Louise Blight
@louiseblight.bsky.social
Conservation scientist, ornithological researcher, writer, adjunct professor UVic
working on #EndangeredSpecies, #seabirds, and #urban birds incl. #windowcollisions and #gulls. These + occasional political posts.
#conservationscience #aves
working on #EndangeredSpecies, #seabirds, and #urban birds incl. #windowcollisions and #gulls. These + occasional political posts.
#conservationscience #aves
Pinned
Louise Blight
@louiseblight.bsky.social
· Dec 16
Why gulls don't deserve the hate
There’s a lot we get wrong about our least favorite seabirds
www.salon.com
"Gulls are intelligent, vital birds that deserve our protection, not scorn"
www.salon.com/2024/10/20/g...
www.salon.com/2024/10/20/g...
New paper on severe impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza on southern elephant seals at #SouthGeorgia.
Apparent loss of 47% of the population of breeding females since 2023
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
#HPAI #wildlifedisease #conservationscience🌍
📷 S. elephant seal pup, South Georgia
Apparent loss of 47% of the population of breeding females since 2023
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
#HPAI #wildlifedisease #conservationscience🌍
📷 S. elephant seal pup, South Georgia
November 15, 2025 at 2:52 AM
New paper on severe impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza on southern elephant seals at #SouthGeorgia.
Apparent loss of 47% of the population of breeding females since 2023
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
#HPAI #wildlifedisease #conservationscience🌍
📷 S. elephant seal pup, South Georgia
Apparent loss of 47% of the population of breeding females since 2023
www.nature.com/articles/s42...
#HPAI #wildlifedisease #conservationscience🌍
📷 S. elephant seal pup, South Georgia
November 7, 2025 at 3:46 AM
In Defence of Bird Conservation in a Broken World theornithologist.org/in-defence-o...
"Bird conservation is...the structural underpinning of planetary health....[but] We do not protect birds merely because they are useful, but because they belong – because they are co-inhabitants of this Earth."
"Bird conservation is...the structural underpinning of planetary health....[but] We do not protect birds merely because they are useful, but because they belong – because they are co-inhabitants of this Earth."
In Defence of Bird Conservation in a Broken World
In a world torn by wars and crises, bird conservation can seem irrelevant. Yet to protect life itself is not indulgence – it’s resistance.
theornithologist.org
November 7, 2025 at 3:38 AM
In Defence of Bird Conservation in a Broken World theornithologist.org/in-defence-o...
"Bird conservation is...the structural underpinning of planetary health....[but] We do not protect birds merely because they are useful, but because they belong – because they are co-inhabitants of this Earth."
"Bird conservation is...the structural underpinning of planetary health....[but] We do not protect birds merely because they are useful, but because they belong – because they are co-inhabitants of this Earth."
Reposted by Louise Blight
This study reveals less than 10% of 1,500 Canadian 🇨🇦 species have 30% of their range protected.
Meeting Canada's #30x30 target requires a strategic 16%-17% #protectedarea expansion 🌍
#BiodiversityLoss
www.facetsjournal.com/doi/full/10....
Meeting Canada's #30x30 target requires a strategic 16%-17% #protectedarea expansion 🌍
#BiodiversityLoss
www.facetsjournal.com/doi/full/10....
Priority areas to conserve biodiversity in Canada
Canada has committed to protecting 30% of its land by 2030, yet existing protected areas cover only 12.4% of Canadian lands, which is insufficient to protect terrestrial biodiversity. In this study, w...
www.facetsjournal.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:07 PM
This study reveals less than 10% of 1,500 Canadian 🇨🇦 species have 30% of their range protected.
Meeting Canada's #30x30 target requires a strategic 16%-17% #protectedarea expansion 🌍
#BiodiversityLoss
www.facetsjournal.com/doi/full/10....
Meeting Canada's #30x30 target requires a strategic 16%-17% #protectedarea expansion 🌍
#BiodiversityLoss
www.facetsjournal.com/doi/full/10....
November 5, 2025 at 3:23 AM
New in this week's issue of Science -
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#birds #cuckoos #broodparasitism
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#birds #cuckoos #broodparasitism
How common cuckoos adapt to multiple hosts
Genomic data reveal the complexity of egg mimicry evolution in cuckoos
www.science.org
November 1, 2025 at 12:53 AM
New in this week's issue of Science -
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#birds #cuckoos #broodparasitism
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#birds #cuckoos #broodparasitism
A beautiful #Kananaskis day, with some White-tailed Ptarmigan in the alpine. They're hard to spot against the snow but we eventually found some.
#birds #nature
#birds #nature
October 26, 2025 at 11:21 PM
A beautiful #Kananaskis day, with some White-tailed Ptarmigan in the alpine. They're hard to spot against the snow but we eventually found some.
#birds #nature
#birds #nature
"She was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world."
#ConservationScience🌍
#ConservationScience🌍
BREAKING: Jane Goodall, the conservationist renowned for chimpanzee research and environmental advocacy, has died.
Jane Goodall, conservationist renowned for chimpanzee research and environmental advocacy, has died
Jane Goodall, the conservationist renowned for her groundbreaking chimpanzee field research and globe-spanning environmental advocacy, has died. She was 91.
bit.ly
October 1, 2025 at 7:42 PM
"She was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world."
#ConservationScience🌍
#ConservationScience🌍
I have a article that just dropped, about the return of merlin, pileated woodpecker, sandhill crane, and other birds. I hope you like it. 🦉🧪🌎🌿
theconversation.com/the-surprisi...
theconversation.com/the-surprisi...
