10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2024

Research by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust has shown that predation by Foxes (of both eggs and chicks) is one of the most serious factors limiting the success of nesting Curlews. One of the reasons they do well here is predator control, for Foxes are quite strictly controlled by gamekeepers and landowners in the area.

Fox 193

Fox Badgers Finland Sweden 193

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 26, 2022

Of course, the paper ends with the usual thinly disguised request for more research grants: “This sharing behavior could indicate a high level of social awareness and prosociality that should be further investigated. Then again, that is probably the length of summer in Finland. Isn’t that what evolution is all about?

Finland 147

Finland Birds McDonalds Israel 147

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 8, 2022

Given the complexity of the research, the result feels like a bit of a letdown – “northern populations start migration earlier than southern populations, especially in autumn” The species name of the Chestnut-eared Bunting is fucata , from the Latin “fucare”, to paint red. Better safe than sorry.

Eggs 204

Eggs Birds Bangladesh China 204