Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus) by The Lilac Breasted Roller

In this video, David Attenborough shows us the amazing camouflage of the Common Potoo.

The Common Potoo is a nocturnal bird primarily found in Central and South America. Since it does it’s hunting at night, during the day it rests perched in trees or on stumps like in the above photo. Staying very still, the bird looks like it could actually be part of the tree!

While camouflaged, the Common Potoo closes its eyes. Even while shut, the bird can still see with a special adaptation to its eyelids. David explains how in the video below.

There are many birds that are able to blend in with their environment. For example, can you find the Eastern Screech Owl in this photo?

Barn Owl by kingfisher888

David Ramsdem from The Barn Owl Trust teaches us about the beautiful Barn Owl.

The Barn Owl Trust is a charity based in Devon, UK dedicated to conserving Barn Owls and their environment. Their website has a wealth of information. I really enjoy all of their educational videos, like the one I posted before about what a Barn Owl pellet is.

In this video David describes the birds physical adaptions, population, environmental influence, protection and how the Barn Owl can be an indicator. Very interesting and well done!

One Birds Odyssey Through The Oil by The Washington Post

The Washington Post created an interactive graphic that allows you to follow a Brown Pelican from rescue to recovery in the Gulf.

The interactive graphic is called “One bird’s odyssey through the oil” and follows Brown Pelican 053 through the rehabilitation process at the Fort Jackson Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Louisiana. The number 053 was used because the bird was the 53rd Brown Pelican rescued.

Veterinarian Heather Nevill said:

We don’t name them because we really want to keep the mind-set that they are wild animals, not pets.

This is a common practice and a good one especially for people like me. I get attached to animals very easily!

When you click on a number, it gives you a brief description of that particular stage. This definitely shows you that it takes a lot of time and effort from many people to rehabilitate a bird! Thanks so much to all the volunteers!

Volunteers washing a Brown Pelican from The Miami Herald video

The Miami Herald visited the Fort Jackson Wildlife Rehabilitation Center to learn more about what volunteers are doing to save the oiled birds.

In the video below you’ll see Jay Holcomb, who is the executive director of the International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC) and Dr. Erica Miller, from Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research explaining what it takes to rescue an oiled Brown Pelican.

Towards the end of the video, Jay Holcomb says:

We’re kind of like, in a sense, old timers at oil spills. We see oiled birds all the time … and in your heart you always feel it when you see it.

But we know that we are kind of part of their home, and if we can care for them and get them back in shape, which we do with a lot of them, they have a chance.

So, you kind of suck it up and go and just do the job. It’s hurtful, but we just keep our focus on the animals.

Seeing photos and videos on the the web and TV is one thing, but to actually be there is completely different. It’s takes a special type of person to do this kind of work.

Thanks so much to all the volunteers!

Cher Ami after recovering from battle minus a leg by US Army

Cher Ami was a homing pigeon that helped save nearly 200 American lives during World War I.

Cher Ami, which is French for “dear friend”, was a homing pigeon donated to the US Army Signal Corps by British pigeon fanciers to deliver messages during the war. These flying messengers were often called War Pigeons. Cher Ami delivered his most important message on October 4th, 1918.

From the US National Archives:

During World War I, the U.S. 77th Infantry Division attacked the Germans near Charlevaux, France. Only one unit penetrated enemy lines: Major Charles White Whittlesay’s First Battalion of the 308th Infantry Regiment. The battalion was quickly surrounded by Germans – and then came under friendly fire from its own artillery. Whittlesay used his last carrier pigeon to send this three-sentence plea: “We are along the road paralell 276.4. Our artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heavens sake stop it.“

Before Cher Ami, Whittlesay sent two other pigeons that didn’t make it in this hostile environment. From Wikipedia:

The pigeon carrying the first message, “Many wounded. We cannot evacuate.” was shot down. A second bird was sent with the message, “Men are suffering. Can support be sent?” That pigeon also was shot down. Only one homing pigeon was left: Cher Ami.

Private Ralph E. John from Company A 308th remembers that day:

Soon we realized that it was our own artillery that was bombing us. I certainly would have hated to be a German and have to take barrages like this one very often. That artillery fire that afternoon was the worst attack of the whole siege. Major Whittlesey released the last carrier pigeon along about the middle of the afternoon and when that pigeon took off, it carried a prayer from every man there. It seemed the absolute last hope of any relief.

Here is the actual message delivered by Cher Ami that day. You can click the image for a larger version.

World War I Pigeon Message from US National Archives

According to Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

The men watched as Cher Ami was released. They saw him fly up and then saw him shot down. Miraculously, in a moment’s time this bird was airborne again. Hopes soared. But, as he flew over enemy fire, Cher Ami had a leg shot off. A bullet hit his breast. Still, this bird kept flying. Though severely injured, Cher Ami finally got through to US forces with the life-saving message.

According to reports, Cher Ami flew over 25 miles in just 25 minutes to deliver his message despite having been shot through the breast, blinded in one eye, covered in blood, and with a leg hanging only by a tendon! The message was in a capsule on the damaged leg.

Shortly after the message arrived, the artillery stopped saving nearly 200 American lives!

