10,000 Birds

JUNE 1, 2015

Science is fairly well established that yawning can spread like wildfire among groups of humans, as well as a few other mammals. New research suggests that the phenomenon of contagious yawning can also be seen in birds. In the other study, the birds—which seem to be great mimics of videos—were shown footage of budgies yawning.

New York 157

New York Mammals Science Birds 157

10,000 Birds

MAY 27, 2013

Much like Carrie’s recent experiences being hoodwinked by non-bird sources of birdy-sounding calls , I’ve had my share of animal encounters out in the field. In New York and Chicago, they’ve been pretty mundane—a White-tailed Deer here, an Eastern Cottontail rabbit there. Also, any ID help on this?).

Nevada 189

Nevada Coyotes Rattlesnake Chicago 189

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 16, 2022

Each chapter of Clavreul’s book covers his revisitation of one of these extended Audubon trips, with a final chapter covering New York City, where Audubon first set foot on American soil, in 1803. (His Birds, mammals and other wildlife, humans and landscapes are all rendered magnificently.

Bald Eagle 147

Bald Eagle Louisville Pennsylvania Ohio 147

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2021

You get three or four books in one with Jonathan Meiburg’s A Most Remarkable Creature: The Hidden Life and Epic Journey of the World’s Smartest Birds of Prey. Meiburg doesn’t say it in so many words, but it’s almost as if he believes he and the birds are in telepathic converse. Knopf, New York, $30 (U.S.); $40 (Canada).

Guyana 261

Guyana South America Washington DC 261

10,000 Birds

JULY 10, 2020

In the course of our nearly weekly reviews here at Birds and Booze, we’ve come across an impressive variety in the depictions of birds on packages of beer, wine, cider, and spirits. Other times, the bird is an important cultural symbol, or a creature out of fable or myth – something with a good story behind it.

Penguins 187

Penguins Collecting Walruses New York 187

10,000 Birds

MAY 23, 2021

It’s a beautiful Spring morning… humming insects, calling birds. Maggie Ciarcia, a solo wildlife rehabilitator in Carmel, NY specializing in small mammals and game birds, received a notice from New York State Electric and Gas that tree trimming was scheduled for her neighborhood and someone would contact her.

Wildlife Rehabilitation 264

Wildlife Rehabilitation Wildlife Game Laws 264

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 16, 2015

Otherwise known as the Northern Harrier (in the Americas) or the Hen Harrier (in the English-speaking Old World), Circus cyaneus brings terror to voles and other small mammals as it courses low over open country, ready to plunge, talons-first, at the first sign of movement. Northern Harrier coming in for a landing. Northern Harrier.

Sparrows 255

Sparrows New York Mammals Owls 255

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2012

Queens, New York, May 2010 At one time there was an airport in northern Queens called Flushing Airport. Unfortunately, developers are hungrily eying the 70-acre parcel despite some local opposition and the fact that it is a wetland that provides excellent habitat to a variety of birds (to say nothing of mammals, insects, etc).

New York City 156

New York City New York Birds Homelessness 156

10,000 Birds

JULY 29, 2015

Firstly, if you check the wonderful photo galleries here at 10000 Birds, you will find some excellent shots of the female Mountain Bluebird that Corey took in New York, of all places! You can download their bird list here. Click on photos for full sized images.

United States 182

United States Mammals Squirrels New York 182

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 4, 2014

And Flamingos and Hornbills and a Secretarybird and birds with names like Hamerkop and Thick-knee and Eremomela (which I know is a scientific term, but which, when pronounced correctly, reminds me of a Yiddish term of endearment my grandmother used). And so, I went on the American Birding Association Safari to South Africa.

South Africa 255

South Africa Africa Leopards Penguins 255

10,000 Birds

APRIL 25, 2013

Today we take a brief reprieve from birder commentary to talk actual birds, specifically those of Santa Cruz Island, where my lowly-esteemed colleague Seagull Steve is currently doing field work on some of the nearshore seabirds there. The fundamental question is, where is it? is concerned.

