Related Posts
Creature Feature: The Northern Bald IbisThis week’s Creature Feature takes us to Africa and the Middle East, where you’ll find a rather odd...
Creature Feature: The Rufous-headed HornbillToday’s Creature Feature takes us to the rainforests of the Philippines, where we will find a very noisy...
Creature Feature: The Balearic ShearwaterThis week’s Creature Feature follows a tale of mistaken identity.
The Balearic Shearwater is a critically endangered seabird native...
Creature Feature: The Southern Mountain Yellow-legged FrogWe are heading to the US Southwest today to find one of the most critically endangered species in...
Creature Feature: The Basking MalachiteToday’s Creature Feature takes us to the southern tip of Africa, where we will find a neat little...
Tip of the Day
To save energy, remember to turn off the light when leaving a room
Creature Feature: The Honduran Emerald
Image Source: Flickr. By: Dominic Sherony.
Relatively small in size and mostly green in color, Honduran Emeralds live in the arid interior valleys of Honduras. Their range has included Yoro, Olanchito, the Agalta valley, and Valle de Telica. Surveys conducted in late 2008 also found the bird sparsely throughout 6 sections of forest in the Santa Barbara department. Although they choose scrub and thorn-forests as their home, their habitat is severely under threat.
Most of the thorn-forest area has been cleared away for grazing. Any that remains has become extremely dry. Habitats have also been destroyed for the sake of rice cultivation, pineapple plantations, and roads. Their population is estimated to be somewhere between 250 and 1000, though that’s a rough guess and they are, unfortunately, on the decline.
To find out more about this great, little bird, you can check out its profile at BirdLife International.
By Heidi Marshall
Tags: bird, Creature Feature, critically endangered species, Honduran Emerald, hummingbird, spotlight
Other Greenfudge.org posts
Breaking: 125 beached whales die in New Zealand
According to an AFP story, 105 pilot whales died after being stranded on a beach near the town of Nelson on the South Island of New Zealand on Saturday. A further 21 whales beached and died on Sunday on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. Local volunteers and tourists were able to get 42 whales back into the sea, where one promptly gave birth to a calf, giving the tragic story a silver lining. 'Last they were seen, they...
Wallpapers laced with pesticide touted as a safer way to combat malaria
Malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases remain a serious threat in many poor communities around the globe; fogging entire towns and neighborhoods used to be the normal practice to prevent this. That method is not only expensive and outdated; it is also impractical because it is off-target and widespread spraying makes most mosquitoes more resistant to the pesticide. Insects, wildlife and other domestic animals also remain at risk from exposure to pesticides due to fogging. More contemporary and targeted pesticide application methods...
UN biodiversity study explores nature’s true value
Economist Pavan Sukhdev is the independent study leader of a European Union research project, The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) hosted by the UN Environment Program (UNEP). Sukhdev has argued that current economic models do not sufficiently address the true value of nature and natural resources outside of commerce. He is a proponent of the concept of ‘natural capital’, in which a value is placed on food, clean water, clean air, forests, etc, but without commodifying nature. Poor rural populations...
Cyprus first EU country to officially hit peak water
Water shortages from increasingly drier and hotter weather have resulted in desperate conditions on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Cyprus is the first EU nation to face ‘peak water’ – the situation in which demand is higher than supply. Aquifers have dried up and filled with seawater, making natural water resources undrinkable. Forests are dying, leading to desertification. The Cyprus Institute forecasts that by 2050 the temperature for more than four months of the year will be above 35° Celsius (95° Fahrenheit)...
Pets and the environment: Cute or catastrophic?
On an episode of the UK comedy quiz show QI it was once mentioned that the worst thing you could do for the environment was own a pet. The show claimed that a large dog, for example, creates more greenhouse gases than an SUV (from its meat consumption presumably, rather than its biological functions). I’m assuming the numbers referenced in QI were crunched based on averages, and did not account for individual lifestyle choices of pet owners, like becoming vegetarian, not...
Video: Sandstorms hit China
Sandstorms have been plaguing China's western province of Xinjiang, significantly lowering visibility and causing temperatures to drop. The locals said they had not seen such strong winds in 10 to 15 years and some authorities expressed concern the storm might have affected agriculture in the region. –Press TV Here is a video (with Chinese commentary) from China's state broadcaster CCTV via Reuters. by Graham Land...
Video: Climate change, conflict and the Arctic oil rush
The environmental and geopolitical ramifications of melting Arctic glaciers and the rush of different nations for the region’s mineral wealth is fraught with conflict and change. Melting ice in the Arctic spells trouble for some of Greenland’s traditional indigenous Inuit and for low-lying nations vulnerable to rising sea levels. A warming climate will also change shipping routes in the region, contributing further to the opening up of the region for economic exploitation. The Arctic is becoming the new battleground for the environment....
More on REDD from CNN: Vanishing forests, carbon sinks and money pits
The UN's REDD program – Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries – is a mechanism designed to preserve forests in poor nations by supplying those nations with money to use towards forest protection. REDD has come under significant criticism, including the argument that it is a way for rich countries to avoid cutting their own emissions. Other arguments are that under the REDD system, forest protection and emissions reduction would be very difficult to account for...
Design Competition: Can You Combine Beautiful Art and Renewable Energy?
If you’ve ever checked out sites like Recyclart.org, you’ll know of all the awesome (and sometimes crazy) things people create from recycled products. What if someone decided to do something a bit differently with their art; say, create art that also generates energy? Well, look no further, because it’s being done now. Elizabeth Monoian and Robert Ferry, both residents of Dubai, have created the Land Art Generator Initiative. Along with this, they’ve also launched a global design competition for the best...
Disaster in the Gulf: How You Can Help Celebrity Charity Auction!
“Millions of gallons of oil have oozed into the water since the April 20th rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. Some estimates calculate the oil flow to be over 70,000 barrels of oil a day —- And we still don't know when it will stop.” That’s the opening statement of the latest online celebrity charity auction issued to save the Gulf Coast. Larry King Live has partnered with CharityBuzz.com to bring you this series of awesome auction items. In case...
View all articles
You can also log in to post a comment.