This week in birds - #644

 A roundup of the week's news of birds and the environment:

This is a Harpy Eagle, one of the largest and most powerful raptors in the world. It has a wingspan of 6.5 feet and talons the size of a grizzly's claws. Despite their size and strength, they are not known to be a threat to humans, but recently a woman in French Guiana was attacked by one. The woman was part of a tour group that it is thought may have interrupted the bird's hunt.  

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Kerr County, Texas recently suffered devastating floods. It turns out that the voice that might have warned of danger had been silenced by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency. 

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You may recall the story of the Sycamore Gap tree that was chopped down by vandals in September 2023. Now a section of the tree is going on display in England.

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U.S. Customs and Border agents at the border crossing in San Diego recently discovered fourteen Keel-billed Toucans, a threatened species of bird that it is illegal to bring to the United States. They had been sedated and hidden inside a vehicle's dashboard. The officers were alerted by their dog that detected that something was amiss.

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Manas National Park in India had been ravaged by poachers but it is now experiencing a resurgence of several endangered species thanks to increased protections.

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Monarch butterflies in the West have now reached all the way into the state of Washington in their migration and it is hoped they will soon be producing a new generation of fliers.

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Scotty, the Tyrannosaurus rex, is teaching scientists about how its species may have healed from wounds.

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The golden oyster mushroom is a species native to Asia but it has found a new home around the Great Lakes. In fact, it has become so common there that it may soon crowd out native species of fungi. 

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A previously unknown species of a tree-dwelling, lizard-like reptile has been identified by matching two halves of the same fossil stored at different museums.

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Analysis of another dinosaur fossil found in China has shown that it had a larynx capable of producing bird-like noises. 

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The Trinity River in California has come a long way toward being restored, but advocates warn there is still a long way to go.

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And along the northwestern coast of the United States and Canada, an even greater effort is needed in order to save and conserve orcas.

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Human cases of pneumonic plague are uncommon in the United States but recently a patient in Arizona died from the disease.

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A study of Neanderthals has revealed that they may have had their own unique culinary traditions.

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An ancient rock carving in Egypt may represent an early ruler. The engraving could be as much as 5,100 years old.

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Scientists warn that deep-sea mining could have deleterious effects for the planet.

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The coconut rhinoceros beetle is a major threat to the coconut trees of Hawaii, trees that are so much a part of the state's landscape and cultural identity. 

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The world's largest known turtle nesting site has been discovered in the Amazon.

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A Western Gull like this one hitched a ride on a garbage truck and took an 80 mile ride to a compost facility. 

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A species of mite is devastating western honeybees, an essential part of American agriculture that pollinates more than 130 types of plants.

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Invertebrates, as well as other types of animals, need trade protections.

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There's a spot in Colorado where 100 million years ago male dinosaurs gathered to dance in hopes of impressing potential mates.

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Here are some amazing snake pictures.