10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2022

The species name “tukki” is not derived from a beloved but now extinct Eastern European car brand but from the Sumatran word for woodpecker. The name of the Cardinal Woodpecker (Letaba, South Africa) is misleading, as not all of them are Catholic or even cardinals. Also, the cap of the females is not even red but black.

Woodpeckers 231

Woodpeckers South Africa China Singapore 231

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2015

It’s a strange experience looking up from a city street to gaze at birds native to South America; even more ironic considering humans drove the only native parrot/parakeet species, the Carolina Parakeet , to extinction. Again, they are fairly common in the Southwest and Mexico, but for me they felt brand new!

Austin 110

Austin Texas Birds Non Human 110

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 8, 2011

” But the tanager brand is changing. A wonderful Audubon magazine article on birds’ bills (“ Pecking Order “) notes that individual Great Tits in England experience a change in bill shape between summer and winter as their primary food sources shift. These are neither sparrows, nor finches, but tanagers.

2003 211

2003 Sparrows Family South America 211

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2015

Barker, and Carroll Henderson is a well-researched, copiously illustrated, engaging study of bird feeding practices, personalities, inventions marketing, and companies that developed in the United States from the late 19th century to the present day, with a little bit of Canada, Europe, and South America thrown in.

America 229

America Industry Squirrels Birds 229

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

Experiments in the field (the famed Asa Wright Nature Center veranda) involving Bananaquits and bananas came up with numbers ranging from 7 to 16, but a tanager always came along to interfere with Bananaquits’ noisy appreciation of their namesake fruit. (2) Which hummingbird was more beautiful—Tufted Coquette or Ruby-topaz Hummingbird? (3)

Trinidad 194

Trinidad Birds South America Research 194

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2011

I did not get to appreciate all that America had to offer for the birder until I returned with my husband, Grant, in 1989. Our first shopping trip when we arrived in Florida was to buy a field guide and that afternoon we thought we had a soft drink can sitting on a fence-you know the brand-no, it’s not that…it’s a cardinal!

South Africa 158

South Africa United States Austin Alligators 158