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Scarlet macaw (Ara macao). (Photo by R. Butler)
BIRDS
Of the more than 10,000 species of birds in the world, the majority are found in the tropics
with 50 percent of all bird species found in the Amazon Basin and Indonesia.
PARROTS
One of the most recognizable bird groups in the world is the parrots (about 315 species) with their bright colors, distinctive loud calls, powerful beaks, and feet with two toes facing forward and two facing rearward. Parrots are most prominent in the rainforest, although they are found in countless other tropical habitats around the world. Parrots feed on seeds, fruits, grass, leaves, and plant shoots and use their strong beaks to crack hard shells, grind their food, and as a third limb for climbing. Parrots come in a range of sizes from the 39-inch (1 m), three-pound (1.4 kg) hyacinthine macaw of Brazil to the pygmy parrot which rarely reaches three and a half inches (9 cm) and weighs only about half an ounce (15 g). Besides size variation, some parrots have very unusual habits,like the Southeast Asian hanging parrots which sleep hanging upside down like bats. Many parrots live in flocks or in life-long partnerships with a single mate. When one member of the pair dies, the other mate either lives out its life in lonely solitude or joins another pair to make a triple. Many parrots show marked sexual dimorphism with males usually more strikingly colored than females. Due to their attractive coloration, many parrots are threatened by over-collecting for the pet trade in addition to threats from loss of habitat.
Each continental region has its own form of giant parrots: Central and South America have macaws, while Australia and Southeast Asia have cockatoos. Macaws are well known throughout the New World for their bright colors, their loud call, and their demeanor as pet birds. In addition, macaws are famous for gathering by the hundreds, even thousands, along the clay cliffs of the Amazon river where they feed on minerals which bind to the seed toxins, rendering the seeds on which they feed less toxic by preventing their absorption. The world's rarest bird is a macaw, Spix's macaw, which is a beautiful bird with a dark blue head, a blue body, and a greenish belly with a black mask and bright yellow eye. It has always been rare, limited to palm groves and river edges in small areas near the center of Brazil, but recent deforestation, importation of Africanized bees—which took their tree hollows—and over collection for hobbyists caused this species' demise. In 1987, four birds remained; now only a single male bird may remain as the species' lone wild representative on Earth. Cockatoos are also widely kept as pets for their attractive plumage and well-developed crests, but are routinely killed in their native lands as menaces to crops.
WORLDWIDE CANOPY BIRDS
Swifts are interesting birds found worldwide, though generally not considered rainforest birds since they may spend 2-3 years in flight, before landing to nest in caves, emergent canopy trees, or buildings. Swifts can only land in locations with altitude because their wing structure,built for extended flight,does not facilitate conventional take-off. Swifts are able stay aloft for such extended periods because of their two-lobed brain which allows for one half to "sleep" while the other performs bodily functions like flying and catching insects in flight. Swifts are well-known in Asia not for their stamina, but for their nests built of their saliva and blood, mixed with twigs. These nests are constructed in large numbers in caves in Southeast Asia and in tall forest trees in Africa. The nests are built upside down and the eggs are glued in with saliva. The nests are popular as a delicacy believed to bring good luck.
Owls are successful nocturnal birds of prey that are found worldwide. They are successful due to their superb adaptations to nocturnal hunting. Despite their immobile eye sockets, owls have incredible vision. Their cornea is highly convex so that their vision up, down, left and right is good, and they have the ability to turn their head up to 270 degrees. The face of an owl is disk-shaped in order to pick up more light and sound waves, much like a satellite dish. The owl's hearing is far superior to that of a human thanks to the placement of the ears: the right ear is located above the left ear and pointed at a different angle so the owl can perceive vertical sound movement in addition to the horizontal sound movement that humans can detect. In addition to sight and hearing, the owl has physiological adaptations to make it nearly silent when it flies. The chest and underwings are soft down feathers and the owl flies with a butterfly-stroke motion to ensure stealth.
Rainforests are home to many other birds of prey like hawks, eagles, and vultures. Vultures are seen virtually everywhere in the tropics because they feed on the remains of other creatures. Vultures may seem ubiquitous, but many birds of prey are threatened by habitat destruction and hunting as pests. One of the best examples is the Mauritius kestrel, the population of which—through habitat fragmentation, introduction of foreign species, and pollution caused by widespread use of pesticides— was down to four wild birds in 1974. However, thanks to the hard work of Carl Jones in Mauritius, by 1996 the number had climbed to about 400 total birds [See Solutions: Restoration of Habitats and Species].
