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 171

South Africa Pedigree Africa New York 171

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

I got to see a beautiful female and owlet on a trip to a secret nest location near Howard Prairie Lake (human-made nest structures have enhanced local breeding for these huge owls whose nest success is boosted to 83% on artificial platforms vs. 66% at natural sites). I also blogged about that dreamy day. Travel is good for the birding soul.

2014 183

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 183

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 174

Birds Florida Groups Breeding 174

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 Kenya 264

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 288

Family Birds South America Breeding 288

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.” When we come to Gentoo Penguin again in the South Georgia chapter, for example, we’re referred back to its first appearance in Antarctica, utilizing the outline numbers.).

Penguins 277

Penguins Georgia New Zealand Albatross 277

10,000 Birds

APRIL 9, 2013

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. A male Long-tailed Widowbird in heavy flapping display flight low over the grassland in South Africa by Adam Riley. Widowbirds.

Papua New Guinea 231

Papua New Guinea South Africa Africa Zimbabwe 231

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 215

South Africa Lesotho Africa Swaziland 215

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

SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

As summer ends these same birds (and the new year’s broods) then escape the snow and ice and head south for the austral summer, finding warmth, long days and abundant insect life. They also migrate to and from the High Arctic, crossing the Atlantic to Europe, but they keep going, down across the Mediterranean into Africa.

Africa 192

Africa Somalia North America Nigeria 192

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2011

We have a selection of books that we have found over the years in bookshops and one of our favourites was published in 1949 and is The Birds of South Africa by Dr Austin Roberts. 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