'Gay' Penguins Manage to Successfully Hatch Baby Chick and Are Taking Turns to Look After It

At the Sea Life Sydney Aquarium in Australia, caretakers noticed that two male gentoo penguins, Sphen and Magic, had become inseparable. During breeding season, the pair were constantly seen swimming together and waddling around together. Then they began presenting each other with pebbles, a clear sign of romantic interest. (For penguins, pebbles are like diamonds, demonstrating they wish to become a couple.)

The aquarium quickly noticed Sphen and Magic had formed a serious bond. "They recognized each other’s signature calls and songs," said Penguin Department Supervisor Tish Hannan. "Only bonded penguins will be able to successfully find their partner using their calls when they are separated." When the couple constructed a nest out of stones, caretakers provided them with a dummy egg to practice incubating.

To read more on this story, click here: 'Gay' Penguins Manage to Successfully Hatch Baby Chick and Are Taking Turns to Look After It

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How to Raise Baby Chicks

I am so delighted to share all the information I have learned on how to raise baby chicks.  Whether you are dreaming of fresh eggs, learning to be more self-reliant, looking for a great pet or wanting your own home-grown chickens for meat, just about anyone can raise chickens.

I love my chickens.  But growing up I was terrified of them. The drive for learning how to be self-reliant and the desire for fresh eggs helped me to overcome my fears. I live in the city and only am allowed a couple of chickens, so I brought home 4 chirping little baby chicks this past spring.  After learning how to raise baby chicks and watching them grow, I can say they are the most enjoyable pets I have ever raised. They are super easy to care for, can be very loving, inexpensive to feed plus you get super delicious fresh eggs from them too.

To read more on this story, click here: How to Raise Baby Chicks

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Bald Eagle Update: Second Eaglet, Fully Emerged This Morning at 3:00 a.m.

The first eaglet, which fully emerged Friday morning at 8:30 a.m., took nearly 36 hours to come out of its shell.

Julia Cecere, the publicity, marketing and social media manager for the American Eagle Foundation, said they believe DC3, the initial name of the second eaglet, fully emerged at 3 a.m. Sunday. She said they were able to get some video of all four in the nest Sunday morning.

Photos on Saturday showed the second egg started the pipping process. Pipping is when the outer shell begins to crack due to activity inside the shell.

To view the eagles, click here: Bald Eagle Nest Cam

This is a wild eagle nest and anything can happen. While we hope that two healthy juvenile eagles will end up fledging from the nest this summer, things like sibling rivalry, predators, and natural disaster can affect this eagle family and may be difficult to watch.

WATCH: These might be the CUTEST siblings we have ever seen! Can you believe these little fur-balls will one day be majestic bald eagles? READ MORE ABOUT EAGLET #2 HERE --> http://bit.ly/1WAjDKQ
Posted by Fox 5 DC on Sunday, March 20, 2016

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Bald Eagle Update: Pictures of the First Baby Eaglet Emerging from Its Shell

Washington, DC  - We've been watching...and waiting... and today it happened! At around 7:35 a.m., the American Eagle Foundation Bald Eagle Cam at the U.S. National Arboretum showed us the first pictures of a fuzzy baby eaglet emerging from its shell!

WATCH THE LIVE CAMS HERE

The two bald eagles, affectionately named "Mr. President" and "The First Lady, have been nesting high up in a Tulip Poplar tree amongst the Azalea Collection at the U.S. National Arboretum since 2014.

After first seeing the eggs in the nest last month - a 'pip' or small crack was spotted developing earlier this week which let us know that one of the eaglets was on the way.

The crack turned into a hole yesterday and we could even see the eaglet's beak poking out of the shell.

Officials at the American Eagle Foundation told us that the egg would hatch within 48 hours of the ‘pipping' beginning - and they were right on time.

Still no names for the eaglets (the one who hatched or the one who hasn't yet).

