Dongzhai House Nature Reserve

Dongzhai Henan-Hubei provinces home Nature Reserve is located at the junction of the Dabie Mountains, the southernmost Luoshan from Xinyang City 32km. In June 2001, Dongzhai home Nature Reserve by the State Council approved the establishment of a total area of ​​46,800 hectares, located in China's north-south dividing line on the climate, the region is now distributed in 1879 kinds of plants, mammals 37 species, 44 amphibians and reptiles species of birds, 237 kinds, known as the "bird Paradise." Is a set of conservation, eco-tourism, bird watching, scientific study, teaching internships, entertainment, Chengde convalescence in one multi-functional integrated nature reserve.

Protected area's unique geographical location and characteristics of a mild and humid climate, the formation of a good forest ecosystems, and carries out a rich variety of species and biological resources, libraries, therefore, be included in the "China Biodiversity Conservation Action Plan" in the northern subtropics priority to the protection of the ecosystem area, but also inscribed on the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) conservation priority areas and national and worldwide significance of the area.
Dong Village of birds as much as does the same for the same latitude or longitude of protected areas in the rare bird species account for 79% of Henan Province, accounting for 20% of the country, including national key protected birds, 39 species included in the Sino-Japanese migratory bird protection agreements list of 95 species, country two protected birds Syrmaticus pheasant population density ranks first in the country.
Dong Village in bird-watching, one day is generally seen sixty-seven ten kinds of birds, up to see eighty-nine ten. Dong Village received a year of protected areas around the country who bring a hundreds of bird-watching trips, Beijing Normal University, River Normal University and other institutions of higher learning to Dong Village of teaching practice as a fixed base. Birds of protected areas to achieve scientific provincial and municipal scientific research 25. Protected areas are building China's largest white-crown pheasant breeding base in captivity, the full range of museum specimens of birds and attract beneficial bird hanging artificial nest.
[Dongzhai home Nature Reserve]

Protected area management and protection of natural resources continue to increase and strengthen public environmental education campaigns, improve and standardize the research and protection system; adhere to artificial nests attract birds and flying birds, to carry out scientific research without interruption; the use of "China Dong Village Bird Photographer of the Year would, "" Love the Birds Week "," wildlife Conservation awareness Month "and other activities to the public for the Protection of Birds, the natural ecological concern education, people's environmental awareness, increased awareness of protecting birds; protected areas is also attaches great importance to the training of technical personnel and training, management and protection of all workers in the distribution of birds identified in the books, a monthly record of bird species observed, Beijing Normal University and other experts invited lectures, has sent researchers to participate in the State Forestry Administration organized the training of the relevant knowledge of birds to learn . Since 2000, protected areas, Dong Village has a new record of birds found in 56 species of local bird species also increased from the 237 kinds of 293 kinds.

We should protect birds, not harm them

　　
　　Hunting ban to protect bird numbers during snap


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A hunting ban has been ordered in Ireland to protect more than a dozen wild birds amid fears they are sitting ducks in the cold snap.
The shooting season for waterfowl has been shut down as feeding grounds in ponds, lakes and marshes have been frozen for weeks.
Dr Ciaran O'Keeffe, director of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, said the game birds depend on the wetlands to survive.
"These birds depend on lakes, ponds, reed beds and marshy ground to find food, shelter and refuge, but these are now frozen and have been since mid December," he said.
The temporary ban, which will be reviewed by Friday January 15, is to protect more than a dozen wild ducks, migratory birds like Canada Goose and waders, including the woodcock.
Pheasant, red-legged partridge or pigeons have not been so lucky, with hunters free to shoot them.
Alan Lauder, BirdWatch Ireland head of conservation, said: "Reducing hunting pressure will allow wetland birds to conserve their energy resources. We would also advise others in the countryside to take extra care to avoid any disturbance of wetland birds while the freeze continues."
Des Crofton, director of National Association of Regional Game Councils, said: "The Association supports and welcomes this measure as in current conditions it is necessary and beneficial."
Shooting has also been restricted in Northern Ireland and Scotland after weeks of freezing conditions.
The NPWS said a similar measure was put in place early in 1982 during a prolonged cold spell.

