Wikipedia:Main Page history/2017 June 8

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

Carnaby's black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus latirostris) is a large parrot, 53–58 cm (21–23 in) long, endemic to south western Australia. It was described in 1948 by naturalist Ivan Carnaby. This black cockatoo has a short crest, mostly greyish-black plumage, prominent white cheek patches, and a white tail band. The body feathers are edged with white, giving a scalloped appearance. The beak is dark grey for males and bone-coloured for females. The young stay with the family until at least the next breeding season. The bird eats seeds, mainly from the Proteaceae and Myrtaceae families. It nests in high hollows in large trees, generally Eucalyptus, but populations north of Perth have become dependent on pine plantations. With much of its habitat lost to land clearing and development, the bird is listed as endangered. Like most parrots, it is protected by CITES, an international agreement that makes trade, export, and import of listed wild-caught species illegal. It is also part of an annual census, the Great Cocky Count, held since 2009 to track the population change of threatened black cockatoo species in Western Australia. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know...

Kollegienkirche in 1712

... that the Kollegienkirche (pictured in 1712), the church of the University of Salzburg built by Fischer von Erlach, was the venue for a Hofmannsthal premiere and a Sciarrone opera?
... that the Lynnwood Convention Center was rejected by voters on three occasions in the 1980s and 1990s, before it was finally built in 2005?
... that Claude Henderson was the first cricketer to sign a Kolpak contract?
... that George Morison Robertson, a Scottish expatriate in Hawaii, married a shipwrecked Englishwoman from Australia?
... that Robert E. Sherwood's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1938 play Abe Lincoln in Illinois was written as a riposte to isolationists in the United States?
... that all 300 special edition copies of SimetriSiti, an album by Malaysian singer Siti Nurhaliza, sold out in 20 minutes?
... that Alaska P. Davidson was the first female FBI special agent?
... that the Minar in the centre of the Sassanid circular city of Gōr may have been an observation tower, a water tower, part of a temple, a symbol of the new government, or a combination of these?

In the news

Security guards during the attack

Simultaneous terrorist attacks at the Iranian parliament and the Mausoleum of Ruhollah Khomeini kill at least 13 people and injure 43 others. (Iranian security forces pictured)
Several countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt, cut diplomatic relations with Qatar.
Eight people are killed and 48 others injured when 3 men carry out a vehicle-ramming attack on London Bridge and stabbings at Borough Market.
In association football, the UEFA Champions League concludes with Real Madrid defeating Juventus in the final.
A suspected robbery and arson at the Resorts World Manila complex in the Philippines kills at least 34 people and injures 54 others.

On this day...

June 8

Thomas Blamey

218 – With the support of the Syrian legions, Elagabalus defeated the forces of Roman emperor Macrinus.
1776 – American Revolutionary War: British forces defeated the Continental Army at the Battle of Trois-Rivières, the last major battle fought on Quebec soil that was part of the American colonists' invasion of Quebec.
1941 – World War II: The Allies commenced the Syria–Lebanon Campaign against the possessions of Vichy France in the Levant.
1950 – Thomas Blamey (pictured) became the only Australian to attain the rank of field marshal.
2008 – A Japanese man drove a truck into a crowd of pedestrians in the Akihabara district of Tokyo, then proceeded to stab at least 12 people before being apprehended

Harthacnut (d. 1042) · Barbara Bush (b. 1925) · Omar Bongo (d. 2009)

More anniversaries:

Today's featured picture

Capricornus is a constellation commonly represented in the form of a sea-goat, a mythical creature that is half goat, half fish. One of the 88 modern constellations, Capricornus was also one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy. The constellation is located in an area of sky called the Sea or the Water, consisting of many water-related constellations such as Aquarius, Pisces and Eridanus. It is the smallest constellation in the zodiac.

This illustration was included in Urania's Mirror, a set of celestial cards illustrated by Sidney Hall.

Illustration: Sidney Hall; restoration: Adam Cuerden

Recently featured:

Other areas of Wikipedia

Community portal – Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
Help desk – Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
Local embassy – For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
Reference desk – Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
Site news – Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
Village pump – For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.