There are 126 species of birds that have been lost to science according to a new analysis. “Lost” species are defined by not having had a confirmed sighting in at least a decade, but you could help find some of them as researchers are calling on citizen scientists to be their eyes and ears.The Search for Lost Birds is a collaboration between Re:wild, American Bird Conservancy, and BirdLife International, and it aims to identify “lost” birds among the 11,849 species known to science. For the 126 that made the list, there have been no confirmed photos, videos, or audio recordings in the last 10 years, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are extinct.Fortunately, we humans bloody love birds. Twitching, as bird watching is known, has seen the Aves become one of the most well-documented animal groups on the planet – a passion that’s reflected in the fact that 1 percent of the world’s birds have managed to evade documentation for this length of time. The unseen few encompass several highly threatened species, however, so while some birds may be “lost” simply because they’re hard to capture, for others, it may be damning indication of the health of the population.“Figuring out why these birds have become lost and then trying to find them can feel like a detective story,” said John C. Mittermeier, the director of the Search for Lost Birds at American Bird Conservancy, in a statement emailed to IFLScience. “While some of the species on the list will be incredibly challenging or maybe even impossible to find, others might reveal themselves relatively quickly if people get to the right places. Regardless of the situation, working closely with local people and citizen scientists is the best way to find lost birds and begin conservation efforts to ensure that these species don't become lost again.”Some of the rediscovered species:   Compiling the list of 126 involved analyzing more than 42 million photos, videos, and audio recordings listed on The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Macaulay Library, iNaturalist, and xeno-canto, as well as diving into museum collections. Originally, 144 were identified, but 14 of those were recorded in the last couple of years, bringing the current number of lost bird species to 126.The good news? You may be able to play a part in removing more species from the lost list. As study lead author Cameron Rutt told IFLScience, many of these species occur in regions that are secure and accessible to citizen scientists. They include:Purple-winged Ground Dove Buff-breasted Buttonquail Kinglet Calyptura Ghana Cuckooshrike (also known as the Western Wattled Cuckooshrike) Streaked Reed Warbler Cozumel Thrasher St. Kitts BullfinchIn the past, employing the help of citizen scientists has already returned several species to science including the Bismarck honeyeater, long-billed bush warbler, rusty thicketbird, and kangean tit-babbler. Should you be lucky enough to find one of the 126 lost birds, you can get in touch with the Search for Lost Birds via their website. Scientists need as much information as they can get to confirm a rediscovery, so clear photos, videos, or sound recordings of the birds' calls can go a long way to helping them on their mission.“While birds are the most well-documented group, every additional data point helps focus the direction of the program,” added Christina Biggs, leader of the Search for Lost Species at Re:wild and one of the co-authors of the paper. “We want to make sure that our resources go toward preventing extinction of the most threatened species, so this research is extremely valuable for us. As the sixth mass extinction progresses, it’s imperative that we grow our scientific circles to include Indigenous, local community, and citizen science knowledge, every possible bit of information directed at halting biodiversity loss.”The study is published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.

Over the weekend, three communities across the United States were victims of gun violence as parties and gatherings came to sudden ends when scumbags decided to kill people. NBC’s Today looked to exploit the tragedies on Monday by having correspondent Erin McLaughlin blame the murders on the U.S. Supreme Court, citing their decision to strike down the Trump-era bump stock ban. But none of the shootings involved bump stocks. “A mass shooting at a splash pad in Michigan, another at a Juneteenth celebration in Texas, and yet another at a gathering in Massachusetts, all just days after Friday's Supreme Court ruling that rejects a ban on bump stocks,” she announced at the top of the segment. McLaughlin delivered very glancing explanations of what allegedly happened at each of the shootings but never disclosed what kind of firearms were used: MCLAUGHLIN: In Rochester Hills, Michigan, a man opened fire at a splash pad, unleashing 28 rounds. The attack left nine injured, including children. Some seriously wounded. (…) MCLAUGHLIN: Police say the suspect later shot himself and are investigating his motive. (…) MCLAUGHLIN: While in Round Rock, Texas, police are searching for a shooter who killed two and injured more than a dozen others at a Juneteenth celebration. (…) MCLAUGHLIN: And at least eight people were injured by a shooting at a pop-up party in Methuen, Massachusetts with two victims in critical condition.     “The weekend shootings come just days after the Supreme Court struck down a Trump-era ban on bump stocks,” she proclaimed as if the shooting were direct result of the conservative justices defending gun rights and pushing back against the administrative state. “The gun accessories used to modify semi-automatic weapons so they can fire faster. But this morning, many are just searching for answers.” Despite her suggestion, there’s no evidence that bump stocks were used in any of the shootings. As of the publication of this piece, it appeared as though authorities had not yet released what kind of firearm was used in the Round Rock and Methuen shootings, but it’s likely that if it was an “AR-style” rifle, it would have been plastered everywhere. In fact, a handgun was recovered from the scene of the Rochester Hills, which was incompatible with bump stocks. McLaughlin actually put off mentioning the fact that bump stocks weren’t used but threw in a caveat for cover. “The shootings from over the weekend did not involve bump stocks to our knowledge, but experts say if they did they could have been so much worse,” she argued, seemingly suggesting the killings were coming. If that misinformation wasn’t bad enough, she also cited claims from the left-leaning Gun Violence Archive that, “So far this year, there have been 225 mass shootings in the U.S.” NewsBusters has repeatedly debunked their hyperbolic numbers and pointed out their deceptive methodology. Neither ABC’s Good Morning America nor CBS Mornings framed the shooting the same way. Actually, on GMA, chief justice correspondent Pierre Thomas admitted: “Most of the nation's major cities have seen double-digit decreases in shootings this year, with mass shootings falling dramatically as well.” The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read: NBC’s Today June 17, 2024 8:04:14 a.m. Eastern HODA KOTB: We now turn to a wave of violence over the weekend. Mass shootings in Michigan, Texas, and Massachusetts. NBC's Erin McLaughlin joins us with these details. Hey, Erin, good morning. ERIN MCLAUGHLIN: Hoda, good morning. A mass shooting at a splash pad in Michigan, another at a Juneteenth celebration in Texas, and yet another at a gathering in Massachusetts, all just days after Friday's Supreme Court ruling that rejects a ban on bump stocks. [Cuts to video] This morning, friends and families across the country are grieving after multiple mass shootings this weekend. 9-1-1 DISPATCH: Multiple shootings, victim, from an active shooter [Transition] Deputies aren't on scene yet. MCLAUGHLIN: In Rochester Hills, Michigan, a man opened fire at a splash pad, unleashing 28 rounds. The attack left nine injured, including children. Some seriously wounded. SHERIFF MICHAL BOUARD (Oakland County, MI): An 8-year-old boy who has a gunshot wound to the head. MCLAUGHLIN: Police say the suspect later shot himself and are investigating his motive. BETTY PAWELSKI (Local business owner): It was heartbreaking, saddening, devastating. [Transition] Nothing like this has ever happened around this area. MCLAUGHLIN: While in Round Rock, Texas, police are searching for a shooter who killed two and injured more than a dozen others at a Juneteenth celebration. CHIEF ALLEN BANKS (Round Rock Police Department): These folks could care less about someone's life and took someone's life on a day we're here to celebrate community. MCLAUGHLIN: And at least eight people were injured by a shooting at a pop-up party in Methuen, Massachusetts with two victims in critical condition. PAUL TUCKER (D.A. Essex County): Here we see again gun violence that's striking at the heart of a community. MCLAUGHLIN: So far this year, there have been 225 mass shootings in the U.S., according to the Gun Violence Archive. The weekend shootings come just days after the Supreme Court struck down a Trump-era ban on bump stocks. The gun accessories used to modify semi-automatic weapons so they can fire faster. But this morning, many are just searching for answers. CHIEF SCOT MCNAMARA (Methuen Police Department): Our hearts go out to the victims and their families. These acts of senseless violence do not represent the values of our community. [Cuts back to live] MCLAUGHLIN: The shootings from over the weekend did not involve bump stocks to our knowledge, but experts say if they did they could have been so much worse. CRAIG MELVIN: Jeez. KOTB: All right, Erin. Thank you so much. We appreciate it.

