The Bird Brief
A global rundown of newly published avian research and newsworthy bird stories in just 5 minutes.
The Bird Brief
S2 E12: Snakeskins Boost Nest Success & Distant Weather Shapes Migration
Welcome to The Bird Brief, where we do a quick dive into the latest news and research on birds. I'm Stephanie Jenkins Aslett, avian ecologist, and migration is right around the corner – so, in this episode, we’re going to look at how climate change is reshaping bird migration, from NASA’s new study on global climate patterns influencing migration routes to the challenges birds face as spring arrives earlier each year. We'll also uncover a fascinating nesting trick used by cavity-nesting birds and celebrate the hopeful recovery of the turtle dove after decades of decline. Let’s do this.
Stories:
https://phys.org/news/2025-01-cavity-birds-cleverly-snake-skin.html#google_vignette
Bird Sound:
Great Crested Flycatcher. Peter Boesman, XC880185. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/880185.
European Turtle Dove. Pere Josa, XC909526. Accessible at www.xeno-canto.org/909526.
Music: The Weeknd from wish by Lundstroem is licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International
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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