10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2016

If you are not familiar with the story, it’s about an Anglo-Irish mercenary, Jamie Shannon (played by Christopher Walken), hired to overthrow the regime in a fictional Western African country (it was actually filmed in Belize, Central America) and prior to the real thing, he was doing a reconnaissance trip posing as a “rare birds photographer”.

Belize 235

Belize Birds Africa Dogs 235

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2015

This map shows the distribution of the World’s bird species, based on overlying the breeding and wintering ranges of all known species. I live in the southeast of Europe, for a while lived in the south of Africa and also have extensively birded western and central India. Which leaves only East Africa. South Africa (755 / 842).

Sri Lanka 257

Sri Lanka Botswana Africa Serbia 257

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. Located in the Kutch District of Gujarat, the Naliya Grassland is the smallest reserve of India, covering only 2 square kilometers (yes – 0.77

Gazelles 255

Gazelles India 2012 Endangered Species 255

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2013

Perhaps because of threats to the ecosystems of the many places the Arctic Tern visits (Europe, Africa, South America, and North America), it may be on the decline. Some of those once-popular breeding spots now produce no chicks at all.

Bald Eagle 181

Bald Eagle Pandas Puffins Bears 181

10,000 Birds

JUNE 28, 2015

Known as the Great Egret in the Americas, it was commonly referred to as the Great White Heron in the Old World. You see, the Great (White) Heron/Egret is a polytypic species with four subspecies: alba in Europe, egretta in the Americas, melanorhynchos in Africa, and modesta in Asia and Oceania.

Asia 179

Asia Europe Germany Breeding 179

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 1, 2012

Unlike North America, Germany has never had naturally occurring psittacines that went extinct, and the one we have is a true and complete invasive alien introduction. and the White Storks are also wild and countable despite breeding at the zoo. Yes, Germany has parrots, or parakeets to be more precise.

Germany 244

Germany Netherlands Zoos Geese 244

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2013

I’m focusing on Turkey Vultures here because they are undoubtedly the species most birders in North America (the home of 10kB) are most familiar with, but the name vulture applies to birds found around the globe. It’s worthy of admiration , if not respect, for this most disrespected of birds. Here’s the kicker though.

California Condor 181

California Condor Turkey North America Jordan 181

10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2014

The Cattle Egret is native to Africa, where it is a familiar sight among herds of large mammals. In the east, this species can be found along the east coast of Africa, the Nile Valley,and into parts of the middle east and India and southeast Asia. I’d like to introduce you to a diminutive heron, the Cattle Egret Bubuclus ibis.

Cattle 170

Cattle South Korea Suriname Seychelles 170

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

Larry starts us off right with an owl that makes birders drool: I was able to see and photograph many great birds in 2014 but my Best Bird of the Year would have to be the Great Gray Owl , the largest Strix in North America. This year I spent 2 days at the Giant’s Castle Lammergeier hide in the Natal Drakensberg of central South Africa.

2014 188

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 188

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

Growing up within an hour of one of the world’s premier shorebird destinations -- West Coast National Park in South Africa -- helped for sure. Consider Estero Lagoon for example… In North America there are nine regular plover species, ten if you include the more vagrant Common Ringed Plover.

Florida 189

Florida South Africa 2011 Africa 189

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2011

The difference in the name is subtle and the nominate, Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus cirrocephalus is from South America, so the locally favoured title, Gray-hooded Gull, would be more acceptable to North American birding aficionados, but I maintain that a hood would continue down the nape to the top of the back, which it clearly does not. .’

South Africa 173

South Africa Pedigree Africa New York 173

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 30, 2012

Recently a Fork-tailed Flycatcher was reported from a park in San Francisco, a long ways away from its home in Central and South America. This bird was photographed a few years ago in Connecticut, by Corey Finger. This is not only a MEGAVAGRANT, it is also an absolute CRIPPLER and hard to misidentify on top of that.

San Francisco 171

San Francisco San Diego Connecticut South America 171

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 29, 2013

The family Regulidae comprises six small, hyperactive species that range through the great boreal and temperate forests North and Middle America, North Africa, and Eurasia.

Family 183

Family Guatemala Mexico Japan 183

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2012

This thrush is extremely common in urban and suburban Germany and one of the most conspicuous bird species here, comparable to the American Robin in North America. The Usutu Virus’ origins are in Africa south of the Sahara. and species breeding in cavities are less affected.

Germany 160

Germany Blackbirds 2006 Denmark 160

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 26, 2021

I did that with Peacocks & Picathartes – Reflections on Africa’s birdlife (published by Penguin Random House South Africa ). In case you didn’t know, yes, there is an indigenous peacock living in Africa, the Congo Peafowl. He has authored several other books and many articles, largely on natural history.

Congo 264

Congo Africa South Africa Madagascar 264

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2014

The park is home to not one, not two, but large three colonies of breeding seabirds: the Brown Noddy , Magnificent Frigatebird , and Sooty Tern. No, that was not a typo, the Sooty Terns fly non-stop for an average of five years before they return to the Dry Tortugas to breed. Lots and lots of birds.

Birds 177

Birds Florida Groups Breeding 177

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 16, 2011

From there, we learn of the effects of season creep on Great Tits and winter moth caterpillars in the Netherlands, the increasing gap between male and female migration dates in Africa-wintering Barn Swallows and the lengthening migration of Barred Warblers as their breeding grounds shift north.