NEW WORLD BIRDS
South America is sometimes called the "bird continent" for its diverse range of birds. This diversity can be partly attributed to the multitude of fruits which provide sustenance for the large number of fruit-eating birds including toucans, oropendulas, parrots, parakeets, tanagers, cotingas, and manakins.
One of the images conjured up when people think of the rainforest is a popular breakfast cereal image, the large, colorful bill of the toucan. About 40 species of toucans are distributed from Mexico to Paraguay and many are marked with bright contrasting colors including yellow, orange, red, blue, and white zones on the upper parts. Toucans are tree dwellers which usually nest at 65-100 feet (20-30 m) and feed on fleshy tropical fruits, and infrequently on insects and birds eggs. Their large bill is hollow, but still impedes flight which essentially consists of a leap from one tree, a few clumsy wing beats, a carefully planned landing, and a bit of luck.
Another beautiful New World bird is the quetzal from Central American forests, which was revered as a god by the Aztecs and Mayas. Quetzals pluck fruit in flight and bring it back to their perch for consumption. This small but voracious bird eats more than half its weight each day in insects, frogs, lizards, and snails. The quetzal is becoming rare with extensive deforestation in Central America.
Hummingbirds are an additional type of colorful bird found only in the New World, although they do have Old World counterparts, the sunbirds. They are the second largest bird family in the New World, with 320 species, and are some of the smallest birds in the world. The smallest species, the bee hummingbird, has a maximum size of two inches, half of which is tail and beak. Because hummingbirds use so much energy, with a heart rate from 450-1300 beats per minute, they must consume several times their body weight in nectar each day. In addition, hummingbirds conserve energy by falling into a comatose-like state at night. Their heart rate falls to 35-50 beats per minute at night and their body temperature approaches the surrounding temperature.
One of the strangest birds in the world is the hoatzin which jumps and climbs about in the canopy of South America. This chicken-sized bird has red eyes surrounded by bright blue skin and a crest of long thin feathers. The hoatzin is a clumsy flier that only flies when it must and then only for short distances. One of the most interesting aspects of hoatzin ecology is that young birds have a pair of claws on the bend of each wing. When confronted with danger, the young birds drop out of the tree into the water. They wait there until the danger has passed and climb back up to their nest with the help of their clawed wings. Adult birds have another means of defense; they can produce on offensive odor that drives enemies away. Hence its other common name, the stink bird.
Although most birds build their nests to conceal them from predators, two New World species, oropendulas and caciques, construct their nests in open areas so predators have to cross open ground, which few are willing to do. The long, hanging, basket-like nests are almost always constructed near a stinging bee, wasp, or ant nest which tends to deter potential predators, along with the parasitic botfly, the larvae of which lives under the skin of the chicks, feeds on its flesh, and can devastate an entire oropendula colony. Botfly larvae can also infest humans, and are an extremely nasty-looking parasite that is difficult to remove.
OLD WORLD BIRDS
The birds of the tropical rainforests of the Old World are nearly as diverse as those of the New World, and contain some stunning species. Among the most striking are the paradise birds of the Australasian realm and the hornbills of Africa, Southeast Asia, and New Guinea. The paradise birds from New Guinea and Australia are colorful birds with fantastic plumage; they were first considered divine creatures from heaven when early skins sent back to Europe had their feet removed and had such brilliant appearances. There are some 40 odd species of paradise birds, most of which are arboreal, live in mountain zones, and eat insects, small vertebrates, and fruit.
Another memorable group of birds are the hornbills, which are large (the helmeted hornbill may reach five feet (1.5 m). These noisy birds are represented by 45 species including the imposing rhinoceros hornbill of Sumatra, Borneo, and Western Java. This species has black plumage with a white tail and an enormous yellow beak with a casque--a horny sheath situated on the crown. The Rhinoceros hornbill has a remarkable nesting behavior in which the female holes up using mud in her tree hollow with her eggs, leaving only a tiny opening. She is entirely dependent on the male to bring her and her young fruits, snakes, lizards, and insects. If something happens to the male bird, she will die unless another, un-mated male comes to her rescue, which does sometimes occur. Like other hornbills, the rhinoceros hornbill is an important seed disperser in the tropical rainforest. Recent research on African hornbills by San Francisco State University suggests that the role of hornbills in forest regeneration is becoming even more important as deforestation spreads. Unlike primates and forest elephants, which will often not cross clearings, hornbills have a large range and will cross logged areas to disperse seeds in forest fragments.