At around 7:35 a.m., the American Eagle Foundation Bald Eagle Cam at the U.S. National Arboretum showed us the first pictures of a fuzzy baby eaglet emerging from its shell! (Video: © American Eagle Foundation)

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Eagle Update: Signs of Egg Cracking – Watch Now!

Washington, DC -  High in a tree at the National Arboretum, there's a crack in a shell. We know the bald eagles as the First Lady and Mr. President. The couple is waiting to meet one of their babies.

It's not exactly the White House, but they built their home of sticks. The first lady laid the eggs in February. They are the first nesting pair of bald eagles in D.C. since 1947.

The Eagle cam showed us the cracked egg just before midnight on Wednesday, March 16, and it will soon reveal an eaglet.

"Over the next up to 12, 24, or 48 hours, the eaglet is going to be doing everything it can to force its way through that hole, make it bigger, and when it steps out, when it splits out, you're going to see a wet chick, wet eaglet, that's going to take a few days to dry off," said Dr. Richard Olsen, the director of the U.S. National Arboretum.

Unlike labor and delivery, mom and dad don't help the eaglet break free. It's the first step in the survival of the fittest.

A field trip here is like an open text book for kids.

"They are all learning about birds at school. So it's exciting for them to see, you know when they see things in the sky, that we can tell them there's an actual eagle's nest," said Jen, a mom who only wished to reveal her first name.

The public is held back 330 feet from the tree that holds the nest. We learned the eaglets will eat fish from the Anacostia River, brought back by mom and dad.

WATCH LIVE NOW!

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Today Could be the Day! Eagle Eggs Could Hatch – Watch Live Cam!

Washington, DC - The first of the two eagle eggs in D.C. is expected to hatch as early as today.

The American Eagle Foundation said they're "officially on egg-watch alert."

The two eggs were laid in February and it typically takes 35 days for the eggs to hatch.

The parents, named 'Mr. President' and 'First Lady,' are incubating the eggs in a nest on the grounds of the National Arboretum.

The American Eagle Foundation is encouraging people to guess the day and time that the eggs will hatch using the hashtag #dceaglecam.

  

WATCH LIVE NOW!

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Eagle Eggs Could Hatch Soon at National Arboretum

The eagles — known as "Mr. President" and "The First Lady" — built their nest in a tulip poplar tree in 2014.

Washington, D.C., could soon be home to a new -- tiny -- first family.

The National Arboretum's eagles — known as "Mr. President" and "The First Lady" — are expected to welcome two eaglets as early as next week.

The pair built their nest in a tulip poplar tree in 2014 and raised one eaglet there last year, according to the American Eagle Foundation.

This year, two eggs were laid in the nest. The first egg arrived Feb. 10, and a second egg followed on Valentine's Day, according to the American Eagle Foundation. The first egg could hatch as early as March 15.

To read more on this story, click here: Eagle Eggs Could Hatch Soon at National Arboretum

You may be interested in reading: Washington, DC – Bald Eagle Nest Cam: Mr. President and The First Lady – Watch Live!

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Washington, DC – Bald Eagle Nest Cam: Mr. President and The First Lady – Watch Live!

In 2014, a pair of mated Bald Eagles chose the most idyllic of nest sites within the United States’ National Capital (Washington, DC), nestled high in a Tulip Poplar tree amongst the Azalea Collection at the U.S. National Arboretum, which is operated by the United States Department of Agriculture. This is the first Bald Eagle pair to nest in this location since 1947. The two Eagles have been iconically named “Mr. President” and “The First Lady.” Join us in viewing the most patriotic nest cam in the United States, 24 hours a day.

We are officially on egg-watch alert! Egg #1 is expected to hatch as early as Tuesday March 15th. If you want to try and guess the hatch dates/times of the eggs, hashtag #dceaglecam on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook with your prediction (Eastern Standard Time).

To view, click here: Eagle Nest Cam

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Surabaya, Indonesia: 24 Critically Endangered Cockatoos Rescued by Police After Being Found Stuffed in Water Bottles for Illegal Trade

More than 24 critically endangered cockatoos were rescued by police after being found stuffed in water bottles for illegal trade. 

