Bird watchers across the world have brought to notice a natural catastrophe.

Thousands of birds like swallows and swifts that were migrating to Europe from Africa as part of their yearly cycles have been killed by high winds that have taken over Greece.

Hundreds of birds were found in Athens’ streets, with many residents reporting finding corpses in their balconies. Further up, dead birds were found in the Aegean islands and in a lake located close to the port of Nauplia in the Peloponnese.

“It’s a major disaster,” Maria Ganoti of the wildlife protection group Anima told AFP on Thursday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="winnows.com/india-news/79-per-cent-decline-in-indian-species-of-birds-study-281435" hreflang="en">79 per cent decline in Indian species of birds: Study</a>

“Over the last three days because of high winds in the north and over the Aegean Sea, thousands of small birds have been found dead or gravely injured,” she added.

“The night of April 5-6 was disastrous for migrating birds due to strong winds, low temperatures and rain in some regions”, The Greek ornithologist association said.

“Southerly winds pushed flocks of birds from north Africa into air currents from the north of the Aegean sea and particularly the islands”, the association added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="winnows.com/world/north-american-bird-population-fell-by-quarter-over-50-years-study-250699" hreflang="en">North America&nbsp;lost&nbsp;nearly&nbsp;3&nbsp;billion birds&nbsp;over 50 years: Study</a>

“To escape, exhausted birds, mainly swallows and swifts, which catch flying insects for food, headed for the Greek mainland”, it further said.

In their statement, the association has put forward requests to people for exercising caution when moving about in the streets, where tired birds seek temporary refuge after flying for thousands of kilometres.

Thousands of birds migrate towards northern territories during spring, and towards souther areas in autumn.

Bird watchers across the world have brought to notice a natural catastrophe. Thousands of birds like swallows and swifts that were migrating to Europe from Africa as part of their yearly cycles have been killed by high winds that have taken over Greece.

Bird watchers across the world have brought to notice a natural catastrophe. Thousands of birds like swallows and swifts that were migrating to Europe from Africa as part of their yearly cycles have been killed by high winds that have taken over Greece. Hundreds of birds were found in Athens’ streets, with many residents reporting finding corpses in their balconies. Further up, dead birds were found in the Aegean islands and in a lake located close to the port of Nauplia in the Peloponnese. “It’s a major disaster,” Maria Ganoti of the wildlife protection group Anima told AFP on Thursday. Also read: 79 per cent decline in Indian species of birds: Study “Over the last three days because of high winds in the north and over the Aegean Sea, thousands of small birds have been found dead or gravely injured,” she added. “The night of April 5-6 was disastrous for migrating birds due to strong winds, low temperatures and rain in some regions”, The Greek ornithologist association said. “Southerly winds pushed flocks of birds from north Africa into air currents from the north of the Aegean sea and particularly the islands”, the association added. Also read: North America lost nearly 3 billion birds over 50 years: Study “To escape, exhausted birds, mainly swallows and swifts, which catch flying insects for food, headed for the Greek mainland”, it further said. In their statement, the association has put forward requests to people for exercising caution when moving about in the streets, where tired birds seek temporary refuge after flying for thousands of kilometres. Thousands of birds migrate towards northern territories during spring, and towards souther areas in autumn.

Thousands of migratory birds killed by strong winds over Europe

A talking parrot in Israel has a playful message for a world gripped by the coronavirus crisis: "Don't go out!" In crystal-clear Hebrew, Luca the parrot squawks "there is corona" and "don't go out", repeatedly echoing official health warnings.

Squawking parrot warns the world: 'Coronavirus! Don't go out!'

A newborn hippo spent a day to be remembered at a Belgian zoo on Wednesday (March 25) with his mother taking it for its first dip in the big pool.

Rolling in the deep! Baby hippo gets first dive in the big pool

A flutter of wings faster than the eye can see, a quick sip of nectar, and he vanishes from view. Once a common site in Mexico City but in 2020 a rarity in the sprawling metropolis.

