10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

It feels good to start a post with some truly attractive birds – such as two species of broadbills. Strangely, there do not seem to be many papers on this species. In one paper , you can find fascinating sentences such as “The new species is most similar to D. You can see why here.

Birds 211

Birds Sri Lanka Taiwan Cats 211

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2020

Just yesterday I learned that the Barn Owl ( Tyto alba ) is the only breeding bird found in New York that has been documented nesting in every month of the year. This bit of trivia was given in an article in my local bird club’s monthly newsletter about the ongoing breeding bird atlas in New York State.

2017 233

2017 Barn Owls Rodents Owls 233

10,000 Birds

JUNE 16, 2022

From one side, the reserve is under the attack of spreading arable fields, from another by numerous wind generators and it is no easy task to support the surviving breeding birds within its borders. After my trip, I followed the news of this species closely. He asks if the wind generators can influence the bird numbers? Males reach 1.2

Gazelles 255

Gazelles India 2012 Pakistan 255

Critter News

AUGUST 22, 2010

In 2000, around 1,000 breeding pairs were known, but by 2009, the number had plummeted to just 120-220 pairs, a decline of 88%. During that time, adult survival appeared unchanged and breeding success was reasonable, but the recruitment of young birds back into the adult population was zero in all but one of the years studied. "The

Species 100

Species Myanmar Endangered Species Russia 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 23, 2021

It was also great to finally travel overseas again, meet a lot of people I did not know (and some I did), to be in a new country… and not just the new country, but its best birding area, where almost all local hotspots are yellow (150+ species) and several are ochre (200+ sp.), impressive for Central Europe.

Austria 297

Austria Factory Asia Battery 297

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 18, 2021

Two more aspects contribute to bird diversity: these are the inner city waters, so hunting is forbidden, and the Danube rarely freezes, and even then it would be the last water to freeze. Yes, other species easier to spot in winter include the Long-eared Owl and the Peregrine , but I am not going to discuss their whereabouts openly.

Serbia 297

Serbia Birds Woodpeckers Ducks 297

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

The islands of the Caribbean are home to 176 species of endemic birds unevenly distributed across the region. Some islands host one or two species, others more than twenty. For some species, conservation actions are well underway and we are seeing some measure of positive impact as a result.

Grenada 130

Grenada Parrots Trinidad 2010 130

10,000 Birds

JULY 12, 2023

Swifts are aplenty, one is likely to see Gray-rumped , Band-rumped , or Short-tailed Swift hunting insects each morning. One step away from swifts are hummingbirds, and at least 13 species of these winged jewels flutter about from sunrise to sunset. Interesting.

Trinidad 229

Trinidad Barn Owls Owls Reptiles 229

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 23, 2023

This is how it looks like: Or at sunset: A species I did not come for from Shanghai is the Black-crowned Night Heron. Its species name graydoni is in honor of Philip Newenham Graydon (1864-1940), a British planter in Sabah. Why that makes Mr. Graydon worthy of having a bird species named after him is a mystery to me.

Birds 215

Birds Eagles Elephants Rhinoceros 215

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

Their habitats vary widely in both rural and urban landscapes; open habitats are preferred and the species generally shuns only extensively forested areas and wetlands 1. To show how adaptive this species is, the following photograph was sent to me by one of my readers and I use it with her permission. www.youtube.com/watch?v=44fNo6B5gUI.

Hunters 175

Hunters Hunting North America Game 175

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2019

a British expat birder who was living in Belgrade, for a suggestion: “The top species is undoubtedly White-tailed Eagle. commented further: “With a little work some species can be seen quite easily such as the divers, scaup, scoter, Goosander , Garganey and Long-eared Owl. Black Storks migrate along and breed in the Danube flood zone.

Serbia 249

Serbia Birds Woodpeckers Breeding 249

10,000 Birds

MAY 13, 2022

For once, eBird gives a good description of the Asian Glossy Starling, calling it a “Fierce-looking, large songbird” As are humans, this species is fairly urbanized – it “sometimes enters urban areas to roost, e.g. in Singapore” (HBW). Lucky ducks. “Odd, me?”