The surprising recovery of once-rare birds
It’s not every day that you see a 4-foot-tall bird, but it’s happening more often. Several fascinating species are nesting in and near towns once again.
theconversation.com
September 17, 2025 at 7:18 PM
September 15, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Our new #WindowCollisions paper is now out, with Viviane Zulian, Krista de Groot, @adam-birdstats.bsky.social, et al.
peerj.com/articles/199...
British Columbia forest birds are highly vulnerable to collisions @uvic.ca
#conservationscience🌎 #ornithology #WindowStrike
📷M Strickland
peerj.com/articles/199...
British Columbia forest birds are highly vulnerable to collisions @uvic.ca
#conservationscience🌎 #ornithology #WindowStrike
📷M Strickland
September 2, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Our new #WindowCollisions paper is now out, with Viviane Zulian, Krista de Groot, @adam-birdstats.bsky.social, et al.
peerj.com/articles/199...
British Columbia forest birds are highly vulnerable to collisions @uvic.ca
#conservationscience🌎 #ornithology #WindowStrike
📷M Strickland
peerj.com/articles/199...
British Columbia forest birds are highly vulnerable to collisions @uvic.ca
#conservationscience🌎 #ornithology #WindowStrike
📷M Strickland
Mid-August, and Glaucous-winged Gull chicks are starting to leave their island and rooftop nests.
#SuperSeabirdSunday #gulls #SalishSea #birds #seabirds
#SuperSeabirdSunday #gulls #SalishSea #birds #seabirds
August 17, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Mid-August, and Glaucous-winged Gull chicks are starting to leave their island and rooftop nests.
#SuperSeabirdSunday #gulls #SalishSea #birds #seabirds
#SuperSeabirdSunday #gulls #SalishSea #birds #seabirds
A new coalition-based initiative to address the major threat of bird window collisions.
Partners currently from Canada, Costa Rica, USA.
www.stopbirdcollisions.org
#windowstrike #windowcollisions #conservation
Partners currently from Canada, Costa Rica, USA.
www.stopbirdcollisions.org
#windowstrike #windowcollisions #conservation
Stop Bird Collisions
Birds flying into windows, railings, balusters, and other structures made from glass is a leading cause of global bird loss.
www.stopbirdcollisions.org
July 31, 2025 at 6:46 PM
A new coalition-based initiative to address the major threat of bird window collisions.
Partners currently from Canada, Costa Rica, USA.
www.stopbirdcollisions.org
#windowstrike #windowcollisions #conservation
Partners currently from Canada, Costa Rica, USA.
www.stopbirdcollisions.org
#windowstrike #windowcollisions #conservation
This Western Gull has taken a novel approach to some of her foraging trips.
www.axios.com/local/san-fr...
#gulls #seabirds
www.axios.com/local/san-fr...
#gulls #seabirds
This seagull took an 80-mile truck ride twice to find food
Researchers say it's the first recorded case of a seagull using a vehicle for transport while foraging.
www.axios.com
June 26, 2025 at 12:00 AM
This Western Gull has taken a novel approach to some of her foraging trips.
www.axios.com/local/san-fr...
#gulls #seabirds
www.axios.com/local/san-fr...
#gulls #seabirds
New data paper out today on bird-window collisions in the Neotropics esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
#WindowStrike #WindowCollisions #ornithology
#WindowStrike #WindowCollisions #ornithology
Bird–window collisions: A comprehensive dataset for the Neotropical region
Our primary objective was to compile a comprehensive dataset on bird–window collisions throughout the Neotropical region, including both published and unpublished sources. On May 12, 2020, we extensi...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
June 14, 2025 at 12:57 AM
New data paper out today on bird-window collisions in the Neotropics esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
#WindowStrike #WindowCollisions #ornithology
#WindowStrike #WindowCollisions #ornithology
Reposted by Louise Blight
Congo to create world’s largest tropical forest reserve cosmosmagazine.com/earth/congo-...
Congo to create world’s largest tropical forest reserve
The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo passed a law in January 2025 to lead efforts to establish the largest tropical forest reserve in the world.
cosmosmagazine.com
June 10, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Congo to create world’s largest tropical forest reserve cosmosmagazine.com/earth/congo-...
May 31, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Red-tailed Tropicbird, chick and nesting adult, Norfolk Island, Australia.
#SuperSeabirdSunday #birds #nature
#SuperSeabirdSunday #birds #nature
May 19, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Red-tailed Tropicbird, chick and nesting adult, Norfolk Island, Australia.
#SuperSeabirdSunday #birds #nature
#SuperSeabirdSunday #birds #nature
The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada just met to assess 16 species. Snowy Owl was among those we assessed as Threatened.
cosewic.ca/index.php/en...
#COSEWIC #birds #conservation #wildlife #GreenlandShark
📷: #SnowyOwl in Sidney, Canada, 2021
cosewic.ca/index.php/en...
#COSEWIC #birds #conservation #wildlife #GreenlandShark
📷: #SnowyOwl in Sidney, Canada, 2021
May 16, 2025 at 6:28 PM
The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada just met to assess 16 species. Snowy Owl was among those we assessed as Threatened.
cosewic.ca/index.php/en...
#COSEWIC #birds #conservation #wildlife #GreenlandShark
📷: #SnowyOwl in Sidney, Canada, 2021
cosewic.ca/index.php/en...
#COSEWIC #birds #conservation #wildlife #GreenlandShark
📷: #SnowyOwl in Sidney, Canada, 2021
May 4, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Reverence for Life
Christi Belcourt ~ Métis
2013
Christi Belcourt ~ Métis
2013
April 30, 2025 at 5:21 PM
April 26, 2025 at 8:19 PM
April 6, 2025 at 9:53 PM