Urban gardens in Mexico fight hummingbirds' extinction

Biologists in Paraguay on Monday (February 17) welcomed the first scarlet macaw chick hatched in the wild in the city of Luque. The city firefighters pulleyed the 65-day-old chick from its nest and Brazilian biologists microchipped and weighed the parrot surrounded by curious bystanders taking pictures of the baby macaw's debut.

Baby scarlet macaw born in the wild in Paraguay makes public debut

There has been a decline in the population of 79 per cent of Indian species of birds, a report submitted in the United Nations meeting on wildlife conservation said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

According to the report, State of India's birds 2020, the number of house sparrows has declined in metropolitan cities while it has remained "roughly stable" across the country. However, in rural India, the population has gone up.

The report was released in Gujarat's Gandhinagar on Monday&nbsp;on sidelines of the 13th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP 13).

The bird groups that showed the greatest decline includes,&nbsp;raptors, migratory shorebirds and habitat specialists, among others.

The report also stressed that&nbsp;101 species classified as of High Conservation Concern, require immediate attention.

Meanwhile, the report also gave some good news as it showed that the&nbsp;number of India's national bird, a peacock has&nbsp;shown a dramatic rise.

As for the Indian peafowl, the abundance trend is that of a general increase, both in long-term and currently, the report said.

The report was made after assessing over&nbsp;10 million observations contributed by over 15,500 birdwatchers.

The assessment is based on three indices, two of change in abundance, long-term trend (over 25+ years) and current annual trend (over the past five years), and the third is a measure of distribution range size.

Using these three indices together with the IUCN Red List (of threatened species), each species was classified into categories of conservation concern for India: 442 in low concern category, 319 in moderate concern category and 101 in high concern category.

(With inputs from agencies)

There has been a decline in the population of 79 per cent of Indian species of birds, a report submitted in the United Nations meeting on wildlife conservation said on Tuesday.

There has been a decline in the population of 79 per cent of Indian species of birds, a report submitted in the United Nations meeting on wildlife conservation said on Tuesday. According to the report, State of India's birds 2020, the number of house sparrows has declined in metropolitan cities while it has remained "roughly stable" across the country. However, in rural India, the population has gone up. The report was released in Gujarat's Gandhinagar on Monday on sidelines of the 13th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP 13). The bird groups that showed the greatest decline includes, raptors, migratory shorebirds and habitat specialists, among others. The report also stressed that 101 species classified as of High Conservation Concern, require immediate attention. Meanwhile, the report also gave some good news as it showed that the number of India's national bird, a peacock has shown a dramatic rise. As for the Indian peafowl, the abundance trend is that of a general increase, both in long-term and currently, the report said. The report was made after assessing over 10 million observations contributed by over 15,500 birdwatchers. The assessment is based on three indices, two of change in abundance, long-term trend (over 25+ years) and current annual trend (over the past five years), and the third is a measure of distribution range size. Using these three indices together with the IUCN Red List (of threatened species), each species was classified into categories of conservation concern for India: 442 in low concern category, 319 in moderate concern category and 101 in high concern category. (With inputs from agencies)

79 per cent decline in Indian species of birds: Study

10,000 birds found dead within a span of 9 months. The cause of death remains unknown

10,000 birds found dead in Sambhar Lake

Ecological Disaster In North America: 9 Billion Birds Lost In Less Than 5 Years

Gravitas: Climate Change places Birds in Danger, too

The number of birds in the United States and Canada has fallen by an astonishing 29 per cent, or almost three billion, since 1970, scientists reported Thursday, saying their findings signalled a widespread ecological crisis.

Grassland birds are the most affected, because of the disappearance of meadows and prairies and the extension of farmland, as well as the growing use of pesticides that kill insects that affects the entire food chain.

But forest birds and species that occur in a wider variety of habitats -- known as habitat generalists -- are also part of the downward trend.

"We see the same thing happening the world over, the intensification of agriculture and land-use changes are placing pressure on these bird populations," Ken Rosenberg, an ornithologist at Cornell University and principal co-author of the paper in Science told AFP.

