Now that the election’s over and we’ve confirmed that Scarlett Johansson is an illegal clone, we can turn to other pressing problems of the day, such as how come the beaks of Pacific NW birds are coming out all fucked up?
From a March report in the Seattle P-I, Deformed beaks mean slow starvation for region’s birds; cause a mystery:
This “long-billed syndrome” has been recorded in about 160 birds by a Skagit County researcher, mostly in Western Washington and southern British Columbia and mostly since 2000. It’s also documented in more than 2,100 birds in Alaska, where the phenomenon seems to have started affecting lots of birds in the early 1990s.
Researchers say the weird beaks appear to be concentrated in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest, although reports are coming in from farther south — from Southern California in one case earlier this month.
What’s the cause? That remains a mystery. A small band of puzzled, poorly funded scientists is scrambling to find answers. Could it be chemicals? Something genetic? A disease? Maybe a combination?
Could it affect humans?
Whatever the cause, researchers are left profoundly unsettled by the mysterious “long-billed syndrome.”
Googling the syndrome brings up a wealth of news reports and university studies about overgrown mandibles and decurved maxillas. There’s a Flickr photo pool, Birds with Deformed Bills.
I blame crystal meth.
Could this be caused by the same mystery that causes prevalent MS in the Pacific Northwest?
Is it the rain?
Drift from Chernobyl?
This makes me profoundly sad. Uncontrolled growth of beaks that slowly starve them is so cruel. When harm comes to birds it could well be an indication that the enviroment we share is a danger to us as well. That is another reason why it is so crucial we investigate.
Could be a virus.
Hmmm….that bill looks like this…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJLG85gn0…
Hmm…in fear of getting slammed on Slog, I’ll opt for “beak” as an alternative for “bill” in the previous post.
Is it the trees? Is it the water? Is it the billboards?
Isn’t this statistically normal? There must be millions of birds in the PacNW. Birds with deformed beaks are comparitively easy to spot. Sounds like a less exciting version of shark attacks to me.
bird flu!!!
It’s because of the Mormons, of course.
@6, that was my thought exactly.
To #7: though “beak” and “bill” are often used interchangeably, ornithologists and birders use the term “bill”. Not meant as a slam, just an FYI. Just make sure you never say “seagull”. Birders will beat you down for that.
There is a black-capped chickadee being documented in Western New York State at Rambling Woods.