It's not unusual to find large flocks of birds in parking lots foraging for fast food scraps, but the parking lots in Austin are decidedly less friendly for small birds, thanks to the work of falconer Steve Oleson. According to the American-Statesman, Oleson and his pair of Harris's hawks, Viggo and Meego, have been hired to scare off large flocks of grackles at the Rundberg Square strip mall for the second year in a row.

The management company that oversees Rundberg Square considers Oleson's services a type of pest control, since large flocks of highly vocal, aggressive birds can be disruptive for local businesses.

Trained birds of prey have been used in many different ways to help control pests, including scaring small birds at berry farms and even patrolling Warsaw metro stations for rock pigeons. It is more environmentally conscious to use birds of prey as pest control rather than poisons or other methods, and it helps to raise awareness of these magnificent predators, particularly since many superstitions consider hawks a menace or threat to livestock, pets or humans.

Do you agree with using falconry birds for pest control? Share your opinions in the comments!

Harris's Hawk
Photo © Ian Parkes

A team of ecologists has devised a method for accurately counting bird populations based on songs and bird sounds rather than visually sighting the birds or capturing them. According to BBC News, the researchers studied the ovenbird because of its distinctive call but elusive personality. The use of multiple microphones and computer calculations allowed the team to then compute the number of ovenbirds in the area.

This technique is less stressful to birds because it does not involve close contact, and it is hoped that counting birds by their songs and sounds can help provide accurate counts for elusive and rare species. With refinement, it will be possible to use this technique to distinguish individual birds with more intricate, unique calls, such as the northern mockingbird.

Interested in learning more about counting birds with your ears rather than your eyes? These Birding By Ear Basics can help you get started!

Ovenbird
Photo © Dominic Sherony

We're talkin' turkey with this week's featured bird - wild turkeys, that is. The wild turkey is a proud and beautiful game bird found throughout the United States, and its iridescent plumage and strutting posture is unmistakable. These birds have spectacular eyesight and hearing, and because of their large size adult turkeys have little to fear from predators, though chicks are more frequently threatened. Nearly extinct in the 1930s due to hunting and habitat loss, wild turkey populations are abundant today with more than 7 million birds strutting their stuff.

Want to know more? These Fun Facts About Wild Turkeys give you an unusual insight into this familiar bird. Happy Thanksgiving!

Wild Turkey
Photo © Alan Vernon

President Obama has reached another milestone in office: his first official Thanksgiving turkey pardons. According to Fox News, President Obama was accompanied by his daughters, Sasha and Malia, as he ceremonially pardoned two domestic turkeys presented to him by the National Turkey Federation. The birds, Courage and Carolina, will fly first class to Disneyland in California where Courage, the "presidential" turkey, will be the honorary grand marshal at Disney's "Thanksgiving for Giving Day" Parade. Carolina is the "vice presidential" bird and will step in if Courage cannot fulfill his duties.

Presidents have been pardoning turkeys since 1947, and the lighthearted ceremony is a favorite White House Thanksgiving event.

The White House
Photo © John Haslam