http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/birds/ en-us Sun, 9 Jun 2013 17:47:26 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3029222/posts More Federal studies and grants are needed and we can't wait. Editor's note: This is a guest post by the Very Honorable Ima Librul, Senator from the great State of Confusion Utopia. He recently explained some of his difficulties in growing pineapples and focuses here on other major problems and opportunities facing modern American society. We are privileged to have a post of this caliber by a quintessential Librul such as the Senator. He is a charter member of President Obama’s Go For It Team, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chairman of the Meretricious Relations Subcommittee. He is also... Dan Miller's Blog http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3029222/posts#comment Sun, 9 Jun 2013 17:47:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3020396/posts Wind farms in this corner of Wyoming have killed more than four dozen golden eagles since 2009, one of the deadliest places in the country of its kind. But so far, the companies operating industrial-sized turbines here and elsewhere that are killing eagles and other protected birds have yet to be fined or prosecuted - even though every death is a criminal violation. The Obama administration has charged oil companies for drowning birds in their waste pits, and power companies for electrocuting birds on power lines. But the administration has never fined or prosecuted a wind-energy company, even those that... Newser http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3020396/posts#comment Thu, 16 May 2013 21:52:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3020383/posts Arab terrorists who in the past served terms in Israeli prisons warned prisoners currently being held for terrorism to watch out for a group of undercover informers seeking to trip them up, who are known as “birds.” The network apparently stretches far and wide, with these "birds" tasked with wheedling out confessions that lead to convictions through a mixture of charm, camaraderie and favors. The “birds” usually pose as terrorists themselves, the Arabs said, as reported by AFP. Ahmed Azzam, 30, says his first exposure to the "birds" was after several unsuccessful Israeli attempts at interrogating him. “When I was... Arutz Sheva http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3020383/posts#comment Thu, 16 May 2013 21:28:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3017471/posts Major Didier Pericou told The Times of Europe, "When we first went out in the helicopter looking for the body, we saw numerous vultures without realizing what they were doing." Pericou added that the incident has reignited calls from local farmers to allow hunting of the birds. The Times reported that Pyrénéan farmers have been demanding the right to shoot the birds, known as Griffon Vultures, because they've been attacking sheep and cows. But the species is protected in France and has lost access to its normal diet of carcasses due to European health and safety regulations. Reuters http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3017471/posts#comment Thu, 9 May 2013 16:16:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3005127/posts I got out with my son in law, got coffee and just rode around. Grandson is at National Guard annual training through this month so it's quiet around here. Even when he is asleep there is a subliminal rumble present LOL, and you miss it when he goes out the door.The ponds were all quiet today, nothing but sunning Red-eared Sliders, Trachemys s. elegant. Believe it or not these are the same turtles they used to sell in dime stores, with the little tank and a plastic palm tree. Last week they were just peeking out of the water, today... self http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3005127/posts#comment Sun, 7 Apr 2013 18:10:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2996691/posts -and stop the wackobirds when we still had the chance! YouTube   Daily Caller Reaganite Republican http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2996691/posts#comment Thu, 14 Mar 2013 10:48:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2991075/posts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HoaC3iRx44 http://newsbusters.org/node/8175 Maher: You could have went to New Hampshire and killed two birds with one stone. Kerry: Or, I could have gone to 1600 Pennsylvania and killed the real bird with one stone. YouTube --> Hannity Colmes --> Bill Maher http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2991075/posts#comment Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:45:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2989285/posts Thanks to a mild winter, swarms of turkey vultures have made themselves at home in Shelby, N.C., but town residents are wary of their neighbors. While the birds normally pass through the city while migrating south for the winter, the vultures have been sticking around this year, swarming lawns and making residents nervous. "We are just not getting cold enough to push them along," Kristen Duren, an intern with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, the state agriculture service, told ABC's Charlotte, N.C. affiliate WSOC-TV. "What used to be five to 10 birds is going up to 150 birds." ABC News Blogs http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2989285/posts#comment Sun, 17 Feb 2013 02:09:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2969752/posts Lights left on during a foggy night last year at a West Virginia wind farm are thought to be behind the grizzly deaths of nearly 500 songbirds. It was the third time it happened -- and each time, the federal government looked the other way. ... “The playing field is not leveled,” American Bird Conservancy spokesman Bill Johns ... All they do now is go, ‘Whoops, my bad’ and it’s forgiven.” ... The wind