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Articles on Migratory birds

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Bird flu is transmitted mainly by wild birds, like these snow geese in Ruthsberg, Md., in January 2023. Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

As bird flu continues to spread in the US and worldwide, what’s the risk that it could start a human pandemic? 4 questions answered

Avian influenza viruses have evolved to infect birds, but the current H5N1 outbreak is also infecting a wide range of mammals. This suggests that it could mutate into forms that threaten humans.
Red-breasted geese breed mainly on Russia’s Taymyr Peninsula and migrate to areas adjacent to the Black Sea in Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria. Daniel Mitev

Russia’s aggression threatens efforts to protect nature beyond Ukraine

Russia has vast natural resources and is involved in many conservation efforts. Its diplomatic isolation as a result of the war in Ukraine is making it harder to protect many wild species and places.
Exposed lakebed at the Salton Sea on Dec. 29, 2022. RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Human actions created the Salton Sea, California’s largest lake – here’s how to save it from collapse, protecting wild birds and human health

Fifty years ago, the Salton Sea was a draw for boaters and fishermen; today it’s an ecological time bomb. Two water experts who served on a state review panel describe its proposed rescue plan.
Healthy turkeys on a farm in West Newfield, Maine. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

Bird flu has made a comeback, driving up prices for holiday turkeys

Hunters are warned to take precautions handling wild birds, and the virus can spill over to non-avian species, so no one should approach wild animals that appear ill.
A raccoon with a fish at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Naples, Fla. Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

What is a wetland? An ecologist explains

The US Supreme Court opens its 2022-2023 term with a case that could greatly reduce federal protection for wetlands. Here is what makes these ecosystems valuable.
The strain of H5N1 bird flu identified in Canada, the United States and Europe can cause severe disease and high mortality in domestic poultry. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Avian influenza: How bird flu affects domestic and wild flocks, and why a One Health approach matters

Avian influenza virus — or bird flu — can infect domestic poultry such as chickens and turkeys, as well as wild birds. The H5N1 strain has been identified in Canada.
Geese fly day or night, depending on when conditions are best. sharply_done/E+ via Getty Images

How do geese know how to fly south for the winter?

Geese honk loudly and point their bills toward the sky when they’re ready to start the migration. Here’s how they know it’s time, how they navigate and how they conserve energy on the grueling trip.
Bank swallows, like this juvenile, may become endangered unless habitat loss and other threats are reduced. Shutterstock

How birders helped pinpoint hotspots for migratory bird conservation

A collection of millions of bird sightings has identified the best places to invest in conservation.

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