FEATHERED FRIENDS
DECADE OF DISCOVERY -
The World Wildlife Federation has announced that more than 1200 species of plants and animals
have been discovered in the Amazon between 1999 - 2000. In fact, on average, a new species was discovered EVERY THREE DAYS for the past
10 years! The report Amazon Alive!
counts 637 new plants, 257 fish, 216 amphibians, 55 reptiles, 16 bird and 39 mammal discoveries since 1999, making the
South American rainforest one of the most diverse regions on Earth. The "BALD PARROT", shown above, is just one of the amazing birds recently discovered.
A member of the true parrot family, the Pyrilia aurantiocephala has an extraordinary bald head, and displays an astonishing spectrum
of colors on its skin and feathers. Known only from a few localities in the Lower Madeira and Upper Tapajos rivers in Brazil, the species has been
listed as "near threatened", due to its moderately small population, which is declining because of habitat loss.
NEED TO KNOW
Birds represent real conservation value, especially parrots. If the
top 50 high priority parrot species are protected, over 500 million acres of rainforest would also be protected.
Understanding bird conservation means understanding ecology. Wild birds are an integral part of
the ecosystem and serve many important purposes, including:
Insect and rodent population control
Distribution of seeds that leads to forest conservation
Food sources for bird predators
By studying and conserving birds, we can better understand the relationships between
all living things on our planet and how the interactions of those relationships can affect humans directly.
Biodiveristy - Birds are one of the most populous life forms on the planet, and that
biodiversity leads to a richness of life and beauty. The incredible numbers of bird species demonstrate
amazing evolutionary adaptations, and by learning how birds are able to adapt throughout the world we can
begin to adapt our own behaviors to live in our world, rather than to force our world into an artificial
and unsustainable mold.
Bird conservation can also highlight the diversity of different habitats. All birds cannot
live in the same habitats, and understanding the needs and requirements of different species can
help scientists develop conservation and recovery strategies in the areas that need it the most.
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CREATURE FEATURE
Hoatzin (Opisthocomus hoazin)
At first glance this bird doesn't look all THAT unusual, but believe me, it is. The Hoatzin may be living
proof that birds evolved from dinosaurs. The swamps of the Amazon are home for the Hoatzin, and it has several
truly unique features. First, it stinks. This odor keeps predators, including humans, at bay and it also makes their flesh inedible.
Studies show that the Hoatzin's odor comes from the way it digests the leaves it eats, much like a cow does with foregut fermentation.
No other bird in the world can do this. Next, it has claws on its wings, similar to the ancient flighted dinosaur Archaeopteryx. In adult birds the
claws are useless, but chicks use these claws to climb branches and navigate in trees until they are fully flighted.
This enigmatic bird is so unique that scientists have struggled to classify it under a family of birds. Because of this it has
been given its own family, the Opisthocomidae, and its own suborder, the Opisthocomi.
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PROBLMES AND SOLUTIONS
All over the globe, our feathered friends are struggling with the challanges of surviving on an ever-more crowded and changing planet. Habitat destruction, pollution and human
encroachment contribute to the decline in bird species.
Climate change is also a major factor affecting global species decline. Changes in temperature affect food supply, health, and
reproduction. It is amazing what the slightest change in temperature, either warmer or colder, can do. Plants that may fruit during a certain time of year either don't fruit at all (affecting
the food supply for many species) or fruit too early or too late. Many bird species begin their breeding cycle according to temperature. If it's too cold or hot, even by a fraction of a degree, they may not breed at all.
For parrots, poaching for the pet trade still remains a huge concern. Rare parrots fetch vast amounts of money on the black market and are in constant threat of being stolen from the wild.
As our growing human population competes with nature for space, agriculture often replaces forest. Nest trees and food plants are removed to make room for pastures and farms. Pesticides poison water
supplies, and natural areas shrink into "islands", isolating many species into smaller and smaller spaces.
These challanges are daunting and cannot be easily overcome. Humans must somehow come to understand that space for nature is vital to the very health of the planet we continually crowd and abuse. Setting aside protected space
for wildlife is the only answer and will keep our planet, and our human population, healthy in the long run.
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