10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

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). They are also hunted.

Owls 227

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 227

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

This makes it a particularly exciting time in New Zealand as the Rugby World Cup begins in two days, and the competition is being held right here in New Zealand (I would imagine they might be more excited if they hadn’t just lost two matches to Australia and South Africa, their big rivals in the Tri-Nations).

New Zealand 157

New Zealand Penguins Sanctuary Seals 157

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 2, 2014

With a trip to South Africa on the horizon at the time, I thought I could handle it. The two-page spread, shown above, gives a history of the species interaction with humans (fortunately, it does not taste good so it is not actively hunted) and documents records for each of the four areas covered by the guide. Now, I’m not so sure.

Brunei 180

Brunei Birds Asia China 180

10,000 Birds

JULY 10, 2012

All the inhabited continents except Africa have experienced bird extinctions; however the 2012 update of the IUCN Red List shows a startling, but not altogether unexpected, trend in that more and more of our bird species are facing extinction. Around 3,000 birds summered and bred at Birecik in the 1930’s but this declined to only 400 by 1982.

Endangered Species 202

Endangered Species Species Morocco South Africa 202

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!” and everyone ran to Lori’s side of the plane. Believe me, I tried.

Rhinos 247

Rhinos Mammals Animal White Rhinos 247

10,000 Birds

JULY 17, 2012

.* However, morphologically and behaviorally they are perhaps closer to the Kagu of New Caledonia and the Painted Snipes of Africa. Sunbitterns prefer hunting along the edges of fast-flowing, clear streams and tend to immediately retreat to the shade when approached, making a prolonged sighting difficult. A real misfit basically.

Costa Rica 259

Costa Rica Suriname Eggs Hunting 259

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. But they don’t live in North America. Unless we put them there.

Feral Cats 256

Feral Cats North America Feral Cats 256

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

The eider is the most common bird for hunting and eating, it lives near all of Greenland’s coasts and breeds on small islands such as Kitsissunnguit. The Arctic terns are very enduring and have the longest bird migration from their way across the Atlantic Sea to western Europe and along the west coast of Africa to the Antarctic waters.

North America 180

North America Eagles Breeding Fish 180

10,000 Birds

JUNE 19, 2012

The quills of the “Saqu Ettair” Secretarybirds feed on small lizards, insects, rodents, birds eggs and, of course, snakes. In reality this is not true and they can easily succumb to the venom of many of Africa’s poisonous serpents. Watching them hunt is fascinating. Note the huge wings.

Botswana 235

Botswana Eagles Porcupines Hunting 235

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 8, 2022

Fortunately for the buntings, they seem to detect most cuckoo eggs smuggled in (75% in one study). A study found that for Plain Prinia , egg characteristics in a mainland China location with many cuckoos make it much easier to spot cuckoo eggs than in a Taiwan location with few cuckoos ( source ). Better safe than sorry.

Birds 224

Birds Eggs Bangladesh China 224