10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2023

It is home to four diverse forest ecosystems (deciduous, mixed, boreal, and lowlands), experiences seasonal weather systems ranging from cold dry Arctic winters to humid, thunder-storm filled summers, and, according to the latest official checklist, hosts four professional sports teams with bird names.* state and Canadian provinces.

North America 200

North America Birds Owls Canada 200

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

They may be about bird eggs ( The Most Perfect Thing: The Inside (and Outside) of a Bird’s Egg , 2016), or a 17th-century ornithologist ( Virtuoso by Nature: The Scientific Worlds of Francis Willughby, 2016), or How Bullfinches learn songs from humans ( The Wisdom of Birds: An Illustrated History of Ornithology.

Dissection 209

Dissection Birds Research Europe 209

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

There are 35 raptor species that have a presence in the United States and Canada, 56 (more or less) if you count by subspecies, and they are all covered in admirable, exhausting, unbelievable detail in B irds of Prey of the East: A Field Guide and Birds of Prey of the West: A Field Guide by Brian K. Structure & Organization.

North America 185

North America Birds Mississippi Bald Eagle 185

10,000 Birds

JULY 25, 2013

In a move that’s sure to stir controversy far beyond the borders of California, federal officials have announced that h enceforth, fledgling Peregrine Falcons won’t be relocated from nests built on bridges in the state. But it also means that some baby falcons are likely to plunge into a watery grave. What do you think?

California 179

California Endangered Species Falcons Jordan 179

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 8, 2017

Let us no more speak of this week’s extraordinary failure by a cast of Falcons to finish off their prey. Instead, we’ve got other bird news to cheer us up (or at least take our minds off avian’s inexplicable inability to capture U.S. sports championships ). And as a ferocious storm bears down on much of the northern U.S.,

Massachusetts 100

Massachusetts Eggs Falcons Rights 100

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. McWilliam realizes he’s dealing someone special, a career falcon egg-thief.

Falcons 200

Falcons United Kingdom Zimbabwe Eggs 200

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2017

There are birders who watch hawks and there are hawk watchers who bird. The guide presents 69 species and 1 subspecies, from “NEW WORLD VULTURES: Cathartiformes” to “OSPREY: Pandioninae” to “FAMILY: Accipitridae” (Kites, Hawks, Eagles, Hawk-Eagles), to “FALONIDS: Falconidae” (Falcons, Forest-Falcons, Caracaras, Kestrels, Merlin).

Mexico 155

Mexico America North America Falcons 155

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2020

One of these days, Jeopardy will feature a category called “Field Guides” and the first clue will be: “This landlocked South American country finally got its own bird field guide in 2016, but it wasn’t available in the United State until 2019.” Bolivia doesn’t come up much in discussions of birding travel.

Bolivia 168

Bolivia Birds Brazil Switzerland 168

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2016

That’s what a group of researchers suggest in a paper recently published in Behavioral Ecology. The scientists, who studied bird populations in Europe and China , speculate that urban areas may have some appeal for passerines that rural areas otherwise lack. Smaller birds are much more likely to tolerate a human presence.

China 101

China Europe Research Falcons 101

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 29, 2018

Our favorite birds of prey fly south. My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird. North American Migratory Bird Flyways. Peregrine Falcon. They have detailed daily counts, migration timing, graphs, long-term summaries, and other cool info for my fellow bird data nerds! Delicious autumn! George Eliot).

Belize 210

Belize Mississippi Bald Eagle Mexico 210

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2019

It’s never too late or too early to buy a children’s book about birds. It’s been a few years since my last roundup of children’s bird books, and children’s book writers, illustrators and publishers continue to produce picture books that feature avian protagonists. First, the board books.

New York City 142

New York City Pelicans Birds New York 142

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 21, 2015

So instead let’s talk about South Africa’s best kept birding secret (at least outside of the country) Wakkerstroom. I have 10,000 Birds contributor Adam Riley to thank for telling me I had to add it to my list, and a quick bit of research showed that he was right on.

South Africa 145

South Africa Africa Falcons Family 145

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 13, 2016

Up to 100 kg – possibly a female, my guide and a bear researcher from the wildlife charity Callisto, Yannis Tsanakis, tells me. At the same time, a Peregrine Falcon flies across the valley. Peregrine Falcon – Falco peregrinus. Adult male bears in Greece usually weight about 150 kg and up to 200 kg, he explains further.

