10,000 Birds

JUNE 2, 2013

Purple Herons Ardea purpurea are an old world element of the Ardeidae and range widely throughout sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and parts of Europe and central Asia. Within Europe, they are mostly found in the South (around the Mediterranean), and the East. Birds Germany herons and egrets Waghäusel'

Germany 153

Germany Asia Europe Africa 153

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 21, 2016

I am not entirely sure whether most birders outside Germany know or realize that Germany still has a decent population of one of Europe’s most attractive and desired bird species: the Great Bustard Otis tarda. Now that I might have wetted your appetite, here’s where and how to find them in Germany: 1.

Germany 101

Germany Abandon Abandoning Abandonment 101

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 1, 2012

Here in Germany, we don’t wish we had. Yes, Germany has parrots, or parakeets to be more precise. Unlike North America, Germany has never had naturally occurring psittacines that went extinct, and the one we have is a true and complete invasive alien introduction. Because we never have had.

Germany 238

Germany Netherlands Zoos Geese 238

10,000 Birds

JUNE 28, 2015

You see, the Great (White) Heron/Egret is a polytypic species with four subspecies: alba in Europe, egretta in the Americas, melanorhynchos in Africa, and modesta in Asia and Oceania. Until a friend sends you pictures of a very small Great Egret in Germany in winter – with bright pink legs, a black bill and a turquoise cere.

Asia 176

Asia Europe Germany Breeding 176

10,000 Birds

MAY 31, 2015

Germany is currently experiencing something for which the English have no nice expression. The specificities of languages … Anyway, so Germany this year is essentially filled with mice, like the one shown here, which – so far as I know – is a vole where you come from. You’re not a vole or a gerbil.

Fox 163

Fox Rodents Gophers Germany 163

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2013

It breeds in a broad and not quite coherent band from Iceland in the west through central Europe and southern Scandinavia all the way to eastern Russia, wintering in Africa, parts of India, and Southeast Asia to Australia. Birds Germany godwits shorebirds' Somehow – given our current weather – I can relate. .

Germany 173

Germany Russia Iceland India 173

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 29, 2016

Presuming that you live somewhere in Europe and plan a car trip to Greece, let me suggest a couple of routes that will increase your tour list. Driving from France or Germany to Greece, you are likely to pass through my hometown of Belgrade and continue south following the E75 through the FYRO Macedonia.

Greece 176

Greece Albania Macedonia Europe 176

10,000 Birds

MARCH 25, 2011

The Black Stork ( Ciconia nigra ) has a very wide distribution in the Old World, ranging from Spain (an isolated population) and northern France through central and eastern Europe all across northern and central Asia to the Pacific coast of Russia and China. It was therefore well worth having to clean my desk of the coffee I spilled.

Germany 151

Germany Asia China Russia 151

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2012

Its natural range in Europe was restricted the the surroundings of the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea, and in Asia it ranged from Asia Minor to central China. Contradicting this relentless shooting were efforts to establish feral populations in many regions of Europe, both within and outside its natural range. Now, enjoy the pictures.

Feral 168

Feral Europe Asia North America 168

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2016

Quite recently, it has started to expand inland, along the river Rhone and to the South of Germany, where it is now an uncommon but conspicious breeder. I’ll start with the Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis. So there you have it: conservative taxonomy leads to unfortunate common names.

Europe 118

Europe Spain Italy Ireland 118

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2015

The genus Passer has several well-recognized and recognizable species in Europe, and still holds several enigmas. Then there is the fact that indicus sparrows tend to avoid human habitations while domesticus doesn’t, leading to sympatric breeding with a disputed amount of hybridisation.

Sparrows 209

Sparrows Italy Asia Austria 209

10,000 Birds

MAY 19, 2012

Leading scientists, conservationists and aviculturalists from Europe and South-east Asia met at Walsrode in Germany recently to formulate a rescue plan. Concern for the future of this species is such that the WPA and BirdLife International-Vietnam Programme are working together to organize immediate action.

Vietnam 153

Vietnam 2000 Germany Groups 153

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2016

The key to solving the puzzle of Germany’s large white-headed gulls was banding juveniles of all forms in their breeding colonies and the fact that some humans find immense joy in driving around garbage dumps, looking at birds with pricey scopes and trying to decipher tiny codes on plastic or metal rings of various shapes and sizes.

Kazakhstan 111

Kazakhstan Germany Ukraine Asia 111

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 7, 2011

The Common Swifts have left Germany behind as their journey South has begun. The Common Swift holds a unique position amongst the birds of Europe, a position that makes it particular and peculiar beyond its astounding adaptations to an aerial life: It defines a season. That is early. But to me, their departure means a lot. And summer?

Elephants 166

Elephants Neglecting Europe Birds 166

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2022

This bird used to be quite common in Germany, but now it is rare. The Olive-backed Pipit is a small songbird that in Shanghai can only be seen in winter – in summer, it breeds further north. The Red-flanked Bluetail is only in Shanghai in winter, as it breeds far further North – even further than Beijing.

Birds 162

Birds Fish Germany China 162

10,000 Birds

JULY 10, 2011

One of Britain’s recent colonisers the Mediterranean Gull begins to arrive in bigger numbers every year as post-breeding dispersal takes hold. To date individuals have been recorded from nine different countries in Europe; our Med Gulls are coming from Germany, Holland, Poland and other countries as far east as Serbia.

Poland 157

Poland 2009 Europe France 157

10,000 Birds

JUNE 26, 2016

This seems to apply especially to birders in North American since most European birders couldn’t discriminate between a Marsh and a Reed Warbler to save their life, but even here in the good old Europe, our hearts are impure – mine included. Additionally, they mostly leave Germany during our winter. But first some context.

