Another Rare Bird Is the "Kea"

The Kea bird sometime referred to as "the clown of the mountains" because of its ability to amuse people. I say amuse but some of the local people often refer to it as an irritation specially if they are chewing on the aerial of your car or stealing items from your backpack and flying away with them. Regardless the Kea is one of the few remaining birds' indigenous to New Zealand.

The Kea is in fact a parrot, a very large parrot. They are approximately 20 inches long and weigh in at about 2 lbs. They are mostly olive green in color with beautiful orange feathers on the underside of their wings. These orange feathers can be seen when the Kea is in flight. The feathers on the lower back are orange/red while some of the outer wing feathers are blue.

The Kea have strong grey beaks with the longer upper beak being slightly curved. They use this beak to feed on the several kinds of plants available in the mountainous region of the South Island. They also eat other birds, sheep and rabbits. They have also developed a taste for people food. They seem to enjoy pasta, apples, grapes, bread, nuts and even some dairy products.

The Kea bird breeds in the underbrush of the trees known as southern beeches. These clusters of shrubs and trees grow high on the mountain sides more than 1500 m above sea level. The nests are usually on the ground in between tree roots and rock crevices. The Kea gets to the nest by going through a tunnel to the larger nesting area. They cover their nests with moss, ferns and rotting wood.

The female Kea which is a bit smaller than the male will lay anywhere from 2 to 5 eggs. The eggs take about 21 days to hatch and the chick stay under mothers care for about three months. The young adolescent Kea resembles the adults but can be distinguished by the yellow ring around their eyes as well as the yellow across the top of the beak. They also have some yellow on their legs.

As visitors to New Zealand you will quickly decide if the Kea are an amusement or an irritation especially if they climb on your car and bite off loose pieces of rubber etc. or let out one of their outrageously loud squawks as they peer through your hotel window. Despite their antics the Kea is thought to be one of the most intelligent birds in the world.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about the Kea. I look forward to sharing more unique and interesting facts about New Zealand their birds and other wildlife.

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Birds and Windmills

Renewable energy such as solar and wind power has been heralded by many environmentalists as a step towards a more sustainable economy. However, other environmentalists argue that wind farms can also pose threats to migrating birds and other wildlife. The effects of windmills on birds is a widely-studied and hotly-debated topic that will surely grow in extent as renewable energy projects continue to be implemented across the globe.

Environmental groups in the United States are lobbying for the nation to meet 20% of its energy demands using wind power by the year 2030. Recent advances in technology and tax credits for wind farm builders has made wind power more efficient and financially feasible. But opponents to wind energy say that turbines break down easily and can cause property values to decrease, impair scenic views, and above all, kill or injure wildlife who come into contact with the spinning blades.

Conservationists have pointed out that renewable-energy companies are held to different standards than non-renewable energy corporations such as oil companies, even though both types of companies are responsible for their adverse impacts to bird life. An Oregon-based power company recently paid more than $1 million in fines for killing over 200 golden eagles in Wyoming over a two-year period. But wind farms that kill birds seem to avoid being prosecuted or paying fines as a result. For example, a wind farm in Altamont Pass, California was found to kill more than 10,000 birds per year in a July 2008 study. Nearly all of these birds are protected under the Migratory Bird Act, which applies to both renewable and non-renewable energy companies. This wind farm killed nearly as many golden eagles as the power lines in Wyoming, but so far no charges have been brought against the company.

However, wind-power advocates cite a number of statistics that support the environmental-friendliess of wind power projects. Compared to other threats to bird life, such as domestic cats and tall buildings, wind turbines are relatively harmless. For example, housecats kill more than 1 billion birds each year, compared to several hundred thousand killed by wind turbines each year. In addition, more birds are killed when they strike buildings or are electrocuted on power lines each year than are killed by wind turbines. Several recent studies have researched methods to prevent bird fatalities caused by wind farms.