Countries need to increase co-operation over conservation to protect birds

London – Countries need to increase co-operation over conservation to protect birds and other wildlife in an era of climate change, according to a new continental-scale study.
Experts have established a new conservation index to help policy-makers to deal with the effects of climate change on birds in Africa, and it could assist governments across the world to protect wildlife areas and help species as climate change forces them to move to new areas.
It is the first categorisation of protected areas to show how conservationists might deal with climate change and the shuffling of the distribution of wildlife species that it will cause. The new tool offers policy-makers essential information to allow them to manage and adapt habitats in coming decades.
An international research team led by Professor Brian Huntley and Dr. Stephen Willis, School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Durham University, looked at how native African bird species will fare in 803 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) across the continent, if climate change continues as predicted. Birds are a key indicator for conservationists because they respond quickly to change and are relatively easily monitored. IBAs are sites of highest conservation importance for birds, some of which, but by no means all, are existing protected areas.
The team looked at projected future ranges of species of birds and how these coincide with the current network of priority bird sites across Africa. They predict that one third of the IBAs will undergo significant upheaval this century, in terms of the species they contain, due to climate change.
The study shows that there are substantial geographical gaps in the current conservation network and that international cooperation is essential to protect species.
The team produced a series of climate adaptation strategies, which provides a template for action across Africa. It could assist the movement of birds threatened by shrinking habitat and food supplies, across distances of up to hundreds of kilometres, to new climatically-suitable areas. Importantly, the team also highlighted those areas of Africa that are currently unprotected but which could prove crucial in saving species that would fail to be protected in the present IBA network.
The research, funded by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), and published in the journal Conservation Biology, suggests that hundreds of bird species in Africa will become emigrants, leaving one part of the continent for another in search of food and suitable habitat.
Co-author of the paper, Dr. Stephen Willis, School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Durham University, said: "The bird map of Africa is set to change dramatically and we need conservation policies that see the bigger picture.
"There are large areas of Africa lacking protected status and many of these areas are predicted to be critically important for bird conservation in the future. We need to be ready to protect remnant populations of birds while also preparing for new colonists.
"We need to improve monitoring, communication and co-operation to make protected areas work across borders. Conservationists and policy makers will have to work together in new ways as networks become increasingly important in protecting species."
Researchers used climate change projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to simulate impacts on African birds over the next 100 years for each of the IBAs and identified which areas could be expected to sustain which bird species.
The results show that the continent will undergo considerable change with areas such as the southern African tropical zone (stretching from Namibia and Angola to Mozambique and Tanzania) projected to have high numbers of both emigrant and colonising species.
Dr. Stuart Butchart, Global Research and Indicators Coordinator at research partner BirdLife International, said: "Many areas that are likely to become increasingly important are currently under-protected. Fast-tracking protected-area status for places such as Brandberg and Hobatere in Namibia and managing them appropriately could help species to survive and adapt to climate change.
"Cooperation across borders to preserve and adapt areas so that birds and other wildlife can survive as their habitats change and shift will be essential to conserve biodiversity and maintain the ecosystem services that will help people and communities adapt to climate change."
Some protected areas will be able to maintain a business-as-usual management regime, whilst others will need a new way of working, often across international borders to conserve different species. Increasing the size of the currently protected areas is a potential solution but difficult to enact. The research team believes that other solutions could have positive results.
Dr. David Hole, Climate Change Researcher with research partner, Conservation International, said: "Policy action to encourage practices that will make it easier for species to move through the wider landscape will be critical, such as conservation-friendly farming and agroforestry, to ensure species can reach newly climatically suitable areas as climate changes."
"There's a real opportunity here since these types of measures, together with adaptive management of existing Important Bird Areas could not only aid conservation but also help to mitigate climate change by conserving or restoring natural habitats, as well as guiding us to preferred localities for climate mitigation schemes. It's about trying to find those win-win situations."

