Evolution in an Urbanizing World
Urban trees support diverse wildlife, as Jamaican biologist and naturalist Damany Calder pointed out in Instagram this week with his observation of the Yellow-Billed Parrot (Amazona collaria), endemic to Jamaica and vulnerable to extinction, in a Black Olive tree (Terminalia buceras) in the middle of a busy parking lot of a shopping center in Kingston!... Continue Reading →
Where there are humans, there is food... delicious calorie rich food. And so much of it, well, it can keep a bear from hibernating! We've told you about wildlife and anthropogenic food before (check out: Raccoon Eats Your Bird Food, Juggling a Junk Food Diet, Eggroll Squirrel, and of course - Pizza Rat), and taking advantage... Continue Reading →
Monk parakeets Myiopsitta monachus Sometimes referred to as the Quaker parrot due to their quaking vocalizations, the monk parakeet is a small, green parrot with grey breast and head feathers accented with blue feathers on their primaries. In addition to their unique color, these birds can often be picked out by their noisy/screechy vocalizations.... Continue Reading →
Where do urban coyotes den? Turns out under a building is a pretty okay spot, at least this coyote thought so! Our urban observation of the week comes from Travis Ryan, who not only spotted this coyote poking it's head out from it's den, but also caught the adorable pups emerging! https://twitter.com/IndyWildWatch/status/1386702253273329667?s=20 https://twitter.com/IndyWildWatch/status/1389933915402604553?s=20 Do... Continue Reading →
It's turtle hatchling emergence time in Massachusetts, as this recent article in The Boston Globe pointed out! And right on cue, this week I came across two tiny hatchling turtles running the gauntlet across the bike path in Boston's Emerald Necklace to get to the water. Both turtles are native species to Massachusetts: the Painted... Continue Reading →
When you think of urban birds, you probably don't think of a flock of 20 lb wild turkeys. A friend of mine shared his recent encounter with a group of these modern dinosaurs in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Photo credits: Louis Neidorf Do you have a photo or video of an urban species doing something unusual? What... Continue Reading →
It is breeding season for Northern Elephant Seals (Mirounga angustirostris) which means elephant seals are coming onshore to give birth and mate. Because elephant seal breeding grounds are also popular destinations for humans seeking to observe this once nearly extinct marine mammal, precautions are needed to ensure the safety of both the humans and the... Continue Reading →
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