California 181

California Birds Sea Lions Whales 181

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 2, 2013

I spent this weekend at my parents’ house in my hometown of Saugerties, New York, which is nestled nicely between the Catskill Mountains and the Hudson River.

Salamander 185

Salamander Chipmunks Reptiles Cooking 185

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2013

Two-thousand-twelve was a pretty darn good year for me birding-wise and otherwise. Seeing 525 species was nice, as was the fact that I birded in four countries, nine of the fifty states in the United States, and fifty-one counties. A text message that let me know about a mega-rarity in New York ! Florida Scrub Jay ?

2012 147

2012 Czech Republic Hedgehogs Hungary 147

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 18, 2012

The first thing I learned was that most animal-plant interaction did not involve mammals, or even birds. European Starling in New York City trying to bum a cigarette (photo by Corey, from HERE ) But I digress. We should return to the issue of plant molecules and the good stuff they can do, vis-a-vis birds.

2001 155

2001 New York City Birds Research 155

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2016

All of these titles deal with birding in specific North American geographic areas: The Atlantic coast, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The photos show the forms of the bird seen on the east coast and are annotated with notes on plumage and other distinguishing field marks. It’s time for some short book reviews. Well, short for me.

Pennsylvania 185

Pennsylvania Texas Whales Whaling 185

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 17, 2016

After sixteen days touring the interior west and west coast of the United States with my family I am back in New York City. And, let me tell you, it was an amazing trip with gorgeous scenery, lots of cool mammals, and, of course, a whole big bunch of birds! Clark’s Nutcrackers are one of my favorite birds.

Idaho 109

Idaho Colorado Wyoming San Francisco 109

10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2014

Will Raup is a birder from upstate New York who helped Corey learn a lot about birds when Corey was first starting out as a birder. When you think of invasives, you think of the birds that have been helped by human beings to get where they are, such as House Sparrow or European Starling.

Cattle 171

Cattle South Korea Suriname Seychelles 171

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Conservation / Conserving the Future: Bold Bird Ideas Conserving the Future: Bold Bird Ideas By Mike • March 16, 2011 • 2 comments Tweet Share The U.S.

2011 140

2011 Wildlife Birds Deer 140

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2016

Or maybe something closer to home like the American Bird Conservancy or a wildlife rescue organization like the Marine Mammal Center or International Bird Rescue. From a press release by the American Bird Conservancy. The outcome of today’s trial will undoubtedly embolden extremist groups.

Extremist 168

Extremist Oregon Wildlife illegal 168

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2012

Many state listers immediately chased it even though the bird was very mobile and did not offer good looks for most who tried. Also, tropical waters lack the dynamics for significant upwellings of cold, nutrient rich water to reach the surface and feed the extreme density of plankton that feed the vast schools of fish these birds rely upon.

Florida 238

Florida Cuba 2012 Bahamas 238

10,000 Birds

MAY 4, 2017

In 2009, I traveled from New York City to the tropical rainforest of Ecuador. The American Birding Association translated it into Spanish as part of its Birders Exchange Program, distributing copies to students and scientists in Central and South America and also making it available free in PDF format.

South America 176

South America Ecuador Reptiles America 176

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2013

The cahow is one wild and crazy bird. And, all the while it vocalizes with the strange-sounding, weird cries that give the bird its name, cries so bizarre sounding that they once kept Spanish explorers from settling the island. But, it’s a new story to me, one that reads like a fairy tale. You’ve never heard of the cahow?

Birds 180

Birds Rats Breeding 2012 180

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2012

Not having a smart phone, I called a friend in New York and had him Google up some wildlife rehabilitators’ numbers, but they were all out of service. Muir, thankfully, was not the least interested in the smaller mammal, and only a little confused about why our walk had been interupted. It turns out, helping a bat is hard.

Bats 145

Bats Wildlife Rehabilitation Missouri Montana 145

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2015

Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge : Open to migratory bird hunting (youth only). The Refuge is now home to nearly 200 species of birds, over 50 species of mammals, 25 species of reptiles and amphibians, and a wide variety of insects, fish and plants. This is an Urban Refuge ! Why would you open it up to hunting?

