10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 9, 2019

An expanse of habitat as vast as Murchison Falls NP in Uganda, as excessively generous in beauty and biodiversity, permits endless ways to experience both its birds and animals. The Masindi Hotel holds the distinction of being the oldest and most historic hotel in Uganda and has some terrific birds on premises.

Uganda 177

Uganda Senegal Africa Game 177

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2019

This last year of the twenty-teens was a monumental birding year for me. I saw 863 species of birds, bringing my life list to 1,820. I birded Uganda, which was my first time on the continent of Africa. Such travel brings a lot of birds and the 863 species I saw this year is the most species I have ever seen.

2019 137

2019 Barbados Uganda Costa Rica 137

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2019

When did birding become so intimately intertwined with technology? But beyond space age gear and technical fabrics, birding also seems to demand a strong, unbroken connection to the internet. For once in a long while, Corey and I share the same Best Bird of the Weekend. What was your best bird of the weekend?

2019 159

2019 Uganda Birds Science 159

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2014

Paul Hurtado has a very well-thought-out post on birding (or not birding) places where the politics are problematic, to say the least. Would you go birding in Uganda, where the punishment for being gay is now life in prison? Politics Uganda'

Uganda 163

Uganda Birds 163

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 5, 2019

While Colombia may have almost 2000 bird species, it is a huge country with, still, complicated long-distance travel logistics. On the other hand, small countries with relatively long bird lists offer higher species densities per square mile. The Species per Square Mile Approach. Why 99,999? And why 1000?

Gambia 232

Gambia Equatorial Guinea Species Rwanda 232

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2021

Fortunately, China still has lots of interesting birding locations left for me. But of course, it is also nice to remember past birding trips. One in November 2018 included a one-day birding trip in the Drakensberg area, a mountain range in the border area between South Africa and Lesotho. That does not make much sense, I know.

South Africa 222

South Africa Africa Lesotho Nigeria 222

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

This, 2022, has been a curious year for books about birds and birding. Dragan]: Europe’s Birds: An Identification Guide , by Hume, Still, Swash, and Harrop is a photographic guide. The artwork of “Europe’s Birds” is dazzling, the text condensed and comprehensive, and the layout and design are without peer.

Sri Lanka 216

Sri Lanka Malaysia Birds Suriname 216

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 18, 2016

and dreaming of a place where the heat is moderate, beer snake-cold and birds innumerable… Let’s say, where the average annual maximum varies from 22 to 24 degrees Celsius / 72 to 75 Fahrenheit and where some 700+ bird species – 24 of them endemic – are waiting for an intrepid birder… Answer to the riddle?

Africa 125

Africa Uganda Gorillas Rwanda 125

10,000 Birds

JULY 19, 2018

Birders follow different patterns of bird migration and their local activities and travel accordingly. It illustrates the bird richness per country. Shown as a list, it looks like this: Less than 200 bird species: Antarctica; oceanic islands. Focus on the wider triple border area – the birding top of the world.).

Equatorial Guinea 188

Equatorial Guinea Costa Rica Guyana Central African Republic 188

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 12, 2014

Consequently my usual pre-travel excitement is a lot lower than usual, and I’m spending much less time than I’d like unproductively daydreaming about the birds I’ll see. Can you spot the African bird in this shot? Birding skimmers Uganda' There is a cool one! Skimmers are funny things.

Uganda 188

Uganda Madagascar Buffalo Africa 188

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2014

My third trip was six months spend working on a monkey project in the jungles of Uganda. I bring this up not to boast (well, not much) but because I think that this approach to wildlife travel is somewhat neglected in birding circles. Nothing forms bonds like rolling around in bird…uh… waste. Amazing stuff.

Uganda 160

Uganda Sharks Africa New Zealand 160

10,000 Birds

JUNE 3, 2015

I’ve never been one to be overly concerned about whether a bird “counts” People, and organisations, have complex and elaborate rules about whether a bird you saw or heard actually is a bird you saw or heard, which seems a very unnecessary way to add complexity to an already complex hobby. Red Lechwe.

Botswana 162

Botswana Birds Lesotho Elephants 162

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 15, 2012

It’s a mini-Africa Week at the moment on 10,000 Birds, with Adam talking about spectacular bee-eaters in his post and James discussing the diminutive African Pygmy-geese. Kibale National Park, in the west of the Central African nation of Uganda, is home to a 13 primate species, from Common Chimpanzees to bush-babies.

