With 12% of the total bird species listed as critically endangered, it’s no surprise that this year three more joined the list.

The Ethiopian Sidamo Lark could potentially become the first African bird to be declared extinct with the Savanna getting thronged with more bushes. Then there are the medium tree finch from Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands and the gorgeted puffleg from the Columbian Islands. All these birds have been categorized as critically endangered in the Red List formulated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

What’s funny (in a wrong way) is that the puffleg has only been recently discovered (in 2005), but as a consequence of coca farming in the Columbian mountains, it’s now on the verge of extinction.

Call it a relief, but there are some bird species where things improved. The Chatham petrel from New Zealand, the Mauritius fody and the Brazilian Lear’s macaw (increased four times in number), all moved from the critically endangered to the endangered bracket. Which is great!

[via dailymail] (Images courtesy of birdlife, stirwise, birdlife)

Ever heard the legendary Bruce Lee talk about how the perfect weapon is “an extension of the fighter’s mind and body”? Well, in the exact same fashion, the perfect green structure must be an extension of the planet. It must be one with the ecosystem, around it rather than stick out like a sore spot. That is precisely what The Cley Marsh Center in England accomplishes with both its ergonomic and visual structure blending it seamlessly into its surroundings.

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Designed by LSI Architects, Cley Marsh is a nesting place for many birds and a delight for all bird livers in the UK. Now the nature admirers have a green retreat in the form of the Center that received Emirates Glass LEAF Awards for its superb green design. The wind energy, solar power and underground heating systems make the building stay completely off the grid, which helps reduce the carbon emissions by 80% compared to traditional structures of the same size.

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Another great addition is the water harvesting system and the green roof covered by moss that gives the building a pleasurable green look. Really gets your attention at the first glance, doesn’t it? Check out a pictures gallery after the break. (more…)

A female bar-tailed godwit, a wading bird called E7, has set a new record of having flown 6,230 miles for eight days across the Pacific Ocean to reach her winter home in New Zealand.

Much to the astonishment of the monitoring research team, the bird flew continuously without stopping for food, water or rest, making it the longest bird flight we’ve been monitoring, beating the previous record of 4,038 miles which had been set by a Far Eastern curlew.

The other eight godwits that got tagged with tiny satellite transmitters, were reported to have flown what the research team referred to as “extreme endurance flights” between 4,355 and 7,258miles depending on the chosen route. Just like the E7 godwit, they did not feed on their journey.

Check out more bar-tailed godwit pictures if you love birds!

All images courtesy of jvverde