10,000 Birds

JANUARY 10, 2012

The family Picathartidae consists of two very unusual birds; White-necked or Yellow-headed Picathartes , endemic to the Upper Guinea forests of West Africa; and Gray-necked or Red-headed , restricted to Lower Guinea forests of Central Africa. It’s guaranteed to be the trip of a lifetime!

Sierra Leone 262

Sierra Leone Ghana Cameroon Equatorial Guinea 262

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2016

Either way, Europe’s White Storks seem to have found a year-round food source, and it’s changing their migration habits, according to new research. Instead of wintering in Africa and breeding in Europe, growing numbers of the birds now appear to be staying put in Spain and Portugal.

Portugal 102

Portugal Spain Research Europe 102

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

the development of field-based ornithological research in Europe and Great Britain; a quick step back through the history to look at bird protection, conservation, and our precarious future, with a focus on Birkhead’s long-term (50 years!) Common Guillemot research at Skomer Island, Wales.

Dissection 209

Dissection Birds Research Europe 209

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

I stopped at the Red Crossbill , realizing that the species indeed “occupies an immense range, including North America, Eurasia, and northern Africa” (HBW) – including Baxi forest, China. Interestingly, the Slaty-backed Flycatcher follows a similar color scheme despite being part of a very different family.

China 218

China Birds Nevada North America 218

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2017

The White-naped Xenopsaris is a member of the Tityra family (Tityridae), a newish family of mostly South American birds carved from various oddball birds formerly lumped with the manakins, the tyrant-flycatchers and the cotingas. ” I can’t just put this into Wikipedia – it’s original research.

Science 106

Science Argentina South America Uruguay 106

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 24, 2016

I felt like I needed to do some research into why this change occurred. The Common Gallinule , is the most wide spread of all the members of the rail family, being found from Canada, to Chile, Europe, Asia, Africa, much of the Pacific, and the Galapagos Islands. That is all I have ever known them to be.

Chile 100

Chile Breeders Asia Mexico 100

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 14, 2012

When I read somewhere that Pygmy Geese were not actually geese at all I started doing some research. True geese belong to the tribe or sub-family Anserini within the larger family Anatidae that encompasses ducks, geese and swans. And of the the three species, the African species is without debate the most gorgeous.

Geese 177

Geese Ducks Botswana South Africa 177

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 26, 2021

I did that with Peacocks & Picathartes – Reflections on Africa’s birdlife (published by Penguin Random House South Africa ). In case you didn’t know, yes, there is an indigenous peacock living in Africa, the Congo Peafowl. He has authored several other books and many articles, largely on natural history.

Congo 264

Congo Africa South Africa Kenya 264

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

Growing up within an hour of one of the world’s premier shorebird destinations -- West Coast National Park in South Africa -- helped for sure. Filming the plovers of Estero Lagoon Plovers are a significant part of the shorebird family, comprising 66 species worldwide. Firstly, shorebirds present a significant ID challenge.

Florida 183

Florida South Africa 2011 Africa 183

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2016

The following pictures were taken at Hannover Zoo recently, showing just that – feeding and preening, for a family-friendly birding experience. A foraging Common Moorhen has me thinking that in spite of recent research, not all birds are particularly bright. Beware of Crocodiles.

Zoos 100

Zoos Germany California Condor Lions 100

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2012

But I have been sick with different kinds and forms of cold since the beginning of December with no interruption, and so has my entire family. The Usutu Virus’ origins are in Africa south of the Sahara. The first detection outside Africa occurred in Vienna/Austria between 2001 and 2006. I honestly did. Sickening!

Germany 159

Germany Blackbirds 2006 Denmark 159

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2017

The guide presents 69 species and 1 subspecies, from “NEW WORLD VULTURES: Cathartiformes” to “OSPREY: Pandioninae” to “FAMILY: Accipitridae” (Kites, Hawks, Eagles, Hawk-Eagles), to “FALONIDS: Falconidae” (Falcons, Forest-Falcons, Caracaras, Kestrels, Merlin). The Species Accounts are the research-at-home section.

Mexico 155

Mexico America North America Falcons 155

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 9, 2011

It is not an encyclopedia, though it does summarize research, explain basic concepts, and ends with a section on bird statistics. It is a fascinating book that teaches while it entertains, that offers research-informed arguments for bird protection and conservation in the guise of vibrant design.

Albatross 192

Albatross Birds Campaign Protection 192

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 12, 2017

Starting in the mid-1990s, there was a “where to watch birds in…” series of five site guides written by Nigel Wheatley and covering South America (1994), Africa (1995), Asia (1996), Europe & Russia (2000) and Central America & the Caribbean (2001). Family accounts for all 142 bird families recorded from the region.

Africa 166

Africa Botswana Nigeria Namibia 166

10,000 Birds

MARCH 22, 2011

Universities like Harvard, Columbia and Cornell regularly use the research facility. James has led professional wildlife and birding tours for 15 years and his passion for birding and remote cultures has taken him to far corners of the earth from the Amazon and Australia to Africa and Madagascar.

Dominican Republic 180

Dominican Republic 2011 Birds Deer 180

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2013

Participating teams include the E-Birders from Cornell University, the Tigrisomas from Louisiana State University, the Forest Falcons from Great Britain, the Zululanders from South Africa, Team Tramuntana from Spain, and the Ararajubas from Brazil. Photo: Alex Duran.

