10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2014

There is a fantastic paper just out in Science : “Sustained miniaturization and anatomoical innovation in the dinosaurian anceestors of birds” by Michael Lee, Andrea Cau, Darren Naishe and Gareth Dyke. The paper that just came out in science has the following spectacular conclusion. Science , 345 (6196 ), 562–566.

Camels 204

Camels Whales Whaling Apes 204

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2020

That’s pretty amazing–Bolivia has more bird species than India! The source of this ranking, BirdLife International, lists Bolivia as currently having 1,439 bird species, including 18 breeding endemics. The guide covers 1,433 species, the number of birds documented at the end of 2014, the cutoff point for the book.

Bolivia 181

Bolivia Birds Brazil Switzerland 181

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

Nate Swick is a contributor to 10,000 Birds, American Birding Association (ABA) blog editor and event leader, and environmental educator. For example, on finding gulls: Close study of gulls is not for everyone, and birders shouldn’t feel obligated to get deep into it if you prefer colorful, less-confusing, families of birds.

Birds 263

Birds North Carolina North America Owls 263

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2019

Written in a friendly, inclusive style quietly grounded in science, How to Know the Birds is an excellent addition to the growing list of birding essay books by talented birder/writers like Pete Dunne and Kenn Kaufman.

Birds 115

Birds North America Breeding America 115

10,000 Birds

JUNE 3, 2014

Hugh Powell is a science editor at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Eight days with 20 of the world’s top birding guides looking for some 1,000 species and three dozen endemics. You can see as many hummingbird species as the folks at Magee Marsh are seeing warbler species—during 25 minutes on a Sunday afternoon.

Peru 255

Peru Birds South America Owls 255

10,000 Birds

APRIL 10, 2012

Originally they were all placed in the family Capitonidae , but over time taxonomists have determined that actual relationships between these barbets are far more complex. They are generally cryptic species and despite frequent extended bouts of calling, their ventriloquial skills make them tricky to locate. Benson to collect birds.

Ethiopia 240

Ethiopia Tanzania Africa Uganda 240

10,000 Birds

JUNE 5, 2018

So many species that change eye color or leg color as they age. This encyclopedic identification guide covered 43 species in 608 pages, and was illustrated with both Hans Larsson’s exceptional artwork and color photographs by multiple photographers. Describing gull plumage is a combination of science, graphic art, and visual metaphor.

2004 161

2004 North America America Europe 161

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 174

San Diego California Condor California Bald Eagle 174

10,000 Birds

APRIL 1, 2014

When my friend Victoria, who lives in Georgia and who is an avid birder but who is not an avid reader of blogs and social media, asked me “Should I buy the new Sibley? I’m going to start with a specific example: species accounts for Common Tern and Arctic Tern. Sometimes it takes an unexpected question. But, always to the right.

North America 247

North America Birds Species America 247

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. There you have it birders.

Inhumane 190

Inhumane United States Science Birds 190

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2014

White-bellied Parrot was one of many target species at either of the canopy towers. ” At first light, many of the larger canopy species commute and call from the canopy: parrots, cotingas, guans, and toucans. Time for conversation, discussion about culture, cuisine, science, or politics, and the sightings of that morning.

Otters 160

Otters Parrots Birds Brazil 160

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2015

Let us know in the comments what your Best Bird of the Year for 2015 was as well and, if you have a link to a blog post, photos, or whatever else you want to share make sure to include it. During my previous five trips to Indonesia, I only heard but never caught a glimpse of three species. We want to hear about yours too!

2015 188

2015 Costa Rica Birds Sparrows 188

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 29, 2011

Before my trip to Washington the only species of puffin I had ever seen in the wild was the puffin of the Atlantic Ocean, the appropriately named Atlantic Puffin. The first obstacle was getting to the general range of the species, which is the west coast from northern California to Alaska and across to Russia.* I love puffins.

Washington 174

Washington Protection Puffins Rhinoceros 174

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2011

Among these white-headed/dark-winged gulls formerly lumped into the genus Larus , there were 18+ recognized species the last time I checked, sharing similarities that make telling them apart for the amateur birdwatcher very difficult. 1998), then the proper name for this species is L. fuscus – should be separated as species.

2011 157

2011 Cyprus Deer Species 157

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 5, 2014

Bird blogging owes its existence to an MIT Media lab page called Open Diary (no. 88, 1994), but the blogging frenzy didn’t take off till the launch of Pyra lab’s Blogger.com in 1999, now owned by Google. Poro-prism binoculars (no. 39), were first sold by Carl Zeiss in 1894, but date back to an Italian design patented in 1854.

Collecting 173

Collecting Mauritius Egypt Cyprus 173

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2011

Hunting sandhill cranes in Kentucky is a bad idea from a public relations standpoint, considering the growing cadre of birders and nature enthusiasts for whom cranes are a touchstone species. Initiating a hunting season on a large, charismatic species like a crane is no way to resuscitate hunting. I overlooked the date.

2011 254

2011 Kentucky Tennessee Hunting 254

10,000 Birds

JUNE 22, 2011

Large areas of the islands are taken over as the breeding grounds of the Western Gull , a large bird that is without question the most ornery member of the family I have ever encountered. And it isn’t just on the ground or an occasional accidental hazard. well pretty much roll around in the stuff.

Breeding 187

Breeding Stray Seals Whales 187

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. Itcher birds, migratory members of the tern family. The birds do the flying for you. Specifically, Itcher Tern. Image source.

Research 201

Research Humane Compassion New York 201

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 243

2011 Hunting Kentucky Hunters 243