Singapore 218

Singapore Birds Zebras Feral 218

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2011

Bald Eagle image is by Francois Portmann and is used with permission You know, I’ve been thinking about this whole dustup over hunting cranes in Tennessee and now Kentucky. I think it’s time to hunt Sandhill Cranes. We’ve always hunted Bald Eagles. There was a lot of hunting for Bald Eagles—it is traditionally a game species.

Bald Eagle 255

Bald Eagle Eagles Hunting Kentucky 255

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 19, 2013

The number of people who hunt waterfowl in the US has declined since the mid 1990s. From the abstract of the study: Current waterfowl populations provide liberal hunting seasons, but waterfowl hunter numbers have declined since the mid–1990s. This has resulted in a reduction of the number of duck stamps sold.

Ducks 211

Ducks Hunters Hunting Wildlife 211

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2014

Many may find the inclusion of the Osprey into a post on German eagles odd, but the German name of the Osprey translates to “Fish Eagle”, and German birders would find it self-evident to include the species here. Ospreys have shown a remarkable recovery in Germany. Go Eagles!! all the way to Saxony. Short-toed Snake Eagle.

Eagles 168

Eagles Germany Breeding Hunting 168

10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2015

Further down the road, we reach a derelict building with a large veranda hidden among the trees – an abandoned hunting lodge (if I were in a situation to invest, I would choose to upgrade this into a luxury wildlife lodge). Birds included common species such as Black Drongos , Jungle Babblers and a Hoopoe.

Tigers 237

Tigers Dogs India Snow Leopard 237

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2022

According to the HBW, there are 41 species of African Barbets and 34 species of Asian Barbets. There are also 14 species of New World Barbets and 2 species of Toucan-Barbets (all in South America). Might have something to do with the fact that they were hunted here until quite recently).

South Africa 204

South Africa Africa India China 204

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 19, 2019

And here in Europe, they are the real deal, an indigenous species and not domesticated animals gone wild. When I reached the levee earlier that morning, I met an elderly hunter from whom I learned that there was an ongoing duck and pheasant hunt, but no one was shooting from, nor towards the embankment, hence I should be safe there.

Serbia 244

Serbia Otters Boars Eagles 244

10,000 Birds

JULY 17, 2011

As you’ll remember, Kentucky’s Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources unanimously passed its sandhill crane hunting proposal. The public comment period on the Kentucky sandhill crane hunting proposal ends AUGUST 1 2011. Here are six top reasons to protest this hunt. Why put additional pressure on a recovering species?

Kentucky 260

Kentucky Hunters Hunting Protest 260

10,000 Birds

MAY 11, 2018

There are an additional 1,200 acres of surrounding protected refuge, supporting a documented 525 bird species! In the park proper, 358 species have been recorded. One of the highlights of birding in this Texas state park is the chance to see five owl species that breed here. Stygian Owl. Photo by © Hector Bottai.

Texas 151

Texas Owls Barn Owls Hunting 151

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 19, 2016

Photo above by Louise Hunt, courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology) At just about 5,000 individuals, Florida’s only exclusive endemic is Endangered. And with the bird’s oak scrub habitat rapidly disappearing , scientists are searching for ways to preserve the species. Take the Florida Scrub-Jay. ”

Florida 176

Florida Research California Hunting 176

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 5, 2020

Striated Heron in breeding plumage – extra plumes and blue lores. Scores of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks circled overhead, these vocal ducks are often hunted illegally here so it was refreshing to see so many. Especially as we were at the time about to experience a rapidly advancing tropical storm. Great Blue Heron.

Livestock 211

Livestock Ducks ALA illegal 211

10,000 Birds

APRIL 22, 2021

Just last year, 5 new bird species and 5 new subspecies were discovered in a few short weeks of fieldwork on the islands of Taliabu, Peleng and Batudaka. In recent years Indonesia has been competing with the Andes as the region giving rise to the biggest number of undescribed bird species (naturally, all of them endemics).

Indonesia 264

Indonesia Timor Brunei Guinea 264

10,000 Birds

MAY 31, 2015

We call it a “mouse gradation year” I was not able to find a catchy English term for “gradation year” – it’s what happens when a certain species showing population cycles reaches a peak year. The kestrels , on the other hand, will more frequently hunt from low perches. Gotta be mouse gradation.