"Now, we see fields of corn and other crops right up to the horizon, everything is sanitized and mechanized, there's no room left for birds, fauna and nature."

More than 90 per cent of the losses are from 12 species including sparrows, warblers, blackbirds, and finches.

The figures mirror declines observed elsewhere, notably France, where the National Observatory of Biodiversity estimates a 30 per cent decline in grasslands birds between 1989 and 2017.

The US study combined two data sources.

The first was annual surveys carried out each spring, during the breeding season, conducted by thousands of volunteers, according to an identical methodology, since 1970.

The volunteers stopped every half-mile along a 40 kilometres journey through the countryside, counting all the birds they saw in three minutes. Researchers then compiled and analyzed the results.

The second source came from observations from 143 radar stations which can detect the flocks of birds during migrations that took place at night.&nbsp;

More than half of the North American bird species are migratory, flying either to the southern US or to Central and South America,

The radar information was less precise but also showed a decline of 13.6 per cent between 2007 and 2017, with a margin of error of nine points.

Ducks and geese are the big exception: after a period of decline, their numbers have grown since 1970.&nbsp;

That is thanks to increased awareness among hunters who have supported protection measures, Rosenberg said.

Ornithologists also mention other factors, such as cats left outside, and even birds dying after smashing into the windows of houses.&nbsp;

The number killed in this way is far from insignificant: researchers in 2014 estimated it at between 365 million and a billion per year.

The number of birds in the United States and Canada has fallen by an astonishing 29 per cent, or almost three billion, since 1970, scientists reported Thursday, saying their findings signalled a widespread ecological crisis.

The number of birds in the United States and Canada has fallen by an astonishing 29 per cent, or almost three billion, since 1970, scientists reported Thursday, saying their findings signalled a widespread ecological crisis. Grassland birds are the most affected, because of the disappearance of meadows and prairies and the extension of farmland, as well as the growing use of pesticides that kill insects that affects the entire food chain. But forest birds and species that occur in a wider variety of habitats -- known as habitat generalists -- are also part of the downward trend. "We see the same thing happening the world over, the intensification of agriculture and land-use changes are placing pressure on these bird populations," Ken Rosenberg, an ornithologist at Cornell University and principal co-author of the paper in Science told AFP. "Now, we see fields of corn and other crops right up to the horizon, everything is sanitized and mechanized, there's no room left for birds, fauna and nature." More than 90 per cent of the losses are from 12 species including sparrows, warblers, blackbirds, and finches. The figures mirror declines observed elsewhere, notably France, where the National Observatory of Biodiversity estimates a 30 per cent decline in grasslands birds between 1989 and 2017. The US study combined two data sources. The first was annual surveys carried out each spring, during the breeding season, conducted by thousands of volunteers, according to an identical methodology, since 1970. The volunteers stopped every half-mile along a 40 kilometres journey through the countryside, counting all the birds they saw in three minutes. Researchers then compiled and analyzed the results. The second source came from observations from 143 radar stations which can detect the flocks of birds during migrations that took place at night. More than half of the North American bird species are migratory, flying either to the southern US or to Central and South America, The radar information was less precise but also showed a decline of 13.6 per cent between 2007 and 2017, with a margin of error of nine points. Ducks and geese are the big exception: after a period of decline, their numbers have grown since 1970. That is thanks to increased awareness among hunters who have supported protection measures, Rosenberg said. Ornithologists also mention other factors, such as cats left outside, and even birds dying after smashing into the windows of houses. The number killed in this way is far from insignificant: researchers in 2014 estimated it at between 365 million and a billion per year.

North America lost nearly 3 billion birds over 50 years: Study

An animal rescue group is asking for help caring for nearly 100 baby snowy egrets and black-crowned night herons left homeless last week after a tree fell in downtown Oakland.