Netherlands 158

Netherlands Birds Buffalo Science 158

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

The chance that this was a real Turkey are not great, and the chance that Columbus actually brought breeding stock from Honduras to Spain is not great, so maybe, maybe not. Introduction to Europe and Diffusion of Domesticated Turkeys from the America. According to R.D. Diffusion to other european countries subsequently was very rapid.

Turkey 202

Turkey Columbus Spain Fowl 202

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Brown Pelicans , and the northernmost Brown Booby breeding colony on this side of the Pacific. Ringer Gannets and Boobies (Sulidae) Black-and-white gannets breed on the cold, rocky coasts of the northern and southern oceans. They can soar for hours, or plunge and twist after another bird with spectacular power and flair.

2011 152

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 152

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 27, 2020

Maybe you are a lucky kid whose parents took you birding South America as a toddler, a rich heir with an inheritance to burn, a lucky diplomat choosing your tropical posts, an international bird guide or a bird tour agency owner? That gamble is rigged, so the house always wins.

Family 293

Family Birds South America Breeding 293

10,000 Birds

APRIL 9, 2013

A Long-tailed Sylph, one of the America’s many long tailed hummingbird species, photographed in Colombia by Adam Riley. However Africa has more long tailed species than any other region, and this blog post celebrates a few of these fabulous birds. Africa’s impressive Long-tailed Widowbird by Adam Riley. Widowbirds.

Papua New Guinea 238

Papua New Guinea South Africa Africa Zimbabwe 238

10,000 Birds

JULY 21, 2022

The African Spoonbill is one of the six global spoonbill species, and the main African one (there are also some Eurasian Spoonbills in Africa). While the species is listed as Least Concern, there are some papers suggesting it may not be as common as assumed, at least in South Africa. “ The diet includes seeds, nuts, and nectar.

Ostriches 147

Ostriches Parrots Birds Eggs 147

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2016

The book is produced by WILDGuides, Ltd, the excellent book company responsible for over a dozen photographic guides on Britain’s natural life ranging from dragonflies to plant galls as well as books on Africa, Australia and other areas we all want to visit, and was published this summer by Princeton University Press.

Ireland 143

Ireland Birds Groups Falcons 143

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 13, 2011

My home country of South Africa can only be described as a birding paradise! The Cape Rockjumper (here a female) is best sought at Rooiels, on the east coast of South Africa, north of Cape Town. Males of this species are more brightly colored in their non-breeding winter plumage.

South Africa 222

South Africa Lesotho Africa Swaziland 222

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

The goal of Around the World For Penguins is simple: Describe the 18 species of penguin and their breeding grounds “from the perspective of a traveller.” Plantema gives highly detailed information about the weather, terrain, ownership of and access to the islands and coasts where penguins breed.

Penguins 278

Penguins Georgia New Zealand Albatross 278

10,000 Birds

JULY 26, 2015

I was still telling the truth when I mentioned the four subspecies, species, taxa, forms, you name it, of the Great Egret: modesta (Asia), alba (Europe, Asia), egretta (Americas) and melanorhynchos (Africa). This is particularly interesting for birders in North America and Europe (duh!),

North America 171

North America Europe America Asia 171

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

There is a total of 235 different bird species in Greenland, most of them are migratory birds with approximately 60 species breeding within the land. Some of the most common breeding birds are White-tailed Eagles , Northern Fulmars , Black Guillemots , Common Eiders , Rock Ptarmigans , and Arctic Terns. Source: Shutterstock ).

North America 177

North America Eagles Breeding Fish 177

10,000 Birds

MAY 30, 2014

It also supports the greatest variety of large mammals in all of South America, including such iconic species as Maned Wolf and Giant Anteater. It was a poignant and ironic sight to see them in the process of breeding right next to that barn at the edge of the park. There are approximately 10,000 plant species in the Cerrado.

Brazil 167

Brazil South America Collecting America 167

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 2, 2020

For species with more than one subspecies in the region, the separate resident/breeding ranges of the distinct subspecies are indicated on the map. As I said before, well-marked subspecies groups receive full accounts, and the distributions of subspecies breeding in the region are clearly mapped. What I don’t like?

Japan 223

Japan Asia Birds 2000 223

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

Typically, at least here in North America, we think of migration as a north-south affair. B95 and his Calidris canutus rufa kin may travel back and forth from South America to the Arctic, but another subspecies of Red Knot , Calidris canutus islandica , makes the journey up here from Great Britain and other parts of Europe.

Africa 196

Africa Somalia North America Nigeria 196

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2011

It made us reach for our field guide for North America, but that really does not compare to the real thing. I did not get to appreciate all that America had to offer for the birder until I returned with my husband, Grant, in 1989. We have never been to South Africa, but it is a lovely book to look at and dream!

South Africa 158

South Africa United States Austin Alligators 158

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 31, 2019

Despite having 30 illustrators, I do not notice much difference in style, which clearly was the case with Robson’s book (or even with National Geographic Birds of North America). There are only two countries in Africa that are not covered by regional or a country guide, only by the overweight pan-African one: the DR Congo and Zambia.

Thailand 188

Thailand Zambia Birds Asia 188

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2013

There is a Linnet at Kissena Corridor Park in Queens, and though I bird this park regularly, the Linnet, a bird regularly found in Europe, Asia, and North Africa and also named in a sweet song by Stephen Sondheim (Green Finch and Linnet Bird from Sweeny Todd) has eluded me. I needed a book showing a Linnet. I studied it.

Ireland 171

Ireland 2013 Breeders Ducks 171