Fox 164

Fox Rodents Gophers Germany 164

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 27, 2014

The official definition of CR status says the species could be gone within ten years, or could lose 80 per cent of its population within three generations – whichever comes first. Sociable Lapwings breed in several areas along the Kazakhstani – Russian border and overwinter in Iraq, Sudan and northwest India. Gujarat, December 2010.

India 245

India Sudan Ukraine Camels 245

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

It’s always tragic when a species goes extinct. But that tragedy is compounded when the species at risk is a country’s national bird. The sighting suggests that for all its struggles with habitat loss and hunting, the species is still managing to reproduce. Image of banded Ma’oma’o from Samoanbirds.com).

Samoa 170

Samoa Bald Eagle Campaign Hunting 170

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

These large parrots are popular in the pet trade, and that’s a likely source of the population of this species on Trinidad. As I neared the shore, I spooked a hunting Striated Heron who in turn spooked a Neotropic Cormorant hunting the shallow water. But I quickly realized this was no slow morning. Crested Oropendola.

Trinidad 202

Trinidad Birds Parrots Falcons 202

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2016

I almost missed it, but New Zealand lost another endemic species recently. Now I’ve written before about how careless this country is with species, having lost around 60 endemics since the arrival of man to introduced species and hunting. Broadly speaking the case seems to be that it isn’t different enough.

New Zealand 108

New Zealand Hunting Australia Species 108

10,000 Birds

APRIL 11, 2012

There cannot be many ABA area breeding birds harder to get than those that only breed on the remotest tips of the north of North America and then fly off to places that aren’t on the major continental flyways. It’s also fun to think about the massive disparity between the winter and summer range of the species.

North America 180

North America Fiji Hawaii America 180

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2020

The book is divided into three parts: “Introduction,” “Avifaunal Overview,” and “Species Accounts.” The authors’ detailed delineation of problems with the accuracy of NYC breeding bird surveys or with the limits of historical writings may test a reader’s patience. Most birders will go straight to the “Species Accounts.”

New York City 149

New York City New York Birds Breeding 149

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2014

My Dark-eyed Juncos are trilling in preparation to retreat to quieter breeding grounds, the Black-Capped Chickadees sing their two notes, and the Song Sparrows absolutely will not shut up. Snow Geese overgrazing their breeding grounds, displacing other Arctic-breeding species and setting themselves up for a fall.

Geese 179

Geese Montana Breeding Pelicans 179

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2016

With wild populations in the Middle East estimated in the mere hundreds, any and every threat can have devastating results to the species’ long-term survival. Add to hunting, poisoning, and habitat loss and disturbance yet another man-made danger: war.

Syria 100

Syria Turkey Hunting Humane 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 27, 2014

It is also known for the 500 exotic species of animals and plants that now call the Sunshine State home. Exotic species are animals that did not historically occur in Florida. One such species is the familiar mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). The New Zealand Grey Duck is nearly extinct as species.

Florida 204

Florida Ducks New Zealand Feral 204

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2018

It is a fascinating world of swampy forests of willow and poplar, inhabited by Black Storks , White-tailed Eagles , Eastern Olivaceous and Icterine Warblers (above), among more than 200 other species. Locations, dates, species and numbers, right? Among the common species, Nagy mentions the Corn Crake.

Beavers 119

Beavers Serbia Eagles Hungary 119

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2015

APRIL 12: Second flight of a b h and then she hunts. ” Falcons do hunt pigeons, we all know that, but what is a Kamikaze pigeon? Take the Saker for example: with 52 to 64 breeding pairs ten years ago, Serbia held 13 per cent of the European population of this Globally Threatened species ( source ).

Switzerland 192

Switzerland Serbia Feral Falcons 192

10,000 Birds

MAY 19, 2012

It has recently been reclassified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List; this category is reserved for only the most threatened species in the world. If this bird did become extinct, it would be the first pheasant species to have been lost in the 400 years since proper records began.

Vietnam 154

Vietnam 2000 Germany Groups 154

10,000 Birds

APRIL 27, 2011

Last week I introduced the Great Frigatebird , one of five species of man-o-war bird. I got rather carried away showing all the plumages you can see around a breeding colony, which means I had to split my post on the species into two. A surface snatch on the wing. That said, it is possible to see them doing it sometimes.

Albatross 163

Albatross Birds Hawaii Philippines 163