10,000 Birds

JULY 16, 2013

At some point, perhaps in the middle of class, perhaps after class, perhaps in an email I receive later, this question gets asked: “How do migratory birds not get lost when the Earth’s magnetic field reverses?” But also, birds certainly use multiple cues to get around.

Investigation 187

Investigation 2013 Research Humane 187

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 28, 2014

Among birds the Egyptian Vulture uses rocks to crack Ostrich eggs, the New Caledonian Crow and Woodpecker Finch (one of several Darwin Finches of the Galapagos Islands), uses sticks to extract grubs from inside a branch. This is similar to the fact that all birds, even first time breeders within a species build identical nests.

Fish 163

Fish Woodpeckers Ostriches Eggs 163

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

There were three profound questions my birding group discussed while we birded Trinidad and Tobago, back in December 2012: (1) How many Bananaquits could fit on a banana? (2) 3) What was the best guide to the birds of Trinidad and Tobago? The bird guide question was a conundrum.

Trinidad 188

Trinidad Birds South America Research 188

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2012

Yes, the warbler formerly known as Dendroica kirtlandii , now Setophaga kirtlandii , is one of those birds that make birders’ hearts pulse quicker and their legs churn faster. Look what happened when the bird made the first of three appearances at the Biggest Week in American Birding at Magee Marsh!

Michigan 220

Michigan Bahamas Endangered Species Research 220

10,000 Birds

APRIL 17, 2012

Oil begins to wash up on the beaches throughout May and June of 2010 May 6, 2010 Oil washes ashore on the Chandeleur Islands off the Louisiana coast, an important nesting and breeding area for many bird species. July 24, 2010 BP brazenly says an internal investigation has cleared the company of all gross negligence in the spill.

2010 225

2010 Louisiana 2012 2011 225

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2012

This thrush is extremely common in urban and suburban Germany and one of the most conspicuous bird species here, comparable to the American Robin in North America. A few dead birds were collected by authorities and sent to a laboratory for investigation. and species breeding in cavities are less affected.

Germany 159

Germany Blackbirds 2006 Denmark 159

10,000 Birds

JUNE 22, 2023

In June 2023, I again went to Balangshan, a mountain about 3 hour’s drive from Sichuan’s capital Chengdu – and again with Alpinebirding , fortunately no longer for them to partly deal with confusing covid restrictions but only to help me find birds that I am too incompetent a birder to find on my own. ” Full iteration!

Birds 130

Birds China Science Research 130

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 9, 2023

Apparently, she supported the research of a Romanian team on ectoparasites of birds from Meghalaya (India) – and for her troubles, the team thanked her by naming a species of feather mite newly discovered on Large Niltava after her. If I can give you some advice: Better not be a bird in China. Unsurprisingly, it is.

China 147

China Hunting Birds illegal 147

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 28, 2022

In retrospect, this weekend at Wuyuan was not exactly my finest hour as a bird photographer – hopefully, I could do better now, and perhaps one day I will, should normal traveling ever be possible again in China. I’d rather see yellow birds than yellow plants. Such a cute bird deserves a better representation.

China 147

China Birds Breeders Zoos 147

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2020

The proprietor of our ecolodge guides my small group of birders up a steep slope where we see, just at the point where a scope view deteriorates into pixels, a huge bird—a Chaco Eagle, also known as a Crowned Eagle—on a huge nest. And, how they betrayed that trust, stealing eggs for years and, possibly even worse, falsifying research data.

Falcons 198

Falcons United Kingdom Zimbabwe Eggs 198

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2016

In a very short time, we get two responses, two birds calling from opposite directions. Others might say “ disturbing territorial birds with playbacks ” and in this situation I would partially agree, while in many others I would fully agree. A portable speaker is placed on the top of the car, playing Tawny Owl calls from a smartphone.

Owls 174

Owls Birds Investigation Breeding 174

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2016

That is one of many interesting findings from The Loon Project, which studies the territorial and breeding behavior of Loons in northern Wisconsin. Still, it is the result of long-term, close behavioral study, and points toward areas scientists might want to investigate further. All the single ladies, take note.

Stud 100

Stud Cougars Wisconsin Investigation 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 25, 2024

According to the eBird description, it is everything I am not: a “neon-colored, noisy, highly social bird” Shudder to think (not the bird part though). Next, this post has a long section on babblers, a very ill-defined category of birds. But some of them look pretty interesting.

Burma 180

Burma Birds Vietnam Laos 180

10,000 Birds

MAY 28, 2016

In the realm of birding, it might also be the season for Big Days. With all of those birds singing and showing off their breeding colors, it’s no surprise that we see major bird races like Champions of the Flyway and The World Series of Birding , along with other main birding events like the Global Big Day.

Costa Rica 100

Costa Rica Birds Species 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 9, 2011

The Mexican Duck, as its name suggests, is native to Mexico and parts of the southwestern United States, and unlike the Mallard, the Mexican Duck does not have a showy male breeding plumage; both sexes are brown throughout the year.

Ducks 169

Ducks North America Texas Mexico 169

10,000 Birds

MAY 19, 2011

To a birder, migration means that you can live in Minnesota, New York, Paris or Moscow and see exotic tropical birds such as Piranga olivacea and Icterus galbula on a regular basis without buying a plane ticket. The birds do the flying for you. But what is migration, why do birds do it, and how is it accomplished? Image source.

Research 186

Research Humane Compassion New York 186

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 26, 2022

This year, it seems I wrote one post on birding in Shanghai each month – and I am still not even sure anyone is interested in these. Probably the most interesting bird this month was a Grey-headed Canary-Flycatcher showing up in the Shanghai Botanical Garden. I know – sexism is very common in the birding world.

Finland 147

Finland Birds 2016 McDonalds 147

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

Non-bird watchers without binoculars and experience are notoriously bad sources of information. But now there is some research on that. From a press release about that research: >Common Loons (Gavia immer) nest on lakes across Canada and the northern U.S., Every now and then you see an Eagle and a Loon interact a bit.

Humane 200

Humane Eagles Investigation Research 200

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 31, 2020

Whisky Month at Birds and Booze: This January, Birds and Booze at 10,000 Birds is setting its sights on whiskies all month long. White-fronted Goose by John James Audubon (1785-1851) from The Birds of America. Perusing an extensive menu of Scotch whiskies is a bit like poring over a telephone directory in Scotland.

Geese 154

Geese Ireland Branding 2016 154

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2022

The Siberian Rubythroat seems to somewhat lack a proper inbuilt GPS system – while it breeds as far west as the Ural Mountains and winters as far est as Central India, it does not migrate through central Asia in large numbers (even though this would be the shortest way). So better not let a rubythroat bite you. .

Russia 204

Russia Asia Philippines Taiwan 204

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2022

To be precise, “Birding Shanghai from June 10 to June 30, 2022” – but that is even less of an exciting title than the one above. The reason for this post only covering the period from June 10 being that an earlier post, “Revenge Birding”, was about the first 9 days of June. You should try it too.

Birds 178

Birds Sparrows Protection Humane 178