Episode 7: New hummingbird species, endangered birds and the pet trade, and a record setting feather!

Welcome to Episode 7 of the Bird Brief. I'm Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist, here to bring you the latest on birds from news and research around the globe. Today’s episode will range from a new hummingbird species, the plight of the critically endangered laughingthrush, and a record setting feather. For the love of birds let’s get started.

Stories:

https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/14/world/giant-hummingbirds-new-species-backpacks-scn/index.html 

https://phys.org/news/2024-05-critically-endangered-bird-greater-captivity.html#google_vignette 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/humans-are-driving-a-new-kind-of-evolution-in-animals/ 

https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/21/style/huia-feather-sold-new-zealand-intl-scli/index.html 

Music and Bird Sound:

Cristian Pinto, XC382312. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/382312.

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor); Recorded by Wil Hershberger/Macaulay Library; May 1997; ML84826 

Tristan Guillebot de Nerville, XC909850. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/909850 

Ricardo Gagliardi, XC835964. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/835964.

Don`t trust the News by 1st Contact is licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License

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.

@THE.BIRD.BRIEF