10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2020

Just yesterday I learned that the Barn Owl ( Tyto alba ) is the only breeding bird found in New York that has been documented nesting in every month of the year. This bit of trivia was given in an article in my local bird club’s monthly newsletter about the ongoing breeding bird atlas in New York State. The post Z.

2017 233

2017 Barn Owls Rodents Owls 233

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 27, 2015

It takes a lot of nerve—or something that can’t be printed here—to name your rat poison after the animals that so effectively and efficiently control rodents but that are also being poisoned—as “non target” animals—by your product. I’ll leave today’s blog in her capable hands.

Mountain Lions 260

Mountain Lions Rats Rodents Lions 260

10,000 Birds

MAY 24, 2013

When you move on to Montana, you discover that there are worse things that one species of tiny screaming mammal tricking you each year as you try to cope with an influx of songbirds and a winterized memory bank that contains only Black-capped Chickadees and Dark-eyed Juncos (and only about half their calls at that.) You sigh and move on.

Chipmunks 181

Chipmunks Squirrels Rodents Montana 181

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 15, 2020

But I am interested in what birds eat at my local patch here at Nanhui in Shanghai. Vegetarian food seems less interesting, or maybe it is just more difficult to capture on a photo … Many birds seem to regard Nanhui as a seafood restaurant. Similar to the Chinese, birds do not seem to mind eating frogs and toads.

Fish 193

Fish Rodents China Vegetarian 193

10,000 Birds

MAY 31, 2015

We call it a “mouse gradation year” I was not able to find a catchy English term for “gradation year” – it’s what happens when a certain species showing population cycles reaches a peak year. In German, if you are a rodent and you are smaller than – say – a human hand, you’re a mouse.

Fox 164

Fox Rodents Gophers Germany 164

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 24, 2015

A bird species battling an onslaught of invasive rats just got a glimpse of hope. That’s because these birds won’t breed when rats are around. If no signs of rats are found by 2017, the island will be determined rodent-free for the first time since humans set foot on it more than two centuries ago.

Georgia 182

Georgia Rats Rodents 2017 182

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 4, 2016

In front of us, the river is two miles wide… and it is paved with birds: smaller groups of Greater White-fronted and Greylag Geese , numerous Mute Swans and Mallards , plus Eurasian Teals , Gadwalls , Common Pochards , a few Ferruginous and Tufted Ducks , Common Goldeneyes and several Smews. A goose hunt sounds like a WWII battle.

Geese 174

Geese Hunting Boars Birds 174

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 16, 2014

However, in this post, I’d like to lay out the basic numbers as we pretend to know them about overall bird mortality, human related causes of mortality, and somewhere in there I’ll note that the number of birds that are killed by windmills is so small that it says “zero” on my pie chart. So keep that in mind.

Killing 274

Killing Cats Fish Birds 274

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2011

While the Rovio Angry Birds game franchise is hugely popular and has even led to a post here on 10,000 Birds that speculated on the identification of what the Angry Birds birds actually are , little attention has been paid to those that came before. Real Angry Birds? This bird has one simple reason to be angry.

Birds 234

Birds Owls Game Rodents 234

10,000 Birds

JUNE 12, 2018

Invasive species , particularly rodents, have long been a problem on the Hawaiian archipelago. Mice are also detrimental to the island’s habitat for other reasons, including their consumption of plants and invertebrates, often competing with native species. Implementing mitigation measures identified for selected species.

Mice 102

Mice Albatross Honolulu Endangered Species 102

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 15, 2014

The Carolina Wren pictured above was caught in a Walmart in a trap set for rodents. Like leg hold traps, glue traps are indiscriminate, with non-targeted species making up a large proportion of their catch. The grocery manager at a local store was using them to catch the birds that got in the building. Rehabbers hate this.

Wildlife Rehabilitation 279

Wildlife Rehabilitation Mice Rodents Rescue 279

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 26, 2014

There’s no species of bird more associated with the North American desert than Greater Roadrunner. But Warner Brothers cartoons aside, Greater Roadrunner is a much more adaptable species that we give it credit for. It’s not easy to reconcile the vision of this quintessential desert bird in McMansion land.