Medics were able to save Cher Ami’s life but not his left leg. Cher Ami died the following year on June 13th, 1919 from the injuries he received in battle. He is currently on display at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History in the “Price of Freedom” exhibit.

Barn Owl Flight by G and R Photography

David Ramsden from The Barn Owl Trust explains what a Barn Owl pellet is and how to differentiate them from other pellets.

If you’ve seen Molly the Barn Owl on Ustream, you may have noticed all that nesting material in the box. Barn Owls will also regurgitate pellets to serve as cushioning for the young birds.

Towards the end of the video, David mentions the pellet analysis slide show on the Barn Owl Trust website. I also really liked the slide show containing pictures of pellets from various bird species. When they’re side by side, you can really see the differences.

Oiled Brown Pelican at the Fort Jackson Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Louisiana by IBRRC

Jay Holcomb, Executive Director of the International Bird Rescue Research Center, explains how an oiled bird from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is washed at the Fort Jackson Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Louisiana.

In this video from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, you get to see what goes on inside the Fort Jackson Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Jay explains what happens when a bird becomes oiled and about the process of washing the bird.

What a difference they are making one animal at a time! You can really see it in the photo below.

Brown Pelican before and after cleaning by IBRRC

I thoroughly enjoy all of Jay’s videos that have been hitting the web! You may also like the video of Jay explaining how Dawn dish washing liquid became the primary tool for cleaning oil from wildlife.

Roger Tory Peterson from RTPI

Here’s is a wonderful video about Roger Tory Peterson’s life and work called “Almost Like Resurrection”.

Roger published the first modern field guide to birds in 1934 and called it simply: A Field Guide To The Birds.

From RTPI’s biography of Roger Tory Peterson:

A conservative contract, foregoing the payment of any royalty on the first 1000 copies, was made because it had numerous drawings and four color plates, which were quite expensive to reproduce in those days. Two thousand copies were printed, to be sold for $2.75 a copy.

In the first week the entire stock of 2,000 copies sold.  Roger received 10 cents per copy of the 2nd 1,000 copies.

Roger Tory Peterson:

I consider myself to have been the bridge between the shotgun and the binoculars in bird watching. Before I came along, the primary way to observe birds was to shoot them and stuff them.

Thanks Roger!

Jay Holcomb, executive director of the International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC), describes how Dawn dishwashing liquid became the primary tool for cleaning oil from wildlife.

Jay gives us a little history lesson about the origins of the IBRRC and how the organization discovered that Dawn was (and still is) the tool of choice against oil. Really interesting!

Plus, with every bottle of Dawn that you buy, you can donate $1 to organizations that help save wildlife. All you have to do is activate your bottle of Dawn online. It’s really easy. You just need the donation code from the bottle, zip code and what store you bought it at (Target, Wal-Mart, etc). Half of each dollar donated goes to the IBRRC and the other half goes to the Marine Mammal Center (MMC).

Towards the end of last year, Dawn even increased donations for every bottle from $1 to $3 for a limited time. Maybe they’ll do it again!

Bird Watching is serious business! by Peter Denton

Audubon California has a list of 25 ways to make Earth Day for the birds. Here are a just few of them!

Number 2:

Leave a dead tree (or snag) standing on your farm or property.

I have a few around my property and the birds just love them. They can also provide you with some wonderful photo opportunities too. Bird Girl puts a little suet on one of her snags for some extra incentive. I sort of borrowed that idea too!

Ocean Plastic from Chris Jordan's Journey to Midway

Number 5:

Use less plastic.

Everyday we are learning more and more about where this stuff ends up and how it’s affecting just about everything in our environment. Recently, Chris Jordan showed us how all this is affecting the Albatross. The photo above is from a behind the scenes look at Chris Jordan’s journey to Midway. Unbelievable!

Bird Friendly Logo from Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center

Number 13:

If you drink coffee, buy the organic, shade-grown kind.

If you’re in the USA or Canada, you can search for Bird Friendly coffee in your area on the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center site.

If you can’t find a store near you, not to worry. You can order the Bird Friendly coffee from Birds & Beans online. You can even set up a “subscription” to receive a new batch of coffee every 2, 4, 6 or 8 weeks.

Early Bird Blend with the Bird Friendly Logo by Andrew

Sometimes it’s a little hard to spot the label in the middle of all the other coffee at the store, but it’s definitely worth looking for! Visit the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center site to learn more about the Bird Friendly label.

Costumed Pilots And Juvenile Whooping Cranes by Operation Migration

Number 14:

Donate money or time to organizations that protect birds.

Organizations such as Operation Migration, the IBRRC or your local center  do fantastic work and need your support. Whether it’s money or time consider giving! I feel it’s important that we support those whose who support our wildlife!

Bird Watching Dauphin Island by Alabama Tourism Department

Last but not least and probably my favorite, Number 25:

Turn a kid into a bird nut. Or just get them outdoors. All of our progress for the environment won’t mean a thing if the next generation doesn’t care enough about birds and nature to continue to protect them.

I think 1 through 24 won’t matter without Number 25!

See the full list of how to Make Earth Day For The Birds at Audubon California.