10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2015

Ten years ago, those flocks were reduced to a few hundred birds. Nowadays, the flocks are even smaller, merely a few dozen birds. As we speak, in Serbia these birds are still hunted in August and September. Then comes summer and the birds start migrating. Money and effort are being invested in that protection.

Serbia 270

Serbia Slaughter Slaughtered Turtles 270

10,000 Birds

JUNE 26, 2013

The survival of songbirds depends in part upon eliminating illegal hunting. If you are a migratory bird in Europe and western Asia, this is your sweet spot. It all seems like such a charmed life … until you have to fly down to Africa for the winter. A recent survey of the birds suggests that the effort has been a success.

Cambodia 152

Cambodia Slaughter Slaughtered Cyprus 152

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 2, 2019

It ended with little fan fare; in fact I did not even go chasing birds on the last two days of 2018, as I am just plain tired. Not of the birds, but the seemingly endless early mornings, rarely sleeping in my own bed, and the pressure, mostly self imposed, to find yet one more bird. South Africa Total: 219.

Costa Rica 164

Costa Rica Tucson South Africa Bahamas 164

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

2014 has been a good year for us at 10,000 Birds. We’ve traveled to lots of places, seen lots of great birds, and met lots of great birders. So, as we’ve done for the last several years we thought we would share our Best Birds of the Year with you. Below are our Best Birds of the Year. What was yours?

2014 227

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 227

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2013

Hence, I was quite surprised with a brave, almost exciting paper by Brown, Forbes and Symes: “Recent history of the Egyptian Vulture in Southern Africa” (Vulture News, 2000). It was not the first note I have published, but was the only one about a bird I have never laid my eyes upon! Reasons for this situation are numerous.

Sudan 252

Sudan Macedonia Botswana Serbia 252

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2013

You may not realize it when you look at those bizarre looking waders with the massive bills and the vacant expression, but you’re looking at a group of birds that has inspired humankind for literal centuries. It’s hard not to be taken in with the green-glossy plumage of these highly migratory and social birds.

Birds 246

Birds North America Charlotte New Jersey 246

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

If there is one thing that Kiwis care about, it’s birds. No, wait, not birds. One thing visitors love to see in New Zealand is Kiwi, the national (sort of) bird, and they also enjoy seeing some of the other birds the place has to offer. Don’t forget you can also see some wildlife on the road as you go !

New Zealand 157

New Zealand Penguins Sanctuary Birds 157

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 2, 2014

The danger of reviewing a field guide to the birds of an exotic country you’ve never been to is that you become obsessed with visiting that country, no matter how far away and how expensive it may be. With a trip to South Africa on the horizon at the time, I thought I could handle it. Borneo, the authors say, is under-birded.

Brunei 199

Brunei Birds Asia China 199

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2020

The proprietor of our ecolodge guides my small group of birders up a steep slope where we see, just at the point where a scope view deteriorates into pixels, a huge bird—a Chaco Eagle, also known as a Crowned Eagle—on a huge nest. Local farmers view it as a threat to domesticated wildlife. ” [loc.3014, 3014, Kindle ed.]

Falcons 257

Falcons United Kingdom Zimbabwe Eggs 257

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 25, 2015

Early starts are the rule when monitoring endagered species in Mkuze Game Reserve, in South Africa, but there’s a particular urgency to this morning’s start. Support Wildlife ACT in supporting them. The day before, the day I arrived, was a transport day, and that meant the pack hadn’t been seen in the afternoon.

Wolves 205

Wolves Lions Dogs Vet 205

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

I’ve been fortunate to encounter many owls in my birding life, sometimes because I’m looking for them, sometimes happily by happenstance. It’s also about human-owl interaction on an individual level and a wider sociocultural level, and ultimately how we can use all this for habitat and bird conservation.

Owls 245

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 245

10,000 Birds

JUNE 11, 2013

Geladas are the sole survivors of a once abundant branch of primates that historically foraged across the grasslands of Africa, the Mediterranean and India. A harem male grooms one of his females. Photo by Adam Riley.

Ethiopia 167

Ethiopia Primates Mammals Fur 167

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2012

What this land-locked country lacks in endemic birds it more than makes up for in accessibility of tough species, numbers of birds and the overall wildlife experience. It is also home to the largest concentration of African Elephants on the planet and over 450 bird species. We are currently filming in Botswana.

Botswana 245

Botswana Zebras Lions Elephants 245

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 1, 2016

I’ll never forget my introduction to the mammals of Kruger National Park, South Africa. We –participants of the ABA South Africa Safari—were on a small plane when one Lori Conrad looked out the window and screamed, “There are elephants down there!” This means you need to pack a mammal guide in addition to your bird guide.

Rhinos 252

Rhinos Mammals Animal White Rhinos 252

10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2014

The majority of wildcats live today in Africa, and virtually none of them have provided the DNA from which supposed histories of domestication have been constructed by researchers. And I think he was speaking only of our American Kitties not the Wildcat of Africa. This means that they eat a lot of rodents and birds.

Feral Cats 257

Feral Cats North America Feral Cats 257

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2013

As 2013 draws to a close we here at 10,000 Birds thought that it would be a great idea if we, like we did in 2010 , 2011 , and 2012 , shared our Best Birds of the Year. We also want to know what YOUR Best Bird of the Year was. Now on to the Best Birds of the Year for those who write on 10,000 Birds! Sound good?

2013 169

2013 Birds Costa Rica India 169

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 4, 2013

My post last week where I defended game hunting as a conservation tool has, unaccountably, encountered a certain amount of push back. Who would have thought that a post defending hunting game in general would have not been universally acclaimed? I will address two of them in the new year, namely, “Is hunting moral at all?”

Tigers 201

Tigers Hunting Game Protection 201

10,000 Birds

JUNE 19, 2012

There is no raptor quite so removed from the typical confines of what a bird of prey should look and behave like. They are the most terrestrial bird of prey in the world, regularly covering over 20 miles a day in their relentless search for food. So long that they have to crouch to drink or pick up food.

Botswana 249

Botswana Eagles Porcupines Hunting 249

10,000 Birds

APRIL 15, 2015

I was in contact with a group of birders for whom I arranged and guided an annual tour to Africa. We already had South Africa, Zambia and Uganda under our belts, but my clients’ request for the next year came right out of the blue: Ghana! My clients insisted that they wanted to go to Ghana as they had heard that the birding was great.

Ghana 226

Ghana Hunters Guinea Gambia 226

10,000 Birds

JULY 28, 2022

Hot summer days, often reaching 40C/104F, time to open another beer and dream of birding some cooler place, a place where deep shade of tall trees controls the heat… Perhaps the world’s second largest rainforest? The Congo is one of the deepest rivers in the world with depths sometimes exceeding 220 meters (720 feet).

Central African Republic 316

Central African Republic Congo Gabon Gorillas 316

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 27, 2013

Assuming you have a passing interest in wildlife, or at the least you know someone that does, and chances are in the last week or so you’ve become aware that some lady from America shot a lion. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the rest of 10,000 Birds. Qualifying statements to follow).

Lions 209

Lions Killing Hunting Hunters 209