Other Animals

I’ve been living in North Texas for a year and a half. In this time, I’ve delighted in checking dozens of Texas birds off of my life list. For most of the country, a Northern Cardinal is a backyard staple, but for a lifelong Californian, my first encounter with one was breathtaking. While there are

June 6, 2023 By Carey Wentz, MRN Communications Manager If you’ve ever had the chance to see a yellow-naped parrot (Amazona auropalliata) up close, you wouldn’t be surprised to hear that they have captured the attention (and hearts!) of many. A few years ago, I traveled to El Jobo with Sam and Ted to see these

Spring and early summer mark an exciting time for backyard birders in North America. While new life springs up all over the country, rare visitors pass through on the way to their summer homes, and old friends return to feeders and gardens. For many American birdwatchers, one of the most anticipated returning guests are the

The Kiwi is an iconic bird, and it takes an iconic bird to be the most memorable bird of New Zealand, a country with no native land mammals and a vast array of unique avian residents. Even amongst competition like the popular Kakapo and the Kea, two beloved parrots native to New Zealand, the Kiwi

Video Sponsored by Ridge. Check them out here: https://ridge.com/clint Let’s face it, the mantis shrimp might be the most incredible of all crustaceans; they are as formidable as they are beautiful. However, being hardcore and glorious doesn’t necessarily mean that it makes a good pet. So is the mantis shrimp a good pet? Is the

Nesting birds can exhibit some seriously intimidating territorial behaviors. Swooping season is a well-known phenomenon in Australia. During the period between August and October, when Australia’s magpies are nesting, these birds are known to become aggressive and to “swoop” or dive-bomb cyclists and pedestrians who venture too close to their nests. This behavior doesn’t usually

Street artist Nathan “Nyces” Murdoch was commissioned to paint this amazing parrot mural on his home in Peterborough, England.image from https://www.facebook.com/IAMNyces As much as the art of life is ever present in our day-to-day existence, so is the depiction of that life. For ages untold, Man has drawn that which fascinates them on canvas elements

You are almost a master of genetics! You are now ready to understand multiple gene crosses, and what poss hets are all about. It has all been leading up to this. Welcome to mastery! ==== Clint is a professional biologist and educator, but above all, Clint LOVES reptiles and he loves to share that love

There are several smaller parrot species in Australia that deserve our attention, including the superb parrot, the swift parrot, and the orange-bellied parrot. These birds are brightly colored and beautiful, and are often critically endangered as well. There are also growing concerns about the status of the magical palm cockatoo. Australia’s Difficult Bird Research Group

In a previous article from earlier in the season, I wrote about how the fascinating relationship between humans and Purple Martins. Purple Martins are cavity nesters. This means that they are unable to build a nest without first finding a suitable hole or crevice. They cannot excavate these holes themselves and rely on holes that

Rising sea levels. Uncontrollable megafires. Warming global temperatures. We all know the headlines. The climate crisis is already being felt and will worsen if humanity’s ways remain unchanged. The means of halting severe global warming are still within our reach, but how can this be done in time? The UN Paris Agreement is designed to

Spiders can be scary, especially if they have venom that can kill a human. Well this spider can kill a human, and that is not even the scariest thing about it. If you are bitten by a Brazilian wandering spider, you may die, but you probably will live. But if you are a man, something

The death adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) is one of the most notorious, and best named of all deadly snakes. It has the fastest strike of any snake in Australia, and one of the most deadly venoms in the world. It looks like a viper, but it is not a viper at all. And, for a snake

As we all know, spring is a season of both migration and birth for many species of birds. All around the world, spring migrants are traveling to their spring breeding grounds, building nests, and beginning to rear their chicks. The findings of a new study may indicate, however, that many of these birds are having

Pale Mel, a red-tailed hawk, was well-known in NYC’s Central Park.jeremy Seto, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Dwellers in New York City find their outdoorsy beauty in the “wilds” of their famed Central Park. They attend the show often. In fact, they have their favorites, all known by name. Recently, an escaped Eurasian eagle

WCN’s Conservation Partners come from diverse backgrounds and work with many different species across the globe, but something that all of our Partners have in common is their excellent standards of transparency, humility, and inclusive approaches for their hard work and research. It is no surprise that some of our Partners have recently been honored

