10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

As a result, the Aruba Birdlife Conservation Foundation began a campaign to make the Burrowing Owl the country’s national bird , which was officially named in 2012. The added publicity – the bird now appears on Aruba currency and stamps – will draw attention to needed conservation and protection efforts.

Prairie Dogs 101

Prairie Dogs Tortoises Owls South America 101

10,000 Birds

MAY 24, 2013

For instance, one could have to cope with many different screaming mammals, living in many different habitats, making many different noises, all of which sound enough like bird noises that maybe, just maybe, you should check. Montana has four species of chipmunk and six species of ground squirrel.

Chipmunks 178

Chipmunks Squirrels Rodents Montana 178

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2019

But, sometimes an appreciation of birds and birding requires more than a reference book with images of birds and facts about their identifying field marks. There are large avian handbooks and small ‘how-to bird’ guides, and quite a few excellent books of both types have been published.

Birds 114

Birds North America Breeding America 114

10,000 Birds

MAY 4, 2012

If we get close enough we might see a pink maw and slivers of white teeth, ready to take a prairie dog by the throat and choke the life out but also rather perversely adorable. Ferret 492 — a black-footed ferret, Mustela nigripes — raises her head from a black-tailed prairie dog’s burrow, sniffs the April night.

Ferrets 167

Ferrets Prairie Dogs Coyotes Kittens 167

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2012

Bufflehead ( Bucephala albeola ) Female at Cavity Entrance photos by Larry Jordan “Some 85 species of North American birds excavate nesting holes, use cavities resulting from decay (natural cavities), or use holes created by other species in dead or deteriorating trees. The owlet looking up to the parent bird is the one currently being fed.

North America 207

North America America Barn Owls Falcons 207

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. I hope to see my winter visitor for many years to come as these birds can live 20 years in the wild!

Squirrels 156

Squirrels Prairie Dogs North America Rabbits 156

10,000 Birds

JULY 28, 2011

Outside of hardcore twitchers looking for specialty birds and after speaking to thousands and thousands of birders, I have concluded that most people really do not put much emphasis on our prairies. Perhaps, this is because we, as Americans, have destroyed nearly every morsel of prairie we have left.

Prairie Dogs 162

Prairie Dogs Colorado North Dakota Soreing 162