One Tough Old Bird

In the picture above, taken last Thursday, Florida Bald Eagle No. 512 is released back into the wild after being rescued and rehabilitated for the second time in 19 years.

This bird was first brought into rescue in 1996, after being shot in the leg and through the wing. Released back to the wild in 1998, she thrived until getting mugged by another eagle while attempting to defend her nesting site. It seems a younger female eagle kicked her off her roost in late November, pinned her to the ground, plucked her chest feathers, and then skewered her with her talons.

Rescued after the battle, Bald Eagle No 512 spent the next three months recovering from her injuries at the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey. Now healthy, #512 was re-released at the same exact same location she first flew to freedom in 1998.

How long do Bald Eagles live? In zoos, they have lived as long as 48 years. On average, however, 15-20 years seems to be about average, so Bald Eagle No. 512 is doing pretty well thanks to a little help from her friends.

• Related Links:
  ** Bald Is Beautiful
  ** Return of the Bald Eagle
  ** Delisting the Bald Eagle a Sign of ESA Success
  ** Dead Frozen Eagles in a National Repository
  ** Let Us Give Thanks for Wild Turkey and Uncle Sam
  ** You Gotta Break Some Eggs to Build a Movement
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Kiwi Killers

Stoats were first introduced to New Zealand in the 19th century to combat the rapid proliferation of rabbits, another introduced species.

Unable to control the rabbit population, the stoat (aka weasel or ermine) is nonetheless doing a bang-up job killing off young kiwi chicks.

The population of Little Spotted Kiwi (Apteryx owenii) has dropped to 1,200 birds, and the Rowi or Okarito Brown Kiwi (Apteryx rowi) is down to just 300 individuals.

Another introduced species helping push the Kiwi over the edge is the Brush-tailed Possum, introduced from Australia.

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Tastes Like Chicken

From National Geographic:

A rare quail from the Philippines was photographed for the first time before being sold as food at a poultry market, experts say.

Found only on the island of Luzon, Worcester's buttonquail was known solely through drawings based on dated museum specimens collected several decades ago.

This is the best thing that has ever happened to this bird species.

Not only is it clearly not extinct, but it is rare bird that will now get protection and put into a captive breeding program as well.

God bless the klieg lights of publicity.

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  ** Extinction of the Caribbean Monk Seal
  ** Non-Extinct Terriers & Other Mysteries
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  ** Where the Buffalo Roam -- Again
  ** Condors and Species Lost
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Second Best Headline This Week

From the Helena, Montana Independent Record.

Yes, we are going to have to shoot some problem wolves to keep things under control in some areas, but NO, we are not going back to wholesale extermination of the wolf, thank you very much.

The best headline of the week, of course, was this one (take your pick) First things first.

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