10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2021

There was a time when I thought each bird species had its own individual song. Then I found out that there was this vocalization called a ‘call,’ so I thought each bird species had its own individual song (but just the males) and individual call. Bird communication is a complex and evolving science.

North America 279

North America Research Birds Groups 279

10,000 Birds

MAY 11, 2019

In the birding world, May is the beautiful time. With birds bedecked in their breeding best and filling the air with song, this is migration at its loveliest. A wonderful variety of bird species are waiting to be seen and among them are many a birder’s favorite avian group, the wood-warblers. Habitat at Las Brisas.

Costa Rica 191

Costa Rica Species Belize New Jersey 191

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

It feels good to start a post with some truly attractive birds – such as two species of broadbills. If you like cute birds, you will probably like the Black-and-yellow Broadbill. Homework assignment: Is the bird in this video a male or a female? Strangely, there do not seem to be many papers on this species.

Birds 227

Birds Sri Lanka Taiwan Cats 227

10,000 Birds

MAY 28, 2022

Today, along with teams in a few other parts of Costa Rica and elsewhere, I will be birding for a cause, watching birds to help one that only lives in Costa Rica, the Cabanis’s Ground-Sparrow. Although this endemic is high on the most wanted list of many visiting birders, unfortunately, it’s not an easy bird to see.

Costa Rica 250

Costa Rica Sparrows Raised Birds 250

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 2, 2024

Bird Day is a lovely, little jewel of a book. The idea is to portray one bird for each hour of the day in words and art, presenting the diversity, beauty, and wonder of avian life. Angell’s black-and-white illustrations bring sparks of energy and visual clarity to the fascinating bird behaviors described by Huber.

Chicago 193

Chicago Barn Owls Penguins New Zealand 193

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

This, 2022, has been a curious year for books about birds and birding. Here are ten titles (it could have been more) selected for their uniqueness, excellence in writing and research, and giftability. Dragan]: Europe’s Birds: An Identification Guide , by Hume, Still, Swash, and Harrop is a photographic guide.

Sri Lanka 241

Sri Lanka Malaysia Birds Suriname 241

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 23, 2023

Sukau birding essentially means staying in a more-or-less comfortable lodge on the banks of the Kinatabagan river, and taking boat tours on more-or-less rickety boats on the river. This is how it looks like: Or at sunset: A species I did not come for from Shanghai is the Black-crowned Night Heron. Different perspectives.

Birds 230

Birds Eagles Elephants Rhinoceros 230

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2022

Not just to bird, but equally to rest, reset and restart. And also, to bird. Three years ago I asked American birders which foreign countries they dream of birding, and with more than one fifth of all answers, Costa Rica turned to hold a very strong first place. It was close to 5 a.m., I was literally awake at 3 a.m.,

Costa Rica 254

Costa Rica San Jose Nepal Europe 254

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2022

Thank you, goddess of birding luck and text group people).* My inner self felt stuck in an area between disbelief and total joy and the voices near me were echoing this state of mind: “Oh My God,” “I never thought I would see this bird,” “Look at that bill!” “How did that bird get here?”

Birds 263

Birds Compassion Eagles Science 263

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

Pop music is all well and good for people, but how do birds know the way, when it comes to flying? If you’ve ever wondered how ancient birds learned to transition from land to air, then an article in Smithsonian has you covered. Researchers plotted eBird sightings against satellite imagery of U.S. The verdict?

Research 188

Research Birds Cats Rights 188

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2023

It is home to four diverse forest ecosystems (deciduous, mixed, boreal, and lowlands), experiences seasonal weather systems ranging from cold dry Arctic winters to humid, thunder-storm filled summers, and, according to the latest official checklist, hosts four professional sports teams with bird names.* state and Canadian provinces.

North America 225

North America Birds Owls America 225

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 22, 2022

It is not particularly big but has a reported 430 bird species including migrants, though during my short stay it seems I missed most of the key attractions among them. It goes like this: While fishing, the bird tucks its head down and uses its wings to create a shady area. Pel’s Fishing Owl, where were you?

South Africa 147

South Africa Africa Birds Research 147

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

If you followed Dorian’s adventures on his Big Year blog, Biking for Birds , you are familiar with many of these stories, but not the major one, the internal journey that was going on inside Dorian’s mind as he pedaled and birded: his history and multi-year struggle with alcoholism and related addictions.