Peru 174

Peru 2013 Louisiana Birds 174

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2012

There are over 5,000 species of frogs in existence (5,858 at the time the book was written, the exact number changes as research dictates re-arrangements of taxonomy and new species are discovered). There is a large family of frogs, Bufonidae, that includes most of the warty, hoppy creatures we think of as toads.

Reptiles 182

Reptiles Madagascar Family New York City 182

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

Ackerman’s new book is about owls and owl research–the knowledge recently and currently being discovered through DNA analysis, new-tech tracking and monitoring, and old-fashioned fieldwork under the auspices of organizations like the Global Owl Project and the Owl Research Institute.

Owls 200

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 200

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2021

If you had your choice of one bird family to pursue, to seek out and observe and photograph and kvell over, which one would you choose? A passion for one bird family is also very useful. It provides goals and a definite direction for your birding travels and thoughts; sometimes it even becomes the basis of a book!

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica Brazil Ecuador Bolivia 264

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

’s bird family tree in a new tab and follow along as you read. Follow him on Twitter — he’s regularly tweeting great highlights from the research project. In 2008, Nick Sly published a review of Hackett et al. titled Avian relationships – What do we know? Open Jarvis et al.’s Ratites, Tinamous, and Fowl.

Family 279

Family Parrots Birds 2014 279

4 The Love Of Animals

MAY 8, 2011

Once gregarious and outgoing, she withdrew from her family and friends, from everyone except her pet cats. Soon people from South Africa to Japan heard about what was happening, and wrote to share their stories, their challenges, and their curiosity about what Henry was learning. Would they help?

San Diego 100

San Diego Kittens Emotional Cats 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 18, 2021

Scientifically, of course, they all belong to the extended family of Larsonidae. It is even a bit doubtful whether the titmouse is a true Larsonidae – ongoing genetic research may result in the species being reassigned to the separate family of cute birds instead (Adorabilae ).

Birds 221

Birds China Penguins Asia 221

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2020

The Falcon Thief is the sometimes exciting, sometimes horrifying story of Jeffrey Lendrum, an African-born adventurer who has been arrested multiple times for raptor egg and chick poaching and smuggling in southern Africa, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Brazil. wrote a lengthy article in Outside magazine (Jan. 2019), and now this book.

Falcons 200

Falcons United Kingdom Zimbabwe Eggs 200

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2011

What’s remarkable about this species is what we don’t see here: the extremely long migration that this species makes, with some individuals traveling from Sub-Saharan Africa to Greenland and back every year. Many Happy Returns to the Owl Research Institute Prepping For Spring Spring in East Harbour Regional Park.Or

Cyprus 145

Cyprus 2011 Deer New York 145

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

But, unlike most books focused on a bird family, this one is organized geographically. Each chapter focuses on a specific geographic area of penguin population: (1) Antarctica, (2) South Georgia, (3) Falkland Islands, (4) South Africa and Tristan de Cunha, (5) New Zealand and Australia, (6) South America and Galapagos. Press, 2011).

Penguins 277

Penguins Georgia New Zealand Albatross 277

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2015

Mack tells the story of how he set up a research station, and a life, in Papua New Guinea. And, he did, trekking to remote areas of Asia, Africa, and Australia, often on his own, always on the lookout for a good beer. This is also a good time to catch up on supplementary titles, such as guides to bird families.

Papua New Guinea 177

Papua New Guinea 2014 Penguins Birds 177

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

By Luca Feuerriegel Family holidays to nature reserves and the abundance of nature books including bird guides at home paved the way for Luca to be a committed birder by the time he was in his early teens. Growing up in Namibia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka provided the perfect setting for this interest.

Sri Lanka 202

Sri Lanka Birds Netherlands Namibia 202

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2024

This may be before the Fairy-Wrens developed the ability to detect Cuckoo young in the nest, an ability recently described by ornithologists, or this family may be one of the 60% who don’t detect Cuckoo chicks. It’s a clunky system that only works IF you know the full name of the bird you are researching.

Australia 178

Australia Birds Europe Collecting 178

10,000 Birds

APRIL 15, 2015

I was in contact with a group of birders for whom I arranged and guided an annual tour to Africa. We already had South Africa, Zambia and Uganda under our belts, but my clients’ request for the next year came right out of the blue: Ghana! During each trip we would discuss a destination for the following year.

Ghana 188

Ghana Hunters Guinea Gambia 188

10,000 Birds

MARCH 19, 2011

In southern Africa, there are two species. The Spotted Thick-knee , Burhinus capensis is, is found across much of Africa, favouring open country and is perfectly suited to the dry sandy ground of the cape region, where this individual would almost certainly have been overlooked were it not for its bright yellow legs, eyes and bill.

2011 160

2011 Deer Africa Peru 160

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2015

The reality is that it’s if pretty difficult to see most penguin species, excepting the wonderfully accessible African Penguins at Boulders Beach outside Cape Town, South Africa and the Galapagos Penguins, ironically one of the rarest and most commonly seen species. That’s a lot of books about a bird family that cannot fly.

Penguins 191

Penguins New Zealand South Africa Albatross 191

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 4, 2020

It’s a book about ornithological research yet reads almost like a novel. Kroodsma identifies specific birdsong puzzles about which no researcher yet has answers, including problems where diligent amateurs can make discoveries. That’s the point, and the charm, of Birdsong for the Curious Naturalist: Your Guide to Listening.

2020 188

2020 Birds North America Italy 188