One of the world's most endangered birds--a brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli)--hatched at the Smithsonian's National Zoo's Bird House early yesterday.

Keepers have been carefully monitoring the egg's progress since it was laid January 19. Keepers looked for signs of pipping: the process in which the chick starts to break through the shell in the last weeks," the zoo said in information released with these photographs.

The chick initially was placed in an incubator, until today, when it was transferred to a specially designed brooding box, the zoo added.

The box will be not be on exhibit, but will be accessible by webcam on the Zoo's Web site. "Since kiwis are nocturnal, the best time to view the chick exploring and foraging in its box will be in the evening," the zoo said.

The sex of the chick is unknown and cannot be determined by sight until it is two years old. "For this reason, Bird House staff enlisted the help of National Zoo geneticists. Using DNA samples swabbed from the inside of the egg and from the bird's beak, the geneticists hope to determine its sex in the coming weeks," the zoo said.
This is only the fourth time in the zoo's 121-year history that a kiwi has successfully hatched.The first was in 1975, which was also the first occur outside of New Zealand.

"The Zoo did not have another successful hatching until 2006; that male bird, Manaia, can be seen on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the Meet-a-Kiwi program at the National Zoo's Bird House at the 11 a.m.

The last successful hatching at the Zoo was in 2008, which produced another male, Koa.

Kiwis in captivity are extremely rare--only four zoos outside of New Zealand have successfully bred kiwis, with the National Zoo currently the only zoo to have a successfully breeding female in the United States, the zoo said.

Other U.S. zoos to exhibit kiwis are San Diego and Columbus Zoos.

New Zealand national bird

"There are five species of kiwi and all are unique to New Zealand, with the brown kiwi named as their national bird. The birds have existed in New Zealand for more than 34 million years, and the Māori (native people of New Zealand) consider the bird as sacred and a large part of their mythology.

"The Māori believe the kiwis are under the protection of their God of the Forest, Tane Mahuta, and that the Māori are now the protectors of the kiwi.

"Kiwis typically mate for life, and the male is responsible for the egg. After kiwi chicks hatch, however, they receive no parental care. Unlike other bird species, kiwis hatch fully feathered and equipped with all of the necessary skills they need to survive," the zoo said.

The brown kiwi species is classified as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The wild population is declining at a rate of approximately 5.8 percent a year, the National Zoo said.

"Nearly 90 percent of all wild North Island brown kiwi chicks are killed by ferret-like stoats and cats in unprotected areas. In areas where pest control is in place, the survival rate is high.

"The remaining wild population of the brown kiwi is estimated at roughly 24,000, down from 60,000 in the 1980s. However, where conservation efforts, such as Operation Next Egg occur, the kiwi population is stabilizing."

Efforts are under way to prevent a pair of peregrine falcons from nesting again at the abandoned oredock in Ashland, which is set to undergo demolition.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reports that a pair of falcons - assumed to be the same pair that nested on the structure last year - has been seen in the vicinity of the dock. Peregrine falcons are an endangered species in Wisconsin.

According to a DNR news release, the dock's owner "will be applying multiple conservation measures to deter the falcons from nesting on the dock, including the installation of plastic spikes specifically designed to deter birds, the use of spider-like structures with steel 'arms' that sway and bounce in the breeze, and netting in efforts to keep the pair from nesting on the oredock this summer."

The DNR is also proposing an "incidental take permit," should the falcons manage to nest on the dock. It would cover "the unintentional loss of a falcon or eggs that may result from the demolition of the oredock."

If the falcons do nest on the dock, demolition work would stop, and upon authorization of the permit, any eggs would be removed and taken to a wildlife rehabilitation center to be incubated and hatched.

The DNR says keeping the pair from nesting "will not jeopardize the continued existence or recovery of the species in Wisconsin. Peregrine falcons have been at or above the state's recovery goal of 20 nesting pairs for seven years, with 32 pairs nesting in the state in 2009."

Furthermore, the DNR reports the arrival of the falcons last summer hurt the local population of common terns, which are considered critically endangered in Wisconsin. All offspring of the tern colony were lost last year, in part due to predation by the falcons.

Public comments are being taken on the proposed incidental take permit. They can be sent to Rori Paloski, Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Endangered Resources, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707-7921; phone (608) 264-6040.

["strange"]

Here you can find the Little Owl cam in The Netherlands, it's a part from  "beleef de lente".
They had some problems with a pair of pigeons. The pigeons  even had an egg.
But the owls like this nestbox and do everything to keep the box pigeon free.

http://www.beleefdelente.nl/steenuil

Today there was a "strange" visitor. I saw it on a movie on the site.
Here is a picture of him and a picture of the owl.

greetings Aafke

OMG....poor Owls, seems everyone wants everyone elses nests this year. That strange bird looks like an Ostrich! Crazy. Thanks Aafke.

