10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2022

Or would be, had I encountered more of them – so far, I have seen only a very small share of the approximately 233 woodpecker species, and got decent photos of an even smaller number – not much more than 10% of all of them. The main point of having self-imposed rules when writing a blog is to break them whenever desired.

Woodpeckers 230

Woodpeckers South Africa China Singapore 230

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2021

Being a bit older myself now, I have to point out that young human males usually do not look that good, at least to me. If that band had had to name themselves after a bird species rather than after a surname, they probably would have called themselves the Asian Brown Flycatchers. A juvenile male. The real thing: an adult male.

Birds 227

Birds LACS France Japan 227

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 8, 2022

I was surprised that this species is named for its vocalization – which sounds like laughter. For example, the Diamond Dove is the world’s second-smallest species of the columbidae order ( source ). The Latin species name haematonotus (“blood-backed”) sounds a bit more exciting but not necessarily more accurate.

Australia 147

Australia Birds Parrots Ostriches 147

10,000 Birds

MAY 6, 2016

Rehabbers are very responsive, although constantly living under the gun makes us sometimes vent about species that aren’t necessarily the ones in question. Bats just love to fly into human hair!” Two: Humans are diurnal, which means they are normally active during the day. million-year-old early human.

Wildlife Rehabilitation 177

Wildlife Rehabilitation Porcupines Raccoons Birds 177

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 15, 2021

Apparently, Longcanggou is a great place to see a variety of parrotbill species. I can only partly confirm this, with my sightings restricted to two species. Like many of the largest species within bird families, the Great Parrotbill looks somewhat plain, at least in the weather I encountered it. Yes, there were.

Pandas 205

Pandas Birds Mammals China 205

10,000 Birds

MARCH 27, 2015

At the request of blog management, I’m embarking on a series of posts on the names of birds. Since we’ve covered some generalities already, once a month I’ll be exploring how a species, genus, or family of birds got its name, and how those names fit in with our larger understanding of, and relationship with, birds.

Falcons 259

Falcons Eagles Meat Geese 259

10,000 Birds

JUNE 9, 2022

This is also why you very rarely find a photo of a giraffe on top of one of these posts – the other reason of course being that a giraffe photo would be relatively pointless in a birding blog. While 6 local species utilized these artificial nests, the Chinese Grosbeak did not, preferring its own construction.

Singapore 147

Singapore Birds Mountain Goats Giraffes 147

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 26, 2013

Many species build nests of sticks or mud or spit on human-made structures , or in houses we’ve constructed specifically for their use. Taxonomically, swallows are one of the few families of birds that has seen little change in its ranks. The family is global in its distribution, with 83 species of around 19 genera.

Jordan 184

Jordan Iowa Birds Africa 184

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2015

I still know my audience - this is primarily a blog read by birders in North America, who see the term “squirrel” as little more than a synonym for house sparrow, starling, pest and cholera. Germany, like most of Europe and very much unlike North America, is home to only one species of squirrel.

Squirrels 162

Squirrels North America Germany Europe 162

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

Sure, it’s been well over a month since I returned from my fun-filled, family vacation to Honduras but that doesn’t mean that it’s too late to blog about it, right? The avifauna is distinctly Caribbean as well, with some Caribbean species found only on the islands and nowhere else in Honduras. Taxonomy is fun!

Honduras 154

Honduras Birds Butcher Fish 154

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2015

Bird blogging in May always gives me the creeps. To us on the traditional side of the Atlantic, they’ll always belong to the family Iznogoudae , the birds who want to become warblers instead of the warblers. The genus Passer has several well-recognized and recognizable species in Europe, and still holds several enigmas.

Sparrows 215

Sparrows Italy Asia Austria 215

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2016

The world is still turning, the blog didn’t crash, no anonymous threats against my family on social media … I guess my small series on gulls may continue with part 2 of 3, which will focus on the Herring Gull ‘s second side-kick: Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans. Yes, there are Caspian Gulls on this picture.

Kazakhstan 113

Kazakhstan Germany Ukraine Asia 113

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2019

So, for example, Essay #15, “Individual Variation,” uses Herring Gulls to introduce the concept that one species, even one species at a specific age, can vary widely in appearance. The Checklist is more than a taxonomic listing of species and chapter number and title; it also contains useful notes on each bird family.