Monkeys 166

Monkeys Uganda Primates Cameroon 166

10,000 Birds

JULY 26, 2014

If you like coincidences, Hepburn’s character in the film was called Rose and the birds spread up and down the river (Thames, not Ulanga) as they colonised London and the South-east. There is no question that it is a striking bird and deserving of admiration for its adaptability and resourcefulness.

Species 173

Species Myanmar Tanzania Uganda 173

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2012

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. Further to the east, Asian Openbill displays the same special feature but is mostly a white plumaged bird.

Africa 233

Africa Tanzania South Africa Uganda 233

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2015

And where all those birds are? This map shows the distribution of the World’s bird species, based on overlying the breeding and wintering ranges of all known species. And it raises a question: if all the birds are having a party over there, am I in the wrong spot? I am talking 600 or 700+ bird species. Why am I here?

Sri Lanka 256

Sri Lanka Botswana Africa Serbia 256

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2015

Ethiopia, a landlocked country situated in the Horn of Africa, has firmly established itself as one of Africa’s top birding destinations. Its great diversity of habitats hosts an incredible bird count of over 900 species, including Africa’s 2nd highest list of endemics and near-endemics (after South Africa).

Ethiopia 235

Ethiopia Sudan Leopards Birds 235

10,000 Birds

APRIL 15, 2011

Here are the clues: 1. Some references indicate that this country has nearly 900 different species of birds. 2. It is at the top of my list of countries to visit specifically for birding. 5. On one list, it is the 27th country with the most number of different bird species. No plans yet, sigh.

2011 150

2011 Myanmar Bolivia Venezuela 150

10,000 Birds

JULY 2, 2014

Honestly, it amazes me I have any time to bird at all. One of my most cherished birding sightings in Uganda was seeing a distant male hornbill land by a walled up hole in a tree and feed its mate. Birds behaviour Borneo breeding hornbills Singapore' Okay it is. Anyway, hornbills. Oriental Pied Hornbill. We can hope!

Singapore 169

Singapore Uganda Malaysia Seals 169

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 30, 2011

I often poke fun at listers I perceive as being more interested in ticks than birds. But there is one kind of tick that I genuinely do enjoy, and as I do more and more birding it becomes harder and harder to get; new families. Getting entirely new families is easy when you start birding.

Family 162

Family Wombats Uganda Fiji 162

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2015

If I were to describe my long time wildlife nemesis, my ultimate dip of dips, I would reach for a nemesis cat, not a nemesis bird. I had spent six months living in suitable rainforest habitat in Uganda, and been on innumerable safari walks , drives and cruises were they might be found. Camelopardus ! Leopard camels in Madikwe.

Cats 103

Cats Leopards South Africa Tigers 103

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2021

We here at 10,000 Birds dedicated the month of February to highlighting a variety of birding tourism companies, destinations, and guides. It was a fun month with posts from places as varied as Greece and Uganda, Costa Rica and India. After all, there are a lot more birding tourism operators who we haven’t posted about yet!

Costa Rica 263

Costa Rica Uganda Greece Ghana 263

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2020

Incidentally, Uganda ( 510 ) leap-frogged Australia ( 475 ) to become the list’s fourth most prolific country behind Costa Rica ( 763 ), USA ( 654 ) and Brazil ( 555 ). They contributed 150 lists accounting for 1032 species and more than 36,000 individual birds. Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve. Steigerwald Lake NWR.

2019 161

2019 Chile Texas Sanctuary 161

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 22, 2012

I’ve had pretty lousy luck when it comes pittas and broadbills, and I also am really bad when it comes to the various night birds such as owls, nightjars and related species. This is a rather odd family of ground living birds that have gone the night bird route of living, a style of life betrayed by their massive eyes.

Uganda 163

Uganda Family Australia Killing 163

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 11, 2012

As visitors’ and the public’s interests expanded from the Big Five, and an appreciation for lesser mammals, birds and smaller wildlife has became more widespread, the term Little Five was coined. Prime destinations for seeing African Elephant in the wild include Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Uganda.