Missouri 203

Missouri Mississippi Agenda Rodents 203

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 22, 2014

Audubon chapter leaders meet once a year for these council meetings to share their ideas and successes with other chapters and discuss ways to improve members participation and enjoyment of birding and conservation activities. This is the painting of the species by John James Audubon in the early 1800′s. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7tVjohOIdI.

Nevada 160

Nevada North America Utah Oregon 160

10,000 Birds

JUNE 16, 2011

Most of the time when we think of birds, we think of the things that make them birds, and not the things that make them dinosaurs. You’ll hear people tell you that birds are dinosaurs, and that is supposed to blow you away and make you go all gaga about birds and evolution. are convenient secondary uses.

Birds 269

Birds Primates Marsupials Whales 269

10,000 Birds

JUNE 14, 2011

Dirt hawking is a form of falconry that involves hunting rabbits and other small game with Harris Hawks (other hawk species also qualify). One of the primary reasons that these hawks make such excellent falconry birds is because they are one of only two raptor species (the other is the Galapagos Hawk ) that hunt cooperatively.

League Against Cruel Sports 270

League Against Cruel Sports Rabbits Falcons Hunting 270

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2014

Few people can imagine (or even take seriously) the life of a birding guide at a lodge in the tropics, so I thought it would be a nice exercise to outline what an average day for me was like at Cristalino Lodge. White-bellied Parrot was one of many target species at either of the canopy towers. 4:30AM: It is time to wake up!

Otters 160

Otters Parrots Birds Brazil 160

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2014

Birding that starts with the largest eagle of the continent certainly bears promises… The next stop is the town park in Opovo, north of Belgrade, where local bird expert Ceda Vuckovic reported one, locally rare, Short-eared Owl. Sakule is almost fully enclosed by its fishfarm and it is a tranquil home for numerous birds.

Serbia 239

Serbia Owls Rodents Eagles 239

10,000 Birds

MARCH 25, 2012

Our standard Sciuridae is the Eastern Gray Squirrel ( Sciuridae carolinensis ) and while most of these rambunctious rodents are indeed gray, they sometimes come in other flavors. The Bronx was beset by hordes of Black Squirrels , melanistic members of this common species. So black squirrels have never been a surprise to me.

Squirrels 197

Squirrels Rodents Mammals Bears 197

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 16, 2012

A while back I asked the question, How much bird is there, anyway? I had noted that if you took a quick look around you’d think there were a lot of birds and very few mammals. And some of them would be hiding behind bushes waiting for a chance to jump on some of the birds. 3) Some of these birds were going to die anyway.

Cats 181

Cats Boston Ferrets Killing 181

10,000 Birds

JUNE 21, 2012

All of the sudden we have bird multi-media everywhere. Meantime, I got a copy of an iAuthored iBook on birds that I’ve reviewed here. And all this has caused there to be musings in my head about multi-media technology, birds, and birding. The very first multi-media resource for leaning birds were birds.

Birds 169

Birds Collecting Rodents Wounded 169

10,000 Birds

MARCH 26, 2013

I was reading Carrie’s post last month and got to thinking about car birding in general. Personally, I am a big fan of car birding, despite the necessary fossil fuel burning that is involved. For many birders, the thought of car birding is as natural as using a field guide. The weight of my argument crushes all others.

LACS 134

LACS North Dakota Costa Rica Birds 134

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Somehow they manage to get the bird or animal to a rehabilitator, even though finding one is often a feat in itself. They would realize that wild owls fly silently through the night and grab unwary rodents, not unsuspecting packages of processed cow meat. Birds injured wildlife orphaned wildlife screech owl wildlife rehabilitators'

Wildlife Rehabilitation 257

Wildlife Rehabilitation Wildlife Feral Cats Hamburgers 257

10,000 Birds

JUNE 21, 2016

Great Tit Telomeres, Baby Talk, Brainy Birds. This morning, I have three interesting scientific findings related to bird for you. First, birds may age more quickly in urban environments. Third, which we already suspected, bird brains are adjusted to provide extra smartness in a way not seen in mammals. urban or rural).

Mammals 109

Mammals Zebras Birds Primates 109

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 13, 2019

Owling on Christmas Bird Counts is a peculiar business. Some counters are unfailingly resolute in their dedication to this thankless graveyard shift of the birding world, marching headlong year after year into the bleak winter landscape in search of their heard-only, nocturnal quarry. There’s the whole role of chance in owling, too.

