This beautiful bird has found its way onto the critically endangered list, the IUCN Red List, of bird species and it is estimated that there are fewer than 250 birds remaining in the world. Recent studies have revealed that there could be ways to save this wonderful bird, as they began to investigate the reasons behind the speedy decline in the species. The University of East Anglia has recently published their results.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds funded the project and studies were concentrated in Cambodia, as the biggest collection of the white-shouldered Ibis is found here. Watching and studying the approximately 160 to 200 birds, has revealed that they prefer open areas, with open sand areas and ground level vegetation, as it makes access to prey easier, makes it easier for the birds to see oncoming danger and assists them in landing and take off as there are less obstacles. What has made the study even more fascinating is the fact that human interaction almost always plays a negative role in the survival of animal and bird species, but in the case of the white-shouldered Ibis, human activity is playing a vital role in the protection of the remaining birds. Open fields where livestock graze and areas that are burnt down by farmers to create more open fields, in turn accommodate these birds and opens more habitats to them. As the white-shouldered Ibis seems to be dependant on the farmers for their existence, it is hoped that this relationship between farmer and Ibis can assist in the survival of the species and hopefully increase white-shouldered Ibis numbers.

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A renowned silhouette, the House Sparrow measures in at 4.25 inches in length. Its thick conical bill is ideally suited to the sparrow’s seed diet. Males differ greatly from females and can be identified by their gray crown, black mask, breast and throat, rusty upperparts and nape, with black streaks on the back, gray rump and white on the wing. During the summer the male House Sparrow’s bill is black, but changes to a yellowish color in winter. Female and immature House Sparrows have a gray-brown crown, gray-white underparts, tawny and black streaks along the back, black wings with a white patch and a yellow bill. House Sparrows are typically seen in large flocks oftentimes with other bird species. The bird calls of these lovely little sparrows can be heard year round and are made up of chirrups and cheep sounds.

House Sparrows are actually native to Britain, through northern Scandinavia and Siberia, across northern Africa, India, Burma and into Arabia. This species was introduced into the Americas, southern Africa, New Zealand and Australia, where they have gone on to breed and live successfully. Wherever people are, there you will find House Sparrows. Whether it is in agricultural lands or mankind’s urban sprawl, House Sparrows can be seen taking advantage of any opportunity for a tasty meal.

House Sparrows breed well, raising 2 to 3 broods annually. Each clutch consists of 3 to 7 eggs laid in nests safely built in trees, under eaves or in creepers. Incubation of the eggs lasts 10 to 13 days and the young House Sparrows fledge in 14 to 17 days. During winter, House Sparrows are known to roost in groups.

So what is causing the decline in House Sparrow numbers? Some believe it could be the frequent use of garden pesticides, killing insects which serve as food for newly hatched sparrows. Others say it could be caused by less chickens in back yards and on farms, thereby reducing food availability. On the other hand it could just be a lack of consideration and care on the part of mankind. Why not do your bit in caring for these marvelous little creatures by keeping your bird feeder and water dish full.

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The Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) is a large flightless bird found in the Seram Islands of Indonesia and the tropical rainforests of Aru, as well as New Guinea and northeastern Australia. Cassowaries have a reputation for being bad tempered and dangerous, a reputation that has been reinforced by the 2004 edition of the Guinness World Records, which lists the Cassowary as the most dangerous bird in the world.

Reaching a weight of 85 kgs, the Southern Cassowary is the second largest bird in the world (after the Ostrich), and is the largest of the three-member Cassowary family. It has hard, stiff plumage, a blue face and neck, a brown casque (horn-like crest) and a red nape. Because of the two red wattles hanging down its throat, the Southern Cassowary is also referred to as the Double-wattled Cassowary or Two-wattled Cassowary. The plumage of the Southern Cassowary is sexually monomorphic, but the female is larger than the male, is dominant and has brighter colored bare parts, as well as a longer casque. The plumage of the immature Southern Cassowary is plain brown.

