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Mass die-off of birds in south-western US 'caused by starvation'
Guardian ^ | 12-26-20 | Phoebe Weston

Posted on 12/28/2020 11:25:58 AM PST by SJackson

The mass die-off of thousands of songbirds in south-western US was caused by long-term starvation, made worse by unseasonably cold weather probably linked to the climate crisis, scientists have said.

Flycatchers, swallows and warblers were among the migratory birds “falling out of the sky” in September, with carcasses found in New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Arizona and Nebraska. A USGS National Wildlife Health Center necropsy has found 80% of specimens showed typical signs of starvation.

Muscles controlling the birds’ wings were severely shrunken, blood was found in their intestinal tract and they had kidney failure as well as an overall loss of body fat. The remaining 20% were not in good enough condition to carry out proper tests. Nearly 10,000 dead birds were reported to the wildlife mortality database by citizens, and previous estimates suggest hundreds of thousands may have died.


Specimens including more than 250 Violet-green swallows and 35 Wilson’s Warblers, collected along the Rio Grande in Velarde, New Mexico, in September. Some of the dead birds, including more than 250 Violet-green swallows and 35 Wilson’s Warblers, collected along the Rio Grande in Velarde, New Mexico, in September. Photograph: Jenna McCullough/University of New Mexico

“It looks like the immediate cause of death in these birds was emaciation as a result of starvation,” said Jonathan Sleeman, director of the USGS National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, which received 170 bird carcasses and did necropsies on 40 of them. “It’s really hard to attribute direct causation, but given the close correlation of the weather event with the death of these birds, we think that either the weather event forced these birds to migrate prior to being ready, or maybe impacted their access to food sources during their migration.”

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: Outdoors
KEYWORDS: birds; climatechange; feedthebirds; newmexico; starvation
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1 posted on 12/28/2020 11:25:58 AM PST by SJackson
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To: SJackson

Still ok to kill them with windmills?


2 posted on 12/28/2020 11:26:37 AM PST by Mean Daddy (Every time Hillary lies, a demon gets its wings. - Windflier)
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To: Iowa Granny; Ladysmith; Diana in Wisconsin; JLO; sergeantdave; damncat; phantomworker; joesnuffy; ..
Outdoors/Rural/wildlife/hunting/hiking/backpacking/National Parks/animals list please FR mail me to be on or off . And ping me is you see articles of interest.

I don't know how out of the ordinary this is.

3 posted on 12/28/2020 11:27:25 AM PST by SJackson (It is true that liberty is precious — so precious that it must be rationed., V Lenin)
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To: CedarDave

Ping


4 posted on 12/28/2020 11:27:34 AM PST by fishtank (The denial of original sin is the root of liberalism. )
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To: SJackson

Well yeah, in LA when the picnic tables at the park are roped off with caution tape... I bet Yogi Bear is not doing that week either.


5 posted on 12/28/2020 11:27:41 AM PST by Yaelle
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To: SJackson

So, birds didn’t starve when the climate was much much warmer?
For millions of years?
Or much much colder.
For millions of years?
And I also note the now required change from the old “global warming” to “climate change” so that ANYTHING that occurs can now be blamed to it.
Sorry, Guardian. When I was at grad school in the UK, you were left wing, but had an occasional believable article. Heh, you took care of those bothersome believable ones.
Please keep away from science.
Please.
Oh, my doctorate was from your best university - in REAL science, not your journalistic bull Obama.


6 posted on 12/28/2020 11:30:02 AM PST by Da Coyote
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To: Mean Daddy

If the windmills didn’t get ‘em, the chemtrails did.. or maybe it was 5G. 8-0


7 posted on 12/28/2020 11:30:12 AM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi - Monthly Donors Rock!!! Help beat the leftist media at their own game.)
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Its getting colder and were in a ‘climate crisis’?????


8 posted on 12/28/2020 11:35:05 AM PST by RBStealth (-- raised by wolves, educated by nuns)
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To: SJackson

At least they’re not blaming it on the cats that get outside for a few minutes every day!


9 posted on 12/28/2020 11:35:12 AM PST by NEMDF
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To: SJackson; Libloather
Rats swarm New Orleans' streets as coronavirus precautions leave them empty

Precautions put in place to slow the rise of coronavirus cases in New Orleans has inadvertently led to a rat problem for the Louisiana city. With restaurants closed save for take-out service, far less food waste is being discarded in the city's alleyways, driving the local rodent population out into the open to search for scraps.

Hmmmm...maybe...just maybe...there was a similar knock-on effect with the birds?

10 posted on 12/28/2020 11:37:16 AM PST by DoodleBob (Gravity's waiting period is about 9.8 m/s^2)
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To: SJackson

How many were found near windows?

I’ve seen plenty done in when they fly into one.


11 posted on 12/28/2020 11:37:45 AM PST by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: Da Coyote

I’m sure that the deforestation from the massive fires out west had nothing to do with limiting the food supply.


12 posted on 12/28/2020 11:37:54 AM PST by D Rider ( )
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To: SJackson

Violet-Green Swallows were noticeable scarce around here, thes year. Coastal Oregon.


13 posted on 12/28/2020 11:39:47 AM PST by gundog ( Hail to the Chief, bitches!)
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To: D Rider

“wildfires”


14 posted on 12/28/2020 11:39:52 AM PST by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: SJackson

Poor things.


15 posted on 12/28/2020 11:40:11 AM PST by EinNYC
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To: SJackson

” unseasonably cold weather probably linked to the climate crisis, scientists have said”

Political scientists but not men of science.


16 posted on 12/28/2020 11:40:43 AM PST by CodeToad (Arm Up! They Have!)
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To: SJackson

Millions of ducks can be killed if a virus sweeps through their breeding grounds.


17 posted on 12/28/2020 11:41:15 AM PST by gundog ( Hail to the Chief, bitches!)
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To: SJackson

The virus.
Never fear blow Biden will breath the breath of life into each and every one.


18 posted on 12/28/2020 11:44:36 AM PST by Leep (Save America. Lock down Joe Biden!)
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To: BradyLS

Smoking?


19 posted on 12/28/2020 11:45:22 AM PST by Leep (Save America. Lock down Joe Biden!)
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To: BradyLS

The combination of 40 years of poor forestry practice and ANTIFA did not contribute to the wildfires in any way. Purely caused by man made global warming.


20 posted on 12/28/2020 11:46:45 AM PST by D Rider ( )
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