President Joe Biden was downtown Los Angeles Saturday evening raising money, but once again, he managed to raise concern about his cognitive decline. A Quinnipiac University poll found earlier this year that the super-majority of likely voters think Biden is too old to effectively serve another term as president. If re-elected, he would conclude his term at the age of 86 — roughly twelve years higher than the average life expectancy for the American man. According to a Rasmussen Reports survey conducted late last month, concerns over the 81-year-old Democrat's decrepitude have not gone away, with 57% of likely voters indicating that Biden's mental decline was worsening. Biden has, after all, provided his critics with plenty of fodder in recent weeks and years, evidencing difficulty completing sentences despite leaning into his heavy reliance on cue cards; struggling to stay upright; repeating himself and telling the same debunked anecdote twice over, nearly word for word and in short succession; mistaking the living for the dead and his sister for his wife; confusing the names of disparate nations; spending roughly 40% of his presidency out of office; and showcasing difficulties controlling his temper. On Saturday, Biden was joined by former President Barack Obama and a handful of professional script readers, including George Clooney, Jimmy Kimmel, Jason Bateman, and Julia Roberts, at the Peacock Theater, where they raised over $30 million for his re-election campaign, according to the Los Angeles Times. Democratic mega donor Jeffrey Katzenberg, a cochair of Biden's re-election campaign, hyped the event in advance, noting, "The enthusiasm and commitment for Biden-Harris couldn't be stronger. We all understand this is the most important election of our lifetime." 'Obama then grabs Biden's hand to lead him offstage.' With Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom (Calif.) and other leftist lawmakers looking on, Biden, fresh off visiting his criminally convicted son, once again recycled the false claim that former President Donald Trump advised people to inject bleach during the pandemic as well as the false flag narrative concerning Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. He also likened Trump to Julius Caesar, a politician assassinated by a cabal of other politicians. After Biden and Obama finished their seated interview with Kimmel, the two stood for applause. Footage shared by Chris Gardner of the Hollywood Reporter shows Biden frozen in place with his hand raised in what appears to be a halted wave. After a pregnant moment, he pivots slightly into another static pose, at which point his predecessor grabs his wrist and gently escorts him offstage. Gardner noted in his caption, "Barack Obama and President Joe Biden offer final waves to Peacock Theater crowd as Obama then grabs Biden's hand to lead him offstage following 40-minute conversation with Jimmy Kimmel." Multitudes of users on X expressed pity and concern over the president's apparent decline. Piers Morgan, among them, wrote, "So embarrassing. The Democrats can't let this go on, surely?" Biden boosters desperately attempted to spin this latest apparent signal of decrepitude caught on video as a hoax. White House senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates was especially prickled by the New York Post's description of the incident, tweeting, "Fresh off being fact checked by at least 6 mainstream outlets for lying about @POTUS with cheap fakes, Rupert Murdoch's sad little super pac, the New York Post, is back to disrespecting it's readers & itself once again. Their ethical standards could deal with a little unfreezing." Bates appears to have been referencing recent reports indicating that Biden confusedly wandered off at the G7 summit in Apulia, Italy, during a parachute exercise and that he also locked up at the White House's Juneteenth event — both of which were caught on camera. Gun-control activist David Hogg claimed the Saturday video seen by millions of people "did not happen and is a total lie," prompting a "like" from Democratic propagandist Mark Hamill. 'They think you're stupid.' Ukrainian blogger Olga Nesterova shared heavily edited footage of the final moments of the event, presenting an alternative account of what supposedly happened. Biden "influencer" Harry Sisson noted, "MAGA IS LYING AGAIN. The new lie is that Biden had to be 'led off stage' by Obama and that he 'froze' but that is COMPLETELY FALSE! This video shows what actually happened and is not some selectively edited garbage. The lies don’t stop from MAGA." Whereas the Hollywood Reporter video was apparently uncut, Sisson elected to share the heavily edited version shared by Nesterova. RNC Research tweeted, "Don't believe your LYING EYES, the Biden White House says. Didn't happen! He's TOTALLY WITH IT, his incompetent stooges say — you just never get to see it. They think you're stupid." The Washington Post and the Daily Beast are among the liberal publications that joined Obama in coming to Biden's rescue. The Post, which has struggled with the truth in recent years, claimed, "The use of these clips is an especially pernicious couple of examples of manipulated video — what we label 'isolation' under our guide to manipulated video — because it's intended to create a false narrative that doesn’t reflect the event as it occurred. The RNC and its avid followers in the conservative media earn Four Pinocchios." Self-guided or not, Biden's disapproval rating sits at 58% according to the latest Economist/YouGov poll. His approval rating, alternatively, was 40%; 54% of respondents said that Biden's health and age will "severely limit his ability to do the job" if re-elected; 25% said they would have "little effect on his ability to do his job." Only 11% said they would have no impact at all. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Lead writer and showrunner for the "Doctor Who" series admitted in an interview that the ratings have not been what he had hoped but insisted that the series has a bounty of younger viewers.Russell T. Davies has made it no secret that he has planned to push an LGBT-themed agenda through the 60-year-old franchise.During an interview earlier in 2024, he explained that gender, race, and/or sexuality has played a part in the main character's role since the audition process. That ended up with actor Ncuti Gatwa playing the lead character, who implored viewers not to watch if they felt the activism in the show was too much.This caused viewership to plummet further and further with additions of gay dance-club scenes and drag queen characters, finally culminating in the tired trope of a series-first man-on-man kiss.After saying he is very proud of the show, Davies admitted the ratings have been a bit of a letdown."You know, they might not be the ratings we'd love. We always want higher," he reportedly told RadioTimes, per Screenrant."But they are building over the 28-day period," he continued. "Episode one, 'Space Babies,' is already up to 5.6 million and counting. So it is getting there. And actually, I was brought back to bring in a younger audience. That's been massively successful.""The audience no one ever gets are the under-30s. They just don't watch television anymore. But those figures are astronomic for 'Doctor Who,' it's their top program in that bracket. I never thought it was possible, to be honest. But according to the people who juggle the numbers, all targets have been reached and exceeded. The BBC are running around like mad things."'Homophobia and transphobia happens when it's something you've never seen before.'Davies may have more specific ratings to champion by way of demographics, but the overall ratings have been a strong subject of discussion due to Davies' decision to heavily politicize the show.The ratings so far in the season are as follows, as per Doctor Who TV:Episode 1 – 2.6 million (overnight) / 4.01 million (seven day total)Episode 2 – 2.4 million / 3.91 millionEpisode 3 – 2.04 million / 3.58 millionEpisode 4 – 2.62 million / 4.06 millionEpisode 5 – 2.12 million / 3.38 millionEpisode 6 – 2.11 million / (N/A)Viewership has paled in comparison to previous seasons. In 2023 (a year that only saw special episodes), Gatwa's Christmas special had below-average viewership when compared to the other programs.In 2021-2022, regular episodes averaged 3.83 million viewers, while 2020-2021 episodes saw an audience average of 4.11 million.Only 2017's "The Eaters of Light" episode (2.89 million) even comes close to sinking as low as Gatwa's ratings in terms of viewership in recent history.The aforementioned diversity and inclusion has been planned to be a major part of the latest season for some time, as has attempting to push the themes on children, which Davies seemed to believe he has accomplished.Davies said in a 2023 interview that he thinks the "visibility thing" is important and that bigotry can be avoided "if you grow up seeing this stuff.""Homophobia and transphobia happens when it's something you've never seen before," he claimed. He also stated that children can be influenced by the ideology more easily."You can temper that reaction and change it if you introduce these images to people happily, and normally, and calmly when they're young."If Davies does indeed believe that the ratings from younger viewers is a landmark achievement, one might question why the writer has admitted that the show has still not been picked up beyond 2025.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld knows how to handle hecklers. While performing a show in Sydney over the weekend, an audience member began heckling the comedy legend with the pro-Hamas slogan, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." 'Tomorrow we'll read in the paper: 'Middle East 100% solved thanks to man at the Qudos Arena stopping Jew comedian.''Video of the incident shows the man standing up and aggressively motioning toward Seinfeld as he screamed his protests, which included an accusation that Seinfeld supports a "terrorist state," apparently a reference to Israel, according to the Sydney Morning-Herald. But instead of letting the pro-Palestinian protester derail his show, Seinfeld leaned into the moment and roasted the man before security escorted him from the venue. "Yes! We have a genius, ladies and gentlemen. He's solved the Middle East! He's solved it!" Seinfeld mocked. "It's the Jewish comedians, that's who we have to get. They're the ones who are doing everything!" he continued. "Yeah, go ahead, keep going! They're going to start punching you in about three seconds, so I would try and get all of your genius out so we can all learn from you." When security finally reached the protester, the massive crowd at the Qudos Bank Arena erupted in cheers. The arena holds more than 20,000 people. "It's a comedy show, you moron! Get out of here," Seinfeld said. But the jeers and opposition didn't stop the protester, who continued screaming at Seinfeld as he was escorted out of the show. His complaints, however, only gave Seinfeld more ammunition. "You're really influencing everyone here! We're all on your side now because you have made your point so well. And in the right venue — you've come to the right place for a political conversation," Seinfeld mocked. "Tomorrow we'll read in the paper: 'Middle East 100% solved thanks to man at the Qudos Arena stopping Jew comedian — they stopped him and everyone in the Middle East went, 'Oh my God let's just get along,''" he continued.This is at least the third time that Seinfeld has been targeted in recent weeks.Last month, a pro-Palestinian heckler interrupted one of Seinfeld's shows in Virginia. That incident came after anti-Israel students at Duke University interrupted their own commencement ceremony — at which Seinfeld was the commencement speaker — to virtue-signal their opposition to Israel.