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Birds and Us: A 12,000 Year History from Cave Art to Conservation–A Book Review

10,000 Birds

They may be about bird eggs ( The Most Perfect Thing: The Inside (and Outside) of a Bird’s Egg , 2016), or a 17th-century ornithologist ( Virtuoso by Nature: The Scientific Worlds of Francis Willughby, 2016), or How Bullfinches learn songs from humans ( The Wisdom of Birds: An Illustrated History of Ornithology.

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Altruism, Albatrosses, and Vicious Young Men

10,000 Birds

Laysan albatrosses are ocean-dwelling seabirds who have 6-foot wingspans, weigh 7-8 pounds, occasionally sleep while flying, and rarely land except to raise their chicks. The oldest Laysan albatross was last seen raising a chick on Midway Atoll in 2016, at age 66. People do not work with wildlife for fame and fortune.

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Birding Shanghai in November 2022

10,000 Birds

Since 2016, the Rustic Bunting has been listed as Vulnerable, as data suggested rapid population declines (HBW). In contrast, the females need to make sure not to get duped into raising actual cuckoos – the buntings are a targeted host species ( source ). led its listing as Vulnerable.

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What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds: A Book Review

10,000 Birds

From Hiro, we learn how Northern Pygmy Owls are “rule breakers,” not incubating eggs till all are hatched and then raising owlets that mature at the same rate even though the eggs were laid asynchronously (as most owl eggs are). Owls are in danger from the usual threats–habitat destruction, climate change, human intrusion.

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Best Bird of the Year for 2015

10,000 Birds

As 2015 comes to a close and birders the world over start thinking about what 2016 will bring we here at 10,000 Birds would like to take a moment to celebrate our best birds of 2015. 2015 was great and here’s hoping 2016 will be even better. Hope your 2016 is as good as our (except for Mike’s) 2015 was!

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What to Do at High Island When the Winds are South

10,000 Birds

I’m not sure why all the birds scattered at its approach, Frigatebirds are known for stealing the catch of other birds, not for killing elegant, cinnamon-chested Avocets, but scatter they did and only a couple of hundred came back down.

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