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Home Planet: 23/11/2010

23/11/2010

BBC Radio 4 - Home Planet, 23/11/2010

Hovering blackbirds, fertile volcanoes and Christmas trees.

During last year's cold winter, a blackbird learnt how to hover and feed from hanging bird feeders. Now, magpies are following suit, so have they learnt from each other?

During last year's exceptionally cold winter, a solitary male blackbird in a listener's garden learnt how to hover and take food from handing bird feeders. He passed this ability on to his mate and now other species are learning the trick, including magpies. Have they all been paying attention to the original blackbird or is something else helping them acquire new skills? 

There's also the question of can we live without domestic livestock, what is the agricultural impact of the gradual reduction in smoking, and why the Icelandic volcano might bring a hidden benefit to British farmers. 

And as the festive season approaches, is it really better for the environment to buy a real Christmas tree?

On the panel this week are Dr Ros Taylor, an expert in sustainability from Kingston University; soil scientist Dr Chris Collins of Reading University and ornithologist Graham Appleton of the British Trust for Orninthology.

Contact: 

Home Planet
BBC Radio 4
PO Box 3096
Brighton
BN1 1PL

Or email home.planet@bbc.co.uk

Or telephone: 08700 100 400

Presenter: Richard Daniel
Producer: Toby Murcott
A Pier Production for BBC Radio 4.

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