10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2014

The western Mediterranean birds are bluish-purple all over. The sister taxon to the Mediterranean birds occurs on Borneo and the western Indonesian islands. As indicated by the English moniker “black-backed,” these birds have blackish wings and backs. Black-backed Swamphen. African Swamphen. Gray-headed Swamphen.

Papua New Guinea 189

Papua New Guinea Philippines New Zealand Florida 189

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 23, 2015

One new Pacific island form is the Mariana Kingfisher ( Todiramphus albicilla ) from the Mariana Islands in Micronesia. Saipan, Micronesia. I’m not sure why Australian birds are given this name, but the Australian subspecies is the Torrresian Kingfisher ( Todiramphus sordidus ). Torrresian Kingfisher. Bryan Harry, USNPS.

United Arab Emirates 174

United Arab Emirates Micronesia Tonga Vanuatu 174

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2011

The world of birding is filled with challenging groups well known to all, birds like gulls , Empidonax flycatchers or cisticolas that require attention to the tiniest details in order to assign an individual to a specific species (if it can be done at all). One such bird is the Collared Kingfisher ( Todiramphus chloris ).

Samoa 167

Samoa Vanuatu United Arab Emirates Tonga 167