Fish 147

Fish Wildlife Hunting Game 147

10,000 Birds

MARCH 19, 2013

This week, a new study was published about Sparrows in Nebraska, that in some ways resembles the study by Bumpus and may well be a better example of Natural Selection in birds. House Sparrows ( Passer domesticus ) are introduced birds over most of their very large range. As you know, a lot of birds are killed in the U.S.

Killing 218

Killing South Africa Nebraska Collecting 218

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2012

Lest you think that I am overstating the likelihood of the raccoon being rabid please take into consideration that signs like the one below hang near every entrance to the park and rabid raccoons have been found not only in Central Park but all over New York City of late.

Raccoons 174

Raccoons New York City New York Squirrels 174

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2011

Found throughout South America in ever-dwindling numbers these extremely beautiful birds – threatened by habitat destruction and collection for the wild bird trade – are often difficult to see and hard to find. These threats are further exacerbated by the naturally low reproductive rates of these cavity-nesting birds.

Peru 255

Peru Parrots 2011 South America 255

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. Many of these stories will be known to avid readers of environmental news items and social media. This is big, global-level stuff with amazing findings but worrisome data.

Cyprus 264

Cyprus Slaughter Slaughtered Research 264

10,000 Birds

JUNE 16, 2014

Happily, there were gulls and terns about to entertain me (and the kids) while we scanned and scanned and scanned and scanned and scanned and scanned for any sign of our hoped-for marine mammals. Not a rarity by any stretch but the first bird I can recall Desi identifying based on physical field marks, as opposed to the sound that it made.

Whales 157

Whales Whaling Dolphins New York City 157

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

This is in addition to the many articles and exhibits and even film devoted to the bird, one of the few species whose death was witnessed and noted down to the exact day, Tuesday, September 1, 1914 (though there is some question about the exact time). We have a lot of source material.

2014 163

2014 Killing Michigan Kentucky 163

10,000 Birds

MARCH 7, 2014

The result is a nature lover’s paradise rich with mountains, beaches, and birds. Lots and lots of birds! Though my trip wasn’t dedicated exclusively to birding, that was part of my daily routine and sometimes the focus of my day. Birding Tai Po Kau/Mai Po/Long Valley. Victoria Peak/City tour/Kowloon Park.

2014 239

2014 Eagles Asia Groups 239

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?

Research 214

Research Humane Compassion New York 214

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2017

With enough planning, you can enjoy a family-friendly, bird-rich vacation in the Panama Canal zone. Any dedicated birder visiting Panama City should first consider the Canopy Tower , one of the most important and beloved birding lodges in the Americas. Despite the golf course, this place host all manner of birds and mammals.

Panama 100

Panama 2017 Monkeys Family 100

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 15, 2022

Apparently, there is a traditional Chinese saying that seeing one pheasant in the wild is better than seeing ten other birds. Of course, this is nonsense – pheasants are probably among the most overrated of all birds. The name of the bird apparently comes from the color of its tail feathers. New Jersey. Connecticut.

Rhode Island 147

Rhode Island Research South Dakota North Dakota 147

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 1, 2013

Anthony Collerton also broke a big year record, with 361 species checked off his New York State checklist, breaking the state record of 352 set in 2011 by Richard Fried. At 76 mammals and 431 birds they reached every single one of their goals! Anthony has the rundown on his big year here.

2012 175

2012 South Dakota Costa Rica Houston 175

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 6, 2018

Darwin Day is February 12th, and for an early celebration I thought I’d take a look at a book that rethinks the way Darwin, and we, think about evolution—a very specific part of evolution, the way beautiful features and behavior have developed amongst birds and, by extension, amongst humans.

Ducks 101

Ducks Research Animal Stud 101

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2015

As 2015 comes to a close and birders the world over start thinking about what 2016 will bring we here at 10,000 Birds would like to take a moment to celebrate our best birds of 2015. Each Beat Writer was given the opportunity to share their Best Bird of the Year for 2015 and, as usual, we had some pretty solid birds.

2015 189

2015 Costa Rica Birds Sparrows 189