Birds 228

Birds Los Angeles Massachusetts New York City 228

10,000 Birds

APRIL 8, 2024

This post starts like every birding blog post should start – by showcasing some bulbul species. According to the highly successful book ” 7 Habits of Highly Successful Birding Blog Post Writers”, only about 50% of birding blog posts should start with bulbuls). Yes, I am joking.

Birds 150

Birds Owls China Research 150

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 23, 2023

As usual, my experience with such boardwalks was somewhat underwhelming, as was Eshowe as a whole, but there were still a few birds worth mentioning at the forest and in the area surrounding Eshowe. There are actually much nicer photos of the Purple-crested Turaco in another blog post of mine, Birding Mkuze. It must be frustrating.

South Africa 147

South Africa Africa Birds 2018 147

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

Birds of Belize by Steve N. Howell and Dale Dyer and Birds of Costa Rica by Dale Dyer and Steve N. An associated issue is that the Belize and Costa Rica guides share many of the same descriptions of species, written by Howell. Two books, two authors, two countries bursting with neotropical avian diversity. © 2023 by Steve N.

Costa Rica 227

Costa Rica Belize El Salvador Birds 227

10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2021

During a chilly Florida day (yes, we have those) a few months ago, I drove thirty minutes outside of Tallahassee to a co-worker’s house for the singular purpose of checking out her bird feeders. Surrounded by native plants and at the edge of the woods, her feeders were always hotspots for interesting migratory and wintering species.

Florida 264

Florida Breeding Birds Sparrows 264

10,000 Birds

MAY 24, 2017

I asked Virginia Guhin, Education Programs Coordinator of the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve (ES NERR). We walked some of the trails at the reserve, and I had spotted a large bird hovering in mid-air, almost like a helicopter, just with more flapping. Life-bird for me! Historic buildings at Elkhorn Slough.

Research 101

Research Birds Virginia Protection 101

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 3, 2023

Everyone loves baby birds; 10,000 Birds even had a Baby Bird Week once upon a time! Baby birds are cuteness personified, possibly even more so than other baby animals, including human babies, and pose interesting questions of survival and development. Aren’t they usually in their nest with their parents?”

Wildlife Rehabilitation 270

Wildlife Rehabilitation Birds Family Collecting 270

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

One good thing about birding during a pandemic–the forced restrictions on place and time translate into more time to observe what birds do. Bird behavior–endlessly fascinating, but so much still hidden and unknown. Extreme behaviors also push scientists to look at birds in new ways.

Research 238

Research Birds Science Costa Rica 238

10,000 Birds

MAY 4, 2021

Louisiana is a magical place to bird. At the same time I was ogling Scissor-tailed Flycatchers and Upland Sandpipers, Marybeth Lima was also birding Louisiana. Chapter Two is a potpourri of stories about nemesis birds, birding by ear, birding for science, under the rubric of birding ‘for the love of it.’

Louisiana 264

Louisiana Species Mississippi Alabama 264

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

While these birds are very much liked by Chinese birders, the species could unfortunately not be named the National Bird of China as the Latin species name of the bird is Grus Japonicus. it would not be the national bird of the USA either. Incompetent photographers can always blame the bird.

Birds 216

Birds Eggs Bald Eagle Owls 216

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2015

Gustave Axelson has a nice breakdown of a recent genetic analysis of redpolls on Cornell’s All About Birds Blog : Mason and Taylor looked beyond the plumage into strands of the birds’ DNA in the most extensive look ever at the redpoll genome. Birds redpoll taxonomy and systematics winter finches' It sure looks like it!

Species 223

Species Switzerland Groups Europe 223

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2021

10,000 Birds is running a series of articles by and about tour guides, tour companies, eco-lodges, and other birding travel organizations. We want to help the birding tourism industry come back strong from the COVID pandemic. The beautiful White-tipped Quetzal, one of the Endemic Birds of the Santa Marta Mountains, Colombia.

Colombia 245

Colombia Industry Birds 2000 245

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 2, 2021

This shouldn’t have to be stated, especially in a book on bird evolution by an evolutionary biologist with a Ph.D. How Birds Evolve: What Science Reveals about Their Origin, Lives, and Diversity by Douglas J. Futuyma is a synthesis of theory and research about evolution and birds. that’s three birds).

