Bird Populations Are in Meltdown
Humans rely on birds to eat insects, spread seeds, and pollinate plants—but these feathered friends can’t survive without their habitats......»»
Historical data suggest hard knocks to human societies build long-term resilience
Frequent disturbances to human societies boost the ability of populations to resist and recover from subsequent downturns, a Nature paper indicates. The study, which analyzes 30,000 years of human history, has implications for future population growt.....»»
Long-awaited Chicago policy doesn"t do enough to protect migrating birds, advocates say
Annette Prince peered between glossy downtown buildings: "There's a bird in that grate.".....»»
CDC, FDA, USDA answer big questions about the growing bird flu outbreak
Representatives with multiple agencies including the CDC, the United States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration on May 1 discussed the latest news about bird flu in the U.S......»»
This Texas veterinarian helped crack the mystery of bird flu in cows
The first calls that Dr. Barb Petersen received in early March were from dairy owners worried about crows, pigeons and other birds dying on their Texas farms. Then came word that barn cats—half of them on one farm—had died suddenly......»»
More than half of cats on farm died after drinking milk from cows infected with bird flu
In yet another sign that bird flu is spreading widely among mammals, a new report finds more than half of cats at the first Texas dairy farm to have cows test positive for bird flu this spring died after drinking raw milk......»»
Texans encouraged to turn off nighttime lights during bird migration
Texas residents who look up at the night sky over the next few weeks might catch a glimpse of an avian superhighway......»»
Genetic adaptations have impacted the blood compositions of two populations from Papua New Guinea, finds study
Papua New Guinea (PNG) has a wide range of environments, each presenting unique challenges to human survival. Highlanders and lowlanders of PNG are striking examples of populations facing distinct environmental stress. Whereas the highlanders encount.....»»
Research shows baby bird development harmed by sound of cars
A new study by Deakin researchers, published in Science, proves that traffic noise exposure in baby birds directly interferes with their development, which causes severe and long-lasting harm to those chicks......»»
More than 2 million gazelle still roam the Mongolian steppe
A study published in Oryx sheds light on the status of Mongolian gazelle populations across Mongolia, Russia, and China, revealing both successes and challenges in the conservation efforts of this iconic species.....»»
20% of grocery store milk has traces of bird flu, suggesting wider outbreak
The milk is still considered safe, but disease experts are alarmed by the prevalence. Enlarge (credit: Getty | Jeffrey Greenberg) The Food and Drug Administration reported late Thursday that about 20 percent of retail mi.....»»
How worrying is bird flu"s jump to dairy cows? Here"s what experts say
Since 2022, a highly contagious strain of bird flu has spread across the U.S. at an unprecedented rate, resulting in the deaths of more than 90 million birds in commercial and backyard poultry flocks, plus thousands more in the wild......»»
More cows are being tested and tracked for bird flu. Here"s what that means
U.S. health and agriculture officials are ramping up testing and tracking of bird flu in dairy cows in an urgent effort to understand—and stop—the growing outbreak......»»
Evolutionary biologists show that the color variants of female cuckoos are based on ancient mutations
Every cuckoo is an adopted child—raised by foster parents, into whose nest the cuckoo mother smuggled her egg. The cuckoo mother is aided in this subterfuge by her resemblance to a bird of prey. There are two variants of female cuckoos: a gray morp.....»»
Fragments of bird flu virus genome found in pasteurized milk, FDA says
The test cannot tell if the virus is live. The FDA still assess milk supply as safe. Enlarge / Cows being milked (credit: Getty | Edwin Remsberg) The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday announced that genetic fragmen.....»»
Concern grows as bird flu spreads further in US cows: 32 herds in 8 states
Experts say the US is not sharing as much data on the outbreak as it should. Enlarge / Greylag geese sit on a field and rest while a cow passes by in the background. (credit: Getty | Daniel Bockwoldt) Researchers aroun.....»»
H5N1 strain of bird flu found in milk: WHO
The H5N1 bird flu virus strain has been detected in very high concentrations in raw milk from infected animals, the WHO said Friday, though how long the virus can survive in milk is unknown......»»
Marine microbial populations: Potential sensors of the global change in the ocean
Animal and plant populations have been extensively studied, which has helped to elucidate ecosystem processes and evolutionary adaptations. However, this has not been the case with microbial populations, due to the impossibility of isolating, culturi.....»»
Bird flu in cattle: What are the concerns surrounding the newly emerging bovine H5N1 influenza virus?
The confirmed presence of bird flu in American dairy cattle in a March 25 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)—and a case in Texas where a human working with cattle was infected—has put Canadian public health experts on high aler.....»»
Team finds direct evidence of "itinerant breeding" in East Coast shorebird species
Migration and reproduction are two of the most demanding events in a bird's annual cycle, so much so that the vast majority of migratory birds separate the two tasks into different times of the year......»»
First evidence of human occupation in lava tube cave in Saudi Arabia
Recent strides in interdisciplinary archaeological research in Arabia have unveiled new insights into the evolution and historical development of regional human populations, as well as the dynamic patterns of cultural change, migration, and adaptatio.....»»