Cornell Lab of Ornithology

We were saddened to learn last week of the passing of Victor Emanuel at the age of 84. Emanuel was an influential figure in North American birding for more than 50 years. He served on the Cornell Lab’s administrative board in the late 2000s and was awarded our prestigious Arthur A. Allen award in 2004 for helping raise public awareness about birds and ornithology. Emanuel was a friend and mentor to many, many birders during his life. He established some of the first birding camps for young people, which became a long-running institution that encouraged, trained, and nurtured dozens of young birders and served as an inspiration for the Cornell Lab’s own annual Young Birders Event. The Austin American-Statesman has this remembrance:?https://lnkd.in/ex3iYPgK

Birds are telling us that the health of our nation is at stake. Regardless of where you live, your birds are asking for your help. The 2025 State of the Birds report finds birds from almost all habitats continue to decline—the worst losses are among grassland birds (down by 43% since 1970) but forest birds have been hit hard too. Even waterfowl, which had been improving, are showing steep declines since 2022. It’s time to act to bring birds back. ACTION: one way you can help is by spreading the word, share & like to help bring awareness to this urgent issue. Learn more: https://buff.ly/zZkT9cL #StateOfTheBirds #BringBirdsBack

Thank you Scientific American for your piece on the State of the Birds report and bringing awareness to the 112 birds names as 'tipping point species.' Read the article by clicking below:

ICYMI: On Thursday March 13th the latest State of the Birds report was released. Read a few key highlights from The Associated Press's article by clicking below. #StateOfTheBirds #BringBackBirds #DuckDecline #WildlifeConservation

Faculty director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Center for Avian Population Studies Amanda Dumin Rodewald spoke with CBS about the recently published State of the Birds Report. "Birds play a critical role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. They help control pests, disperse seeds and pollinate plants, contributing to crop yields and supporting biodiversity." Read more from the interview below:

“These are the very real consequences if we are unable to conserve and protect the crucial habitats that birds need" Thank you Time for bringing attention to the State of the Birds report. Read more of their callouts from the report below. #StateOfTheBirds #HabitatProtection

Thank you Forbes for your piece on the State of the Birds and highlighting sentiments like this: “Birds unite us across the hemisphere and across the political spectrum – there should be no hesitation as we move to protect them today and in the future.” #StateOfTheBirds #UnitedByBirds #ProtectBirds Read their piece here:

URGENT: North America’s birds need your help! The 2025 U.S. State of the Birds report is here, revealing continued declines.?The Cornell Lab of Ornithology?worked with a coalition of partners to summarize the latest science on birds to ensure the long-term health of North America’s birds in the places where you?live. Help us spread the word and follow along as we post findings and ways you can help Bring Birds Back. https://lnkd.in/eCT_x5pU #StateOfTheBirds #BringBirdsBack

?? Calling all DC area locals, see our co-produced film “The Little Brown Bird” at the Environmental Film Festival, followed by a special panel discussion with biologist Fabiola “Fabby” Baeza-Tarin, filmmakers, and conservationists. ? ?? Saturday, March 22 | 1 PM & Friday, March 28 | 3 PM? ?? About the film: once down to 80 in the wild, the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow is at risk of extinction. We partnered with Wildpath to capture the tireless work of scientists, ranchers, and conservationists who have come?together to protect this species, their shrinking habitat, and the headwaters of the Everglades.? ? The Florida Grasshopper Sparrow is still critically endangered, but conservation efforts are making a difference. In 2019, only 30 singing males remained in the wild. Thanks to conservation breeding, 1,000 birds have now been released back into the headwaters of the Everglades. This isn’t just a documentary—it’s a story of hope.? ? ?? If you’re not in the DC area, you might still be able to catch a screening near you:?https://lnkd.in/eYWRBYpe #WashingtonDC #FilmScreening #NatureDocumentary?

?? Exciting New Research Alert! ?? I’m thrilled to share one of my latest papers exploring the intriguing dynamics of two fascinating cuckoo species: the Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus longirostris) and the Mangrove Cuckoo (C. minor) in the beautiful habitats of Hispaniola! ?? This study, done in collaboration with Lucas Fink, and other great collaborators from Cornell University and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology dives deep into the unknown interactions between these two species, investigating their aggressive behaviors through acoustical playback experiments in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Here's what we uncovered: 1?? Both species exhibit territorial behaviors, responding strongly to their own kind’s calls, with C. longirostris showing even more robust reactions than C. minor. 2?? Evidence of interspecific aggression was found as both species responded similarly to each other’s calls, indicating they may indeed compete for territory. 3?? Our results suggest that there could be a connection between genetic relatedness and aggression! C. minor showed minimal response to playback from unrelated lizard-cuckoos on other islands, while C. longirostris reacted strongly, suggesting genetic distance influences their behavior. This research sheds light on the complexities of species interactions and territoriality in tropical ecosystems. Link: https://lnkd.in/gs7Gpe-h #CuckooResearch #Biodiversity #Ecology #Conservation #BirdBehavior #NewPapers #ScienceInNature