The Roost

September 3, 2018

Scientists crack mystery behind shape of bird eggs

Fascinating article from phys.org . Follow the link here to the website and article.

August 23, 2018 , University of Sheffield

Scientists crack mystery behind shape of bird eggs — Credit: University of Sheffield

A centuries-old mystery behind the shape of a bird’s egg has been solved by scientists at the University of Sheffield as part of one of the longest-running scientific studies of its kind.

The study, led by Professor Tim Birkhead from the University’s Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, has discovered the reason why guillemot eggs have such a peculiar shape – a mystery that has been puzzling biologists for hundreds of years.

Guillemots lay and incubate their single egg on bare cliff ledges close to the sea, which led scientists and nature enthusiasts to believe that the egg’s pointed shape had evolved to help it roll in an arc – thus keeping it from the cliff edge should it become dislodged

However, Professor Birkhead, who has been studying the behaviour of guillemots, puffins and razorbills on Skomer Island in Wales for almost 50 years, has discovered that the egg’s shape has evolved in order to keep the egg in place and prevent it from rolling away in the first place.

September 3, 2018September 3, 2018

Origin of the species: where did Darwin’s finches come from? – the guardian.com

Galápagos finches have been the subject of a plethora of evolutionary studies, but where did the first ones come from?

Four of the species of finch observed by Darwin on the Galápagos Islands, showing variation of beak. Photograph: Ann Ronan Pictures/Print Collector/Getty Images

September 3, 2018

Don’t blame wildfires on climate change – it’s environmentalists’ fault, says Zinke

From theguardian.com

US interior secretary Ryan Zinke blames environmentalists for the devastation in California and calls for an increase in logging

A wildfire burns near Yosemite national park. Photograph: US forest service/Reuters

The US interior secretary, Ryan Zinke, has blamed environmentalists for California’s ferocious wildfires and claimed, contrary to scientific research, that climate change had “nothing to do” with them. Instead, he said the fires were worsened because of limits on logging.

“America is better than letting these radical groups control the dialogue about climate change,” Zinke told KCRA, a TV station in northern California, on Sunday. “Extreme environmentalists have shut down public access. They talk about habitat and yet they are willing to burn it up.”

His remarks come on the heels of a USA Today op-ed, published last week, where he held environmentalists partly responsible for the fires because of a stance some have taken against logging. Zinke described it as a responsible means of forest management and called for an increase in timber harvesting, adding that this would also be a boon for the economy.

“This is not a debate about climate change,” he said on a trip to the affected area, the Sacramento Bee reported. “There’s no doubt the [fire] season is getting longer, the temperatures are getting hotter.”

Read the full article here.

September 3, 2018

Toxic ‘red tide’ algae bloom is killing Florida wildlife and menacing tourism

From: theguardian.com – full article here

Fish washed up after dying in a red tide in Captiva, Florida. Photograph: Cristobal Herrera/EPA

This year 267 tons of marine life, including thousands of small fish and 72 Goliath groupers, have washed up along 150 miles of the Gulf Coast from the unrelenting bloom

With its long, white, sandy beaches, Sanibel Island off the coast of south-western Florida is usually a perfect place for families to enjoy these last days of summer.

This year, however, 267 tons of marine life, including thousands of small fish, 72 Goliath groupers, and even a 21-ft whale shark have washed up on the beach since July – thanks to a a disastrous “red tide” of toxic algae.

September 3, 2018

The Reality of Singing

by Lavender

Visit our It’s A Birb Thing page to see the latest Cheeks comic strip!

September 3, 2018

In the latest chronicle of Morty’s advice to fans seeking his sage advice, Chiyome and mates (of Twitter’s Flock Is Family) learn that there may be one sure-fire way of getting their ‘Phone Lady’ to put down her annoying (tech) appendage and pay more attention to them!

If this issue seems all too familiar to you too then you need to go to our Beneath The Cage Grate page and read Morty’s full reply to Chiyome and flock. Get ready to raise your roof and get the attention you deserve!

September 3, 2018

Design Problems

by Sherri Moorer

I have poor spatial skills. I often joke that I would get lost leaving my driveway if I didn’t have to go to work five days a week. Most people think I’m exaggerating until they make the mistake of asking me for directions. GPS is a necessity of modern life for those of us who are spatially challenged. Unfortunately, it can’t help me with organizing cages, which is a challenge I face every time I get Zack and Bubbles new perches or toys, as I did recently.

Don’t get me wrong. Cages are much better than they were in the mid-1980’s when I got Samson, my first parakeet. They’re built efficiently with ease of cleaning, function, and bird comfort in mind. They’re also bigger, to provide more space for stretching out those wings to play, exercise, or laze around and beak grind while watching TV. You’d think the modern design would make finding places for those various perches and toys easier. Instead, it’s just enough rope to hang myself.

Read about Sherri’s spatial conundrums while attempting to outfitting Bubbles’ and Zack’s houses with new perches and toys on our Feathered Frenzy page.

August 13, 2018

Beach Huts for Birds — Susan Rushton

These colourful birdhouses from the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show made me think of beach huts, each painted slightly differently to their neighbours, but all in keeping with the spirit of the place. I need to rein in my imagination at this point before I start twittering about birds emerging from their huts in swimming […]

via Beach Huts for Birds — Susan Rushton

August 12, 2018August 12, 2018

Trixie Red Bum: a love to last forever

Love has grey feathers, a mischievous glint in expressive eyes, and a beautiful heart and soul. Love has a name, Trixie. You left mom way too soon Trixie.

A few months ago, Trixie left her mom Tracy’s side to fly to the Rainbow Bridge, leaving mom and countless Anipals devastated and heartbroken. The photos and videos that follow are a tribute to Trixie, a beautiful girl who will forever hold a permanent place in her mom’s heart and soul. You are so dearly missed every day Trixie.

This is a tribute to you sweet Trixie Red Bum, a feathered star that shone bright and beautifully in our hearts for a while, but was called to the heavens to watch over mommy Tracy and your flock much too soon.

The Sweetest Face

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Living up to her name, Trixie

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Gone, but never forgotten

Forever and for always Trixie, mom loves you. You may be gone from this Earth, but you will never leave her heart and soul.

Love you forever Trixie
Mommy Tracy

August 11, 2018

News on the Wing – August Edition

Visit our News on the Wing page to catch up on birdie and nature-related issues and items retrieved from social media over the last few weeks. For example, read and follow the Tweet about the plight of the Swift Parrot: