The Bird Brief
A global rundown of newly published avian research and newsworthy bird stories in just 5 minutes.
The Bird Brief
Episode 5: Birds with Prostheses, Plumage Color in China, Gull Screeching Contest Winner, and the Oldest Bird in the World
Welcome to Episode 5 of the Bird Brief! This is Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist giving you the rundown on the most recent happenings in birds, both in popular news and published research throughout the world. Today’s episode will range from 3D printed prosthetics for birds, plumage color changes due to humans, an atypical champion of a gul screeching contest, and the oldest living bird in the world. You will be up to date in just five minutes. Let’s get started.
Stories:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-58762-9
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169204624001002
https://www.kmvt.com/2024/04/26/birds-blame-power-outage-twin-falls/
https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/celebrating-albatrosses
Music and Bird Sound:
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla); Recorded by Tom Johnson/Macaulay Library; Apr 2018; ML97299221.
California Gull (Larus californicus); Recorded by Bob McGuire/Macaulay Library; May 2013; ML188486.
Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis); Recorded by Ernest S. Booth/Macaulay Library; Jun 1959; ML959.
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis); Recorded by Maureen Chambrone/Macaulay Library; Jul 2017; ML79919841.
Red-rumped Parrot; Marc Anderson, XC689128. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/689128. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
Rosy-faced Lovebird; Bram Vogels, XC892937. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/892937. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
Red-legged Seriema; Michael Hurben, XC855641. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/855641. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
Don`t trust the News by 1s
Hearing Protection Tips:
Okay, as your birder friend, I want you to hear your birds today, but also in five years. Make sure you have the basics, get some inexpensive foam earplugs at your local drugstore and put them in your bag or car for those random times you are heading to a show and its going to be way too loud. Also grab some earmuffs and have them handy for when you use the blender or mow the lawn.
Here's a few that I like that are inexpensive and won't break the bank:
-Mack’s Ultra Soft Foam Earplugs, 7 Pair + Case – (NRR 33 dB Highest NRR). https://amzn.to/3Xn2xrN .
-3M PELTOR Ear Muffs, X1, (NRR 22) https://amzn.to/41aMcbU. Most comfortable muff in my opinion. Nicely slim for a muff while providing good ear protection. Fantastic to bring to fireworks shows and air shows, so you can take them off to chat with your friends. Bonus -- even comfortable and lightweight enough that your kid will wear them!
-3M PELTOR X3 Earmuffs, (NRR 25-28) https://amzn.to/40XXVZN. Great protection, but can get heavy.
*Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) is the number of decibels that the ear pro can reduce ambient noise levels – NRR 33 is the maximum. I’ve found that NRR 33 is pretty bulky/heavy in muffs so I opt for NRR 22 or NRR 25.
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