Thursday, July 17, 2008 at 12:25 
Monk parakeets. Image by Ken SchneiderThe monk parakeet population is sparking controversy in Florida for building its heavy nests on power poles, but a team of researchers may have found a safe solution to contain the birds: Feed them contraceptives.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 14:00 
Super sniffer. A well-developed sense of smell may help the nocturnal kakapo find food in the dark. Photo:Don MertonHawks are famous for their sharp vision, and owls are renowned for their keen hearing, but birds rarely get much credit for their sense of smell. That may change thanks to the first analysis of olfactory genes in a wide range of avian species. Birds, it turns out, may be better smellers than we thought.
Researchers interested in bird behavior have tended to focus on their flashy mating displays, melodious songs, and other talents, leaving the avian sense of smell largely unexplored. A handful of studies have hinted that smell does play a role in bird behavior (ScienceNOW, 29 October 2004), but very little is known about the underlying biology.
Strigops habroptilus - Kakapo | in Conservation, Research Wednesday, July 16, 2008 at 10:47 
Eastern Rosella in backyard. Photo: Kim PryorKurri Landcare Inc. with the support of the Kurri Weston Greening Group (KWGG) recently installed eight specially designed parrot nesting boxes in the Fourth Street Central Park along Swamp Creek at Weston.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008 at 13:56 
While male kakapo "boom" for a mate every year, females breed when there is an abundant food supply, a likely occurrence this year. Photo Gideon Climo. The booming of the male kakapo this breeding season is likely to be followed by an unprecedented population boom, with experts predicting a 50% increase in the population of the critically endangered bird species.
Strigops habroptilus - Kakapo | in Conservation Saturday, June 28, 2008 at 19:05 
Nanday Conures or Black-hooded Parakeets (Nandayus nenday)Black-hooded Parakeets have arrived in Lakeland. This photo, which was shot recently in The Ledger parking lot by staff photographer David Mills, is the first evidence of this species presence in Polk County in many years. There are established colonies of these exotic birds in St. Petersburg and elsewhere in Florida.
