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Streaks, Variegations, and Pirates

10,000 Birds

The birds I’m referring to in this post are all flycatchers that occupy woody, forest habitat; but they are very infrequently in the same place at the same time. Unlike brood parasites, they raise their own young in their pirated nest. Sometimes they may redecorate a bit within the nest with dead leaves or other material.

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Birding Yibin, Sichuan

10,000 Birds

The Latin species name alphonsiana refers to Prof. And its eBird description as a “large and spectacular pheasant”, which – you guessed it – probably refers to the male. But then, would a lady pheasant be pleased to be described as “large”? What a weird world. Better watch them in the wild.

Italy 181
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Birding Singapore

10,000 Birds

The Asian Koel is a cuckoo species and thus freed from the obligation to raise its own chicks (though the birds like to refer to themselves as brood parasites, which sounds a bit less obviously selfish). Would it worry you to sit next to me on a plane or train and listen to this kind of information for several hours?

Singapore 210
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Birding Shanghai in May 2023 – Part 1

10,000 Birds

During the breeding season, some Cattle Egrets look like teenage girls who have just discovered the existence of make-up, and consequently massively overdo it. While having somebody else raise your chicks like an attractive strategy to me, it is not without dangers. It is probably all downhill from here. What’s next?

Birds 130
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The Lesser Goldfinch: A Common California Species

10,000 Birds

Unlike the more common American Goldfinch, the Lesser Goldfinch’s ( Spinus psaltria ) plumage does not change color during breeding season. The female Lesser Goldfinch can sometimes be confused with the female American Goldfinch in breeding plumage. It was great fun watching them raise their young that summer.

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Laughing at you, not with you

10,000 Birds

The Blue-crowned Laughingthrush (Wuyuan) is listed as Critically Endangered, as there are only about 250-280 birds spending the breeding season in Northeastern Jiangxi (and according to the HBW, it is not clear where they spend the non-breeding period).

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The American White Pelican Scoops Up Fish As It Swims

10,000 Birds

They occur mainly in western and southern portions of North America, breeding inland in colonies on remote islands and wintering along warm southern coasts 1. In breeding plumage, adult American White Pelicans have a distinct “centerboard&# or “horn&# on the ridge of their bill. www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEWUbe7ec4E

Pelicans 165