Birds 115

Birds North America Breeding America 115

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2013

The smellier the better, particularly as, unusually for birds, many species can boast a robust sense of smell. In any case, our hang-ups with vultures clearly stem from our own issues rather than any inherently bizarre trait of the species themselves. Vultures famously feed on carrion. Dead things. millions years ago.

California Condor 180

California Condor Turkey North America Jordan 180

10,000 Birds

MAY 25, 2011

Alex, who publishes the bird and wildlife blog Birdland West , wants to share sincere feelings about a species near and dear to the hearts of many of us… I’m new to birding, and I’ve lived in urban areas for many years where the bird population is mainly crows and pigeons.

Seattle 211

Seattle Wildlife Rehabilitation Rescue Dogs 211

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2014

So, for example, humans are apes. Fortunately for we humans, placing primates properly phylogenetically in relation to the other mammals requires an act or two of faith at the deeper ends of the family tree, but it is probably true that primates and rodents share a common stock to the exclusion of others, so maybe we are all mice.

Camels 198

Camels Whales Whaling Apes 198

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2013

Always bringing her camera along, Erika is building her life-list by trying to check off at least one new species each week in her field guide. Her blog can be found at: [link]. There were people at the basin, and the most popular species of the day, the semi-professional photographer, was already plentiful that morning.

DC 192

DC Washington Birds Geese 192

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Other birds with webbed feet, including ducks and geese, have only three webbed toes; the hallux (which in birds is usually the “hind toe&# and in humans, the “big toe&# ) is free. For all of recorded history, humans have classified other living things by their physical characteristics.

2011 152

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 152

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 11, 2012

This blog post will discuss both the Big and Little members of these quintuplets. Elephant The big – two species of elephant are now recognized as occuring in Africa, the smaller and more secretive Forest Elephant and the larger, more familiar African or Bush Elephant.

Buffalo 201

Buffalo Rhinoceros Elephants Leopards 201

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 22, 2013

When I look at all these changes condensed into one mesmerizing blog post, the differences seem staggering. Email lists, blogs, websites, forums, Facebook groups, and of course eBird (see below) has completely revolutionized the way birders get their business handled. Let’s get to it then. 2) The internet has changed everything.

San Diego 170

San Diego California Condor California Bald Eagle 170

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

Bad developments indeed, particularly as the White-backed Vulture was found to be a good avian biomonitor species – if it does badly, most likely the environment as a whole will do badly, too. Since the last time it was made fun of in my blog, the Marabu Stork has not gotten any prettier.

Elephants 147

Elephants Birds Congo Africa 147

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2022

And learn that the Latin species name concinnus is more interesting than the English one – it means “elegant, neat, pleasing” (according to the HBW). These photos were taken in early March – the species looks more attractive in its summer breeding plumage. If this is what you want to read, go there. 0 out of 3.

Birds 147

Birds Humane Family Germany 147

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 17, 2024

Ardent readers of this blog would realise by now that I have been chronicling a few days spent in Guyana last year – I felt that a single post or two would invariably exclude far too many sightings of note. Familiar, but beautiful regardless: Blue-headed Parrot Another small parrot species landed on a tree in the distance.

Guyana 208

Guyana Parrots Trinidad Woodpeckers 208

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2023

Even the Latin species name soror (“sister”) indicates the similarity to another pitta species (blue-naped). The eBird description of the Small Niltava starts with the surprisingly dull statement that “size distinguishes this species from other niltavas” Who would have thought.

China 226

China Birds Pythons Eagles 226

10,000 Birds

JUNE 27, 2022

There are quite a few raptor species around Skukuza. Most likely, the devil, not god created this species. While some bustards are the largest bird species capable of flight, the Black-bellied Bustard is only mid-sized. There is also a much older blog post on 10,000 Birds (by Adam Riley) specifically on Africa’s Barbets.

