Bird Flu identified at a rescue centre in Worcestershire
Please be aware Defra has issued the following press notice: News Story – Bird flu identified at a rescue centre in Worcestershire On the 26th October 2021 avian influenza H5N1 was confirmed in birds at a rescue centre near Droitwich Spa, Wychavon, Worcestershire. Further testing is underway to confirm the pathogenicity of the strain. […]
Black and Blue
The colours we see can sometimes be just an illusion. The White-headed Duck’s bill is bone, supporting a thin layer of living tissue which is then covered again with a thin layer of see-through keratin. The living cells can change colour, and the colour shows through the keratin. In most bird species it’s a complex […]
Word Play
No harm in a little eye-candy from time to time! The magnificent Mandarin is back in his breeding finery for most of us, including some finely-marked feathers on his flanks. We love a link between subjects. If you have a regular worming regime, it may be tied to a calendar event, say perhaps the […]
Plan ahead and reduce the risk of avian flu
The UK’s Chief Veterinary Officers are encouraging poultry keepers to take action now to reduce the risk of avian flu over the winter. The UK is currently free from avian flu, but over the last year 26 outbreaks were confirmed in kept poultry and captive birds and in over 300 wild birds. As winter approaches, […]
Remembering David Kinsman
Sadly we have to report that long-standing member, David J J Kinsman, passed away earlier this month. As a waterfowl keeper for more than 40 years, he was always generous with his time and birds and inspired many in our hobby. As a young teenager, he and a friend took the bus from Bristol as […]
Something to say
News of a talking duck is not new, but the Australian Musk Duck Biziura lobata is a recent subject. The repertoire of this species includes many sounds that the birds hear around them. Most unusually amongst the waterfowl, the Musk Duck is able to mimic snatches of human speech and regular sounds around them. A […]
Naturalised UK Barnacle Geese
Some Barnacle Geese (Branta leucopsis) stay here all year rather than returning to Svalbard or Greenland to breed. A new study is looking into the movements and demography of this naturalised UK population. Read more about the study here.
Champion Waterfowl schedule now available
The schedule and entry forms are now available — last date for submissions is Tuesday 19th October. Schedule here Entry form here
Inspired by Geese
The BWA’s latest Waterfowl magazine went to press this week. A chance conversation about wakeful Roman Geese led to this edition’s theme. One thing led to another; our tie-up with Saddle Goose Wine, The Pilgrim Goose Project and several news items have given us plenty of content. Just how our birds breed does ultimately come […]
No messing
The sharp, horn-covered bony projection on the wrist joint of some waterfowl is known as the Carpal spur. It is there for fighting! The Magellanic Steamerduck (Tachyeres pternes) and the Falkland Steamerduck (Tachyeres brachypterus) overlap in terms of range, but utilise a slightly different habitat. Probably just as well really, both are capable of fighting […]
