10,000 Birds

MAY 5, 2015

There is GISS and there is Birding by Impression and they are not the same. Birding by Impression is a conscious, deliberate method of identifying and recognizing birds based on the study and evaluation of “distinctive structural features and behavioral movements” and comparison with nearby and similar species.

Birds 223

Birds New Jersey Science Groups 223

10,000 Birds

JULY 21, 2014

And with no natural predators or resistant trees in their adopted territory, things have been looking pretty grim. These birds may be the North American ash tree’s last line of defense against the EAB invasion. Koenig, from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, told 10,000 Birds. Enter the woodpecker.

Woodpeckers 273

Woodpeckers Illinois Science Chicago 273

10,000 Birds

JUNE 27, 2019

I’m a long-time champion of the IOC World Bird List as a standard for bird names. I pushed for Wikipedia to adopt them, and then to follow the taxonomy, and given the dominance of Wikipedia in Google search results, this is no small thing. There is only one type of bird in the world called a donacobius.

Iran 188

Iran Barn Owls New Zealand Europe 188

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2013

Birds are supposed to have feathers and birds without feathers look incomplete, like they left home with shaving cream on their ear and toothpaste spots on their shirt. The smellier the better, particularly as, unusually for birds, many species can boast a robust sense of smell. Griffon Vulture , photo by Alan Tilmouth.

California Condor 236

California Condor Turkey North America Jordan 236

10,000 Birds

JUNE 21, 2019

There probably wouldn’t be a need for all this attention if there wasn’t still so much hostility toward rosé, or – to adopt a more cynical stance – if there wasn’t so much of the stuff to sell to reluctant drinkers put off by its reputation as an overly sweet fad. Good birding and happy drinking! Four out of five feathers (Excellent).

2017 138

2017 France Lifestyle Feral 138

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 28, 2020

The hapless Sooty Tern ( Onychoprion fuscatus ) is the classic hurricane bird, but other pelagic species are entrained in storms and blown ashore as well, like Bridled Terns ( Onychoprion anaethetus ), White-tailed Tropicbirds ( Phaethon lepturus ), and Magnificent Frigatebirds ( Fregata magnificens ).

India 245

India Squirrels North America America 245

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 19, 2013

This form is thought to be a different species and the name Golden-bellied Woodpecker has been adopted by some. The accepted popular name may be woodpecker, but like so many birds, it has a few pet names used by those who are familiar with the species.

Woodpeckers 223

Woodpeckers Argentina South America Adoptable 223

10,000 Birds

JULY 20, 2019

— but there is apparently an entire literature about women who adopt wild birds and devote substantial portions of their lives and psyches to those birds thereafter, often for years and, necessarily, to the point of obsession. To readers and to baby birds, its author, Julie Zickefoose, is a treasure.

Ohio 198

Ohio Adoptable Emotional 2019 198

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2019

I like observing them, reading about them, grappling with species and subspecies identification, and even—on a good day—talking about sparrow taxonomy. Peterson Reference Guide to Sparrows of North America covers 61 species of the New World sparrow family Passerellidae that breed in Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico.

North America 201

North America Sparrows America United States 201

10,000 Birds

MARCH 17, 2013

New World populations of the widely distributed Sandwich Tern ( Thalasseus sandvicensis ) are treated by some authorities (including the British Ornithologists’ Union) as a distinct species: Cabot’s Tern ( T. Proposal 2013-A-3 recommends adopting that split on the basis of a 2009 study (I wrote about it back in the day here ).

2013 244

2013 Sparrows Owls Stray 244

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 12, 2013

Nearly 70 species of parrots have been recorded flying free at some stage or another in Miami, including Hyacinth Macaws. But its not just parrots that are doing well in their adopted city. Dozens of other introduced bird species, largely escapees from pet owners, now call Miami home. I suspect that it is just this.

Miami 193

Miami Parrots Research Birds 193

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 10, 2012

I grinned with anticipation of Great Backyard Bird Count lists to come. I’ve written before about how much I enjoy the abundance of Pine Siskins in my adopted home. But my recent move has, as I hoped, brought me more productive bird-feeding and even the opportunity to take (bad) photos of the kinetic little sparrowish finches.

Blackbirds 210

Blackbirds Adoptable Humane Family 210

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Conservation / Conserving the Future: Bold Bird Ideas Conserving the Future: Bold Bird Ideas By Mike • March 16, 2011 • 2 comments Tweet Share The U.S.

2011 140

2011 Wildlife Birds Deer 140

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2018

I didn’t intend to turn over a new leaf with my first review of the new year, but this week’s beer represents a few firsts for the “Birds and Booze” beat here at 10,000 Birds. This the first drink I’ve reviewed featuring a bird not yet on my life list – and it’s not one I’m counting on adding any time soon.

