2020 in birding and ornithology

Years in birding and ornithology: 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Centuries: 20th century · 21st century · 22nd century
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See also 2019 in birding and ornithology, main events of 2020 and 2021 in birding and ornithology

The year 2020 in birding and ornithology.

Worldwide

New species

See also Bird species new to science described in the 2020s

Africa

Guinea-Bissau

  • Up to 1250 vultures were found dead by poisoning in Guinea-Bissau, with many beheaded, suggesting the body parts were harvested for ritual or medicinal purposes. Among the species killed were the critically endangered hooded vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus).[1]

Asia

India

Myanmar

Europe

Britain

  • Natural England granted licences to three falconers, to take up to six peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) from the nests of wild birds for falconry. Conditions include, nests must have at least three chicks and only the smallest chick can be removed. Chicks cannot be removed from upland areas where persecution of birds of prey is still a risk. Scottish Natural Heritage turned down a similar application.[4]

Breeding birds

  • The tern colony at Blakeney Point, Norfolk had its most successful breeding season in 25 years, attributed to the lack of visitors the area due to the coronavirus pandemic,
    • 2425 pairs of Sandwich terns (Thalasseus sandvicensis) fledged 1100 chicks, triple the number in 2019
    • 289 pairs of common tern (Sterna hirundo) fledged 170 chicks, the highest since 1999
    • more than 200 little tern (Sternula albifrons) chicks fledged, the most since 1994.[5]
  • Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) failed to breed at Long Nanny, Northumberland; their only breeding failure since they first nested here in 1980. Reasons for the failure include, exceptionally high tides in June which washed away some of the nests, predation by stoats and rats, and disturbance by people and a loose dog. leading to the remaining terns abandoning their nests. Six little tern fledged.[6]
  • 130 breeding pairs of roseate tern (Sterna dougallii) recorded at Coquet Island, Northumberland, its only UK colony.[7]
  • White Stork Project – 21 white stork (Ciconia ciconia) were released into the wild from Knepp Castle. Eight were fitted with GPS trackers and two were tracked flying over the Strait of Gibraltar to Morocco in October.[7]

Rare birds

Other events

Ireland

  • Numbers at the tern colony on Strangford Lough were lower than the previous year due to high tides and predators. The nests of sandwich tern were washed away on nearby Black Rock and Dunnyneill.[5]
  • 1898 pairs of roseate tern recorded.[7]

North America

  • Black Birders Week (31 May to 5 June) was a series of online events to increase the visibility of Black birders and Black nature enthusiasts in response to the Central Park birdwatching incident.[11]
  • Lights Out, Texas campaign (5 September to 29 October). Texans were asked to dim lights between 2300 hours and 0600 hours to protect night-flying migrants from veering off course and collisions.[7]

Oceania

Australia

South America

Argentina

  • In Iberá National Park, a pair of red and green macaw (Ara chloropterus) produced three chicks; the first wild-born in Argentina for 150 years. Fifteen birds are now living free in the park.[7]

References

  1. Lewis, Kihumba (April–June 2020). "Dying in Droves". BirdLife Magazine. pp. 30–1.
  2. "Great Indian Bustard gets new level of protection". BirdLife International. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  3. Yong, Ding Li (April–June 2020). "Crossing The Gulf". BirdLife Magazine. pp. 54–5.
  4. Fair, James (June 2020). "Falconers to be allowed to take wild peregrine chicks from nests". BBC Wildlife. p. 26.
  5. "2020 weather and wildlife review". National Trust. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  6. "Looking after terns at Long Nanny". National Trust. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  7. Mcpherson, Sarah (January 2021). "50 reasons to be cheerful in 2021". BBC Wildlife. pp. 46–65.
  8. Burrell, Lucy. "Rarity finders: Bearded Vulture in the West Midlands". BirdGuides. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  9. Pittam, David. "Bearded vulture spotted in the Peak District". BBC News. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  10. "Birdfair 2020 is cancelled". Birdguides. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  11. "Coming to your screens May 31st - June 5th #BlackBirdersWeek organised by #BlackAFinSTEM". Twitter. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  12. "Nearly 3 billion animals killed or displaced by Australia fires". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2020-08-03.


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