Subject: [Tweeters] mystery birds,
Date: Nov 12 09:52:51 2008
From: Devorah Bennu - birdologist at yahoo.com


Hello Tweeties,

Today's mystery bird, courtesy of photographer, Richard Ditch, can be viewed here;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/11/todays_mystery_bird_for_you_to_36.php

I ran across a paper that forms the basis of invasive species biology research by using monk parakeets as the model organism. This paper uses genetics to identify the wild origins of monk parakeet populations from several locations in the USA;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/11/invasive_exotic_species_more_t.php

Keep your eyes open for more work from these authors -- I am certain more is on the way! Hopefully, the authors will pop in to read and respond to comments, so I encourage you to publish your thoughts and questions there.

This is off-topic -- unless you love the environment (as all birders do) -- so I want to mention a book that I consider to be the "must read" for 2008: Taras Grescoe's "Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a World of Vanishing Seafood." Here's my review;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/11/bottomfeeder.php

And one last thing that is in keeping with the book review theme, I just had to share this stunning image with you;

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2008/11/for_all_you_piscivores.php

cheers,

GrrlScientist
Devorah
http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/
Roosting high up a tree somewhere in Central Park, NYC