News
The Royal Tern, Thalasseus maximus, previously thought to have two subspecies – ‘maximus’ (found in the Americas) and the ‘albididorsalis’ (found in parts of West Africa).
But wildlife conservation teams in The Gambia long-suspected that the West African birds were distinct, and now scientists at the University of Aberdeen have used DNA analysis to show they are not subspecies of the same bird but two distinct species.
Birdfair, the annual British celebration of birdwatching, raised an incredible £350,000 last year at its 2016 event, and now this special funding is now going to the protection of IBAs in danger in Africa. This money will not only go towards the immediate protection of Tsitongambarika, through supporting national BirdLife Partner, Asity Madagascar, and local communities; but the future of other threatened sites in Africa will be bettered thanks to capacity building of other BirdLife Partners to advocate their protection, and to a new awards scheme.
One of the world’s rarest birds appears to occur in slightly higher numbers than previously thought. The bird is also responding positively to conservation efforts that involve working with farmers to allow re-growth of vegetation necessary for the birds. This has offered the opportunity for the bird to recolonise some areas, in what bird conservation experts say provides new hope for the species’ small population found only in Tanzania, East Africa.
Since the 1970s, BirdLife International and its Partners has worked to identify and protect the areas on our planet - over both land and sea - that are of great significance to the conservation of the world's threatened birds.
Despite huge success in reducing the incidental catch of seabirds in fishing nets, there’s been reports that an old type of vessel used in South Africa is still posing serious threats to seabirds.
Volunteer conservationists in rural Burkina Faso are turning to social media in order to save their local wetland. The Lake Oursi Site Support Group are using smart phones to respond immediately to fires and poaching. The group is a passionate volunteer group entrusted to care for their local Important Bird Areas. Lake Oursi is an important wetland in the landlocked West African state.
On first inspection, the São Tomé Grosbeak Crithagra concolor might appear drab, unassuming, maybe even unremarkable. But first impressions can be deceiving. It is in fact one of the most endangered bird species on the planet, and was not sighted for over 100 years between 1890 and 1991, when it was rediscovered in the forests bordering Rio Xufexufe in the south-west of São Tomé.
2017 Meeting Programme
10.15 Doors Open Tea, coffee and ABC sales
10.50 Chairman’s Introduction – Richard Charles
11.00 The search for the Liberian Greenbul: lost and found? – Dr. Lincoln Fishpool
Following up on the successful MLSG symposia at the European Ornithologists Union meeting in 2015 in Badajoz, and PAOC2016 in Dakar, the MLSG is ready for another dose of inspiring community-building preceding EOU2017 in Turku from August 17th-18th.
The aim of the MLSG is to promote collaborative research to help advance flyway scale understanding of and conservation actions for migrant landbirds, especially along the African Eurasian Flyways. We believe knowledge sharing is essential to achieve this.
Ghana Wildlife Society (GWS, BirdLife Partner in Ghana) has been announced the winner of the 2016 Action of the Year contest, for its submission - "A walk with Swallows".
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