Birds 147

Birds Africa Eagles Barn Owls 147

10,000 Birds

JUNE 9, 2020

The authors are Bianca Lopez ( The New School ), Emily Minor ( University of Illinois at Chicago ), and Andrew Crooks ( George Mason University ), and the article is “ Insights into human-wildlife interactions in cities from bird sightings recorded online.”. Why are birds a good proxy for broader human-wildlife interactions?

Chicago 268

Chicago Research Illinois Michigan 268

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

Sometimes I just want to hug eBird, or more specifically, whoever writes the short species descriptions (even though I am not the typical hugging kind of person, trust me on this). The Plain Sunbird is the plain vanilla version of the otherwise often very colorful family (ok, a very low-budget sort of joke). “Dull, me?

Los Angeles 184

Los Angeles Birds Woodpeckers Owls 184

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2020

I should add that the Big Owls taking over NYC social and even hard print media, dominating conversations with my nonbirder friends and family, are not the only owls in the five boroughs, but like a musical, the closer you are to Broadway, the closer you are to fame and fortune (and maybe even a higher quality rodent for dinner, who knows?).

New York City 185

New York City Birds Owls Fox 185

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2017

The guide covers 520 species of birds regularly found in the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, including, interestingly, a number of exotic species. There is also a traditional index to bird species, by common and scientific name. Species Accounts are arranged taxonomically, grouped by family.

North America 168

North America America Birds New York 168

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2012

It’s my fantasy and it’s yours: Quit the job, say good-bye to the family, and bird. And, to give his dream year a little more oomph, he created a grand once-in-a-lifetime goal: to track down and see every pitta species in the world in one year. The books work best when the birding is coupled with the human element.

Hunters 192

Hunters Sri Lanka Asia Solomon Islands 192

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2013

Sure, they may lack the audacious colors of jays or the imposing attitudes of raptors, but it is wrens, with jaunty tails and brazen attitudes and ringing, rambling voices, that re on anyone’s short list of favorite garden birds for almost as long as humans have paid attention to birds. Which, of course, is why we call them troglodytes.

Jordan 196

Jordan Birds North America Tenant 196

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2011

Nice. ((** all names have been changed to protect identities and have been substituted with (almost) randomly chosen substitutes suitable for a family of Alpine Accentors.)) He also blogs for birdingblogs.com 19 Responses to “Polygynandry and the Alpine Accentor&# Corey Mar 15th, 2011 at 1:49 pm Nobody tell Daisy, OK?

2011 209

2011 Breeders Breeding Deer 209

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2011

A whole bunch of you responded and shared your best birds either in blog post form, email form, or in our comments. Kirby Adams had a magical experience with his Best Bird of the Year and he blogged about it on his blog, Sharp Tern. My family also farms so that limits places we are able to go throughout the year.

2011 161

2011 Birds Ohio North Dakota 161

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2011

March 14, 2011 Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Jon Gassett, Commissioner One Sportsman’s Lane Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 Dear Mr. Gassett, I am a writer, naturalist and artist with a special interest in human/bird interactions. Nationwide, wildlife watchers now outspend hunters 6 to 1.

2011 245

2011 Kentucky Tennessee Hunting 245

10,000 Birds

MAY 19, 2011

Even if you don’t live in the summer range of a particular species, you may have opportunities to observe it while it passes through, especailly if you live in an active flyway, like I happen to. Way back when I started what turned out to be my thesis research (on humans), it became important for me to learn about bird migration.

Research 191

Research Humane Compassion New York 191

10,000 Birds

MARCH 20, 2011

It may be as sick as deliberately targeting an endangered species for death. Birders know that the light’s not always perfect or even particularly good when you’re trying to tell one species from another. Speculation is useless in acts of vandalism. It may be as simple as trying to hit the big white one. The big white one. It flies on.

2011 242

2011 Hunting Kentucky Hunters 242

10,000 Birds

JULY 26, 2011

By joining the staff and walking through these hallowed cyberhalls, I will have, in effect, elevated 10,000 Birds to the status of the indisputable Greatest Birding Blog In The World…and who wouldn’t want to write for that? Quiz 2 Hint: There are two (2) species in this photograph. I was left completely blind and crippled.

Inhumane 182

Inhumane United States Science Birds 182