Wikipedia:Main Page history/2013 September 2

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

The Fiji Parrotfinch is a species of estrildid finch endemic to Fiji that was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the Red-headed Parrotfinch. This parrotfinch is a small, mainly green bird with a red head and tail and a stubby dark grey bill. It is found in both forested and open habitats, and has adapted well to man-made environments such as grasslands, pasture and gardens. Pairs have a courtship display in which they fly above the trees in an undulating flight, calling constantly. Breeding birds build a domed grass nest with a side entrance, and lay a clutch normally of four white eggs. The Fiji Parrotfinch eats seeds, especially of grasses, but also readily feeds on insects and nectar. It forms small flocks of up to six individuals after the breeding season. Parrotfinches may be predated by indigenous birds of prey such as the endemic Fiji Goshawk, or by introduced mammals like the small Asian mongoose, rats and mice, and they may be susceptible to disease. Nevertheless, the Fiji species, despite being both uncommon and endemic to one island group, appears to be stable in numbers. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, and it is protected under Fijian law. (Full article...)

Recently featured: Willamette River – Everything Tastes Better with Bacon – Typhoon Pongsona

Archive – By email – More featured articles...

Did you know...

From Wikipedia's newest content:

... that after the overthrow of Ghanaian President Kwame Nkrumah (pictured) in a military coup, he was declared the president of Guinea?
... that Sheikh Mohammed gave his newly purchased thoroughbred racehorse the name Ajdal because it is an Arabic word meaning "handsome"?
... that Ben Gunn, imprisoned 32 years for killing a friend when he was 14, earned a Master of Arts degree in peace and reconciliation?
... that the first single from the Goodie Mob's 2013 album Age Against the Machine (2013), "Special Education", supports being unusual?
... that Swedish television host Leif "Loket" Olsson refereed the handball semifinal between Yugoslavia and Romania at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich, Germany?
... that it is important to manage poverty levels in London?

Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news

Irish poet and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature Seamus Heaney (pictured) dies at the age of 74.
A newly discovered canyon under the Greenland ice sheet is found to be the world's longest.
For the first time, Saudi Arabia enacts laws against domestic violence.
U.S. Army officer Nidal Malik Hasan is sentenced to death for killing thirteen people in the Fort Hood shooting.
In cricket, the Ashes series concludes with England defeating Australia in the series.

Recent deaths: David Frost

More current events...

On this day...

September 2: Paryushana begins (Svetambar Jains, 2013); Labour Day in Canada and Labor Day in the United States (2013); National Day in Vietnam (1945)

47 BC – Caesarion (bust pictured), possibly the son of Julius Caesar, became the last king of the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt, ruling jointly with his mother Cleopatra.
1649 – Forces loyal to Pope Innocent X destroyed the ancient Italian city of Castro, ending the Wars of Castro.
1807 – The British Royal Navy began their bombardment of Copenhagen to capture the Dano-Norwegian navy.
1945 – On the deck of the United States Navy battleship Missouri in Tokyo Bay, representatives from the Empire of Japan and several Allied Powers signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, formally ending World War II.
1998 – Swissair Flight 111, en route from New York City to Geneva, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 229 people on board.

More anniversaries: September 1 – September 2 – September 3

Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries

It is now September 2, 2013 (UTC) – Reload this page

From today's featured list

Map showing the municipal boundaries in the Netherlands in 2013

There are 411 municipalities in the Netherlands: 408 regular municipalities and 3 public bodies. Municipalities are the second-level administrative division in the Netherlands and are subdivisions of their respective provinces. Their duties are delegated to them by the central government and they are ruled by a municipal council that is elected every four years. Municipalities are responsible for a wide variety of public services, which include land-use planning, public housing, management and maintenance of local roads, waste management and social security. Municipal mergers have reduced the total number of municipalities by two-thirds since the first official boundaries were created after a cadastre was formed in the mid-19th century. These municipalities come in a wide range of sizes, from as small as 7 km² (2.7 sq mi) to 814 km² (314 sq mi) and with populations ranging from 1,000 to 800,000. (Full list...)

Recently featured: Best-selling singles of the 1960s in the United Kingdom – Citra Award for Best Leading Actress – Mergers and acquisitions by Google

Archive – More featured lists...

Today's featured picture

The Shifen waterfall is located in Pingxi District, Taiwan, on the upper reaches of the Keelung River. The waterfall measures 20 metres (66 ft) in height and 40 metres (130 ft) in width. It is the broadest waterfall in Taiwan.

Photo: Weihao.chiu

Recently featured: Maria Amalia of Saxony – Saint Catherine's Monastery – Space Shuttle Discovery launch

Archive – More featured pictures...

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.