Birds.com: Online Birds Guide with Facts, Articles, Videos, and Photos » seminar

The 6th Annual Avian Seminar Hosted by NIPS

Editor — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 12:03:48 +0000

The Northern Illinois Parrot Society (NIPS) is all set to host its 6th annual seminar. This year’s seminar is titled “Flying into Knowledge” and will be held at the Centre at North Park, which is situated in Franklin Park, Illinois. The all-day seminar will take place on Saturday, September 27, 2008, and the proceeds of the event will be used to benefit bird research and conservation efforts.

The NIPS seminar will be incredibly good for bird owners and breeders since it is these individuals who have been specifically targeted with the choice of material that will be dispensed at the seminar. They will be provided with tons of information that will help them to expand their knowledge on both wild parrots and pet birds. Topics will range from more simple things, such as understanding the behavior of pet birds, to much broader subjects, such as the conservation of parrots. This year’s presenters include bird behavior consultant Sally Blanchard, assistant director of conservation and field research at the National Aviary Steven C. Latta Ph. D., African bird species breeder Jean Pattison and Peter S. Sakas DMV from the Niles Animal Hospital and Bird Medical Center. No doubt the information dispensed by these knowledgeable people will prove to be indispensable and fascinating to those in the audience.

However the NIPS seminar is not just about lectures. It is also a great opportunity to meet other bird-loving friends from all over the country. Vendors will be on hand to sell bird toys, cages and lots of delicious food. A raffle will also be a part of the day’s events, the proceeds of which will be used to benefit avian conservation and research. If this sounds like your idea of a great day out, make sure that you get your ticket soon to avoid disappointment. NIPS is the only club in the area that currently hosts an annual education seminar of this standard, so you can be sure that there will be a big response. The tickets will cost $80 per a person and the price will include lunch. If that seems a little steep to you then remember that not only are you being provided with some amazing insight and research and a great meal, but the proceeds are always used to benefit a number of avian conservation and research projects. Some of the proceeds will also be used to help rescue organizations. All these beneficiaries will be selected after the conference. So make sure that you’re a part of the 6th annual NIPS avian seminar!

Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding & Nature Festival

Editor — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:37:14 +0000

For the last couple of years Southeast Georgia has been home to a wonderful annual birding and nature festival. The event spotlights the numerous bird species that make use of the different Georgian habitats and caters to almost everyone – from causal nature enthusiasts to more experienced birders.

This year will be no different. The plans have been drawn up and the bookings have been made for Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding & Nature Festival 2008. Pete Dunne has been chosen as the keynote speaker for the festival and already the birds are arriving, promising birders a great opportunity to see as much bird life as possible. In fact the area is just teeming with life. Salt marshes, woodlands, freshwater wetlands, shorelines, barrier islands, tidal rivers and old rice fields are all home to fascinating and often distinct bird communities that make for fantastic bird watching. The 2008 festival will feature field trips to more than 25 different natural areas, enabling visitors to make the most of this fantastic natural area. When you combine the exciting field trips with the informative seminars and great association, you’ll find that Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding & Nature Festival is an unbeatable gem that simply shouldn’t be missed!

Not everyone who attends the festival is strictly a bird watcher. The show caters to nature lovers of all kinds and you’ll find that nature day activities combine birds with other elements of nature to appeal to all kinds of people. Beach and marsh walks provide the perfect way to while away a few hours, while the raptor show will provide ample inspiration for anyone who gives the beginning birding course a try. There will be reptiles, sharks, animal tracking and even a segment that deals with the role that Southern Birds have played in Native American culture. Add to that the bird watching opportunities and field trips and you’ll find you’ll run out of time before you run out of things to do. Georgia’s Colonial Coast Birding and Nature Festival will be held on Jekyll Island in Georgia from October 9 to 13, 2008. Book your accommodation now to make sure that you don’t miss out on this great birding and nature event!

Israel Chooses National Bird

Editor — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:24:46 +0000

The nation of Israel has finally chosen their national bird. After months of selecting and voting, it would seem that the Hoopoe had the most votes. This pretty little bird managed to scoop a massive 35% of the votes, giving it the prestige of becoming the new symbol of Israel.

It all started last December when more than 1 000 bird lovers were asked to select 50 nominees for the title out of an even longer list of candidates. The selection process took place at a seminar held at the Tel Aviv University and the results were quite surprising. The resulting fifty birds were then narrowed down even further to just ten different birds – all of which were vastly different from each other. The finalists were the bulbul (Pycnonotidae), the goldfinch, the red falcon, the spur-winged plover, the biblical vulture, the warbler, the honey-sucker, the white-chested kingfisher, the hoopoe and the white barn owl. The final choice was then left to the results of a nationwide election held by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, which took several months and saw approximately 155 000 people vote.

It would seem that the humble but attractive hoopoe managed to get the majority of the votes, even receiving the majority of internet votes in the election held by Ynet. Clearly it was the overall favorite of the bunch. The final result was recently announced by President Shimon Peres. After announcing the winner, President Peres praised the election and noted that there was a dire need in our present time for “green scenery, fresh air and the beautiful, multi-colored birds” that regularly flock to Israel. He further added that ornithology was one of the main assets of the country and lamented over the fact that so many birds that were once common in Israel have since become rare or disappeared from the country completely. Peres spoke of talks being conducted with French President Nicolas Sarkozy as well as German Chancellor Angela Merkel regarding the returning of several of these birds to their natural habitats.

President Peres admitted that he had personally voted for the vulture, but also felt that the dove would have been a very fitting symbol for his country and he was disappointed that it was not one of the finalists. According to Peres, some 500 million birds make their way through Israelite skies every year – a massive accomplishment for such a small country. Hopefully the choice of national bird will be just one small step in a long list of environmental achievements that will see many more birds return to this country.