One interesting groups of birds, the honey guides of Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, are well-known for their habit of guiding humans and honey badgers to beehives. The bird calls when man or badger approaches, and flies off calling again until the man approaches again. It repeats this process until it is near a hive. Once the man opens the nest and takes the honey, the bird can then eat the wax, bees, and larvae.
Studying world's rarest penguin leads to the discovery of a new species
(11/19/2008) Researching one of the world's most endangered penguins in New Zealand, the yellow-eyed penguin, has led to a remarkable discovery. DNA from 500-year-old penguin fossils has shown that the country was once home to not just one penguin species, but two. The DNA has resurrected an unknown extinct penguin, which researchers have named the Waitaha Penguin.
Rainforest agriculture preserves bird biodiversity in India
(11/4/2008) Conservation of biodiversity and agriculture have long been considered conflicting interests. Numerous studies have shown that when agricultural replaces a forest, biodiversity greatly suffers. However a new study finds it doesn't have to be that way.
Rise of industrial chicken farming imperils genetic stock of the industry
(11/3/2008) Industrial poultry farming is reducing the genetic diversity of chickens, putting them at greater risk of disease, report researchers writing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The authors propose interbreeding commercial chickens with indigenous stocks to restore greater diversity within the industry.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program restores bird habitat on farms and ranches
(10/28/2008) Matt Filsinger is driving his white pickup headed northeast from Sterling to look at two of his projects. This self-described introvert speaks enthusiastically about his job. “Ducks, ducks, ducks – that’s what I love!” says Filsinger, grinning broadly. Filsinger is a wildlife biologist with the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He works with private landowners to set aside land and create attractive habitat for imperiled species. Specifically, he designs wetlands to attract waterfowl. Partners for Fish and Wildlife is a successful program that has been around since 1987. Landowners, including farmers and ranchers, form partnerships with the program because they reap a variety of benefits from it. Nonprofit organizations such as Ducks Unlimited, Audubon and the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory are also partners. Collaboration between the federal government and private landowners is essential to preserving habitat and species, as 73 percent of the country’s land is privately owned, and most wildlife lives on that land.
Rare bird rediscovered on 'most pristine' island in southeast Asia
(10/23/2008) Scientist have rediscovered the endangered Wetar Ground-dove (Gallicolumba hoedtii), one of the world's least known birds, 100 years after it was last seen on the remote Indonesian island of Wetar, reports Columbidae Conservation, a UK-based conservation group.
2-degree rise in temperature may doom penguins colonies
(10/10/2008) More than half Antarctica's penguin colonies are at risk by a 2-degree global rise in temperatures, according to a report released by the environmental group WWF.
Argentina bans fishing, trawling in eco-rich area
(10/9/2008) The government of Argentina has banned commercial fishing along Burdwood Bank, an 1,800 square kilometer (694 square mile) submerged island off its southern coast, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).
20 waterbirds added to threatened list
(10/2/2008) The U.N. has added 20 species of migratory waterbird to the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) giving them greater international protection in Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Palawan's wildlife faces extinction risk due to mining, pet trade
(9/17/2008) Scientists warn that species on the Philippine island of Palawan are rapidly headed toward extinction due to habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade. Last week ornithologist Aldrin Mallari presented a paper showing that all of Palawan's endangered species inhabited lowland forest, according to an article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Lowland forest is broadly open to human development in Palawan, whereas areas above a thousand meters are protected.
Threatened forest in Kenya home to a diversity of bird life
(9/15/2008) The Tana River forest in coastal Kenya is home to a diverse array of bird species but is increasingly under threat from logging, agricultural expansion, and unsustainable harvesting of some bird species, reports a new study published in the open-access journal Tropical Conservation Science.
Migratory waterbird populations in decline in Europe
(9/15/2008) 41 percent of 522 migratory waterbird populations on the routes across Africa and Eurasia show decreasing trends, reports a new study released at the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement meeting in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
French birds on the move due to climate change—just not fast enough
(8/21/2008) French ornithologists have discovered, year by year, that French birds are moving north due to the affects of climate change. A recent study of such movements in the Royal Society journal Proceedings B concludes that the birds are not moving fast enough, leading to concern among conservationists.
