Results tagged “birds”

Shhh—listen, do you hear them? The silences echoing through the air are the songs of the bluebirds, wrens, swallows, and purple martins, migratory birds whose populations are declining at alarming rates. Before stepping into the sunlit gallery at the Toronto Botanical Garden, you might go to the grocery store, the gym, or the pub oblivious to the plight of these birds, blithely accepting the pigeon as our emblematic avian.

A few days ago, we saw a handsome red-winged blackbird, with its distinctive red and yellow shoulder bars, happily chirping away in a tree in a backyard. Then, like something out of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, it dive-bombed towards us, shrieking as it spread its wings and raised its talons. Frightened, we ran inside—ceding the backyard to our winged foe. If, like us, you’ve recently been traumatized (or embarrassed) by a red-winged blackbird, don’t worry: you're not alone.

Although it doesn't feel much like it yet, spring is here, and all the birdies and beasties are getting ready to have their babies. Due to the abundance of parkland within the city as well as the constant real estate development nibbling on the borders of their natural habitats, wild animals are closer to us than ever. For this reason, the Toronto Humane Society—mostly known for rescuing cats and dogs—runs a Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre where people can bring injured or immature wildlife found in the city at any time, day or night.

Just in time for Mother’s Day, this pair of Peregrine Falcons has three new chicks. Each year they return to the same nesting spot on a ledge eighteen floors above Etobicoke. The location is equipped with a camera, and the live video feed can be streamed online. Tune in for a feeding session with these baby birds of prey—it’s fascinating.

Wild Toronto is a bi-weekly comic strip about the animals and plants that make a living in our city. Rosemary Mosco makes the comics, and would love to hear your suggestions (in the comments!) on wildlife to be profiled.

Wild Toronto is a new bi-weekly comic strip about the animals and plants that make a living in our city. Rosemary Mosco of Birdandmoon.com makes the comics, and would love to hear your suggestions (in the comments!) on wildlife to be profiled.

Wild Toronto is a bi-weekly comic strip about the animals and plants that make a living in our city. Rosemary Mosco of Birdandmoon.com makes the comics, and would love to hear your suggestions (in the comments!) on wildlife to be profiled.