Scientific American
Brood X Cicadas Could Cause a Bird Baby Boom
Billions of emerging insects will likely trigger predator population surges but some species mysteriously opt out of such bounties
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This spring’s emergence of periodical cicadas in the eastern U.S. will make more than a buzz. Their bodies which will number in the billions will also create an unparalleled food fest for legions of small would-be predators, including many birds and mammals. But some animals may benefit more than others, and any boost predator populations get from the coming buffet of winged insects will likely be short-lived, researchers say.
The Most Commonly Seen Bird In Illinois Is NOT The Cardinal
The cardinal might be our state bird and the mascot of an annoying midwestern fanbase, but it s not the most common bird seen in Illinois.
At least that s what this study says. I m well documented in being very wary of any infographic that has different color-coded states. It is seemingly the best way to get someone to click on your article so the methodology of some of these maps should always be scrutinized.
Let s take a look at this one.
This is from the website gardensalive.com and was sent to my work email from someone who works for something called Go Fish Digital. I and everyone else that works in anything close to the media gets these all the time. It s how they eventually end up on your Facebook feed. It s all a machine folks, built to harvest eyeballs and clicks.
North Dakota is a birders paradise. With lots of wide open spaces, there s plenty of places to observe birds from tiny sparrows all the way to swans. The website Garden s Alive just came up with list of the most common bird sightings for each state.
According to an article on Garden s Alive, they used the latest data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey to zero in on each states most common bird. I must say, I am a bit surprised on North Dakota s number one bird. It s not like I don t see this species, (or hear, they have a very distinct call) I just don t see them near as much as other species, especially right here in Bismarck. I would ve thought it was Canada geese for sure. Everyday, on the way to or from from work, I usually see several dozens of flocks of Canada geese. Other common birds I hear or see around Bismarck, American Robins, Western Meadowlarks and Ringneck Pheasants.
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Authors: Dan Greenberg, Postdoctoral research associate, Simon Fraser University; Anna Hargreaves, Professor of Conservation Ecology & Evolution, McGill University; Arne Mooers, Professor, Biodiversity, Phylogeny & Evolution, Simon Fraser University, and Brian Leung, Associate professor, McGill University
There is real and justified concern about the state of our world’s ecosystems. Satellite imagery reveals few places left untouched by humanity. As the global human population and our overall consumption continue to grow in concert with the upheaval of our climate systems, the outlook for non-human species seems grim.
In response, scientists have tried to measure the state of global biodiversity. One of the biggest impact efforts has been the Living Planet Index (LPI), an ambitious project that compiles population trends for more than 4,000 vertebrate species around the world.