Some Common Birds Not So Common Anymore

June 14, 2007 By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer

(AP) -- The populations of nearly two dozen common American birds - the fence-sitting meadowlark, the frenetic Rufous hummingbird and the whippoorwill with its haunting call - are half what they were 40 years ago, a new analysis found.

Content from The Associated Press expires 15 days after original publication date. For more information about The Associated Press, please visit www.ap.org .

Similar stories from PHYSorg:

Birds in Flint Hills of Kansas, Oklahoma face population decline despite large habitat

Mar 03, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 0

Despite their diversity, pygmies of Western Central Africa share recent common ancestors

Feb 05, 2009 | 4.5 / 5 (4) | 0

Report: Birds endangered by energy development

Mar 19, 2009 | 4.5 / 5 (2) | 0

Dinosaur extinction grounded ancient birds

Jan 21, 2010 | 4.8 / 5 (4) | 1

Warming brings more birds north in winter

Apr 06, 2009 | 4.6 / 5 (17) | 0

Rate this story - 4.7 /5 (3 votes)

rank
1
2
3
4
5

view popular

Other News

Cells can read damaged DNA without missing a beat

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

6 hours ago | 5 / 5 (1) | 0 |

Scientists have shown that cells' DNA-reading machinery can skim through certain kinds of damaged DNA without skipping any letters in the genetic "text." The studies, performed in bacteria, suggest a new mechanism that can ...

Great tits: birds with character

Biology / Plants & Animals

7 hours ago | 5 / 5 (2) | 3 |

(PhysOrg.com) -- In humans and animals alike, individuals differ in sets of traits that we usually refer to as personality. An important part of the individual difference in personality is due to variation ...

Researchers find genes that 'tune' flower fragrances

Biology / Biotechnology

10 hours ago | not rated yet | 0 |

(PhysOrg.com) -- Shakespeare famously wrote, "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." With all due respect to the Bard, University of Florida researchers may have to disagree: no matter what you ...

Researchers map all the fragile sites of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae's genome

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

10 hours ago | not rated yet | 0 |

The research group of Dr. François Robert, a researcher at the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), in collaboration with the team of Dr. Daniel Durocher (Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute and University ...

Study carried out into biological risks of eating reptiles

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

9 hours ago | 5 / 5 (1) | 3

Reptiles are bred in captivity primarily for their skins, but some restaurants and population groups also want them for their meat. A study shows that eating these animals can have side effects that call into ...