10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 23, 2024

According to Storks, Ibises and Spoonbills of the World , a handsome volume written by James Hancock, James Kushan and Philip Kohl and published by Academic Press in 1992, Geronticus eremita “once nested in the mountains of central Europe, across northern Africa and into the Middle East. But this range is now much reduced.

Morocco 231

Morocco Austria Algeria Germany 231

10,000 Birds

MAY 17, 2016

I want to alert you to a recent study (from April) that looks at the plight of bird populations under conditions of climate change in Europe and North America. The study looked at common birds, and used data divided by either state (in the US) or country (in Europe). Again, Europe is on the left, North America is on the right.

North America 119

North America Europe America United States 119

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 12, 2024

Only in Africa is it really easy to see a big variety. Lion – much easier to see than an Aardvark In contrast to East Africa, encounters with mammals while out birding in Europe are relatively few. Over the years, though, I have enjoyed a number of memorable mammal sightings in Europe.

Fur 193

Fur Otters Bulgaria Estonia 193

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 21, 2015

I’ve not made spectacular progress writing up my trip to Africa earlier this year, so perhaps I should get on that. So instead let’s talk about South Africa’s best kept birding secret (at least outside of the country) Wakkerstroom. It was also weirdly good for quail, of sorts. Amur Falcons are ubiquitous.

South Africa 145

South Africa Africa Falcons Family 145

10,000 Birds

MAY 31, 2024

There aren’t many places in Europe where you can see four species of shrikes in one day, but this is one of them. Closely related to the Shikra, a common hawk in both Africa and India, the Levant Sparrowhawk is misnamed, as it prefers to eat lizards and insects rather than birds. All very confusing.

Greece 224

Greece Turtles Breeding Europe 224

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

The Collins Bird Guide covers Europe, North Atlantic islands, much of North Africa and the Middle East. may be more usual for northern Europe? Europe’s relief makes it a particularly hard continent to present bird distributions on a small scale and I wish it was possible to enlarge the maps.

Europe 259

Europe Birds Woodpeckers Ireland 259

10,000 Birds

MAY 18, 2024

This unusual bird is definitely one of my favourite species in Europe, so I was very happy to connect with it (and to hear its call for the first time). It must’ve just returned from Subsaharan Africa a few days earlier I assume. Eurasian Wryneck A Red-backed Shrike was perched on pine at the edge of the heath.

Birds 193

Birds Germany Parrots Europe 193

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

For Europe, only very few books exist that cover the topic at all. So here it is, the review of Tracks and Signs of the Animals and Birds of Britain and Europe by Lars-Henrik Olsen. Was this going to be just another British-centred book of little use to the rest of Europe? Well, first things first: the book’s title.

Europe 165

Europe Mammals Animal Birds 165

10,000 Birds

APRIL 26, 2024

Tucked away at the extreme eastern end of the Mediterranean, Cyprus is regarded politically as part of Europe, but when it comes to birds it’s very much Middle Eastern in flavour, with a number of species that are hard or even impossible to find in Europe, plus a trio of endemics. It was strange to hear it here in Cyprus.

Cyprus 224

Cyprus Breeders Falcons Hunters 224

10,000 Birds

JUNE 15, 2023

Late April / early May is the best birding season in the south of Europe and wherever you go, you will have 50% to 100% more species than in any other season. This is the usual game viewing routine in reserves of Africa and India. In Africa, no one goes at mid-day because of the heat (making animals lazy and people drowsy).

India 183

India Birds Africa Serbia 183

10,000 Birds

MARCH 10, 2022

Late April / early May is the best birding season in the south of Europe and wherever you go, you will have 50% to 100% more species than in any other season. This is the usual game viewing routine in reserves of Africa and India. In Africa, no one goes at mid-day because of the heat (making animals lazy and people drowsy).

India 239

India Birds Africa Game 239

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2015

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. And I remembered that, back when I was a boy, I wanted to live in eastern Africa. Which leaves only East Africa. South Africa (755 / 842). Map by BirdLife International.