Smugglers crammed the Yellow-crested cockatoos into empty bottles so they could get through customs at Port of Tanjung Perak in Surabaya, Indonesia.

But Indonesian Police discovered the birds, which can be sold for as much as £650 each, and cut them free so they could receive medical attention.

The Yellow-crested cockatoo was listed as a critically endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in 2007.

The population is at a critical low due to deforestation and poaching and recent studies suggest there may be less than 7,000 individuals remaining.

More than 10,000 parrots, including Lories and Cockatoos, are caught from the wild in North Halmahera, Indonesia, each year to supply the domestic and the international illegal wildlife trade.

Around 40 per cent of birds die during the illegal smuggling process. 

So for every 1,000 parrots caught from the wild, 400 birds died in vain, during the poaching, transportation and trade, due to poor conditions and cruel handling.

Most parrots are prohibited from international commercial trade unless they are captive bred or permitted by the exporting country. 

Yellow-crested cockatoos also breed very slowly and lay eggs only once a year. They can produce only two eggs at a time.

Illegal trapping continues in many areas including Rawa Aopa Watumohai National Park, Buton and Kadatua Islands, but has reportedly been reduced significantly on Sumba.

Large-scale logging and conversion of forest to agriculture across its range has exacerbated the decline, and the use of pesticides is a further potential threat. 

The white birds can range in size from 12 inch to about 27inch in length and present a beautiful yellow crest.

They are found in wooded and cultivated areas of East Timor and Indonesia's islands of Sulawesi and the Lesser Sundas. 

More than 24 critically endangered cockatoos were rescued by police after being found stuffed in water bottles for illegal trade.

Smugglers had crammed the Yellow-crested cockatoos into empty bottles so they could get through customs at Port of Tanjung Perak in Surabaya, Indonesia.

The Yellow-crested cockatoo was listed as a critically endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in 2007.

Indonesian Police discovered the birds, which can be sold for as much as £650 each, and cut them free so they could receive medical attention.

The population is at a critical low due to deforestation and poaching and recent studies suggest there may be less than 7,000 individuals remaining.

Most parrots are prohibited from international commercial trade unless they are captive bred or permitted by the exporting country.

Yellow-crested cockatoos also breed very slowly and lay eggs only once a year. They can produce only two eggs at a time. FOLLOW US!

Keeping Chickens As Pets: A Growing Trend For City Dwellers

Maybe it’s a growing trend of getting back to basics, maybe it’s the economy. Whatever the reason, keeping chickens as pets is a growing trend even for city dwellers. There are even clubs for those who fancy poultry as pets, and competitive shows where owners can show off their beautiful Bantams. The clubs and shows are generally overseen by the American Poultry Association.

While regulations vary on chicken ownership from town to town, even many urban communities allow for a small number of hens. Many towns see roosters as too noisy (hello, annoying alarm clock) and/or aggressive to be kept in a residential setting.

Marci Riseman, mom of two, has kept chickens in her San Francisco backyard for three years.

“I consider our chickens to be somewhere between pets and farm animals,” she said. “It’s a strange relationship that I’ve never had before, and I find it leaves me with different expectations. We feed our cat and all we expect is love and a full litterbox; we feed our chickens and we expect them to produce eggs.”

Don’t expect to start a roadside egg-selling stand (which is probably also regulated in your town, by the way) with just a few hens.

“Right now we have three chickens, and are getting two eggs a day,” said Marci. “This means that someone is not laying. We can’t tell who the freeloader is, since they all spend time in the laying box; without a strategically-placed ChickenCam we’ll never know who isn’t pulling her weight egg-wise.”

“I love having these creatures in our yard,” said Marci. “They are beautiful those weird spindly feet are actually very graceful in motion … and the feathers, oh the feathers! and funny, and friendly, and they are a great live-action science experiment every day in our own back yard.”

