Scientists shed new light on decades-old mystery over this Galapagos bird

A study reclassifies the Galápagos lava heron as its own species, not a subspecies of the striated heron. Genetic testing shows it shares closer ties with green herons, highlighting evolutionary complexities in the unique ecosystems of the Galápagos Islands. (Representational/Unsplash)

This question has been around for many years. It has been a mystery since scientists and bird enthusiasts first encountered the dark, shiny bird among the black rocks of the Galápagos Islands. The Galápagos lava heron, considered by many researchers to be nothing more than a subspecies of the striated heron from South America, turns … Read more

In 2017, Dubuque turned recycled plastic equal to about 67,000 water bottles into 14 floating islands; the 2,674-sq-ft system now adds plant, fish and bird habitat to Bee Branch Creek

In 2017, Dubuque turned recycled plastic equal to about 67,000 water bottles into 14 floating islands; the 2,674-sq-ft system now adds plant, fish and bird habitat to Bee Branch Creek

There are 14 islands totaling 2,674 square feet. Each island is a miniature replica of the natural archipelagos of the Mississippi River. Before the islands were placed in the creek, four prototype designs in a variety of shapes and sizes were developed. Sometimes the answer for a city that has fought floodwaters for years isn’t … Read more

F16 crash in Michigan: Did a bird strike cause it? Alleged ATC audio moments before crash surfaces

An F-16 fighter jet crashed in northern Michigan on Thursday. (AFP)

An F-16 fighter jet crashed in northern Michigan on Thursday afternoon during a training exercise. The pilot safely ejected from the jet and was taken to a hospital. Officials later said the pilot was in stable condition. An F-16 fighter jet crashed in northern Michigan on Thursday. (AFP) Where and when did the crash happen? … Read more

In 1976, Buffalo turned a 264-acre industrial dump into a nature preserve; 50 years later, its 75-acre marsh is Erie County’s largest remnant wetland and 260+ bird species have been observed

In 1976, Buffalo turned a 264-acre industrial dump into a nature preserve; 50 years later, its 75-acre marsh is Erie County’s largest remnant wetland and 260+ bird species have been observed

Buffalo turned a 264-acre industrial dump into a nature preserve; 50 years later, its 75-acre marsh is Erie County’s largest remnant wetland (Image Credit: Tifft Nature Preserve) A former industrial site and municipal landfill on Buffalo’s Outer Harbor has spent the past five decades becoming something very different: a 264-acre urban nature preserve supporting wetlands, … Read more

Meet Samuel Henderson, the 12-year-old who can mimic more than 100 bird calls and is now going viral for his unusual talent

Meet Samuel Henderson, the 12-year-old who can mimic more than 100 bird calls and is now going viral for his unusual talent

A 12-year-old boy has gained millions of views on social media by copying the calls of more than 100 bird species using only his throat, tongue and hands. Samuel Henderson, a middle school student from the United States, began practicing bird calls as a hobby in his family’s garden. Videos of his bird imitations have … Read more

A farmer turned 70 acres of his Oregon barley farm into a wetland; now it hosts 140 bird species and endangered fish

A farmer turned 70 acres of his Oregon barley farm into a wetland; now it hosts 140 bird species and endangered fish

A farmer in southern Oregon transformed 70 acres of his 400-acre barley farm into a wetland in 2021, creating an unexpected refuge for wildlife while helping address agricultural water pollution. Karl Wenner, a co-owner of Lakeside Farms near Klamath Falls, worked with conservation agencies and other partners to convert flood-prone farmland into a managed wetland. … Read more

Humans stepped back from this UK dairy farm in 2023; three years later, wildlife returns as 27 more bird species appear and butterfly numbers more than double

Humans stepped back from this UK dairy farm in 2023; three years later, wildlife returns as 27 more bird species appear and butterfly numbers more than double

Image: The Guardian/Jenny Vickers A former dairy farm in the UK has undergone a striking transformation after humans stepped back and allowed natural processes to reshape the land. At Heal Somerset, a 460-acre site in Somerset acquired by the rewilding charity Heal in December 2022, the first three years of nature recovery have brought a … Read more

In 2022, bird flu caused an entire Sandwich tern colony in England to be abandoned; four breeding seasons later, the birds have returned in record numbers, creating one of the country’s largest colonies

In 2022, bird flu caused an entire Sandwich tern colony in England to be abandoned; four breeding seasons later, the birds have returned in record numbers, creating one of the country’s largest colonies

Four breeding seasons after a deadly bird flu outbreak forced a colony of Sandwich Terns to leave their nesting ground, the seabirds have returned in record numbers, creating one of England’s largest breeding sites. Monitoring reports published by Rare Bird Alert confirm that Sandwich Terns (Thalasseus sandvicensis) nested at RSPB Pagham Harbour in West Sussex … Read more

Alaska eradicated rats from a 6,869-acre Aleutian island more than two centuries after they arrived in a shipwreck; within two years some native bird populations had increased 200% or more and missing seabirds began returning

Alaska eradicated rats from a 6,869-acre Aleutian island more than two centuries after they arrived in a shipwreck; within two years some native bird populations had increased 200% or more and missing seabirds began returning

Alaska eradicated rats from a 6,869-acre Aleutian island More than two centuries after a shipwreck brought non-native rats to a remote Alaskan island, removing the invasive rodents has led to a rapid recovery of wildlife across the 6,869-acre island in the Aleutian archipelago. According to monitoring reports and press releases from the United States Fish … Read more

In 1986, a California city began polishing sewage through constructed marshes; the 307-acre system is now a wildlife sanctuary that has hosted over 300 bird species

In 1986, a California city began polishing sewage through constructed marshes; the 307-acre system is now a wildlife sanctuary that has hosted over 300 bird species

50 Million Gallons of Sewage Flow Daily From Mexico Into California Beaches In 1986, the Northern California city of Arcata completed an innovative wastewater treatment system that used constructed wetlands to clean sewage while also creating valuable wildlife habitat. The project eventually became part of the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, a 307-acre natural area … Read more