RSPB report found 384 reported incidents of bird crime including poisoning

　　
　　RSPB report found 384 reported incidents of bird crime including poisoning, shooting and nest disturbance against rare birds such as these hen harrier chicks in 2009. Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian
Ministers in Scotland are considering tougher legal controls to protect birds of prey on grouse moors as a new study claimed that last year was one of the worst for persecution of the wild predators by gamekeepers on record.
Senior ministers and officials in the Scottish government are closely studying proposals to licence grouse moors and make moor owners personally liable for the actions of their gamekeepers. The proposals, being studied in a new wildlife bill, could also mean that inspectors with Scotland's leading animal welfare charity would be given greater legal powers to investigate bird of prey cases – instead of the police.
The new measures were discussed by MSPs at the Scottish parliament as the RSPB claimed that 2009 was the second worst year for reported persecution cases across the UK in the last 20 years.
Its annual Birdcrime report said there 384 reported incidents involving poisoning, shooting, illegal trapping and nest disturbance against legally protected birds of prey last year. It said only cases reported in 2007 were higher, at 389 cases. The charity acknowledged that not all these reported cases were proven, but said there had been 85 confirmed incidents of poisoning and 32 confirmed cases of shooting against rare birds of prey such as golden eagles, sea eagles, red kites, buzzards, hen harriers and peregrines.
Leading landowners' organisations have repeatedly condemned the practice but last year there were 119 proven cases of persecution, compared to 89 in 2008 and a record 129 in 2007 across the UK. Many reported cases go unproven due to a lack of evidence.
Mark Avery, the RSPB's UK conservation director, said: "Wildlife crimes are an abhorrent feature of our countryside. We have to take more action to consign these crimes to history. Over time, egg collecting has diminished, but the killing of birds of prey is as big a threat today as it was two decades ago."
Avery urged UK ministers to introduce new powers of "vicarious liability" where landowners in England can be prosecuted for illegal persecution by their employees – similar to health and safety legislation which makes company directors liable for safety breaches in workplaces. This proposal is opposed by Scottish landowners groups who say existing laws are adequate but should be better enforced.
Similar powers are now being studied by Scottish ministers in the devolved government in Edinburgh for inclusion in a new wildlife and natural environment bill now going through the Scottish parliament.
Meanwhile, MSPs on the Scottish parliament's environment committee were urged by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (SSPCA) to give them added powers to investigate bird of prey persecution – a measure supported by the RSPB.
Unlike its English counterpart, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), the SSPCA already has authority to report alleged cases of cruelty against domestic and farm animals directly to prosecutors, independent of the police.
It now wants the same legal authority to investigate cases where birds of prey are shot, poisoned or illegally trapped to be introduced in the new bill.
The new measures were heavily criticised yesterday by Sheriff Kevin Drummond QC, a judge expert in wildlife crime. He told the environment committee the existing laws on wildlife crime were already very complex and unwieldy and suggested further powers would further confuse the situation.
He said giving SSPCA inspectors, who were members of a charity, further powers and making employers liable for illegal acts by gamekeepers raised substantial questions about liberty, standards of evidence, and their supervision by the state.
"This whole subject has to be looked at in the context of criminal law, the presumption of innocence, the concept of reasonable doubt and the rules of evidence. That sometimes gets lost sight off in the environmental point of view," he said.

It is believed that approximately 1,400 whooping cranes existed in 1860

　　The Whooping Crane is the most famous endangered bird in North America. In part because it is large, distinctive, and photogenic and partly because, since 1967, Canadians and Americans have cooperated in a successful recovery program to safeguard it from extinction.