sector has had an exemption from prosecution under two of America’s oldest wildlife-protection laws: the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Eagle Protection Act. A violation... Fox News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2969752/posts#comment Tue, 18 Dec 2012 03:05:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2940738/posts The government is effectively subsidizing the killing of federally protected birds, according to a report which highlights a wide range of subsidies given to the wind industry. “If Congress extends the PTC, federal taxpayers will, in effect, be subsidizing the killing of federally protected birds,” writes Robert Bryce, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and the report’s author. “Despite numerous violations, the Obama administration — like the Bush administration before it — has unofficially exempted the wind industry from prosecution under the Eagle Protection and Migratory Bird Treaty Acts,” Bryce continues. “By exempting the wind industry from prosecution under the... The Daily Caller http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2940738/posts#comment Fri, 5 Oct 2012 18:19:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2927900/posts WARWICK, R.I. -- A year-long dispute has landed two neighbors in court. At issue: Willy's the cockatoo's salty language. In court documents, Kathleen Melker of 55 Harris Ave. asserts she was within earshot of Willy, her neighbor's pet, when he repeatedly called her "whore." The incident, she says, punctuated an acrimonious relationship with Lynne Taylor of 51 Harris Ave. that she says included Taylor pelting rocks over the fence and threats to capture Melker's cat and "drown it in the Bay." No charges have been filed. Providence Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2927900/posts#comment Fri, 7 Sep 2012 15:00:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2924350/posts <p>BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — What began as bizarre bird behavior has turned into something out of a horror film for threatened whales in Argentina, where seagulls have learned that pecking at the whales' backs can get them a regular seafood dinner.</p> NY Times | AP http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2924350/posts#comment Wed, 29 Aug 2012 23:27:57 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2915349/posts Pet kitties and their wild feral relatives kill a shocking 500 million birds and over 3 billion other animals according to new studies, prompting a leading Washington-based bird protection group to demand that local governments order their dog catchers to snag cats too. One disturbing new study is based on evidence from "KittyCams" strapped on to 60 outdoor pet cats in Athens, Ga. The results: They each averaged 2.1 "kills" a week. Just 13 percent were birds, the rest voles, lizards, chipmunks, frogs and small snakes. Based on the joint University of Georgia-National Geographic study of pet cats and another... washingtonexaminer http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2915349/posts#comment Mon, 6 Aug 2012 21:16:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2900279/posts A lack of transparency by top Obama administration officials has prompted an environmental group to sue the Interior Department to determine whether wind power projects are killing large numbers of bats and birds. The American Bird Conservancy (ABC) filed the lawsuit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia accusing the government of intentionally withholding the information and refusing to comply with requests for certain documents under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). “It’s ridiculous that Americans have to sue in order to find out what their government is saying to wind companies about our wildlife,” ...... human events http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2900279/posts#comment Thu, 28 Jun 2012 04:55:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2896856/posts To keep the big America's Cup contest afloat, San Francisco has agreed to spend $150,000 to study whether the racing boats - and their towering sails - will scare birds on the bay. The study, which will be conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey, is part of a settlement of a lawsuit brought by a group that included former Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin. "It's not that we're trying to head-shrink the birds," said Mike Lynes of the Golden Gate Audubon Society. "But when they take off because they are frightened, they expend energy, and that can affect their... San Francisco Chronicle http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2896856/posts#comment Tue, 19 Jun 2012 11:51:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2874648/posts Officials say birds struck Vice President Joe Biden's plane as it was landing Thursday night at Santa Barbara Airport in California. Nobody was injured. Maj. Michelle Lai of the U.S. Air Force 89th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Office says two to three birds hit the right side of Air Force Two. SFGate.