Marci describes herself as “an urban homesteader at heart” who makes her own jam and sauerkraut and cooks or bakes most of what her family eats. She and her family also grow fruits and vegetables in a small garden.

“I would totally have a goat and an orchard and acres of blueberry bushes if we had the land and my husband wouldn’t divorce me over it,” jokes Marci. “Especially the goat. Just being with the chickens while I pull weeds or hang out with the kids or friends in the yard makes me happy. Chickens are a small way to bring nature closer in to our noisy, urban lives.”

I asked Marci if she and her family eat the chickens or just the eggs.

“We don’t eat the chickens. Partly because of the part-pet thing; the kids would be beyond horrified. And partly because it would be disgusting to slaughter our own animals, though I’m sure I could get over that part with practice. At first it did freak me out to eat something that came out of the rear end of something that lives in our backyard. It made me realize how disassociated we are from our food; I don’t mind eating something that comes out of the rear end of a chicken I can’t see? I got over it, though, and now I adore eating their eggs.”

If you’re considering keeping chickens, the first and most important step is to find out what your community’s regulations are. Your town’s public health department can help you with that. If chickens are allowed, you can use a tool like the “Which Chicken?” Breed Selector Tool at mypetchicken.com to help find breeds that are suitable for your climate and your interests.

For example, in my fantasy world in which I have chickens, I want a cold-hardy chicken that is docile and produces lots of fun-colored eggs. The chicken chooser tool recommends a chicken called an Easter Egger that lays four large bluish-green eggs a week.

A particularly helpful resource is backyardchickens.com, which includes lots of ideas about coops, owner reviews of a vast number of breeds, and a thriving online community in which to discuss and ask questions about laws, breeds, problem solving, and other issues. Their Learning Center section has great information for those just getting started, as well as long-time chicken owners.

The most amazing thing about chickens is that there’s a huge variety that are suited to backyard raising.






The following are just a few of the nifty birds out there:

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Two Pink Chickens Found Running the Portland Waterfront: Owner Did it to Make People Smile

The owner of two pink chickens found running the Portland Waterfront, in Portland, Oregon, Bruce Whitman, says his prank succeeded beyond his wildest hopes.

He says, he used food coloring, beet juice and kool-aid,  to dye the two birds, then released them to "make people smile."

He tucked the chickens into a tree to roost early Thursday, in a waterfront park, figuring they'd wake to a good day with water nearby and bugs to eat, spread some smiles and he'd pick them up Thursday evening. He soon heard news reports that the birds had become poultry celebrities.

KATU News went to look for the chickens after a viewer emailed pictures of the brightly colored animals wandering along the waterfront.

"Pink chickens. Are they native to Portland?" one tourist joked.

No one knew where they came from or how long they had been there.

KATU News, called Multnomah County Animal Services. The county sent an officer to pick up the chickens to make sure they were safe while they tried to identify an owner.

They will remain with Animal Services for 72 hours, at which point they could be put up for adoption.

Animal Services billed Whitman about $16 per bird for their time in custody, and cautioned him about the risks of releasing birds in public places. He says he probably won't do it again — but he and the birds have now been invited to a couple of parades.

The county sent out the following statement concerning the popular pink birds:

One of our officers just rescued two pink chickens from the park on the waterfront. If you or someone you know lost two pink chickens, please contact us!

Video:

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Is This the Most Hideous Spider Video Ever? Wolf Spider Hauls Mass of Babies on its Back Into a House (Video)

From their fearsome fangs to rippling legs, spiders strike fear into many people – especially when they invade the home or workplace.

Two men in Missouri have had an especially unwelcome visit from a large wolf spider, whose abdomen was covered in a writhing mass of tiny spiderlings.

While the mother arachnid may have been looking for a safe place to raise her wriggling brood, her presence was met with horror by panicked onlookers.

To read more on this story and see video, click here: Is This the Most Hideous Spider Video Ever?


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