Sri Lanka 257

Sri Lanka Botswana Africa Serbia 257

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 24, 2021

As Aristotle noted, this is also true in Europe, where the most common swallow is the cosmopolitan Barn Swallow ( Hirundo rustica ).

2016 247

2016 Europe New York Africa 247

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2020

Not far from its capital Lisbon lies Cabo de Roca, the westernmost point in mainland Europe. But like Spain, its only neighbor on the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal is cut off from the rest of Europe by the steep, natural border formed by the Pyrenees.

2015 157

2015 Portugal France Europe 157

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2016

Here go those moments of curiosity, in no particular order: Europe: And so, I was driving from Greece to Serbia… in central FYRO Macedonia, two birds were circling not far from the motorway… black and white… perhaps White Storks on migration? Europe: The sun is scorching the area, and the birds are nowhere to be seen.

Wildlife 183

Wildlife Tigers Asia Europe 183

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2024

But here goes, a list of my favorite sightings for 2023: You stole my heart, you rascal you: We made a major trip to Europe, North Africa, and Turkey in late October, November and early December, combining work with some down time. I will also return to several birds which have already appeared here.

Morocco 179

Morocco Birds Turkey Mexico 179

10,000 Birds

JUNE 18, 2021

Similarly, it’d be just as easy to believe that Old World orioles (of the family Oriolidae – the eponym to their unrelated New World namesakes) invade the grape plantings of southern Europe looking for a quick meal.

2017 212

2017 Portugal Europe Africa 212

10,000 Birds

APRIL 29, 2015

I’m a big fan of the antelopes, a group that is most commonly associated with Africa but which also occurs in Asia and, if you stretch the term to be cladistically meaningful, Europe and North America. By this I mean applying the term antelope to cover all of the family Bovidae, which would include the sheep, goats and ox.

Africa 170

Africa Hunters Goats Wolves 170

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2020

Anyway, I don’t even have an app for the European birds at the moment, but for the Birds of Southern Africa. And I am in the southeast of Europe. published in the US as “Birds of Europe”), shows only a male in breeding plumage. Okay for the second, I had another, smaller notebook in my rucksack, but the phone?

Serbia 277

Serbia Birds Ducks Cyprus 277

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 7, 2015

Even where Common Starlings are not introduced, their homeland of Europe, they are hardly loved. One must travel to Africa and Asia to marvel at their diversity, and it is in Africa that you may come across one attractive species, the Red-winged Starling. This is grossly unfair. And they have done well for themselves.

Ostriches 147

Ostriches South Africa Africa Reptiles 147

10,000 Birds

JUNE 27, 2019

The noble Blue Tit once ranged from Iran through Turkey and Europe to the Canary Islands (the Spanish Islands off North Africa – the other bird was named for the islands incidentally) and North Africa. The Blue Tit, the common garden staple of Europe, was now the Eurasian Blue Tit.

Iran 132

Iran Barn Owls New Zealand Europe 132

10,000 Birds

JULY 21, 2013

The six living species are all found in Sub-Saharan Africa. They were once a widespread and diverse group, however, with many fossils known from what are now North America and Europe. Birds Africa genetics taxonomy and systematics'

Kenya 175

Kenya Parrots Africa North America 175

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 5, 2019

What comes as a surprise, two of them have already positioned themselves as known birding destinations attracting a substantial number of birders: Trinidad and Tobago with the world-famous Asa Wright Nature Centre (cover photo), and The Gambia with experienced local guides, plus cheap packages for African beginners from Western Europe.

Gambia 242

Gambia Equatorial Guinea Species Rwanda 242

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 11, 2012

I’m sure you’ve all heard of Africa’s famous Big Five , but do you know there is also an equally fascinating Little Five ? Africa is famous for its large, charismatic mammals, and the Big Five epitomize the most sought-after of these fantastic beasts. This blog post will discuss both the Big and Little members of these quintuplets.