California residents know that wildfire season is not something to be taken lightly. In 2022, the Golden State witnessed more than 1,500 wildfires. The Camp Fire in 2018 was one of the most destructive wildfires in history and its impact is still felt by Californians. Each year, destructive wildfires evoke fear and dread amongst the

The California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus), is one of the largest flying birds in the entire world. Once upon a time, these enormous vultures spanned the Pacific states, but could be found as far east as Texas, Florida, and New York. By the 1970s, though, these exceptional birds faced the possibility of extinction. According to the

The Anhinga is an unusual and iconic bird. Its snake-like neck, sharp dagger-like bill, and unique overall appearance have earned it such nicknames as the “Devil Bird,” the “Snake Bird,” and the “Water Turkey.” Anhingas are striking birds which hunt alongside waterways. While most other diving birds stalk their prey from the water’s edge, Anhingas

The Ruffed Grouse has been the state bird of Pennsylvania since 1931. These relatives of chickens, turkeys, and quail are known for their unusual “drumming sounds,” made by beating the air with their wings, and for their flamboyant displays. Despite these two rather gregarious behaviors, the Ruffed Grouse is generally a somewhat secretive bird which

Crocodilians (alligators, crocodiles, caimans, and gharials) are very likely the coolest animals alive today. With the discovery of 4 new species, the total number of known crocodilian species is 28, and today we are going to meet every single one of them! #clintsreptiles #crocodile #biology ==== Attribution: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r2JbFxkQQQHMJhY0nvQ5fePKkwTypcsKaAJeVjyPHXE/edit?usp=sharing ==== Clint is a professional biologist and

Poster for a conference at the Media Lab in Spring, 2000; picture of one of our parrots using our primitive controller and screen to access the system. I’m sure many of you saw the news about how scientists have developed a system whereby parrots can interact with one another online. I did a wee bit of

Ah springtime. It is the season of flowers, of butterflies, of new growth, and migrating songbirds. It is also the season of nest cams. It seems that during this season, cities, small towns, college campuses, and conservation groups are absolutely alive with camera feeds documenting the big and small moments in the lives of nesting

Have you ever wondered why the DDT crisis was so harmful for birds of prey specifically? Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane, or “DDT,” is a synthetic pesticide that gained popularity in the 1940s. Over the course of the ensuring decades, widespread usage of DDT led to its presence in environments that are still impacted by it, despite it being

The bushmaster (Lachesis muta) is the longest viper in the world! It is also unspeakably beautiful, and deadly venomous. So it seems like it might be a great pet, but is it? Is the bushmaster a good pet, and is it the best pet snake for you? We head down to Chandler’s Wild Life to

The Flame-colored Tanager is a native of Mexico and Central America. They are members of the cardinal family, rather than “true” tanagers. Male Flame-colored Tanagers are a brilliant red color, while females are an equally vibrant yellow. Plumage like this is bound to stand out, so it is easy to imagine why, when a bright

Seagulls are divisive animals. For many of us, the flashes of white feathers and high-pitched calls are an essential part of any beach day. Their gregarious attitudes, fearlessness, and ubiquity makes them beloved amongst their fans, but also extremely controversial. Related Article: Microplastic Pollution is Affecting the Gut Health of Sea Birds Like pigeons, crows,

Have you ever wondered who the world’s favorite penguin is- not just the favorite species, but that special penguin individual who has captured the most human hearts? Well look no further! Penguins International‘s March of the Penguin Madness Tournament has declared an official winner. Related Article: The Viral Story of the Eagle Who Attempted to

Ginger the cockatiel’s “Kookee Kookee” song has become a viral sensation.PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/@AIRPLAWAN It’s no secret that we share a profound love of the vocal abilities of exotic birds. And one of the most fun of them all is when they sing. Each bird has their quirky musical preferences and often sings them out with gusto.

Love hurts, at least if you’re a lonely old loon. ABJ and Fe are a pair of Common Loons from Michigan whose love story has become famous. At 36 and 37 years old respectively, the two are considered to be the oldest Common Loons in the world. What’s more, their 25 year relationship is one