Buffalo 195

Buffalo Rhinoceros Elephants Leopards 195

10,000 Birds

MAY 12, 2013

Definitely my personal favorite of Africa’s pink birds is the delicate Pink-throated Twinspot. Pink-backed Pelican by Markus Lilje/Rockjumper Birding Tours. A pair of Pink-breasted Lark by Markus Lilje/Rockjumper Birding Tours. Pink-billed Lark by Andrew Stainthorpe/Rockjumper Birding Tours. Pink-throated Twinspot.

Africa 202

Africa Somalia Pelicans Mozambique 202

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2015

Danum Valley is the finest birding location I have ever been to. And places I have seen more birds. But a a package, if I had to rate the best places I’ve ever been birding, the only place I can think that comes close is Mweya, in Uganda, or maybe Tikal, in Guatemala.

Lemurs 158

Lemurs Family Rhinoceros Fish 158

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 25, 2021

And while we here at 10,000 Birds aren’t terribly concerned about the cruise ship industry or the airlines we are greatly concerned about the impact that the lack of bird tourists has had on the many birding guides, eco-lodges, and birding tour companies. Get writing!

Industry 305

Industry Uganda Birds Rights 305

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2014

And sure enough, the natural reservoir of Marlburg, an unpleasant relative of Ebola, was finally identified in was indeed a bat cave I had taken my parents to in Uganda. It was given to be by my mother who had a) read and enjoyed it and b) told me that I had taken her to one of the dangerous places listen therein.

Humane 161

Humane Animal Africa Ukraine 161

10,000 Birds

JUNE 27, 2022

While some bustards are the largest bird species capable of flight, the Black-bellied Bustard is only mid-sized. There is also a much older blog post on 10,000 Birds (by Adam Riley) specifically on Africa’s Barbets. Hopefully, as he is the owner of a birding company, Rockjumper, at least he gets some clients this way.

Birds 147

Birds Africa Eagles Barn Owls 147

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Birds / Stalking a Kiwi Icon Stalking a Kiwi Icon By Duncan • March 16, 2011 • 1 comment Tweet Share Most people, if asked, would confidently name what they thought the National Bird of New Zealand was.

New Zealand 143

New Zealand 2011 Deer New York 143

10,000 Birds

APRIL 25, 2019

Some of those “statistical errors” came as surprises to me, e.g. Cuba, Bolivia, Uganda, Sri Lanka, Thailand (this is also a clear message to their tourism boards to invest more into promoting avitourism). Interestingly, the respondents felt no need to further elaborate why, presuming that everyone knows why they should bird Costa Rica.

Papua New Guinea 214

Papua New Guinea America Costa Rica Sri Lanka 214

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Birds / Petrel Paradise Petrel Paradise By Duncan • March 2, 2011 • 4 comments Tweet Share I’ve mentioned before that New Zealand is a great place for enjoying petrels. Get yours today!

New Zealand 174

New Zealand Albatross 2011 Cooking 174

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2019

Presuming that you want to bird Costa Rica, you would book a southbound flight (from N. In such a case, you might opt to book an eastbound flight, or a series of flights, from Lisbon to Sao Tome and Principe, Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda, then Sri Lanka, Thailand, Borneo, PNG, Tahiti, Ecuador, Guyana and finally to Costa Rica….

Costa Rica 186

Costa Rica Sri Lanka Rwanda Papua New Guinea 186

10,000 Birds

JUNE 24, 2021

While Mike and Corey – fitting for being real celebrities in birding cycles – get invited to far-flung places such as Uganda, minor local birders sometimes at least get invited to places nearby. The birding life. But now back to birds … Little Ringed Plovers also seem to like to breed directly on the road.

Birds 205

Birds Uganda Breeding Rats 205

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 14, 2012

These charismatic, colorful and finely formed birds are favorites amongst birders from experts to novices, and lie within the group of birds whose beauty even non-birders really appreciate. Besides being colorful and energetic, another plus of these lovely birds is that they are relatively easy to track down.

Africa 262

Africa Gabon South Africa Uganda 262

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 5, 2014

I had planned to do another story today, but my laptop, sick of endless David Attenborough DVDs, Skyrim and searches of birding in South Africa made a break for it and took a swan dive off my bed. You’ll also remember that the caves are also one of the destinations I took my parents to when we toured Uganda.

Pythons 180

Pythons Bats Uganda Burundi 180