Buffalo 209

Buffalo Rhinoceros Elephants Leopards 209

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2019

Any individuals found in Britain are immigrants or progeny of emigrants from Europe and Africa and thus receive exalted status. For that we turn to the Nymphalidae. Anyone in North America might know them as Cosmopolitan Butterfly. This year is an irruption year with Painted Ladies showing up in abundance.

Ireland 123

Ireland South America North America Groups 123

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2024

Audouin’s Gull is an attractive species restricted as a breeding bird to the Mediterranean, but many winter in North Africa. Through a few Lesser Black-backs nest in Spain, this bird was most likely to have been a winter visitor to the area from breeding grounds in Northern Europe.

Lithuania 130

Lithuania Iceland Morocco Ireland 130

10,000 Birds

JUNE 28, 2015

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. Just so you know. But we’re far from done with the confusion. This may appear to make identification easy, but it is not.

Asia 182

Asia Europe Germany Breeding 182

10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2022

It takes the place of prinias in Asia, maybe some “warblers” in Europe and Africa. The yellowthroat is larger than the Common. Pish and it will probably perch up and throw its tail back and forth. A large bunting in poorly veiled disguise, the male grosbeak is vivid.

Costa Rica 270

Costa Rica Farming Birds Sparrows 270

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. It probably helps that they weigh less than 5 ounces! You can learn more about their incredible journeys here.) .

Bald Eagle 185

Bald Eagle Pandas Puffins Bears 185

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2016

Instead of wintering in Africa and breeding in Europe, growing numbers of the birds now appear to be staying put in Spain and Portugal. Move over gulls, you’ve now got competition at the landfills. The paper, published in the journal Movement Ecology , describes a striking change in White Storks’ migratory behavior.

Portugal 104

Portugal Spain Research Europe 104

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

the development of field-based ornithological research in Europe and Great Britain; a quick step back through the history to look at bird protection, conservation, and our precarious future, with a focus on Birkhead’s long-term (50 years!) Birkhead knows that these are sensitive topics.

Dissection 228

Dissection Birds Research Europe 228

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2014

It’s six weeks to the day till I go to Africa, and of late conversations about the subject have taken a reliable and predictable detour. ” I’ll sometimes add “It’s in West Africa, I’ll be in South Africa. There will be outbreaks like the one happening in Africa, we can’t control that.

Humane 162

Humane Animal Africa Ukraine 162

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 18, 2015

For both forms, their little patches within the WP are but outlying exclaves of a much wider range elsewhere in Africa and Asia, respectively. ” Birds Europe Purple Swamphen rails Spain' If it still shows signs of life or even struggles to free itself, the plant matter is quickly dispatched with another bite of the massive bill.

Spain 157

Spain Hunters Africa Hunting 157

10,000 Birds

JUNE 4, 2013

Dragan will be writing about “Eastern Europe and Beyond” while Alfredo will cover “Neotropical Birds and Ecology.” … Dragan Simic is a name known by many of those who bird eastern Europe.

Europe 152

Europe Florida Spain Serbia 152

10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2024

A Griffon Vulture rests on a rooftop in the city of Gibraltar, having just crossed the sea from Africa If you check these Griffons , and I have looked at and photographed thousands, not one is an adult. These are African, sub-Saharan, vultures that were unknown in Europe until recent times. So why are these Griffons arriving now?

Africa 244

Africa Morocco Senegal Europe 244

10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2014

He blogs at The Nightjar – The tales of an Upstate New York Birder and otherwise stays busy being an eBird reviewer, taking care of his kids, and, recently, planning a trip to Europe where he hopes to see lots of new birds. The Cattle Egret is native to Africa, where it is a familiar sight among herds of large mammals.

Cattle 170

Cattle South Korea Suriname Seychelles 170

10,000 Birds

JUNE 2, 2013

Purple Herons Ardea purpurea are an old world element of the Ardeidae and range widely throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and parts of Europe and central Asia. Within Europe, they are mostly found in the South (around the Mediterranean), and the East.

Germany 154

Germany Asia Europe Africa 154