It’s a bad situation when progress and development causes animals to be added to the endangered species list. Now, we have consider the effects of climate change. Climate change is caused by humans and nature. We are all guilty of adding to the greenhouse effect and this eventually will mean a price to pay. The White bark Pine Trees are paying a deadly price with the threat of extinction. The least we can do is make sure that while it still is not yet under the endangered species list, we try to lessen our contribution to climate change.

This tree species is usually seen in abundance in Montana which is now the case anymore. The US Fish and Wildlife Service see the grave danger but lacks funds to officially put the tree species or give a schedule when it can put the tree in the list. For now, it is on a high priority status.

To be more specific about the problems of the Whitebark Pine Trees, it is dying because of warmer temperatures. The Rockies are not as cold as they used to be, and these trees along with species are struggling to survive. The beautiful Rockies look more bare now than ever before.

Another reason for dying so swiftly in the past years is the sudden influx of beetles. These are mountain pine beetles which are multiplying faster now because of the warmer weather in the Rockies. They are eating into the trees and leaving them dead before going on to the next set of trees. There is also a fungus that has started eating into the bark of the Whitebark Pine tree. Together, these three factors are killing the cycle and turning the Rockies into a desolate and dreary picture. This is a solid example of biodiversity being challenged and the balance getting upset because of climate change.

Furthermore, without the Whitebark, the soil changes and the fresh, cold  water supply to the rivers below can no longer be regulated. The Whitebark provides shade for the snow so that snow runoff is delayed and a steady stream of water continues to flow down. This has all changed and will continue to get worst unless something is done.

The Japanese Yellow Bunting is a small perching bird, yellow in color with black accents around the bill, eyes and wings.  Males and females only differ in the tint of the  yellow, which is paler in females, and there is no black on their bills.  This beautiful species has a sweet twittering song and a soft “tsip” call during breeding time.   The Japanese Yellow Bunting only breed for less than 3 months of the year, from mid-May to early July.  They also only lay three to five eggs with each breeding in a low built nest in a bush.   Because of how low they build their nests, many of their eggs may not survive, due to prey.

When those few birds do survive and grow up, they are mainly found on the island of Monshu.  They are also occasionally found on the island of Kyushu.  The Japanese Yellow Bunting population is relatively small.  They are currently classified as vulnerable.  These birds keep losing their habitats because more forests are being cut down to keep up with the growing population and industries.  They are also threatened by things like pesticides with poisons them.  The bird caging industry is also another thing that threatens this small bird.  Caging them and putting them into a pet shop for them to be sold does not allow for them to breed naturally and help build up their population.

There are ways we can help the Japanese Yellow Bunting.  We can help them by not using poisonous pesticides that are harming our birds and other animals.  We can also not purchase them from pet shops and we can encourage those owners to get other birds instead of threatened or endangered ones.  While we cannot stop growing populations and industries, we can be of great mind and do the things we can control to help save this beautiful bird.

The Cuban Parrot has a unique color description. The Cuban Parrot has pinkish-red throat and cheeks. Their bellies tend to be a somewhat dull purple-pink color. However, their flight feathers are a cobalt blue. While their crown is white, which is why they are also sometimes known as the White-Headed Parrot. When the Cuban Parrot is fully grown in size and age, they are about 12 to 13 inches in length.

Cuban Parrots’ habitats include forests, woodlands, and palm groves. Their diet includes fruits such as, wild guava, poisonwood berries, pigeon berries, and the fruit from gumbo-limbo and pond-top palms. These birds have also been found eating the seeds from pine trees. When it comes to nesting, Cuban Parrots tend to rely on holes in trees that have since been abandoned by woodpeckers. However, if they can’t seem to find any holes in trees then they have no other choice except to nest on the ground. Unfortunately, this leaves them quite vulnerable to their predators. Their predators include cats, wild boars, and snakes. Due to the wild nature of these birds, there is little to no information about their mating and reproductive habits within the wild.

Cuban Parrots have become endangered due to illegal capture for the pet trade, loss of habitat, and the occasional natural disaster occurrence. In the past, the Cuban Parrots were fairly common family or house pets. However, today it is illegal to capture and keep a Cuban Parrot as a pet.

Related site:http://www.konicaminolta.com/kids/endangered_animals/

There are different types of endangered birds, just as there different classifications for other endangered species of animals. Usually they are typed as Critically Endangered, the Endangered, and the Vulnerable.  Some groups have added the following categories: Near Threatened and Extinct.

Of the more than 1,200 bird species, almost 200 of these birds fall under the Critically Endangered, and about 132 are now just  a part of our animal history. This 132 birds have not been seen since the 1500s. An additional 4 more bird species are currently being monitored as being in grave danger and have been placed under strict governance in a captive mode. Hopefully, these 4 species will be able to procreate and released into their natural habitat.

Three of the last bird species to be classified as extinct are the Spix’s Macaw which was last seen in the year 2000 in Brazil; the Hawaiian Crow which disappeared from sight in mid 2002; and the Po’ouli bird, the last one dying in captivity in Hawaii also in 2004.

Birds are particularly vulnerable to weather conditions and threat from environmental hazards. This is perhaps the primary reason why they are getting most of the attention from conservationists. The index known as the Red List, shows a sad decline in the bird family that took a sharp turn for the worst in 2008. Many of these birds facing extinction come from the Indo-Malay region like Indonesia and Borneo.

Most of these threatened birds live in forests which are rapidly turning into agricultural or residential land. Logging and human disturbance are the top causes why our birds are facing extinction. One of these rare birds is the wandering albatross which is a large flying bird. It is born brown but as it grows older, turns into a wonderful white color with black-lined wing tips.  Another endangered bird species is the Crested Shelduck  which has unique green feathers on the top of its head. At present, they can be seen only in China. Other birds are the Norfolk Green Parrot, Gorgeted Puffleg, Puerto Rican parrot, Whooping Crane, Wood Stork, California Condor, and many more.