Bears 267

Bears Greece Europe Slovenia 267

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2013

The most flamboyant of all hummers, the Marvelous Spatuletail will be one of the many endemic bird highlights along the route of the Second International Birding Rally Challenge in Peru. I can’t convey how thrilled I am about the upcoming International Birding Rally Challenge in Peru. Photo: Courtesy of Dubi Shapiro.

Peru 174

Peru 2013 Louisiana Birds 174

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 8, 2011

Last month, I wrote about hypothesized relationships between passerines, parrots, falcons, and seriemas , noting a need for further research on the subject. The post stimulated some great discussions but not really any additional commentary on the science behind these proposed relationships. Ringer Suh et al. Ringer Suh et al.

Parrots 187

Parrots Falcons Indonesia Rodents 187

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2014

Beside birds, in this park you stand a chance of spotting the Eurasian Lynx , Brown Bear and Gray Wolf ! It is possible to reach it on the Friday afternoon, sleep there and go birding at the crack of dawn on Saturday. Well, do you really? The Forgotten Road does not exist on the GPS screen either.

Serbia 182

Serbia Turtles Birds Eagles 182

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 19, 2012

The Ferruginous Hawk ( Buteo regalis ) is truly a regal bird. I took a ride up to the Fall River Valley back in October and spotted both morphs in the large grasslands where we also usually see Rough-legged Hawks and Prairie Falcons. Obviously more research needs to be done on this magnificent raptor. This is the light morph.

Squirrels 156

Squirrels Prairie Dogs North America Rabbits 156

10,000 Birds

APRIL 6, 2021

His second book on migration is a tale of many birds and many research studies all connected by the theme of migration and by his thoughtful narrative voice. His second book on migration is a tale of many birds and many research studies all connected by the theme of migration and by his thoughtful narrative voice.

Cyprus 244

Cyprus Slaughter Slaughtered Research 244

10,000 Birds

JUNE 2, 2015

Producing a book about birds and nesting is a dangerous business. The truth is that there are few images cuter than baby birds in the nest opening their mouths and begging for food, but there are curmudgeons amongst us, myself included, who don’t like to admit this. And of birds courting and mating. Peregrine Falcon nests.

Eggs 263

Eggs Family 2006 New York 263

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 14, 2018

We strike up a conversation, and find out that his name is Abner , and he just so happens to be the son of the owner, and is very interested in birds. On my Face Book page, I made the comment that we might be waiting for Noah to come by, rather than getting to see some birds. Here is one of the Laughing Falcons.

Costa Rica 113

Costa Rica Falcons Mexico Groups 113

10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2013

And, you know what that means, time to talk seriously about field guides for birds, a topic guaranteed to get the members of our tribe articulating opinions with great gusto and certainty. Here are the ground rules for this review: This is not a contest about which is the best bird field guide. Now, on to the books.

Birds 152

Birds North America Groups Falcons 152

10,000 Birds

JULY 1, 2014

I enjoy collecting children’s books about birds and nature that I come across in the expected (book stores) and unexpected (academic library conference reports) places. The Taínos named the birds Iguacas, after their call. Spanish settlers arrived in 1493 and called the birds Coterras. The birds thrive.

Puerto Rico 227

Puerto Rico Parrots New York City 2013 227

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2012

The newest bird on the brink to capture her fertile imagination is the California Condor, on which she graciously shares her research and ruminations: Sometimes as a writer you recognize there’s been something overlooked in your midst—something quietly abiding. I enjoyed my time with these birds of earth’s past.

California Condor 202

California Condor California Idaho North America 202

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 18, 2014

Birds in Delaware Bay. Listing will indirectly enhance national and international cooperation and coordination of conservation efforts, enhance research programs, and encourage the development of conservation measures that could help slow habitat loss and population declines. Photo: Gregory Breese-USFWS.

Endangered Species 160

Endangered Species Protection Delaware Species 160

10,000 Birds

JULY 16, 2020

A Field Guide to the Birds of Mongolia by Dorj Ganbold and Chris Smith (2019) offers more than 500 species in one neat edition. I say “more than” because I am not certain what number of species is covered: on page 8, 512 bird species are mentioned, while on the back cover that number rises to 521.

