10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2021

There was a time when I thought each bird species had its own individual song. Then I found out that there was this vocalization called a ‘call,’ so I thought each bird species had its own individual song (but just the males) and individual call. Bird communication is a complex and evolving science. How do they know?

North America 278

North America Research Birds Groups 278

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2012

Or, Pygmy leaf-folding frogs, Afrixalus brachycnemis, from Tanzania, tiny climbing frogs who lay their eggs in leaves and then fold the leaves over them for protection, sealing the nest with secretions. As Mattison says, “Frogs are unlikely to be mistaken for any other type of animal.”

Reptiles 182

Reptiles Madagascar Family New York City 182

Animal Person

MARCH 17, 2009

Responsible Policies for Animals Members & Friends! The meat industry is inherently destructive and inhumane, there is no way to make it otherwise, and much of the harm it does to ecosystems is by inflicting suffering and death on billions of nonhuman animals, farmed and free-living, each year. Another went out last Friday.

Meat Industry 100

Meat Industry Industry Meat Responsible Policies 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

Artists rendition of Inkayacu paracasensis There are 17 living species of penguins, which make up their own Linnean family (Spheniscidae), which is the only family in the order Sphenisciformes. Penguins are flightless, but some species locomote over long distances on antarctic ice to travel between breeding grounds and the sea.

Penguins 188

Penguins Seals Peru Science 188

10,000 Birds

MARCH 17, 2015

We see interrelationships between plants, animals, and other features of a biological system that can be very complex and in various ways make sense. So these complex ecological interactions and systems must emerge as a result of individual behaviors, which also means to some extent, at levels within (below) the species we see interacting.

Species 202

Species Eggs Research Science 202

10,000 Birds

JULY 25, 2022

Gisela Kaplan has written a book about the species, and how they seem unperturbed by humans: “It’s one of their most successful defense strategies. When these birds breed, this can lead to highly cringeworthy announcements, for example from Adelaide Zoo : “We have egg-citing news!” This is what killed James Dean.

Birds 217

Birds Australia Ducks Mountain Goats 217

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

It is the 100th Anniversary of the extinction of the species known as the Passenger Pigeon and writers are paying attention. Errol Fuller’s The Passenger Pigeon is a beautifully illustrated, elegantly written “celebration” of the passenger pigeon and the artists who illustrated and photographed the species.

2014 159

2014 Killing Michigan Kentucky 159

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2012

One strategy that varies among birds (and other animals) is the number of offspring. A few families have a small number of eggs in the clutches, like gulls or cormorants. A few families have a small number of eggs in the clutches, like gulls or cormorants. Seabirds are one group of birds that go for the latter strategy.

Eggs 163

Eggs Puffins Breeding Raised 163

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 18, 2014

The vast majority of the 10,000+ living species of birds are passerines, and the vast majority of those have a similar system of breeding: Mom and dad bird make a nest and share parental responsibilities roughly equally, if not identically. There are variations on that theme, of course. Even the non-passerines often follow this pattern.

Breeders 195

Breeders Breeding Birds Groups 195

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 29, 2024

The species name athertoni is derived from Lt. Unfortunately, there is not much literature on the species except for the inevitable analysis of the mitochondrial genome. As usual in China, there are some anonymous Leaf Warbler species – but who cares, apart from Bella of Alpinebirding ?

Squirrels 136

Squirrels Birds China Bears 136

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 15, 2011

But seriously, Science has a more interesting set of answers, and some recently published research on European Robins helps to examine this question in some detail. There are several reasons that scientists have postulated for any kind of signaling seen in animals, and bird’s colors are clearly some kind of signal. 3) Territory.

Research 201

Research Science Birds Deer 201

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2022

I have written about the interesting sex life of these jacanas a few times already (short version: female mates with male, lays a bunch of eggs for him to incubate and raise the chicks, leaves him, finds another male, repeat). Apparently, after a male first mates with a female, he throws out the first one or two eggs she lays in their nest.

Birds 147

Birds China Eggs Breeding 147