A North American avian species known as the yellow-crowned night heron, notable for its dusk till dawn feeding patterns, surprisingly arrived near Castlebar in May this year, creating an uproar amongst the birding community. The sudden appearance of this rare bird in the quaint village of Belcarra is believed to be a result of a hurricane system on Florida’s coast that swept it across to County Mayo.
This unusual bird had only been sighted once before in Europe, but never in either Ireland or the United Kingdom, until now. More than 50 enthusiasts, equipped with high-zoom lenses and cameras, flocked to the riverside trees to witness the heron. Simultaneously, breeding great spotted woodpeckers made their presence known in the Killarney National Park in June, delighting hikers with their characteristic rhythmic sound.
A recent American study endorsed the idea, suggesting that a brief half-hour of birdwatching could substantially uplift one’s mood and promote mental health. According to the North Carolina State University scholars, the participants assigned to birdwatching experienced more significant enhancements to their well-being than those allocated to nature-walking.
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, Ireland has seen an upswing in the number of people engaging in casual birdwatching. The elusive Manx shearwater or storm petrel, however, can only be spotted on Great Skellig; the island was mentioned in an astonishing RTÉ television documentary about Seán Ronayne, who has chronicled over 200 bird species’ sounds. Although the variety of bird species in Ireland may not rival tropical locations, the country is a treasure trove of coastal, woodland, and upland environments. Unpredictable guests, like the rare yellow-crowned night heron and the white-tailed sea eagle, the largest bird of prey in Ireland which breeds successively, frequently delight the community.
A fascinating exploration of the avian spectrum is spotlighted in a recent exhibit, Birds Brilliant & Bizarre, located within the Natural History Museum of London. With the bird kingdom boasting an impressive count of over 11,000 species, this eye-opening display invites you on a journey, revealing various aspects of bird life. Highlights reach from migrations mysteries to the wide array of habitats, survival strategies, courtship rituals, and captivating feather trappings. A myriad of names like the red-footed booby, azure-crowned hummingbird, blue-winged kookaburra, and the rainbow bee-eater, each turning into a vivid charm of linguistic hues.
The exhibit, designed to intrigue and educate, lays a particular emphasis on the extraordinary diversity in bird beaks. Presenting everything from fish-catching, flesh-tearing, insect-detecting, to fruit-harvesting and nut-breaking beaks. On display is also the oldest confirmed modern bird, casually dubbed the “Wonderchicken”. This newfound fossil from the dinosaur era, about 66.7 million years old, is believed by experts to potentially be the common origin of all chickens worldwide.
Visitors to the exhibit are immersed in an interactive environment, given opportunities to touch the rugged surface of titanosaur eggs, explore the weave of a swiftlet nest, or attentively listen to the echoing melodies of the superb lyrebird. The focus also falls on the albatross, a bird with the largest wingspan and impressive flying endurance, known to embark on cross-seas journeys covering thousands of kilometres to feed its offspring. Regrettably, these creatures often encounter perils during their travels, often dying entangled in commercial fishing nets.
The exhibit utilises a range of mediums such as audio and video recordings along with preserved specimens, shedding light on bird behaviour. For instance, the dazzlingly colourful blue bird-of-paradise has been found to emanate the most intricate of vocal displays, shifting from melodious calls to rhythmic buzzing. Using GPS technology, scientists are able to study the migratory patterns of cuckoos, revealing their challenges along the way. Visitors can even learn the story of a tagged individual, fondly named “Flappy McFlapperson” in China, who journeyed from Mongolia all the way to southeast Africa. Concluding the exhibition is an impressive digital mimic of a starlings’ murmuration, a grand dance in the sky designed to confuse predators.
The alarming decrease in bird populations across majority of the nations can be attributed to habitat degradation and climate change, pushing several species towards the brink of extinction. Environmentalists are sounding alarms for immediate actions to revive and safeguard natural habitats, restore the ecological balance of terrains, and revitalise oceans, rivers, and woodlands.
Despite their seemingly small brains, birds such as crows and ravens display exceptional intelligence and resourcefulness. Crows are capable of identifying human faces and counting up to four, while the wit and creativity of ravens are well observed. Towards the end of the display, visitors to the exhibition at London’s Natural History Museum, ‘Birds Brilliant & Bizarre’, are posed with the phrase ‘bird-brained’ to reconsider. Ornithologists propose that it should be taken as a token of praise instead of an insulting remark. The exhibition is set to continue in the museum until January 2025.