coming together to build a more just and inclusive future. Don’t crash out! Keep fighting for what’s right. ✊🏾🇺🇸
Let’s be clear: Health decisions must be based on science, not racist myths. RFK Jr. is peddling dangerous lies that lead to real-life medical neglect and disparities for Black people, including the denial of pain meds & life-saving care. We cannot let this man become America's top health official.
Hang on as best you can.
Take care of yourself.
Take care of others if you're able.
Sharpen your claws and fangs, strengthen your great black wings, and soar out across the land to find other creatures like yourself gathering together in the gloom.
It makes perfect sense. In a democracy, elections matter and can make a difference. And this one made a huge difference and is going to kill a LOT of people.
If we want to save people, we can't just wait for the next election this time.
I'm not "dismissing" anyone. I'm saying - do better.
A page with the title "LGB Travelers"
‼️ The State Department has REMOVED TQIA+ on their page of recommendations for queer travelers. This page yesterday said "LGBTQIA+" and now just says "LGB".
The federal government is trying to erase trans people from existence.