This week in birds - #676

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

The American Bird Conservancy's Bird of the Week is the Palm Warbler. This warbler is unusual in a couple of ways. First, the sexes are nearly identical unlike most warblers that are sexually dimorphic. Secondly, most warblers spend the majority of their time in trees and shrubs but the Palm Warbler is quite happy on the ground as well. And when on the ground, they can be seen walking or running rather than hopping in the manner of other warblers. Like other birds, they are vulnerable to habitat loss and hazards during migration. They are insect eaters, although in fall and winter they may take seeds and berries to supplement their diet. During nesting season, they can be found in the southern part of eastern Canada and along the adjoining parts of the United States. Their population is currently increasing and their status is of least concern.

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Would damming the Bering Strait help to save the climate? 

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Scorpions are unusual in several ways, including the fact that they have metal in their tails.

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Sumatran orangutans are learning to use human-made wildlife bridges across the trees.

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We have long known that the Maya kept dogs, but what part did they play in Mayan culture? 

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Here are ten warblers that the American Bird Conservancy is working to conserve.

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A biologist snapped the first-ever photo of newly hatched giant salamanders in the wild.

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It seems that spiders don't like noisy neighbors any more than we do.

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I used to watch several gardening shows on television, but most of them are gone now. Here are some that might draw me back in.