Learning Skills

Article of the day for September 3, 2020 is Cactus wren . The cactus wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) is a large wren that is endemic to the deserts of the US and Mexico. It is the state bird of Arizona. The wren's upperparts are brown with black and white spots and the underparts are cinnamon-buff with a whiter breast; it has striking white eyebrows. The song is loud and raspy. Cactus wrens are ground feeders and eat mainly insects, with some plant material; they can meet their water needs from their diet. The wrens use saguaro and cholla cacti as nesting sites, which provide protection for their large bulky nests and their young. The wrens are non-migratory and territorial around their nests. Pairs are monogamous; males build nests, females incubate eggs, and both parents feed chicks. Populations have declined due to human activities, habitat loss and introduced species including cats, but the wrens still number in the millions. The species is classed as being of least co...

By BY ELISABETH EGAN from NYT Books https://ift.tt/2YZwEas

With a high of 74F and a low of 62F.

By BY JENNIFER SZALAI from NYT Books https://ift.tt/2QNqANF

Article of the day for September 2, 2020 is Third Silesian War . The Third Silesian War was a conflict between Prussia and an Austrian alliance that lasted from 1756 to 1763 and confirmed Prussia's control of Silesia (now in south-western Poland). The war was fought mainly in Silesia, Bohemia and Upper Saxony and formed one theatre of the Seven Years' War. It can be viewed as a continuation of the First and Second Silesian Wars of the previous decade. The war was costly on both sides and ended inconclusively when neither of the main belligerents could sustain the conflict any longer. The war began with a Prussian invasion of Saxony in mid-1756, and it ended in a Prussian diplomatic victory with the 1763 Treaty of Hubertusburg. The conflict formed part of the ongoing Austria–Prussia rivalry that would shape German politics for more than a century. The war enhanced the prestige of Prussia, which was recognised as a major European power, and of Frederick, who cemented his reputa...

With a high of 77F and a low of 63F.

By Unknown Author from NYT Books https://ift.tt/3jDR5BJ