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What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds: A Book Review

10,000 Birds

Jennifer Ackerman points out in the introduction to What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds , that we don’t know much, but that very soon we may know a lot more. What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds is a joyous, fascinating read.

Owls 220
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Potpourri of Amazing Bird Science

10,000 Birds

The potpourri covers some interesting bird related science of the last few weeks, and the promise is this: I’ll get to that other stuff soon, I promise! If this was America, we might not be concerned because starlings are an invasive species, at least in North America. “We may be talking about 50,000 to 100,000 deaths.

Science 151
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Bird Science and Evolution: 2013 Year In Review

10,000 Birds

Many, many things happened in the area of bird science this year, so this review can not be comprehensive. 08–20 Many bird species are in trouble, but the Hooded Grebe is really really in trouble. But I’ve compiled a sampling of this year’s news and events for your edification. But there was this one in Australia.

Science 191
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Some Hokkaido Winter Passerines

10,000 Birds

Given how far Hokkaido is from Europe, it seems a bit surprising how many bird species wintering on this Japanese island have a name starting with “Eurasian” Or how many of these species I have also seen in my parents’ garden in Germany. In science speak, this is named the optimal body mass hypothesis.

Research 130
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The Secrets of my Success

10,000 Birds

I’ve never known quite what to do with the two Cardinal sightings I have had near our church in Morelia, since that species is not supposed to be seen there, or to be migratory, but both sightings occurred in winter. I have seen two Godwit species at Lake Cuitzeo. One is unusual, the other is extraordinary. It means something.

Mexico 229
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Vagrancy in Birds: A Book Review

10,000 Birds

per cent of individuals of a species at a given time” and a vagrant bird as a bird that shows up outside of this range (p. The accounts cover vagrancy patterns for the family as a whole, reasons for vagrancy, documented examples of vagrancy for specific species and reasons that might account for those incidents.

Birds 262
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My eBird 10th Anniversary

10,000 Birds

During the decade, I submitted 1,219 checklists and observed 555 bird species, all in the U.S. After an initial period when all species are new, the lifers begin to follow a pattern. Thus, I can pinpoint my first pelagic trip, as it added 13 new species. and Canada. I’ve submitted 448 such checklists.