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2874648/posts#comment Fri, 20 Apr 2012 23:32:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2865998/posts Derrill Rockwell told police he grabbed his rifle, the .22-caliber he kept handy to kill rodents around the house, about 5 a.m. Oct. 5 and walked outside to confront it. The bird. Possibly, he told police, the same fowl he suspected of harassing his cats recently around his home near Orchard Mesa Cemetery. It was red, sitting at the top of a hill about 90 feet away from Rockwell. “His intent was to spook it away,” Deputy District Attorney Jason Conley told District Judge Richard Gurley on Friday. Rockwell shot once but said he didn’t see the bird fly away.... Grand Junction Sentinel http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2865998/posts#comment Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:42:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2862136/posts When it comes to fearless battlefield feats – there can be few to match that of the crab that amputated its own claw. Filmed on the remote Pacific island of Clipperton, the crustacean is initially part of a raiding party on the nest of a group of Boobie birds. However, he gets separated from his comrades and comes under a vicious attack. The angry birds relentlessly peck him and in the end badly injure one of his claws. But this is no defeat for the crab. Instead of feeling sorry for himself he courageously cuts off the limp limb and... dailymail.co.uk http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2862136/posts#comment Thu, 22 Mar 2012 01:40:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2827276/posts THE mass attack by seabirds on a coastal town that inspired Alfred Hitchcock's thriller The Birds may finally have been explained. Biologists have blamed toxic algae eaten by the birds for damaging their brains and making them so aggressive that they dived at people, buildings and moving cars in Capitola, California, in 1961. Hitchcock's film, released two years later, was inspired partly by the event and partly by a short story by Daphne du Maurier about an unexplained avian attack on a Cornish farm worker and his family. In the Californian incident, hundreds of normally unaggressive sooty shearwater gulls suddenly,... The Times (Australia) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2827276/posts#comment Sun, 1 Jan 2012 02:52:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2804612/posts Birds in central California are significantly larger than they were 25 to 40 years ago, and researchers believe it may be because they are bulking up in body weight to ride out severe storms related to global climate change. Over the last 25 years, a robin, for example, has increased about an eighth of an inch in wing length and about 0.2 ounces in mass, according to a paper published online in Global Change Biology. The findings fly in the face of assumptions based on an ecological benchmark known as Bergmann’s rule: Birds and mammals tend to be larger at... latimes.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2804612/posts#comment Wed, 9 Nov 2011 03:48:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2797521/posts One of seven oil companies charged with killing migratory birds during drilling operations in North Dakota has agreed to plead guilty and pay $12,000. Slawson Exploration Co. Inc., of Wichita, Kan., was charged under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act with for killing 12 birds that died after allegedly landing in oil waste pits in western North Dakota from May 6 through June 20. Under a plea agreement filed in federal court Monday, Slawson will pay $12,000 — or $1,000 per bird — to the nonprofit National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The maximum penalty for each misdemeanor charge under the Migratory... washpost http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2797521/posts#comment Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:08:33 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2796794/posts You may have gotten wind of the seven North Dakota oil companies recently charged in federal court with the deaths of 28 migratory birds. The birds allegedly landed in oil waste pits in western North Dakota last spring; the maximum penalty for each charge under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act is six months in prison and a $15,000 fine, the AP said. But did you know that wind-power companies are responsible for more than 400,000 bird deaths annually, and not one has faced a single charge? The Wall Street Journal knows it, opining yesterday that the prosecutions are “bird-brained,” especially... The Blaze http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2796794/posts#comment Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:37:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2789818/posts Robots of a Feather... LIS/Swiss Federal Institute of Technology A rendering of flying robots in Switzerland; connecting lines indicate Wi-Fi links. Relying on algorithms created to render flocks of birds in computer graphics, engineers have created flying robots that travel in swarms. wsj http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2789818/posts#comment Sat, 8 Oct 2011 16:09:59 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2787570/posts Does San Francisco have a serious problem with birds flying into tall buildings? Was there a good reason the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a "bird-safe" building ordinance last month? I asked Supervisors David Chiu and John Avalos on Saturday why they supported the measure, at a mayoral candidates debate hosted by the West of Twin Peaks Central Council. Their answers were instructive. Chiu seemed put out that he had been asked such a trivial question. The board has spent about "40 seconds" on the measure, he assured me, less time than during Saturday's debate. Avalos answered that he knows... Townhall.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2787570/posts#comment Tue, 4 Oct 2011 12:50:46 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2767842/posts A Story of Love, Compassion, Friendship & Loyalty About eight years ago a wild Australian Sulphur Crested Cockatoo flew into a car and broke its wing. The motorist took it to the Vet in Nerang, Queensland, who had to amputate the wing. We adopted her - for which we needed a National Parks and Wildlife permit - and kept her in a cage outside where she was often visited by wild Cockatoos. One of the things that impressed us was how she would push lettuce leaves through the bars of the cage, offering food to visitors. juliusbergh.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2767842/posts#comment Tue, 23 Aug 2011 15:25:04 GMT