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This week in birds - #665

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


This is the Puerto Rican Owl which holds the distinction of being the island's only endemic owl. It was once found on several of the Virgin Islands but is now extinct outside of Puerto Rico. It was most likely a victim of habitat loss. The little owl is primarily an insectivorous bird and is vulnerable to the impact of insecticides. Its conservation status is not presently a concern but its population is decreasing. It is the American Bird Conservancy's Bird of the Week.

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The current president keeps trying to shut down offshore wind construction and keeps losing in court.

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The salmon restoration on Washington's Elwha River has been jeopardized by the president's budget cuts.

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A female gray wolf from a prominent Yellowstone wolf pack was illegally killed on December 25 which sparked a poaching investigation. 

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PFAS "forever chemicals" have decreased in North Atlantic whales over the last decade which shows that regulation of these substances works.

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On the other hand, it seems that PFAS chemicals are right under our feet in our carpets.

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A fossil trove found in China is providing a window into a mass extinction event that happened more than five hundred million years ago. 

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Research shows that vampire bats that become close friends start to use similar sounds to communicate with each other.

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It seems that snakes have a taste for...snakes. Cannibalism among them is fairly widespread.

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Western Monarch butterfly overwintering counts showed a slight increase over last year but this is still the third lowest tally since the counts began in 1997. 

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A young mountain lion wandered into a San Francisco neighborhood which could have been a recipe for disaster but fortunately it was captured by wildlife officials and successfully released back into the wild.

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Here are 24 amazing images from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest.

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And here's how the Hargila Bone-swallower Stork of India was saved by an "army" of Indian women.

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The recently enacted High Seas Treaty offers an opportunity to protect Earth's oceans as never before.

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Wild jaguars sometimes meow just like our domestic pet cats.




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Comments

  1. David M. Gascoigne,February 7, 2026 at 1:16 PM

    Good afternoon, Dorothy. Thank you for the roundup. It’s good that the courts keep denying Trump permission to kill existing wind power projects, but you have to wonder how long he will continue to recognize the authority of the courts. Every other sensible piece of environmental legislation is under threat, too. People are holding their hopes high for a Republican rout in the mid terms, but will elections be held, and will the results be accepted? I have my doubts. All the best - David

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersFebruary 7, 2026 at 9:44 PM

      I actually don't doubt that the elections will be held and the results accepted. I put my faith in Jefferson and the Constitution over the orange demon currently "leading" the government. If my faith is proved in vain then more will be lost than one election.

      Delete
  2. jabblogFebruary 8, 2026 at 10:02 AM

    Much to entertain and educate here, Dorothy. I think the Hargila Bone-swallower Stork takes my vote, although the play-fighting cubs were delightful.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sarah @ All The Book Blog Names Are TakenFebruary 8, 2026 at 2:45 PM

    Some of my favorites sentences in the world contain the words 'current president' and 'losing in court'. There is so much destruction to undo, assuming we make it to the next election cycle. But seeing how my home state of Minnesota has taken on this regime, I have hope again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersFebruary 8, 2026 at 4:13 PM

      Down here in Texas, many of us are cheering Minnesota on!

      Delete
  4. thecuecardFebruary 10, 2026 at 9:29 AM

    Many good articles to pick from here. I'm always glad to see an Owl ... and the one up top is cool to learn about. I'm also keen on the Photos of the Year contest .... Wow. I will put my vote in for the contest. thx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersFebruary 10, 2026 at 11:09 AM

      I'm always happy to be able to feature an owl in the roundup. As you note, they are cool!

      Delete
  5. Deb Nance at ReaderbuzzFebruary 11, 2026 at 6:19 AM

    I think of all the schools I worked in, all the children in the schools, and all those carpeted floors. We have doomed ourselves, I think. Still, it's good to know that we can work to stop this.

    I'm glad the monarchs are slightly increasing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dorothy BordersFebruary 11, 2026 at 1:03 PM

      Monarchs increasing certainly gives me hope that perhaps all is not lost.

      Delete

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