This solitary bird only pairs in the breeding season, which occurs in late winter or spring. The male Southern Cassowary is a stay-at-home dad. He builds the nest, incubates the clutch of three to six eggs and raises the chicks. The nest, which is a mattress-like structure made out of herbaceous plant material, is built on the ground in a sheltered area, such as among tall grass.

The Cassowary is an elusive bird, preferring to hide out in dense foliage and long grass, avoiding contact with humans. But when disturbed, and especially when cornered or threatened, Cassowaries are known to lash out with their powerful legs, and are fully capable of inflicting a fatal blow to an adult human.

The Cassowary’s prehistoric-looking casque is the subject of much debate among avian experts as to what its purpose is. One possibility is that it serves as an identifying feature for determining the sex of the bird, with the female’s casque being longer than the males. Other suggestions are that the casque is used by the bird to batter its way through thick underbrush; is used as a tool for pushing leaf litter aside when foraging; or it may be used as a weapon in dominance disputes. Research indicates that it is very likely that the Cassowary uses its casque in some form of acoustic communication.

Fruit on low branches, or fallen fruit, is the mainstay of the Cassowary’s diet. In rain forests they serve an integral role in the ecosystem as they swallow the fruit whole and distribute seeds in the excrement across the jungle floor. They are also known to eat fungi, insects, snails, frogs, insects and even snakes.

Sadly, loss of habitat has caused a drastic decline in Southern Cassowary numbers. In the Mission Beach area of Australia alone, Cassowaries have lost around 50 percent of their vital habitat over the past decade. With the encroachment of man, hand feeding the birds has become a problem, as the food offered is seldom good for their state of health. Southern Cassowaries are listed as “vulnerable” on the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Red List of Threatened Species, which means that avian conservationists are aware of the problem and will no doubt take whatever steps are necessary to stop the decline, and even reverse the current situation.

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According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), one in eight bird species is currently facing extinction. The most recent update of the Red List of threatened bird species listed 190 bird species as ‘critically endangered’. Eight of the birds on this list were added this year and a further sixteen species have been given a higher threat status. In sharp contrast, only two species were found to have improved prospects of survival. Clearly things are spiraling out of control.

Stuart Butchart of BirdLife International, an organization which helped IUCN compile the list, sighted the destruction of natural habitats and climate changes brought about by global warming as the biggest factors in this unfortunate trend. Sadly things seem unlikely to change anytime soon. Burchart noted that the resulting fragmented populations become even more susceptible to climate changes and this, in turn, can bring about a higher level of localized extinctions. He further added that to ultimately turn things around, we would have to see “broad-scale climate-change mitigation measures” as well as a change in “society’s values and lifestyles.” However, while there has been an ever-increasing trend amongst first world countries to go ‘green’, it is unlikely that we will see these changes implemented on a large-enough scale to prevent this wave of destruction.

There are approximately 10 000 known bird species. Of these over 1200 are now considered to be ‘threatened’. At least eight species have been bumped up the list to the status ‘critically endangered’. The statistics include the Floreana mocking bird, which is limited to a tiny population of only 60 animals, and the Mallee emuwren – of which there are only about 100 individuals still left in the wild. These are two of the most endangered species on the list, but more familiar bird species also merit attention. The sandpiper and albatross are also listed as endangered, and the spotted kiwi in New Zealand has had its status marked up from near threatened to vulnerable.

One of the birds marked down was the Marquesan imperial pigeon. The change from ‘critically endangered’ to ‘endangered’ comes as the result of determined conservation efforts. This shows that conservation can be effective, but it has to be implemented for all these endangered species if we are going to see any major changes. While activities, such as the clearing of forests to make way for palm-oil plantations, continue to destroy vital bird habitats, BirdLife has set a program in motion to try and stop this ongoing trend in its tracks. Called the “Preventing Extinctions” program, the aim is to find groups who will be willing to protect each of the 190 birds that are listed as critically endangered. Bird lovers can only hope that the new program will prove to be a success.

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The striking northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremite), with is long red bill and oblong-shaped black body, is not a bird that would usually attract too much attention because many people would not think of it as the most attractive bird. However, it is currently very much under the spotlight as it is a critically endangered bird that may be facing extinction if more effort is not put into preserving this species.

