10,000 Birds

JUNE 3, 2024

For those with a morbid streak, I suggest checking out the paper “Genetic Characterization and Pathogenesis of Avian Influenza Virus H3N8 Isolated from Chinese Pond Heron in China in 2021″ The HBW distribution map of the Masked Laughingthrush shows it to be common in Shanghai – in fact, it is rather rare.

Birds 130

Birds Killing Breeding Breeders 130

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 1, 2024

I was thinking of inventing a background story about a Chinese poet mentioning starlings (and other bird species) in one of his poems, and a rich Chinese fan of these poems pursuing the ambition of introducing all bird species mentioned therein to China, explaining the occasional occurrence of the starling in Shanghai.

Birds 223

Birds Research Science Europe 223

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 30, 2023

Fortunately, barbets are fairly common in Yunnan, China, so it was not a particular disappointment. In fact, John MacKinnon (of “Guide to the Birds of China”) in a recent Shanghai presentation called it “not a real woodpecker at all”, and while he is wrong about that, I sort of see his point.

Woodpeckers 237

Woodpeckers Birds Eggs India 237