Stefan Benko (Common Crane Grus grus) Common Crane is Armenia's Bird of the Year. Zoom In

News in Brief

27-01-2010

Stories in this News in Brief: Common Crane is Armenia’s Bird of the Year; Audubon California expands habitat protection; Get your hands on the Indochinese Babbler; Enforcing the US Migratory Bird Treaty Act; International action to stop illegal hunting in Malta

Common Crane is Armenia's Bird of the Year - Common Crane Grus grus has been chosen as the Bird of the Year, following the result of a poll conducted by ASPB (BirdLife in Armenia) and LOLO, a famous children journal. Common Crane is a very rare bird in Armenia, breeding only in the southern and south-western provinces and its population is in a critical condition. For more information click here

Audubon California expands habitat protection - As part of its ongoing effort to protect important bird habitat in Kern County, Audubon California (BirdLife in the US) has purchased 120 hectares of land along the Kelso Creek. This acquisition brings the total to more than 240 hectares that Audubon California has purchased in the last 12 months in the Kelso Creek drainage. The area is an important migratory route for raptors, vultures and songbirds moving from the Mojave Desert into the southern Sierra Nevada. The land is arid but includes streamside willow habitat, important for a number of species such as Nuttall's Woodpecker Picoides nutallii and California Thrasher Toxostoma redivivum.

Get your hands on the Indochinese Babbler - All the latest from the BirdLife Indochina programme is now available in the 32th edition of The Babbler. It's available online and includes masses of news and updates from the BirdLife Indochina Programme including species news and a feature on BirdLife CEPF Regional Implementation Team progress in Indochina. To read the full edition click here (PDF 5.7 MB).

Enforcing the US Migratory Bird Treaty Act - In two separate cases, ExxonMobil and PacificCorp, recently pleaded guilty to killing eagles and other migratory birds, and will pay fines that will be used to support conservation. ExxonMobil was convicted of failing to protect 85 birds from entering and dying in open oil tanks and pits in five states between 2004 and 2009. The company will have to pay $600,000 in fines and spend $2.5 million modifying the oil facilities to prevent future injury to birds. PacificCorp pleaded guilty to electrocuting 232 Golden Eagles Aquila chrysaetos and other birds on its power lines between 2007 and 2009. The company has agreed to pay $1,410,000 in fines and restitution, and spend an additional $9.1 million to repair or replace equipment to protect migratory birds from future electrocution. Funds from the fines will be distributed to conservation organisations.

International action to stop illegal hunting in Malta - BirdLife Malta (BirdLife Partner) and the BirdLife International Partners in Europe and Africa recently launched an international campaign aimed at Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi demanding the proper enforcement of the EU Birds Directive, which has been largely ignored since EU membership. In it's first week the petition  was signed by over 22,000 people. "Support is pouring in from all corners of the world", said Joseph Mangion, BirdLife Malta President. Please sign the petition today!