Nearly 100 baby birds rescued from fallen CA tree

As the early morning light breaks over the plain north of Kabul, bird hunter Jan Agha checks his snares as he has done for the past 30 years, hoping to catch a crane, using a tethered bird to lure others down to the nets.

Bird hunting is an ancient sport in Afghanistan, where local and migrating species have flocked for thousands of years and where even amid the chaos of the past 40 years of conflict, the tradition persists.

"I have learned different types of hunting from my ancestors because they were hunters too," said 49-year-old Jan Agha, a farmer in Parwan province.

"Some of my sons have learned hunting from me and I hope to see at least two of my sons become hunters so my name is remembered and people know my sons after my death."

The war has left much of the environment near Kabul devastated with uncleared mines, pollution, uncontrolled building and general neglect. Only in the last few years has there been an effort to restore areas like the former royal hunting grounds at Kol-e-Hashmat Khan in the city's southwest.

Spring is the season of cranes, which the hunters try to catch alive in snares, using a specially trained tethered bird whose cries attract passing flocks.

"I like this crane because it won't be silent when the other big groups of cranes come, and it always forces them to come down. I like it because he is really a hunter bird."

With environmental controls virtually non-existent, there is little check on how many birds are caught or shot and Jan Agha, who started hunting when he was around 12 or 13, reckons he has taken more than 1,000 cranes and an uncountable number of quails, ducks hawks and sparrows.

The birds are usually taken to shops near the town of Bagram or to Kabul itself, where there is a popular bird market in the centre of the old city.

For Jan Agha, hunting is a relief, taking him out of the daily round and into the harshly beautiful countryside, where groups of hunters set out in the night, picnicking at night in the desert before testing their skills at dawn.

"The pleasure of hunting is to be in open space. I like the mountain, desert, shotgun and being awake during the night to hunt," he said. "The pleasure of hunting is to be a success in it. A hunter's hope is hunting. Being a success in every job in the world has a special pleasure."

As the early morning light breaks over the plain north of Kabul, bird hunter Jan Agha checks his snares as he has done for the past 30 years, hoping to catch a crane, using a tethered bird to lure others down to the nets.

As the early morning light breaks over the plain north of Kabul, bird hunter Jan Agha checks his snares as he has done for the past 30 years, hoping to catch a crane, using a tethered bird to lure others down to the nets. Bird hunting is an ancient sport in Afghanistan, where local and migrating species have flocked for thousands of years and where even amid the chaos of the past 40 years of conflict, the tradition persists. "I have learned different types of hunting from my ancestors because they were hunters too," said 49-year-old Jan Agha, a farmer in Parwan province. "Some of my sons have learned hunting from me and I hope to see at least two of my sons become hunters so my name is remembered and people know my sons after my death." The war has left much of the environment near Kabul devastated with uncleared mines, pollution, uncontrolled building and general neglect. Only in the last few years has there been an effort to restore areas like the former royal hunting grounds at Kol-e-Hashmat Khan in the city's southwest. Spring is the season of cranes, which the hunters try to catch alive in snares, using a specially trained tethered bird whose cries attract passing flocks. "I like this crane because it won't be silent when the other big groups of cranes come, and it always forces them to come down. I like it because he is really a hunter bird." With environmental controls virtually non-existent, there is little check on how many birds are caught or shot and Jan Agha, who started hunting when he was around 12 or 13, reckons he has taken more than 1,000 cranes and an uncountable number of quails, ducks hawks and sparrows. The birds are usually taken to shops near the town of Bagram or to Kabul itself, where there is a popular bird market in the centre of the old city. For Jan Agha, hunting is a relief, taking him out of the daily round and into the harshly beautiful countryside, where groups of hunters set out in the night, picnicking at night in the desert before testing their skills at dawn. "The pleasure of hunting is to be in open space. I like the mountain, desert, shotgun and being awake during the night to hunt," he said. "The pleasure of hunting is to be a success in it. A hunter's hope is hunting. Being a success in every job in the world has a special pleasure."

'A hunter's hope': Snaring birds in warring Afghanistan

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