10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 29, 2013

So naturally, I got to thinking about kinglets, and their Palearctic kin, the “crests,” and where they belong in the avian family tree. 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 187

Family Guatemala Mexico Japan 187

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2021

A typical description of the family is that of “a tropical African and Asian songbird that typically has a melodious voice and drab plumage”, another is “small, dull-colored passerine birds of Asia and Africa”, yet another states that they are “often rather plain” Individual species get even harsher reviews. .”

South Africa 240

South Africa Malaysia Africa China 240

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2022

The Bearded Woodpecker (Mkuze, South Africa) does not really look any more bearded than many other woodpeckers. The name of the Cardinal Woodpecker (Letaba, South Africa) is misleading, as not all of them are Catholic or even cardinals. It is the most widespread woodpecker in Africa, claims the HBW. ”).

Woodpeckers 245

Woodpeckers South Africa China Singapore 245

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 24, 2021

By the very end of summer – right around the time the grape harvest is taking place – Barn Swallows have already begun to vacate the fields and meadows of Europe, winging their way south to Africa for the winter (and not disappearing, as Aristotle believed, to hibernate in trees until the following spring).

2016 252

2016 Europe New York Africa 252

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 19, 2023

Photos courtesy of Mosetlha Bush Camp A dusty-red road leads me through Marico bushveld deeper into the 750 square kilometers large wilderness of the Madikwe Game Reserve – the 4th largest reserve in South Africa, home to 350 bird and 66 mammal species, some 4 hours’ drive from Johannesburg.

South Africa 232

South Africa Africa Game Elephants 232

10,000 Birds

JUNE 16, 2021

The Trogon family (and order, since the order only includes one family) is quite widespread, being found in all the tropical (and some subtropical) regions of the world. It is also fascinating to see how similar Old World trogons look to their New World relatives, right down to the same flamboyant color patterns.

Mexico 195

Mexico Indonesia North America Arizona 195

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 12, 2015

I get that you’re really angry, I mean, he was a popular lion and yes, his cute widdle cubs will probably die to, but I can’t help feeling you’ve kind of missed the point a bit, and well, ending all hunting in Africa will not solve much and maybe make things worse and… No, no, I’m not a hunter. I’m sorry.

Lions 218

Lions Hunting Sierra Leone Buffalo 218

10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2019

The Great Horned Owls that live in the palm trees right above our RV have returned and brought with them a pair of fledglings. Last week, a good friend, Dan Weisz gave me a tip on the location of a family of Burrowing Owls that were extremely easy to access. That was no deterrent from landing right in the middle of the road.

Owls 161

Owls Arizona Tucson South Africa 161

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 27, 2020

There is a thing parents know very well – how important it is to choose the right name for a child. Presented in numbers, Bird Families of the World has 2417 field guide style paintings, plus 797 bird photos, followed by 252 distribution maps. But why am I even interested in bird families in the first place? Families perhaps?

Family 297

Family Birds South America Breeding 297

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 214

Buffalo Rhinoceros Elephants Leopards 214

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. A nice, compact, descriptive and above all long standing and widely known name has been… complicated. Well, no more!

Iran 134

Iran Barn Owls New Zealand Europe 134

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 18, 2015

I found out on my second day in Mkuze, a great game reserve in South Africa, earlier this year when on my first dark night, poor visibility, uneven ground and unsteady footing resulted in a twisted ankle and a day in camp keeping weight off it. Long-billed Crombecs are members of the African warbler family. White-crested Helmetshrike.

South Africa 145

South Africa Tortoises Woodpeckers Birds 145

10,000 Birds

JULY 25, 2018

Today, I saw a handful of Mallards , two Common Mergansers, and a Wood Duck Family. It ran right out to greet me, and then ran all around me, checking out the cool smells on my tripod legs. I am sure there was a small amount of Africa, and Scotland still lingering on the rubber pads. South Africa species – 219.

