Farmers who exchanged text messages with peers were significantly more likely to adopt sustainable agricultural practices, highlighting the power of peer learning in digital formats, a new study co-authored by McGill University Professor Aurélie Harou found.
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Published on: 16 Jul 2025
A surprising number of hummingbirds are falling ill, and experts say your birdfeeder may be to blame.
Ornithologist and McGill Professor Emeritus David Bird spoke to CBC about how to keep your feathered friends safe.
Published on: 17 Jun 2025
A new study, led by researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark, suggests that levels of mercury in Arctic wildlife could continue to rise significantly even as countries curb their emissions. The researchers' analysis indicates that ocean currents are distributing large, century-old stores of mercury through marine ecosystems in the Arctic.
Large predators end up ingesting the most mercury through their diet of contaminated prey. This poses a serious problem for communities that hunt marine mammals with high concentrations of mercury, like seals.
Published on: 16 Jun 2025
The Society of Canadian Ornithologists has selected Professor Emeritus David Bird and retired Associate Professor Rodger Titman, who both taught for many years in McGill University's Department of Natural Resource Sciences, to receive the Jamie Smith Memorial Mentoring Award. This award recognizes exceptional contributions to the training and fostering of Canadian ornithologists.
Published on: 11 Jun 2025
As mobile phones proliferate across the developing world, digital delivery of agricultural advice is positioned to play a transformative role in increasing agricultural productivity and improving livelihoods for smallholder farmers. Meanwhile, evidence shows that peer-to-peer learning, at least in person, can successfully promote technology adoption.
Published on: 22 May 2025
On May 2, 2025, over 60 people gathered in the John Abbott College Library for the Lister Science Chats, where four Macdonald Campus graduate students presented their research and shared how past events as well as the discoveries, sometimes unintentional, and techniques of previous scientists made their work possible.
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Published on: 20 May 2025
On April 11, 2025, over 60 people gathered at the annual John Abbott Sustainability Through Science Symposium to hear how the research of three Macdonald Campus graduate students contributes to a more sustainable future. Honours and science students from John Abbott College, as well as members of McGill University's Macdonald Campus community, were inspired by short talks followed by a panel discussion on the students' university experience and their chosen career paths.
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Published on: 7 May 2025
Royal Brinkman Canada has appointed Mohammed Antar (PhD, P.Ag) as head of its agronomy department, noting in their announcement that he "will play a key role in helping growers enhance crop productivity and quality through innovative, science-based solutions."
Mohammed earned his Ph.D. in Plant Science (Agronomy) from McGill University in 2024. His expertise spans agronomy, microbe-coated fertilizers, nutrient management, sustainable agriculture, and biological products.
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Published on: 16 Apr 2025
On March 27, McGill honoured 141 laureates at the 20th annual Bravo Gala, celebrating researchers who received prestigious provincial, national or international awards in 2024, including eight researchers in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
In his opening remarks, McGill President and Vice-Chancellor, Deep Saini, applauded the honourees for their efforts, underlining the importance of McGill’s research contributions.
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Published on: 2 Apr 2025
An orange tinted snowy owl in Michigan has baffled scientists with its orange colouring, CBC News reports. Experts say it could be a genetic mutation, an accident, or human mischief.
Ornithologist and Professor Emeritus at McGill, David Bird, expressed some doubts about the strange colouration being caused by genetics.
Published on: 26 Mar 2025
After DDT use nearly wiped out peregrine falcons in the 20th century, numbers are collapsing again in many countries, the Guardian reports.
Though scientists have yet to determine a definite cause, many—including McGill Professor Emeritus David Bird, who formerly led the University's Avian Science and Conservation Centre—think highly pathogenic bird flu may be largely to blame.
Published on: 18 Mar 2025
Single-use plastics are everywhere—but two McGill University researchers are redefining the norm and championing sustainability.
"Although plastic pollution wasn’t the main focus of our research, safeguarding water bodies is essential to our work, and we knew we had to address the disconnect between our values and laboratory practices."
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Published on: 18 Mar 2025
Wild turkey sightings in Montreal are on the rise, Global News reports.
Experts told them wild turkey populations in southern Quebec have steadily climbed over the past two decades due to warming temperatures.
This has raised concern that predators could be following close behind.
Published on: 5 Feb 2025
Collecting data on tufted puffins thanks to the Vivian Lewin and BELF Awards
In the eerie stillness of a misty Alaskan dawn, Cassandra Ciafro was already on the move by 3 a.m. Clad in camouflage, she melded seamlessly with the rugged cliffs, joining the seabirds in their lofty perches. Her mission? To deploy trackers and observe deitary patterns of the tufted puffin, a key indicator of the region’s fish stocks.
“I’ve always wanted to work with something related to marine science,” said Ciafro. “This experience has helped me grow so much as a person.”
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Published on: 4 Dec 2024
Killer whales off Canada’s Atlantic coast continue to be contaminated with dangerously high levels of toxic chemicals that put them at elevated risk of severe immune-system and reproductive problems, a recent McGill-led study has found.
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Published on: 7 Nov 2024
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