Mongolia 268

Mongolia Falcons Birds 2019 268

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2020

They looked out their windows and across their patios and up from their apartment terraces and saw–birds. This is a delightful book, large (8-1/2 by 11 inches), filled with Sibley’s distinctive artwork and an organized potpourri of research-based stories about the science behind bird’s lives.

2020 262

2020 Birds Groups North America 262

10,000 Birds

MARCH 17, 2022

And in my customary environmentally friendly approach to recycling bird photos, I have collected some of them in this post. Should you be impressed by this list and the underlying ambitions, take a look at the migration route of the Amur Falcon ( Wikipedia ). It is not a bird I am ever likely to find boring, though.

Falcons 233

Falcons Japan China South Africa 233

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

The magnificent history and diversity of birds on Earth came into sharper focus this month with the publication of 28 new scientific papers in Science and other journals. One of the central papers, Whole-genome analyses resolve early branches in the tree of life of modern birds (Jarvis et al. American Flamingo photo by Dick Culbert).

Family 279

Family Parrots Birds 2014 279

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

It actually makes a lot of sense, the geographic features of the isthmus between North America (including Mexico, because Mexico is part of North America) and South America cut across political lines, as do birds. It is the first bird field guide to every country of Central America (plus the islands governed by those countries).

America 211

America El Salvador Costa Rica Honduras 211

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 7, 2014

The second edition of the National Geographic Complete Birds of North America, 2nd Edition has one of the longest book names in bird bookdom: National Geographic Complete Birds of North America, 2nd Edition: Now Covering More Than 1,000 Species With the Most-Detailed Information Found in a Single Volume.

North America 177

North America America Birds Family 177

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2018

He made a whirlwind tour of some of the best birding areas in the country, from the Karajukica Bunari peat bog in the extreme southwest (by the border with Montenegro) all the way to the Slano Kopovo Crane Sanctuary in the northeast. He enjoys combining his passion for birds with computer science background to model nocturnal bird migration.

Serbia 132

Serbia Switzerland Farming Birds 132

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 23, 2012

The Florida Keys Hawk-watch broke the world record for number of Peregrine Falcons recorded in a single day – a stunning 651 birds! And at the South Florida Birding Observatory we have been banding a few surprises over the past weeks. Their weird bills are used to flip over leaves as the birds forage on the ground.

Florida 192

Florida Philadelphia 2002 Birds 192

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 31, 2011

The California Quail ( Callipepla californica ) is the California state bird, inhabiting scrub, broken chaparral and woodland edges primarily in California, Oregon, Washington and Baja California. At this age, they are also able to make short flights, a highly desirable trait for game birds. References: 1 Baicich, Paul J.

California 212

California Eggs Gophers Rattlesnake 212

10,000 Birds

JULY 26, 2012

Falcons split from hawks to join parrots and songbirds Unanimously, the committee voted to remove falcons (Falconiformes) and parrots (Psittaciformes) from their current positions in the list and place them before the songbirds (Passeriformes), more closely to reflect the relationships between these three great orders.

Falcons 171

Falcons Parrots California Breeding 171

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 12, 2018

We were making some new birding friends, learning the local hotspots etc. Well, that’s just not really our style, so at the very last minute, we rented a high gas mileage car, thru a few things in a cooler, and our birding gear and headed for south Texas. I mean really, what 1200 miles (one way) if you might get another 30 birds or so?

Texas 127

Texas Tucson San Antonio Owls 127

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2016

At Sea With the Marine Birds of the Raincoast opens with the unexpected appearance of a Laysan Albatross. Having shown us the bird, the boat, and the water, Fox then introduces herself: “Albatrosses, petrels, fulmars, puffins and gulls live out their lives along these transect lines; my job is to count them all.”.

Fox 100

Fox Albatross Geese Bald Eagle 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2017

Are there birders out there who do not dream of birding Australia? Possibly birders who have already birded Australia (but, wouldn’t you want to go back?) or birders who live there (but, how can you bird it all?). So, I welcomed the opportunity to review The Australian Bird Guide.

Australia 105

Australia Birds Penguins 2015 105