New Zealand 100

New Zealand India Massachusetts United States 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Birds / Stalking a Kiwi Icon Stalking a Kiwi Icon By Duncan • March 16, 2011 • 1 comment Tweet Share Most people, if asked, would confidently name what they thought the National Bird of New Zealand was.

New Zealand 203

New Zealand 2011 Deer New York 203

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 12, 2024

” But of course, with this slight adaptation, it also works for blog posts and their writers, and allows me to plug another nice song by this underrated artist, before switching to birds. The scientific species name of the Golden-throated Barbet is franklinii , commemorating Capt. Ok, I made that up.

Birds 243

Birds China Woodpeckers Breeding 243

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 11, 2012

Thankfully the days of visiting Africa purely for slaughtering its wildlife have mostly come to a merciful end, and safari operators have adopted the Big Five term to market tours that offer sightings of the fortunate remanants of Africa’s once teeming great herds.

Buffalo 246

Buffalo Rhinoceros Elephants Leopards 246

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

I recently asked whether Puerto Rico should be part of the American Birding Association’s ABA Area. Both Puerto Rico and the USVI have active birding communities that are currently excluded from full membership in the ABA family. Although different territories, they are nearby and share many of the same birds.

Puerto Rico 202

Puerto Rico Virgin Islands Hawaii United States 202

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 24, 2020

Whisky Month at Birds and Booze: This January, Birds and Booze at 10,000 Birds is setting its sights on whiskies all month long. This boldness isn’t restricted to exchanges with other grouse, either: in some locales, members of this circumpolar family are astonishingly foolhardy around humans.

Sheep 262

Sheep Branding Ireland Fowl 262

10,000 Birds

JULY 17, 2011

Back when we used to run the 10,000 Birds ID Clinic (as opposed to just answering lots of e-mails about bird identification!), we received an inquiry about a bird “about the size of a small duck, much bigger than a jay… a crest similar to a jay or a roadrunner and it has a remarkably long neck.&#

Jamaica 259

Jamaica Fish Adoptable Ducks 259

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Birds / Sandhill Crane Hunt in Kentucky?! If you wrote to Tennessee in the 10,000 Birds campaign this winter, you can cut and paste your letter, changing “Tennessee&# to “Kentucky.&# Kentucky Dept.

2011 263

2011 Kentucky Tennessee Hunting 263

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Birds / Orange-headed Thrush Orange-headed Thrush By Redgannet • March 6, 2011 • 18 comments Tweet Share The Orange-headed Thrush , Zoothera citrinus, is common across much of India and south-east Asia.

2011 236

2011 Deer India New York 236

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 26, 2022

This year, it seems I wrote one post on birding in Shanghai each month – and I am still not even sure anyone is interested in these. Probably the most interesting bird this month was a Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher showing up in the Shanghai Botanical Garden. I know – sexism is very common in the birding world.

Finland 147

Finland Birds 2016 McDonalds 147

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 15, 2019

Or How a Serbian Suave Playboy Promoted Birding the Caribbean. Oh, the joys of slipping through the pages of a new book that has just arrived, the Birds of the West Indies by Kirwan, Levesque, Oberle and Sharpe. Having a tropical maritime climate, birding the West Indies comes with a lot of water, from sea spray to humid forests.

Saint Kitts and Nevis 203

Saint Kitts and Nevis Antigua and Barbuda Dominican Republic Cuba 203

10,000 Birds

JULY 2, 2019

Greeney was recommended to me as a book I HAD to review by no less than three birding friends. I hesitated because a 496-page book about two skulky neotropical bird groups is a little intimidating. I also wondered if a book like this would be of interest to 10,000 Birds readers. The artwork is beautiful.

Research 198

Research Eggs South America Costa Rica 198

10,000 Birds

MARCH 19, 2011

They are cryptically plumaged birds whose camouflage helps them to blend in with their often arid environments. In southern Africa, there are two species. The Water Thick-knee’s , Burhinus vermiculatus, preference for moist areas may contribute to the eroneous habit of considering them amongst the wading birds.

2011 223

2011 Deer Africa Peru 223

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 16, 2013

I come from a large family: five sisters, two brothers and almost everyone has kids. Most of my family lives in Indiana, but thanks to social media we can easily keep in touch. Case in point: some of my family members have become active with feral cat colony organizations. “They don’t want to be inside.

Feral Cats 238

Feral Cats Feral Cats Family 238

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 22, 2019

Next Thursday is the American Thanksgiving holiday – which means it’s time to trot out that old legend concerning Benjamin Franklin’s opinions on two iconic American birds: The Wild Turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo ) and the Bald Eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ). He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly.

2017 200

2017 Bald Eagle United States Turkey 200

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2011

Orlando is so rich in roadside and overhead birds that I kept a list of species seen from the car which ran to 30+ on the first morning and included a Bald Eagle nonchalantly sitting on a street lamp by a Target store. The colonies at “Gatorland&# include other large wading birds too.

2011 153

2011 Alligators Florida Deer 153