Germany 100

Germany Europe Breeding North America 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2018

It is the largest woodpecker in Europe (to describe its size, I’ll tell you that Goldeneyes breed in the holes this pecker makes). Yet, this is also a part of the international cycling route from Germany to the Black Sea. And I do not see any bird either, it was only my bird-compass telling me this is a place to stop.

Serbia 118

Serbia Woodpeckers Birds Bears 118

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

Some time after the Spanish encounter with the Turkey, birds were brought back to Europe where they were raised and became an important source of food and fancy feathers. The chance that this was a real Turkey are not great, and the chance that Columbus actually brought breeding stock from Honduras to Spain is not great, so maybe, maybe not.

Turkey 198

Turkey Columbus Spain Fowl 198

10,000 Birds

JULY 3, 2020

And as the windblown birds settled down for the summer breeding season and the wind subsided, I found any concern for which way it was blowing died down with it. But none came. Flor de Pascua – The Weathercock (1921) by Dutch graphic artist M.C.

New York 152

New York Farming Belgium Fowl 152

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 10, 2016

First, most of Europe’s owl species are breeding in Germany anyway and are better found at other times of the year. I am not aware of a single twitchable Snowy Owl in Germany in the 21st century, and Great Grey Owl isn’t even on the German list. Well, very recent years.

Germany 102

Germany Owls 2013 2006 102

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2011

It is also familiar at inland sites in winter, especially reservoirs and refuse tips, and breeds in the relatively-Northerly regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. Yellow-Legged Gull These gulls breed around the Mediterranean and have yellow, rather than flesh-coloured legs. Get yours today!

2011 157

2011 Cyprus Deer Species 157

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2014

Germany is underrated as a birding destination. Nestled right in the middle of Europe, we have a little bit of everything, a nice cross section of Europe’s avifauna. Greater Rheas, a species the Germans call Nandu, are very popular in Germany and frequently kept in zoos as well as private enclosures.

Germany 238

Germany Birds 2000 South America 238

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2019

The Kerkini Lake National Park is my favourite birding area in the whole of the Balkans and while I’ve been here in April and again (migration), September (migration), October (coffee break), December and January (wintering), this was my first time in the breeding season, in May. But nowadays, they, too, breed here, about 20 pairs this year.

Greece 189

Greece Pelicans Buffalo Fish 189

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2019

As I mentioned last week, my wife, son, and daughter-in-law spent much of the month of October in Europe. Visiting the continent after the end of most of the autumn migration meant that the number of bird species I could see in northern France, Switzerland, southern Germany, and Austria was much reduced.

Austria 122

Austria Switzerland Europe Geese 122

4 The Love Of Animals

NOVEMBER 24, 2009

and Europe. Juliane Kaminski of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, began exploring the verbal gifts of dogs when she saw a television show about a border collie named Rico–an animal that to all appearances could fetch dozens of different objects in response to their names.

Wolves 100

Wolves Fox Dogs Puppies 100

10,000 Birds

JULY 26, 2015

Germany is currently experiencing its hottest June and July ever, and temperatures in the last few weeks have rarely been below 33°C (91°F), sometimes reaching nearly 40°C (103°F). This is particularly interesting for birders in North America and Europe (duh!), It’s bad. How then could such a vagrant be identified?

North America 170

North America Europe America Asia 170

10,000 Birds

JULY 20, 2018

In 1987, only 27 were left in the wild and drastic action was taken to save the species: all remaining birds were captured, the California Condor was declared extinct in the wild, and a captive breeding program was begun, initially carried out by the San Diego Wild Animal Park and the Los Angeles Zoo.

California Condor 103

California Condor Oregon California Zoos 103

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Birds / Beautiful Blue Backyard Bird Beautiful Blue Backyard Bird By Jochen • March 10, 2011 • 9 comments Tweet Share There is a lot of whining associated with colours and Europe’s birds. They’re Back!

2011 158

2011 Birds Deer Europe 158

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2016

I recently saw and photographed what appears to be a Baikal Wagtail ( Motacilla alba-or-not baicalensis ) in Germany. Now, if you quickly call to mind the pattern of Asian species reaching Europe as vagrants, you will remember that most are from Siberia. So it may turn out to be a bit of a big deal. Why is that so?

Germany 100

Germany Sharks Morocco Europe 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 8, 2017

Birding in Germany was okay during the first half of the year but essentially came to an end in June due to several issues, most significantly a move to a different appartment within Heidelberg. You can see my birding activities abroad and within Germany on the maps at the top of this post. Great Bustard , Havelland, Germany.

2016 101

2016 Germany Italy Netherlands 101

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2023

I am not sure about the security situation in Iraq these days but at least some people do ornithological research there – resulting in papers such as one titled “Breeding observations of the Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus (Desfontaines , 1789) in Iraq” Impressive. If you want to signal to your environment that you a.

Birds 130

Birds Iraq China Ireland 130

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2018

Yet, it takes great logistical effort to organize the census all the way from Germany to Austria, Hungary and Serbia in the same day, to count on numerous volunteers and hope for the best February weather. In the last year, a broken bustard eggshell was found, but since no displaying was observed, those could have been unfertilized eggs.

Hungary 138

Hungary Serbia Austria Eggs 138

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 11, 2016

Of course such a clear case of misjudgement would never have happened here in the Olde Europe. Here in Europe, we have the dull green and challenging leaf warblers of the genus Phylloscopus. We are more careful, more restrained and mindful, and we have been taught to consider the consequences of our actions.

Hawaii 154

Hawaii Albatross Europe America 154