Science 228

Science Albatross Research Birds 228

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2024

I was participating as a speaker and guide in the Third Bird Festival of Michoacán. The key word here may be “Third” [Bird Festival, that is]. Birding in Michoacán, and indeed, in Mexico, is quite a new activity. Well, Chester Lamb was a researcher for University of California, Berkeley… who died in 1965.

Lamb 217

Lamb 2017 Abandon Abandoning 217

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 13, 2021

The Great Backyard Bird Count kicked off yesterday, and will continue throughout the weekend before ending on the 15th. The idea is simple: birders from around the world count birds at least one time for at least fifteen minutes, and submit their data through eBird or the Merlin Bird ID app. The highlights? A fine start to GBBC!

Florida 260

Florida Birds Pelicans Geese 260

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 16, 2021

On the other hand, a tunnel is built under the Mengbishan pass, which may mean that eventually a nice high-altitude stretch of the road may be bypassed by through traffic, giving some more peace to the birds (and birders). Still, birds such as the spectacular Blood Pheasant make it worthwhile. A Buff-barred Warbler , apparently.

China 232

China Birds Research Rights 232

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2015

Birders head to Costa Rica to see stunners like Resplendent Quetzal , Three-wattled Bellbird , Orange-collared Manakin , fancy hummingbirds , tanagers, and literally hundreds of other birds. These and several other species might end up being armchair ticks if and when we take a closer look at their evolutionary history.

Costa Rica 223

Costa Rica Species South America America 223

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2024

The chapter titles of Feather Trails: A Journey of Discovery Among Endangered Birds represent both ends of the spectrum: “A World Full of Poisons,” “Malaria,” “Forest Intruders,” “Lead Shock,” “Shot.” Endangered. Extinction. Conservation. It’s not easy.

California Condor 191

California Condor Falcons California Birds 191

10,000 Birds

MAY 20, 2023

But does ChatGPT have even a rudimentary understanding of a niche topic like birding? I asked it a few questions about birding locations and the (unedited) results are below, along with some brief analysis. Please note that the availability of specific bird species may vary depending on the season.

United States 162

United States Michigan Texas Virginia 162

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2022

In 2007 I was working in a university building that was just begging for bird feeders. This was where I set up my bird feeders, just one at first, then expanding as everyone expressed delight in seeing the Carolina Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Downy Woodpeckers. There were no dead birds for weeks. I hoped it was an anomaly.

New York City 261

New York City Birds Illinois Science 261

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2023

Chinese Penduline T**s are not particularly woke birds. White’s Thrush is described as “burly” on eBird – not entirely unjustified, I guess, but this description fails to capture the way the intricate patterns of the bird make for great camouflage and also for its own kind of beauty. Maybe the grandparents help.

Birds 212

Birds Blackbirds Indonesia Bhutan 212

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

Of course, it is hard to justify such an obsession in a blog post ostensibly all about birds. But now I do, courtesy of Phoebe Bridgers: “ Nothing else matters “ I have not figured out a link to birding yet). Fortunately, the lack of eBird lists does not mean there is a lack of birds. Neither had the wife.

China 243

China Birds Nevada North America 243

10,000 Birds

APRIL 15, 2024

On the other hand, their white color and their considerable size made me see them as somewhat arrogant birds – the white Golf convertible of the bird world. And now we get to the part of the post in which I briefly and unscientifically mention a few research papers on the species to have a reason to post a few more of my photos.

China 227

China Iceland Whales Whaling 227

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2020

If you want to write a bird guide, you should have guided people yourself. Howell and Fabrice Schmitt: both of them are international bird tour leaders with WINGS. Birds of Chile – A Photo Guide has 240 pages and more than 1,000 photos accompanied by a brief text to make bird ID easy. And that is what recommends Steve N.

Chile 213

Chile Birds South America North America 213

10,000 Birds

JUNE 9, 2022

With the lockdown lasting until the end of May (ironically thus pretty much including the whole spring migration – the divine sense of humor is a rather malign one, I am afraid), June still had the freedom of birding anywhere in Shanghai, not just inside a smallish compound. Accessorizing for birds.

Singapore 147

Singapore Birds Mountain Goats Giraffes 147