It is believed that approximately 1,400 whooping cranes existed in 1860. Their population declined because of hunting and habitat loss until 1941 when the last migrating flock dwindled to an all-time low of 15 birds. The wild flock has slowly increased to over 180 in late 1999. This flock winters in and around Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf coast of Texas. In spring, they migrate north, nesting in Wood Buffalo National Park, which straddles the border of Alberta and Northwest Territories in Canada. This flock of whooping cranes is the only naturally occurring wild population in the world. Scientists have long recognized the risk of having all of the wild whooping cranes using one wintering and breeding location. With all the wild birds concentrated in one small area, the population could be wiped out by disease, bad weather, or human impacts. Whooping crane survival depends on additional, separated populations. 　　
International Whooping Crane Recovery Team 　　The Whooping Crane Recovery Team (WCRT) is the governing body charged with responsibility of the species. Consisting of ten members: five Americans and five Canadians the team of ornithologists and biologists provide policy recommendations to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Canadian Wildlife Service. Primarily, the team plans actions to protect the Aransas/Wood Buffalo natural flock and to establish two additional flocks in efforts to safeguard the whooping crane from possible extinction.
The team's efforts to establish a non-migratory Whooping crane flock began in Florida in 1993, using cranes hatched in captivity. In September, 1999, after searching for the best possible location to establish a second migratory flock, the team recommended that the flock be taught a migration route with central Wisconsin as the northern terminus and the west coast of Florida as the new wintering location. The WCRT sanctioned Operation Migration's ultralight-led migration technique as the main reintroduction method.


Each fall, an Operation Migration team leads a flock of Whooping Cranes from Wisconsin to Florida. Human pilots fly in ultralight aircraft while wearing baggy white clothing and remaining quiet to prevent the cranes from becoming domesticated. 　　This year's adventure began on Oct. 13. You'll find updates about the four pilots' and birds' progress -- or lack thereof -- in the field journal. New information is posted there as soon and often as possible. The entries include photos and lots of details.
If you want to support Operation Migration, visit its membership page.

Birds live in many different kinds of shelters.

　　
　　Birds live in many different kinds of shelters.
Birds can live in nests made of sticks, leaves, and anything they can find.
A bird can make its nest in a tree or in the ground.
They use nests to lay their eggs and protect the baby birds.

In the forest or in the zoo, there are many birds as there are many animals

　　In the forest or in the zoo, there are many birds as there are many animals. But some of these birds differ in their traits from other birds. There are some types of birds that can be domesticated and used as pets. As we can use animals for pets so we can use birds for the same purpose. There are many people who are using birds for pets. This is in fact becoming a widely accepted trend in the world today. However, it is not every species of birds that can be used for this purpose. Here are some types of birds that can be used as pets.

　　Types of Birds: Love Birds

Lovebirds are among the types of birds that can be used as pets. They are like small sized parrots but are different from it. There are different species of lovebirds. Each of these species of lovebird has its peculiar colour mutation. If you want to keep lovebird as pet in your house, it is preferable that you keep male ones if you have children. The female ones can be somehow aggressive. An expert birder can tell the sex of lovebird at tender age. The price for these types of birds depends on their size, sex and colour.

Budgies are one of the numerous types of birds which can be used as pets. Budgies are very common and have been used for long as pets. The above explain why some people despise these birds. However, budgies can make good pets. They are energetic, playful and can sometime act as clowns. The birds are very gentle in their behaviour and therefore make best pets for children. Just like lovebirds, male budgies are less aggressive than the female ones. One thing that differentiates budgies from other types of birds is that it is very easy to distinguish the male from the female even at the early stage.
Besides the above mentioned birds there are other types of birds which can also be kept as pets. Some of these types of birds are not common. Example of such birds that can form perfect pets but are not common is parrotlet. Their beaks are as small as that of budgies. Kakarikis can be also be used as pets. Though they are more aggressive than budgies but they have small beaks. They are not as common as budgies. There are many birds that can be used as pet which are not mentioned here.

