10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 11, 2015

The rise in drone popularity over the past few years has been meteoric — and in our typical human arrogance, we’ve once again ignored the fact that for the past 150 million years, the sky has belonged to the birds. Over time, it’s these physiological changes that can disrupt animals’ breeding or rearing habits.

Birds 188

Birds Protection Idaho Bears 188

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2014

My Dark-eyed Juncos are trilling in preparation to retreat to quieter breeding grounds, the Black-Capped Chickadees sing their two notes, and the Song Sparrows absolutely will not shut up. Snow Geese overgrazing their breeding grounds, displacing other Arctic-breeding species and setting themselves up for a fall. The result?

Geese 184

Geese Montana Breeding Pelicans 184

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 8, 2014

I was chatting with Gordon about this and we discussed how drones could be a safer way to get photos of birds or document birds for breeding surveys, but he was quick to point out, “You and I already have an idea of what a safe distance would be to test that out with an active bald eagle nest. Birding technology'

Bald Eagle 201

Bald Eagle Mississippi Eagles Ducks 201

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2019

Several Ferruginous Duck and one surprising male Goosander , four Glossy Ibises , Common Kingfishers , Eurasian Hopooes , a high note of a Penduline Tit somewhere from the willows along the canal, Eurasian Spoonbills , European Turtle Doves gently purrring …. Below legal size for humans is still legal for pelicans.

Greece 200

Greece Pelicans Buffalo Fish 200

10,000 Birds

JUNE 12, 2018

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are home to some of the largest assemblages of breeding seabirds in the United States. Many of these islands are part of the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge and one of the most important areas is Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. They are also disease vectors. By poisoning them.

Mice 103

Mice Albatross Honolulu Endangered Species 103

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 7, 2017

The Crossley ID Guide: Waterfowl covers every residential, migrating, vagrant, exotic, and introduced swan, goose, dabbling and diving duck in North America (Canada and the United States): 62 Species Accounts on four swan species and one vagrant subspecies; 15 goose species; 46 duck species; plus accounts for hybrid geese, ducks and exotics.

Ducks 125

Ducks North America Geese Hunters 125

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 8, 2011

Previously common at its only known site, Lake Aloatra, into the 1930’s, the introduction of numerous exotic fish species and human disturbance led to massive population declines. Madagascar, however, has had more than its fair share of extinct or lost species and Madagascar Pochard was firmly on this list.

Madagascar 247

Madagascar Lemurs 2006 Owls 247

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2011

of Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Jon Gassett has indicated that if enough people write in protest, the proposed hunting season–due to start this December– will be reconsidered. Hunting is on a steady downturn, and nonconsumptive wildlife pursuits are on a tremendous upswing. We can fight them back in Kentucky, too.

2011 255

2011 Kentucky Tennessee Hunting 255

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 2, 2014

Kinabalu (at 13,455 feet the highest peak in southeast Asia), and human development that has resulted in freshwater rice fields, secondary forest, and oil palm plantations, this means that Borneo offers an incredibly high degree of biodiversity. So, we start with Megapodes (scrubfowl), Pheasants, and Partridges, then on to Ducks.

Brunei 179

Brunei Birds Asia China 179

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 1, 2019

Mandarin Duck, Central Park, NYS. It is very possible that Mike and Corey will penalize me for including the Mandarin Duck–also known as the “Hot Duck,” “Mandy” only to tourists and the Gothamist–in this list, but its celebrity cannot be ignored. Everybody wants to know about the Hot Duck. An eBird mystery.

2018 167

2018 New Jersey Michigan North Dakota 167

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 23, 2011

The epicenter of large, charismatic, and often photogenic, fish-eating birds is in Florida, at places like Everglades National Park and Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, the only site in the park system that could convincingly be named for an exotic dancer. Where do I sign up?

South Carolina 157

South Carolina Alligators Florida United States 157

10,000 Birds

MARCH 12, 2011

As part of the Wildlife Conservation Society Birds of Brazil giveaway we asked readers of 10,000 Birds to name the bird in Brazil that they would like to see more than any other species. Not to mention, its brilliantly bulbous crimson throat, bloated during breeding season must be a sight! Get yours today!

Brazil 216

Brazil 2011 Birds Wildlife 216

10,000 Birds

MARCH 20, 2011

Another 170 are in captivity, many of them breeding stock for reintroduction efforts. Fish and Wildlife Service tells states when they may propose a hunting season on cranes, and has ultimate jurisdiction over whether the states get their seasons. There are 400 whooping cranes left in the wild, 100 of them in the eastern population.

2011 243

2011 Hunting Kentucky Hunters 243

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Brown Pelicans , and the northernmost Brown Booby breeding colony on this side of the Pacific. Other birds with webbed feet, including ducks and geese, have only three webbed toes; the hallux (which in birds is usually the “hind toe&# and in humans, the “big toe&# ) is free. Make up your mind, Ringer!

2011 155

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 155

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2011

Many a birding trip starts with a longish drive from the airport to the first birding site with these common roadside birds being the first taste you get of a country’s wildlife, and I feel that many bird trip reports, interested mostly in mega-rarities, gloss over the amazing experience this first drive can give.

New Zealand 179

New Zealand Birds Thailand Falcons 179

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

I got to see a beautiful female and owlet on a trip to a secret nest location near Howard Prairie Lake (human-made nest structures have enhanced local breeding for these huge owls whose nest success is boosted to 83% on artificial platforms vs. 66% at natural sites). My heart was beating so fast and I was giddy with laughter.

2014 197

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 197