2017 137

2017 Owls Game California 137

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2016

“Saltator” is another one of those “intriguing” names for certain bird species that live in Costa Rica and the Neotropical region. It’s a funny name for birds that sort of look like a missing link between tanagers and cardinal grosbeaks but I guess it fits. It is very gray.

Costa Rica 100

Costa Rica Kangaroos Rodents Species 100

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 4, 2015

But the fact is nature has little to do with most problems facing native birds. Consider this: ninety percent of birds treated at wildlife centers are admitted as a result of human interactions that have nothing to do with “nature.” A personal encounter with a wild species changes one’s perspective. The difference seems obvious.

Wildlife Rehabilitation 189

Wildlife Rehabilitation Bald Eagle Rescue Wildlife 189

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 2, 2016

Plants, animals, as well as birds. This area, with its year round water supply, supports a huge amount of life, with coyotes, fox, bobcat and many different rodents, like this Mexican Ground Squirrel. The is no refridgeration, so if you do visit, be sure too include a cooler with ice. Then a White-winged Dove showed up.

Coyotes 133

Coyotes Rodents Reptiles Fox 133

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2012

Africa has more than its fair share of storks, with 8 of the world’s 19 species gracing the continent. Furthermore we have another very special stork-like bird, the regal Shoebill , previously known as the Whale-headed Stork but now placed in its own family. It is also related to Wood Stork of the Americas and Milky Stork of Asia.

Africa 239

Africa Tanzania South Africa Uganda 239

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2011

At first we thought the bird was just going to keep flying to the east and away from us but instead it circled back over the marsh and flew around for awhile before settling back into what we assumed was its original roost. Because of the range and population BirdLife International lists Asio flammeus as a Species of Least Concern.

Owls 145

Owls New York City New York Rodents 145

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 160

Germany Blackbirds 2006 Denmark 160

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

There is no excuse for putting a banner photo like this on a renowned birding site. So: we have bird identification shorthand, which is usually the bird’s North American Ornithological Society abbreviation, but which could be just one particular rehabber’s nickname for the species. We do real birds.”. More slang?”

Wildlife Rehabilitation 213

Wildlife Rehabilitation Turtles Turkey Wildlife 213

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Ethiopia , a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa, has firmly established itself as one of Africa’s top birding destinations. Not much was known about Ethiopia’s birds and there was no decent fieldguide. Addis Ababa is a good a site as any for this bird.

Ethiopia 267

Ethiopia Eritrea Africa Mammals 267

10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2014

I find it astonishing that people argue of whether feral cats are bad for birds in North America. And for rodents and reptiles as well. And for thousands of years the lizards, rodents, and birds of North America adapted to Fishers, Badgers, Wolverines, Ermines, etc. This means that they eat a lot of rodents and birds.

Feral Cats 254

Feral Cats North America Feral Cats 254

10,000 Birds

JUNE 15, 2012

On the first day, before the sun was even properly up, I already had one of my target species under my belt: the storied and spectacular White Stork. Not only is Spain a stronghold for these birds, but they are hard to miss — huge, bright white, social, and not in the least shy of humans and human dwelling-places.

Spain 171

Spain Europe Industry Rodents 171

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2012

Like several of my favorite NWRs, this one was established as a haven for migratory birds, most notably waterfowl, during the bad old days when uncontrolled hunting and habitat loss had put the future of even species we now think of as common in doubt. As a result, early migration season is an excellent time to visit.

Wildlife 167

Wildlife Montana Geese Bald Eagle 167

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2014

There is a fantastic paper just out in Science : “Sustained miniaturization and anatomoical innovation in the dinosaurian anceestors of birds” by Michael Lee, Andrea Cau, Darren Naishe and Gareth Dyke. But birds are dinosaurs. Birds have a number of features that distinguish them from, say, camels. As Lee Et.Al

Camels 198

Camels Whales Whaling Apes 198

Critter News

DECEMBER 12, 2009

The Calgary Zoo is again under scrutiny as details emerged Friday about how a capybara, a species of giant South American rodent, died after becoming caught in a hydraulic door last weekend as it was being moved from one area to another. They were a part of the zoo’s breeding program for the rare birds.

Zoos 100

Zoos Animal Welfare Welfare Elephants 100