Presidential candidate John McCain's love-hate relationship with bears
(8/21/2008) Senator John McCain has frequently cited an earmark to a bill proving funds for a study of grizzly bears in Montana as an example of the worst pork-and-barrel spending in Washington. The study was included in an ad for McCain entitled "Outrageous" during the primaries. However, according to FactCheck.org, Senator McCain voted for the earmark he now derides.
When the magpie looks in a mirror, it sees itself
(8/20/2008) Unlike Narcissus of Greek mythology--who upon seeing his reflection in water jumped in thinking it was another--magpies have proven they can recognize their own reflections. Until now, only a small number of primates (chimpanzees, pygmy chimps, and orangutans) have displayed this ability, making the magpie the first bird shown to recognize itself.
How sustainable is your canned tuna? It depends on the retailer
(8/13/2008) To aid concerned tuna-lovers, Greenpeace has ranked eight of the top canned tuna retailers in order from most sustainable to least. Canned tuna from John West, the biggest retailer of tuna in the UK, proves to be the worst of the lot, whereas Salinburys is the most environmentally-friendly. In a press release Greenpeace said that Salinburys is "the only tinned tuna brand that is fished using sustainable methods".
Photos of surgery on an injured red-tailed hawk
(8/1/2008) Dr. Paul Calle, Director of Wildlife Health Center at the Wildlife Conservation Society's Bronx Zoo headquarters, and Cornell University resident Dr. Maren Connolly examine a red-tailed hawk found unable to fly by a park ranger in Rockland County.
Prime Minister of Kenya urged to ban lion-killing pesticide after child dies from ingestion
(11/10/2009) On Monday October 26th a three-year-old girl mistakenly ate the pesticide Furadan (also known as carbofuran) in western Kenya. Her father, a teacher at a primary school, said that he had no knowledge of how dangerous the pesticide was, which he had purchased to kill pests in his vegetable garden.
Hunting across Southeast Asia weakens forests' survival, An interview with Richard Corlett
(11/08/2009) A large flying fox eats a fruit ingesting its seeds. Flying over the tropical forests it eventually deposits the seeds at the base of another tree far from the first. One of these seeds takes root, sprouts, and in thirty years time a new tree waits for another flying fox to spread its speed. In the Southeast Asian tropics an astounding 80 percent of seeds are spread not by wind, but by animals: birds, bats, rodents, even elephants. But in a region where animals of all shapes and sizes are being wiped out by uncontrolled hunting and poaching—what will the forests of the future look like? This is the question that has long occupied Richard Corlett, professor of biological science at the National University of Singapore.
The faster, fiercer, and always surprising sloth, an interview with Bryson Voirin
(10/25/2009) Sloths sleep all day; they are always slow; and they are gentle animals. These are just some of the popular misconceptions that sloth-scientist and expert tree-climber, Bryson Voirin, is overturning. After growing up among the wild creatures of Florida, spending his high school years in Germany, and earning a Bachelors degree in biology and environment at the New College of Florida, Voirin found his calling. At the New College of Florida, Voirin "met Meg Lowman, the famous canopy pioneer who invented many of the tree climbing techniques everyone uses today."
Perfect shot of the rare Iberian wolf wins nature photo contest
(10/22/2009) It's hard to believe the shot is real: it's that good. But a photo of a rare Iberian wolf—a subspecies of the gray wolf—jumping a fence has won the 45th Veolia Environment Wildlife Photo of the Year award. The photographer, Jose Luis Rodriguez, has said that he hopes the haunting image will inspire the people of Spain to be proud to have this endangered animal still roaming their countryside.
Kenya's pain, part two: decades of wildlife decline exacerbated by drought
(10/20/2009) Not many years ago if you were planning a trip to Africa to see wildlife, Kenya would be near the top of the list, if not number one. Then violent riots in late 2007 and early 2008 leaving a thousand dead tarnished the country's image abroad. When calm and stability returned, Kenya was again open for tourism, and it's true that most travelers were quick to forget: articles earlier this year announced that even with the global economic crisis Kenya was expecting tourism growth. However, a new disaster may not be so quickly overcome.