New Zealand 118

New Zealand Seattle Qatar South Africa 118

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 26, 2013

Taxonomically, swallows are one of the few families of birds that has seen little change in its ranks. For centuries, it seems that ornithologists and naturalists have correctly pegged swallows to the right family. The family is global in its distribution, with 83 species of around 19 genera.

Jordan 193

Jordan Iowa Birds Africa 193

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2018

After leaving Africa, I was fearing a real let down in my birding. New Zealand had been good, Australia was incredible, and South Africa was almost life altering. We have been dragging him thru every bird spot possible, so he could go to Scotland to see where his family is from. Where do you go from there?

Qatar 120

Qatar Sparrows South Africa Africa 120

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 9, 2016

So, last time I promised to write about some of the other birding spots around Cape Town in South Africa. If you aren’t the one driving it’s worth keeping an eye out for Southern Right Whales wintering in the bay (the road is rather to twisty to be looking if you’re driving). A terrible shot of a Cape Rockjumper.

South Africa 124

South Africa Penguins Africa Whales 124

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2019

I birded Uganda, which was my first time on the continent of Africa. I also spent a week in northwestern Costa Rica on a family vacation, a long weekend in Barbados, a week in Georgia, and two week-plus-long trips to visit relatives in southern California. Let’s get right into it, shall we?

2019 143

2019 Barbados Uganda Costa Rica 143

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 24, 2016

Without a doubt, one of the best bits of writing on the split of the two birds, was actually featured right here on this site. The Common Gallinule , is the most wide spread of all the members of the rail family, being found from Canada, to Chile, Europe, Asia, Africa, much of the Pacific, and the Galapagos Islands.

Chile 100

Chile Breeders Asia Mexico 100

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 1, 2011

I don’t think I’ve ever done a post on my home patch of Cape Town, South Africa. So much so that the two species are placed within their own family, Chaetopidae. This place is such an epic birding location that one cannot possibly do the city and its surrounds justice in one post. And rightly so.

South Africa 250

South Africa Penguins Birds Africa 250

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 14, 2012

The wonderful family Meropidae contains 27 dazzling species, of which Africa is endowed with no less than 20 species, the balance occurring across Asia and with one as far afield as Australia. Carmine bee-eaters occur throughout most of Subsaharan Africa, and many populations migrate widely post breeding.

Africa 265

Africa South Africa Gabon Uganda 265

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2012

That’s right – I was at the scene at Floyd Bennett Field just after sunrise hoping to see the bird myself. I decided to call it a Grasshopper Sparrow , a bird that is almost as difficult to get in Brooklyn or Queens as a Le Conte’s Sparrow , but it just didn’t seem right.

Sparrows 181

Sparrows Africa Rights Family 181

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 5, 2015

Is it fair her life was destroyed because hers was public and mine was among family a decade ago? Hounding a dentist who’s life is already over, making threats, isn’t going to solve Africa’s conservation nightmares. Do I deserve to have my life destroyed because of that? You’re still not safe.

Hunters 171

Hunters Hunting Animal Cruelty Game 171

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. Filming the plovers of Estero Lagoon Plovers are a significant part of the shorebird family, comprising 66 species worldwide. Wicked, right? Hat-tip to Stella.

Florida 200

Florida South Africa 2011 Africa 200

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2011

By age 2 she could identify over 10 species of birds in our Johannesburg, South Africa, yard by call alone. Astounding because she picked up birding before she could speak and surprising because this ability was definitely not inherited from anyone in my family, myself included. And perhaps 20 others by sight. BIRD FEEDERS.

Birds 279

Birds Game Wildlife Family 279

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 16, 2013

The equation is simple, surely, if seeing birds makes me happy, then surely lots of birds makes me lots of happy, right? I have a deep love for members of the babbler family (or families now) and so the ten minutes I spent with a pair of Chestnut-crowned Babblers was heaven. Why wouldn’t I be happy? Well, not quite.