Yes, I really love birds, but I didn't know they were such pigs!

　　Last year my daughter bought me a very cool bird feeder for my balcony. It was constructed in such a way that squirrels could not get their furry little mouths into them to get the bird seed. I thought this was funny- and it was funnier still when a very determined squirrel did try to get his snout into the bird feeder only to be very disappointed when his head would not fit into the opening.
The biggest problem I am havinghere with this bird feeder is the big mess that the birds are making. Not only are they leaving pleasant deposits all over the balcony ( yucko!) but they also are slobs!
The bird seed is everywhere- in fact, a savvy squirrel would really not have to get up and into the birdfeeder anymore to get to the bird seed, because it is all over the floor of the balcony.

　　Yes, I really love birds, but I didn't know they were such pigs!

Birds eat both natural food and manually prepared by their owners

　　
Having birds as pets and feeding them is one of fastest hobbies all over the world and especially in US. Almost 60 million people have pet birds with them and feed them. Feeding birds and watching their gestures while eating seems to be very interesting by people of all ages. All birds need diet, water and shelter but eating habits or diet of birds vary with respect to different families of birds. If you want to know general eating habits of birds, you can take advantage of this information. 　　Let’s discuss eating habits of birds:

Birds eat both natural food and manually prepared by their owners. Natural foods that birds like to eat commonly include fruits, grains, flowers, nuts, seeds, insects, worms, berries, nectar, fish, meat, vegetables, eggs, animals and even other birds. Some birds even eat dead animals and birds. 　　
You will be amazed knowing the fact that eating habits or trends of birds depend on type of beak or bill the birds have. For instance birds having thick cone bill use to cracking seeds like cardinals, sparrows, grosbeaks and finches etc. These birds also eat insects and worms whenever seeds are not available. 　　
Diet and eating habits of birds can be categorized by different factors like their flying, sight and hearing. We can also determine the eating habits of birds by following aspects: 　　Birds like to swallow food while flying.
Eyesight of eagles and hawks are very sharp and they can see prey from great differences.
Hearing ability of an owl can help it detect rodents even in darkness.
Heron can detect food from refraction of water.
Robins have ability to see and hear movements of earth worms and got them.

Seasonal changes make a big difference regarding diet and eating habits of birds. Wild birds find their food from nature and obviously their eating habits change when season changes. Birds go to eat fruits when fruits are ripe. Plentiful worms and insects are also available to birds in certain season. Birds keep looking for opportunities for getting their food from natural changes. Mostly birds migrate from one region to another for the sake of food. Small birds eat during all the day in winter because eating worms make them hungry very soon. 　　Winter season becomes a hindrance for most of the birds to find their food because there is snow on the ground every where. Winter is very crucial time for birds and they can be tampered by feeders. When we discuss eating habits of birds we cannot ignore a basic need of water for them. Rather than birds drink water, taking bath is a natural thing in birds and they like to splash in the water.

Hope you all like the information given regarding birds eating habits.

Winter coming, and the birds began to prepare for the winter

　　Winter is setting in, and you absolutely do not know what to do. Your quail and pheasants have lost feathers and you don’t want them to get chilled. What do you do?
A common problem in blue scale quail is fright. Similar to when a lizard drops its tail, it is a clever defense mechanism. When a predator grabs the bird, a bunch of feathers drop out, leaving a live quail and an annoyed predator. When someone picks up the blue scales the same happens. A good way to prevent this from happening is to only handle these birds for check-ups or emergencies. If you have extremely tame quail and this only happens rarely, it is okay to handle them.
Pheasants do not have large problems with picking. When it does happen, it is usually with ring-neck pheasants. These slightly aggressive birds will pick or attack other birds. This behavior is known for starting when they are still chicks and becoming more full-fledged (no pun intended) in juveniles and adults. They will even pick at pheasants of their own species. A good way to keep them from hurting flock members is keeping them separate from other pheasants (and other birds in general). If you have a flock of them, give them plenty of space, as well as something else to pick at, such as shoestrings or jingle balls made for cats or parrots.
If you keep your quail and pheasants with chickens, hang shoestrings from the wire or put toys or something inside to provide entertainment. On rare occasions chickens will severely maim their own species or other birds and have been known to engage in cannibalism. This is known to happen due to extreme boredom.