The IUCN Red List has labeled the northern bald ibis a critically endangered species because it has long been suffering a steady decline in population. The bird is now limited to an extremely small range and is very low in numbers. While management actions have lead to some success in increasing numbers in places such as Morocco, northern bald ibis numbers continue to drop overall. This means that the bird species still faces the possibility of extinction in the very near future.

The northern bald ibis is between 70 and 80 centimeters in size. Its body is mainly black with iridescent tinges of green, blue and copper. The face is naked with a crown and both are red in color. The nuchal area has a ruff of feathers and the bird usually makes very little noise – apart from a few grunts that might be uttered from its nest or while doing a courtship display. It is currently estimated that there are only about 227 of these birds in the world and these are limited to a 680 square kilometer area.

It was previously believed that this bird was only found at the Souss-Massa National Park in Morocco and at Tamri. However non-breeding birds have been found in Mauritiana and further breeding pairs or adults have been seen in Talila, Syria and Turkey. It was estimated that there were only 300 individuals in 1994 and, despite certain isolated increases, this number has been steadily dropping. While the population of the bird decreased dramatically in the past mainly due to unidentified natural causes, more recent declines are caused by human persecution, loss of suitable habitats, pesticide poisoning, dam construction and human disturbance. Loss of eggs to predators and poor chick survival are also notable factors in the species’ decline.

Fortunately efforts are constantly underway to try and prevent the extinction of this unusual bird. Many of the birds are nesting in national parks and other protected areas, and research, protection programs and collaboration with local communities will likely go a long way to helping. Hopefully more research into the feeding and breeding habits of the bird, as well as the habitat requirements of this unusual creature, will be done in the future to enable conservationists to better ensure the future survival of the northern bald ibis.

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The Black Grouse appears on the IUCN Red List of endangered species and was considered to be one of the bird species most likely to become extinct. However, through the dedicated efforts of conservation groups over the past two decades, the dramatic decline of this rare bird has not only been halted, but turned around, and Black Grouse numbers in the northern Pennines are slowly rising.

The Black Grouse was once plentiful in all the counties of England, but by 1910 it had disappeared from all the southern counties. The Black Grouse can still be seen in most of Scotland and in the upland areas of Wales, but the population in England is restricted to Northumberland, North Yorkshire, County Durham and Cumbria. As a signature species of upland moorland, as well as being a key indicator species, the Black Grouse is considered to be an important bird in the environment. It is also one of the relatively few bird species which has a lek – gathering of male birds in a competitive mating display – at breeding season.

Under the direction of Dr. David Baines and Dr. Phil Warren, the North Pennines Black Grouse Recovery Project is a joint conservation project by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, RSPB, Natural England, Ministry of Defense, Northumbrian Water and North Pennines AONB Partnership. The reasons behind the decline of Black Grouse numbers was a key aspect of the study. It was established that overgrazing by sheep has resulted in a significant loss of suitable habitats for the Black Grouse. Another factor affecting the Black Grouse population is the increase in the number of predators, including Carrion Crows and Red Foxes. Additionally there has been a reduction in the number of insects, which are essential in the diet of young Black Grouse chicks.

Using this information, conservationists were able to formulate a recovery program which, with the co-operation of landowners and gamekeepers, is showing positive results. Numbers of grazing sheep were cut, allowing the vegetation to recover in overgrazed areas, thereby providing cover and food for the birds. Also, gamekeepers are working to keep predators under control on the fringes of moorland and woodland, which are the Black Grouses’ preferred nesting areas.

Surveys conducted throughout the Black Grouse habitat area in northern England revealed that there has been a 4% increase of males between 1998 and 2006. Although conservationists believe that it is unlikely that the Black Grouse will ever return to the southern counties, they are hopeful that a significant recovery of Black Grouse will be experienced in the counties down the northern area of the Pennine Chain, as well as into the Forest of Bowland. Based on the success of the North Pennines Black Grouse Recovery Project, similar projects are likely to be implemented for the conservation of other threatened bird species.

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