2012 157

2012 New Zealand Thailand Albatross 157

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2011

On the contrary, if you are a traveling birder, you might just find your next birding destination right here on 10,000 Birds. PIP is situated right on a beautiful lake -- the place to be when its hot! Wicked, right? So, just because I’m being lazy, this does not mean that these posts will be of no use to you!

Portugal 179

Portugal 2011 Deer Birds 179

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2013

Despite filling very similar garbage disposal related niches, the vultures in North America and the vultures in Eurasia/Africa are really not that closely related. Old World Vultures are nestled within the family Acciptridae along with the hawks and eagles. And when you think about it, that seems right. millions years ago.

California Condor 190

California Condor Turkey North America Jordan 190

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. When was the last time you chose a book by its covers? Some are incredibly rare and hard to find.

Congo 264

Congo Africa South Africa Madagascar 264

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2017

I have to say right off that taxonomic organization is imprinted in my brain. Other back of the book material includes recommended Further Reading (including the classic Southern Africa field guides), online resources, scientific name index, common name index (nicely done), and a handy Short Index of group names on the inside back cover.

Ecuador 181

Ecuador Wildlife Reptiles Birds 181

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

Birkhead talks about John Gould in several contexts, including a portrait of him and his family and his bird skins by John Everett Millais, reproduced in the color plates section, the only mention of Elizabeth is her co-authorship with John Gould, of another color plate, ‘Comb-crested Jacana.’

Dissection 235

Dissection Birds Research Europe 235

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 12, 2017

Starting in the mid-1990s, there was a “where to watch birds in…” series of five site guides written by Nigel Wheatley and covering South America (1994), Africa (1995), Asia (1996), Europe & Russia (2000) and Central America & the Caribbean (2001). Family accounts for all 142 bird families recorded from the region.

Africa 176

Africa Botswana Nigeria Namibia 176

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2015

Ethiopia, a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa, has firmly established itself as one of Africa’s top birding destinations. Its great diversity of habitats hosts an incredible bird count of over 900 species, including Africa’s 2nd highest list of endemics and near-endemics (after South Africa).

Ethiopia 249

Ethiopia Sudan Leopards Birds 249

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2013

A dusty-red road leads me through Marico bushveld deeper into the 750 square kilometers large wilderness of the Madikwe Game Reserve – the 4th largest reserve in South Africa, home to 350 bird and 66 mammal species, some 4 hours’ drive from Johannesburg. The two dogs walk right next to our rover and disappear in the dark.

Africa 200

Africa South Africa Elephants Rhinos 200

10,000 Birds

MARCH 22, 2011

These Blasts From The Past Lakes, lightning, locusts and lizards Great Birding Sites From Great Birding Bloggers Anderson River Park Never Disappoints Birding Kuwait The Other Antigua About the Author James A life-long birder and native of South Africa, James Currie has many years experience in the birding and wildlife tourism arenas.

Dominican Republic 194

Dominican Republic 2011 Birds Deer 194

10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2015

I would have known this right away if I was up to date on my Alexander Skutch. We saw a smaller member of the potoo family, Northern Potoo , Nyctibius jamaicensis , at Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge, boating and birding the Salado River. This living ball was so small, we all thought it was a Little Tinamou, Crypturellus soui.

Honduras 257

Honduras Birds Costa Rica Groups 257

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2011

That is why it is such amazingly awesome news that the British Birdwatching Fair raised £242,000 to help conserve a species that could become the first recorded bird extinction in mainland Africa. Wicked, right? Tags: Asides • Camping tents - Check out our pop up tents , family tents , and more! Hat-tip to Stella.

Ethiopia 145

Ethiopia 2011 Deer New York 145

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2016

Lunch, some time to get to know our rooms (I loved mine, right next to a tree that housed a Spotted Owlet), and we were off again for Ranthambhore National Park, right down the road. An Indian Roller greeted us from a wire over the dirt road to our hotel. Target: Tigers.

India 189

India Tigers Birds Owls 189