:: The Canadian and Alberta governments are reviewing a groundbreaking study by University of Alberta biologist Colleen Cassady St. Clair, which revealed that an estimated 200,000 bird landings at toxic tailing ponds annually would result in more than 1,000 fatalities; under the federal Migratory Bird Act, it is illegal to allow birds to land in toxic substances
:: The Missouri Department of Conservation is looking for volunteers to help with the annual North American Breeding Bird Survey, by collecting bird population data along 20 roadside survey routes, each 24.5 miles long.
:: Barn Swallows at the University of British Columbia have learned how to open motion-activated doors on campus to return to their old nesting site
:: To celebrate Earth Day this past April, Audubon North Carolina and Habitat for Humanity helped several families make their yards more bird-friendly with birdhouses and landscaping,
:: On the CBC Radio science show Quirks & Quarks this weekend, an interview with biologist Tyson Hedrick at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, who used high-speed cameras to study the aerial acrobatics of Cliff Swallows.
:: The celebrated Red Knot B95 (Moonbird) has returned to Delaware Bay.
:: Helping a rare Red-cockaded Woodpecker chick.
:: A study of bird fossils dating back to the Cretaceous period reveals a lack of diversity
:: The first fossil of an avian pollinator, also from the Cretaceous period, has been discovered
:: Another serious threat to birds, besides cats and window collisons: automobile collisons.
:: Australia’s Customs & Border Protection Service at the Sydney airport stopped a Czech man smuggling 16 wild bird eggs in the crotch of his pants on a flight from Dubai, charging him with attempting to import regulated live species without a permit.
:: Cornell University researchers studying crop damage by birds have found inflatable “air dancers” to be promising deterrents.
Great posts in birding blogs this week:
:: From Ethan at Bird Boy: My Baillie Birdathon Experience 2014
:: From Nicholas at Hipster Birders: Road Trippin’ Across the USA, Part 3: Oregon, Ho!
:: From Kathleen at Birdworthy: The Hunt and the Haunted
:: From Mia at On The Wing Photography: Wonderful Lifers — Williamson’s Sapsuckers at their nesting tree
:: From George at the ABA Blog: On Stringing…
:: From Nate at 10,000 Birds: Empid Mnemonics: There has to be a Better Way
:: From Sharon at Bird Canada: Big babies, little mamas
:: From Rob at The City Birder: Brooklyn Shorebirding
:: From Biron at B.I.R.D: Ovenbird Nest