Scientists have suggested that careful placement of a wind farm may help reduce its impacts on birds. For example, wind companies should avoid important bird breeding areas or habitats that act as stopover points during bird migration. In addition, many patents have been submitted for devices that prevent birds from flying near or into wind turbines. One such device emits an electronic frequency that birds perceive as annoying, which effectively and safely routes birds around turbines or power lines. A similar device has been introduced to prevent boats from striking whales.

As the global population's demand for energy increases, the greater the chance that wind farms will be built. Hopefully, new technology, legislation, and incentives will be put in place to reduce the negative impacts that these normally-environmental-friendly structures have on birds.

Critically Endangered Black Rhinos

The Black Rhino is one of Africa's most endangered animals and is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN meaning it is in real danger of becoming extinct in the foreseeable future. Also known as the hooked lipped rhino due to its hook like upper lip, this magnificent animal is found in eastern and southern areas of Africa.

The Black rhino is usually a solitary animal, only coming together to mate, although mothers with young may occasionally come together in small groups. These animals have very poor eyesight and this has led to them gaining a reputation for being highly aggressive. This is reputation is somewhat unfair as the rhino doesn't usually attack in the same way as say a lion would. They attack more out of fear and panic, which is a state they often find themselves in due to their poor eyesight. Researchers have seen them charge at trees and even termite mounds, which highlights how easy it is to startle a black rhino into charging.

At the start of the 20th Century the black rhino was the most numerous of all the rhinos and estimates suggest they numbered several hundred thousand. However, ruthless hunting for prized rhino horn saw these numbers shrink rapidly down to an estimated 10,000 in the early 1980's. More recent reports from 2005 showed further decline, with numbers estimated to be as low as 2,500.

Rhino horn is made up of keratin, which is the same substance that makes up human hair and nails. However in China and other parts of Eastern Asia people believe it to have medicinal properties and so seek out rhino horn to use in traditional medicines. Scientists have found no evidence of these medicinal properties, but herbalists continue to use it claiming it can cure fevers and even revive people from comas.

In the Middle East Rhino horn is carved into ornate patterns for ceremonial jambiyas. During the 1970's there was a huge increase in demand for these daggers, which are traditionally worn as an accessory by all men above the age of 14. This increased demand contributed to the 96% reduction in Black rhino numbers during the 1970's, 1980's and 1990's.

Four Tips for Choosing a Bird House

By Mary Fesio Mary Fesio
Level: Platinum

Having developed a keen interest in wild birds in her younger days while at summer camps, Mary Fesio has turned it into a sideline giving ...

It may be surprising to many but many bird houses on the market are not really suitable to birds. On the contrary, not only they do not attract birds but they can even be dangerous for the feathered creatures. There are some basic guidelines that should be followed when considering buying a wild bird house.

The most important things that need to be considered are the dimensions of the bird house. Different species of birds have requirements when it comes to space in the house. So it makes sense to look at the interior of the structure, the size of the entrance hole and the height of the hole from the floor. The entrance should be near the top of the structure and proportionate to the size of the species that is going to inhabit it.Secondly, the structure must have good ventilation and drainage to prevent little birds from overheating or drowning inside their homes. If the bird house is acceptable in all areas except drainage and ventilation, it should, at least, be able to withstand the drilling or sawing in order to create slots and drainage holes.The home should provide easy access for cleaning and monitoring purposes. This is usually accomplished when one wall of the structure is set on hinges or lifts out. Bird houses that do not provide easy access for cleaning or monitoring are not considered very good housing.Lastly, the material used in building the structure is very important. Care should be given that the building material is not toxic if ingested by the birds. Also, using metal material could cause the house to overheat. Therefore, metal domiciles should be hung in the shade.

Bird houses should be practical before beautiful. This is why stability in the structure should always come before beauty. Houses that are simply stapled, nailed or glued together should be avoided. Joints should be glued before they are nailed with rust resistant nails, hinges and screws.

When all of these criteria are met and birds still seem to snub their human-provided homes, the answer may be nothing more than moving the structure to a different location in the garden. Making the environment for those finicky aviaries beautiful and safe will make bird watching for the landlords a most pleasant experience.

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Article Submitted On: January 27, 2011