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Denver, Colorado, a self-proclaimed "sanctuary city," has been sending illegal immigrants to Salt Lake City, Utah, according to a recent KUTV report.Jon Ewing, with Denver Human Services, told the news outlet that illegal aliens arriving in the Colorado city are being bused and, in some cases, flown to other states across the nation.'Fix this untenable situation.'According to Ewing, individuals are not encouraged to relocate to any particular city or state but are provided with transportation services to continue to their destination of choice."Any individual who travels through our system makes their own decision on their destination," Ewing told KUTV. "We are simply helping people connect with family, friends, or existing support systems."Ewing reported that Denver has provided roughly 2,000 bus tickets since late 2022 to send illegal aliens to Salt Lake City. He insisted that critics' claims that the city was moving a "problem" to Utah is "a misunderstanding of the situation and of people's needs." Ewing further noted that Denver is in "regular communication" with the cities where the illegal aliens are being relocated. He added that Denver plans to continue sending the individuals elsewhere."Again, it's at their request. We will never encourage anyone to go to Salt Lake City. We will never point a finger at a map and tell someone where they should go," Ewing claimed.A spokesperson for Denver's mayor's office told KDVR, "The vast majority of newcomers arriving in Denver do so on buses chartered from Texas and had no intention of ever coming to Denver. That's why part of our operations include purchasing tickets for newcomers to get to their desired location, where they may have support networks or job opportunities."Salt Lake Police Chief Mike Brown stated that the illegal immigrants arrive "with very little information other than instructions to find a person in uniform to help."Andrew Roberts, chief of staff for Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, told KUTV that the city lacks the resources to "absorb" the uptick in illegal aliens arriving in the area."I have, myself, communicated our displeasure," Roberts said, referring to Denver sending illegal aliens to Salt Lake City.A spokesman for the Salt Lake City Mayor's Office also noted that the office has expressed concerns regarding Denver's actions.Utah officials recently approved a flyer that states in Spanish that the city has "no space available in shelters," KUTV reported."Food banks and other basic needs services are at capacity. If you do not have a secure and stable connection or family in Utah, consider another state to settle in the US," the flyer read, according to the news outlet.Utah Gov. Spencer Cox's (R) office stated, "Now, with this bulletin, we're communicating directly with those illegally crossing the border."In a Friday statement on X, Cox wrote, "We recently learned that the Democrat mayor of Denver has been sending illegal immigrants to Utah without proper notification or approval. This is completely unacceptable and follows on the failed catch-and-release policy of the Biden administration. Every state has received illegal immigrants and Utah's resources are completely depleted. All 50 states, including Utah, are now border states due to the failed immigration policies of President Biden and Congress. Once again we call on the Biden administration and Congress to solve this crisis."Jennifer Naipier-Pearce, senior advisor of communications for the governor's office, told KDVR, "Since learning of Denver's policy, we've worked with Salt Lake County and Salt Lake City to push back on the Department of Homeland Security, the city of Denver, the state of Colorado and the Biden administration demanding they immediately stop this practice. We've also worked with Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County to communicate to migrants, NGOs along the southern border, and other cities including Denver that we are unable to provide services to these illegal immigrants. Denver must end this practice and Congress and the president must do their job and fix this untenable situation."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

UNDIGNIFIED! Patricia Heaton DROPS Jill Biden for Parading Her Frail Husband Around for Political Power

CNN Stunned at Biden's Drop With Black Voters—and Trump's Rise—Now Approaching 'Historic Performance'

Irina Ponomareva et al./The Conversation  Investigation of a sacred area at Avon Downs in Jangga Country, Central Queensland, has uncovered evidence of stone tool production in a place that was traditionally restricted to women.  We detail our findings in newly published research in collaboration with archaeological expert Liz Hatte and Jangga Elders Colin McLennan and Marie Wallace.  Read moreSection: NewsHistory & ArchaeologyAncient PlacesAustralia & OceaniaRead Later 

Fifty-six percent of voters say if members of the Biden administration refuse to comply with subpoenas from Congress, they should be sentenced to prison, according to a Rasmussen Reports Poll.