10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2012

A lovely looking and distinctive sounding bird (so they say, I sadly have not seen one…yet), the Kirtland’s Warbler can only be found during its breeding season in Jack Pine forests 5 to 20 years old in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S.

Michigan 227

Michigan Bahamas Endangered Species Research 227

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2020

The source of this ranking, BirdLife International, lists Bolivia as currently having 1,439 bird species, including 18 breeding endemics. The guide covers 1,433 species, the number of birds documented at the end of 2014, the cutoff point for the book. That’s pretty amazing–Bolivia has more bird species than India!

Bolivia 172

Bolivia Birds Brazil Switzerland 172

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2018

Think about it–how do you document the behavior of birds that spend years flying (or swimming) and feeding and, apparently, sleeping above or within the deep sea? We didn’t know much about migration routes, foraging away from the breeding colony, and feeding during migration, in the water and in the air.

Albatross 114

Albatross Penguins Research Breeding 114

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2017

Birds of Kruger National Park covers the 259 species most frequently seen in the park, about half of the total number of birds documented there. The guides are small enough to fit into a large pocket or a small backpack, and sturdy enough to withstand the wear of travel. Details vary for each species.

Ecuador 171

Ecuador Wildlife Reptiles Birds 171

10,000 Birds

APRIL 17, 2012

Oil begins to wash up on the beaches throughout May and June of 2010 May 6, 2010 Oil washes ashore on the Chandeleur Islands off the Louisiana coast, an important nesting and breeding area for many bird species. We documented the relocation of several turtle nests.

2010 232

2010 Louisiana 2012 2011 232

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 2, 2014

Phillipps’ Field Guide (I’ll be using this shortened form of the title) covers 673 avian species, including 59 endemics, and 53 species that have not been documented yet for the area but which may show up in the next few years. In a perfect world, a birder would have the resources and the luggage room to buy and take both guides.

Brunei 174

Brunei Birds Asia China 174

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2016

Light blue boxes give brief facts on breeding age, strategy and lifespan. There is no end-of-book list of resources, which reflects, I think, an assumption that the birder using this book is already familiar with the more general birding books and magazines. Additional information is presented in boxes and with photographs.

Birds 190

Birds Groups 2015 North America 190

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2013

The story of the cahow, a “Lazurus species” that was thought to be extinct for over 300 years and then discovered to be breeding on a tiny remote island in Bermuda, is part of modern birding legend. All the while, he is observing, documenting, practically living with the cahows when they return to Bermuda.

Birds 167

Birds Rats Breeding 2012 167

10,000 Birds

MAY 23, 2023

Many birders keep personal birding lists or life lists, documenting the species they have seen throughout their birding experiences. Birders who embark on a big year often dedicate a significant amount of time, effort, and resources to travel to different habitats, explore various locations, and encounter a wide range of bird species.

United States 147

United States North America Birds America 147

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2019

Peterson Reference Guide to Sparrows of North America covers 61 species of the New World sparrow family Passerellidae that breed in Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico. Each Field Identification section ends with a description and transliterations of vocalizations, often drawing on historical accounts.

North America 147

North America Sparrows America United States 147

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 6, 2015

Florida is by Bill Pranty, central Florida resident, author of A Birder’s Guide to Florida , now in its fifth edition, plus numerous articles documenting the distribution of birds in Florida, current chair of the ABA Checklist committee, and an active member of the Florida Ornithological Society.

Colorado 235

Colorado Florida Birds New Jersey 235

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2023

The breeding ecology of the Yellow-bellied Warbler was actually studied exactly here at Nonggang in 2019 by 3 Chinese researchers. Some Thai researchers looked at the breeding ecology of the Buff-breasted Babbler and published their findings in the somewhat unsuitable-sounding journal “Agriculture and Natural Resources”.

China 226

China Birds Pythons Eagles 226

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

What the Owl Knows is organized into nine chapters: introduction, adaptation (including vision and flight), research and researchers, vocalization, courtship and breeding, roosting and migration, cognition, and two chapters on owls and humans–captive owls (not zoos, educational owls) and owls in our cultural history.

Owls 209

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 209

10,000 Birds

JUNE 2, 2020

Greeney, also part of the Helm Identification series, it focuses on two avian families, combining the information necessary for identification with the latest research on taxonomy and behavior, particularly breeding behavior, and the latest conservation news and status. I love reading the descriptions of these birds’ breeding behavior.

Guinea 262

Guinea Birds Papua New Guinea Family 262

10,000 Birds

JUNE 27, 2022

It is also documented on video. About the Green-winged Pytilia , the HBW entry includes the harrowing “Popular cagebird, large numbers of which are captured and exported; mortality during shipment high” Humanity can be a scarce resource in humankind. I tried the same line of argument in high school, did not help me much.

Birds 147

Birds Africa Eagles Barn Owls 147

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 7, 2018

What do you do when you are a bird guide in a Central American country incredibly rich in birds and other natural resources but which has no birding field guide? Each specific Species Account gives common name, scientific name, date the species was officially documented in Honduras, and Plate number. You write your own. Conclusion.

Honduras 104

Honduras Birds 2015 Family 104

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 5, 2017

The 7th edition of the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America covers 1,023 species that reside, migrate, or have been documented as accidentals or exotics in North America. The description includes distinguishing features and documentation dates or specimen records. The wonder of research?

North America 182

North America America 2017 Birds 182

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 3, 2013

I knew I would not be seeing the bird in its rosy-breasted breeding plumage, but somehow seeing the bird in all its forms helped crystallize its appearance in my head. Crossley has wisely positioned his series as an educational resource, to be used as much at home as in the field. I studied it. Sadly, I still did not see the bird.

Ireland 171

Ireland 2013 Breeders Ducks 171

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

The following section encapsulates a chapter of biological facts into one dense paragraph–breeding location, breeding time of year, nesting notes, timing of fledging, migratory routes to and from breeding areas, staging locations, foraging locations, and more. Perrow, © Maps: Lynx Edicions.

Albatross 279

Albatross Penguins Groups Family 279

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

And, if you have resources for travel. 1985) and Seabirds of the World: A Photographic Guide (1987) that covers all species of birds that spend most of their lives foraging, feeding, and flying over and on oceans, and, when not at sea, breeding in remote, inaccessible places. And, you need a boat. Does it follow fishing boats?

Albatross 155

Albatross North America Birds Groups 155