She sure is early at the nest, thanks Ezsha.
She left at 2:57
Back at 3:13
Left at 5:10
Back at 5:36. No sleep for Beauty last night. What will today bring? Maybe an April Fool's egg?

Fear not - that's just Shakey testing out the new night lighting equipment!   

Gee bl, ya just never know anymore. 

(movie) Lots of weird lights around the nest box tonight. 

That was "Amazing" and well orchestrated. Thanks Lou!

[Imagine if they both had kids!! Orville and Beauty!! Maybe Orville's a GIRL!!]

Imagine if they both had kids!! Orville and Beauty!!  Maybe Orville's a GIRL!!    Yeah, I know! 

[DRAMA in BUFFALO - One lost egg at UB]

DRAMA in BUFFALO - One lost egg at UB

Sage reported on her blog http://pefas.blogspot.com/ ...

"During the evening, there was a fight with a third Peregrine at the UB nestbox and sadly, an egg was lost. I can't help but wonder if the third bird could have been Smoky trying to regain his nest, and I don't know yet which male is at the nest today. Another question is whether incubation will be resumed. I'll post more info as it become available.


Also of note, there was a third bird at CT on 3/24, and another such incident at the north GI bridge recently. Smoky may still be here trying to get a nest site. Stay tuned..."

Comment - BB may not have started incubating yet.  Her eggs were laid on 3/24, 26, & 29.  She may have been getting ready to lay a 4th egg.  Let's hope the two remaining eggs do not get abandoned.  If it is Smoky, tell him there is a female across the lake looking for a mate!

Joyce

Oh I don't like these fights....Bad time of year. Poor little egg. Gulf Tower also....so very very sad for those 2 eggs.

Don't eat Orville

She's there a lot lately

She's checking it out....

Gallery

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HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. -- Noah, a six-week-old eaglet, is now in a hack tower at an undisclosed location, learning how to survive on its own.

Officials at the Carolina Raptor Center say Noah is adjusting well to his new home.

WCNC placed a camera inside the hack tower to follow Noah's progress. The camera is solar-powered and hasn't updated since Saturday. We have a battery backup for the camera, but that battery only lasts about 12 hours. We have ordered a new solar panel and we hope to have the eagle cam back up soon.

Meanwhile, the eagle camera at the Carolina Raptor Center is currently being moved to another location inside the center. That camera should be up and running soon.

After a short private ceremony with the family of Marine Lance Corporal Noah Pier on Saturday, the eaglet was taken by staff and volunteers to CRC’s rehabilitation hospital for a brief medical examination in which all was deemed normal for a six week old bald eagle.
 
The eaglet weighed 3659 grams or approximately eight pounds. A blood sample was collected to evaluate general health and to determine the sex via DNA. The results could be available in the next 2-4 weeks. At the time of the exam, a permanent band was applied.  The eaglet was then moved via automobile to a hack tower in an undisclosed location where he will live for the next 4-6 weeks.

The “hacking� process places the young eaglet on an artificial nesting platform several weeks before he is ready to leave the nest or “fledge.� The doors of the tower remain closed until his feathers become fully developed. The eaglet is fed and watched over by members of Carolina Raptor Center’s staff under the direction of eagle expert Mathias Englemann, who has worked with eagles for over 27 years. The bird is fed from a blind to ensure he will retain his fear of humans.

In a few weeks the eaglet will be fitted with an experimental transmitter.

The tracking system is a solar powered battery GPS-GSM telemetry system designed for large birds. The backpack-style unit weighs 100g. The device is designed for operation over long periods of time and is powered by solar power. It tracks via cellular technology at a considerably lower cost than satellite devices. If cellular coverage is unavailable, the unit can store data points until it returns to a coverage area.

At 10 to 12 weeks of age, the doors of the hack tower are opened so that Noah, then a fledgling, can test his ability to fly. Staff members will continue to feed the fledgling throughout this period until it becomes obvious that Noah has left the nest for good.

The eaglet – named for Lance Corporal Noah Pier, a Coolwood native who was killed on February 16, 2010, in Afghanistan -- was born on February 12, 2010, at Carolina Raptor Center to nesting bald eagles Derek and Savannah. Bald eagles mate for life, and the 2010 eggs is the sixth clutch of eggs that these eagles have cared for. Male and female eagles share caregiver duties.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/video-bob-the-screech-owl-491334.html another cutie

Mr Shuffles now has a name:  Miracle

This is his naming ceremony.  Look at this sweet baby!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XEpuatbCys&feature=email

He is adorable...thanks jeanne.

Archer