Animals and humans made of brightly colored modeling

Minneapolis — Many of us feel compelled to assign human characteristics to the wildlife around us. Now, a Swedish sculptor visiting the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis has taken this almost to extremes, producing a gigantic and uncomfortably human flock of birds.
Nathalie Djurberg has been working on "The Parade" with composer Hans Berg for almost two years in their Berlin studio before bringing it to the Walker. She'll discuss the work at an artist talk tonight as the show opens at the Walker Art Center. She says she and Berg are not sure how Americans will react to the exhibit.
Sitting a few feet from the Walker Art Center Gallery jammed with the 83 bird sculptures in "The Parade," she appears to be more in an environment than a show. Atmospheric music fills the room, interspersed with what might be nature sounds. The birds are so brightly colored, it's overwhelming at first. Each is intricately textured, and ripe for interpretation.　　
"When I was starting doing the sculptures, the more I looked at birds, and the more I looked at their behavior, some of their behavior so resembled human behavior and emotions," she says.
Some of the birds strut with pride, others bicker and fight. There are so many of them that Walker curator Eric Crosby finds them kind of intimidating.
"I mean the idea of the flock as a social group is that it has its own kind of consciousness, right?" he says. "One that is not about the individuals own ideas but about a collective that may bully and pester individuals, that may do violence to others. I think that's a theme that's running through the whole exhibition."
But remember these are sculptures, built from scraps of cloth and wire, and splashed with the paint still engrained in Natalie Djurberg's fingernails.
The music by composer Berg that accompanies "The Parade" adds to the disquieting atmosphere.
Berg wrote and performed the sound tracks for five stop-motion animations she created for "The Parade." The films run on the gallery walls above the birds. Berg describes the five musical scores as the glue which holds the show together. "And they are synchronized, so they create like one master sound track for the whole installation," he says.
Even so, the experience will change depending on where a visitor stands in the gallery.
"So when you are coming up to one film you will hear that sound track, but the other one will of course still play, but more in the background," he continues.
The films are quite disturbing. Djurberg says she just started making them and they developed almost like dreams. Animals and humans made of brightly colored modeling clay attack one another, producing huge amounts of gore. But the blood isn't red, it's yellow and blue, more Jackson Pollock than Stephen King. But what does it mean? "There's not a complete story told, and it's more like archetypical situations," says Berg. "So the viewer has to fill so much in by themselves."

The bird body structure is what kind of ？

　　Once you’ve looked at Size & Shape, Color Pattern, Behavior, and Habitat to decide what general type of bird you’re looking at, you may still have a few similar birds to choose between. To be certain of your identification, you'll need to look at field marks.
Field marks are the distinctive stripes, spots, patterns, colors, and highlights that birds have in such abundance and variety. Birds developed these patterns for many reasons, but one way they use some of these markings is to recognize members of their own species. And bird watchers can use them for the same purpose.

　　When you dive into the world of field marks, it helps if you learn a little bird anatomy. Trust us, it’s a lot easier to notice what color a bird’s malar stripe is if you know it's that line angling back from the bird’s chin, separating the cheek from the throat. You'll know the difference between an alula and a greater secondary covert in no time.
Ornithologists talk about parts of a bird by dividing its body into topographical regions. The main divisions are beak (or bill), head, back, throat, breast, wings, tail, and legs. Many of these regions are divided still further.