10,000 Birds

MARCH 5, 2017

However, one of the little sweet candies Germany still enjoys today from its own disastrous colonial past is the Common Guillemot, or Common Murre. Germany has only one high seas island it calls its own, the mighty (from a birding perspective) island of Heligoland. km²) in the German Bight, approximately 70 km off the coast of Germany.

Germany 100

Germany Denmark Namibia Breeding 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2017

Here in central Europe, dippers – more precisely the White-throated or European Dipper – are rather common breeding birds in many areas. In Germany for example, they are breeding in practically every hilly or mountainous region south of the North German Plain and are not really rare if they occur in a certain region.

Germany 100

Germany 2016 Hamburgers Austria 100

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 104

Germany Abandon Abandoning Abandonment 104

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 161

Germany Asia Europe Africa 161

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 255

Germany Netherlands Zoos Geese 255

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 204

Asia Europe Germany Breeding 204

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2013

Or else I’d be tempted to mention that the cold rainy weather has given way to a massive heat wave and drought, or that the summer doldrums this year are more boring than ever, or that it is so unfair that Corey is more than 100 species ahead of me in his year list, or that I really would enjoy some nice birds for a change!

Germany 192

Germany Russia Iceland India 192

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 184

Greece Albania Macedonia Europe 184

10,000 Birds

MAY 31, 2015

Germany is currently experiencing something for which the English have no nice expression. We call it a “mouse gradation year” I was not able to find a catchy English term for “gradation year” – it’s what happens when a certain species showing population cycles reaches a peak year.

Fox 167

Fox Rodents Gophers Germany 167

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2016

To prove that point, this short series here will bring you plenty of pictures of three species which were formerly thought to be just one, the Herring Gull , with its former members Steppe Gull and Yellow-legged Gull. I’ll start with the Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis.

Europe 152

Europe Spain Italy Ireland 152

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2015

In its natural old-world range, the House Sparrow offers an interesting identification challenge and has vagrant potential since it is a polytypic species with a highly complex taxonomy. The genus Passer has several well-recognized and recognizable species in Europe, and still holds several enigmas.

Sparrows 250

Sparrows Italy Asia Austria 250

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 154

Germany Asia China Russia 154

10,000 Birds

MAY 19, 2012

It has recently been reclassified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List; this category is reserved for only the most threatened species in the world. If this bird did become extinct, it would be the first pheasant species to have been lost in the 400 years since proper records began.

Vietnam 163

Vietnam 2000 Germany Groups 163

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 178

Feral Europe Asia North America 178

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2016

Amongst all the species that were split off the Herring Gull, the Caspian Gull is my favourite one, and its existence alone is our fair reward for the identification crisis we had to endure during the dark ages of the 1990s. In Germany, your Caspian Gull is called Steppenmöwe, which translates to Steppe Gull.

Kazakhstan 136

Kazakhstan Germany Ukraine Asia 136

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2022

This bird used to be quite common in Germany, but now it is rare. This is often the case in birds – for the young birds, it is more important to be invisible than to impress the other birds of the same species. The Olive-backed Pipit is a small songbird that in Shanghai can only be seen in winter – in summer, it breeds further north.

Birds 162

Birds Fish Germany China 162

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 176

Elephants Neglecting Europe Birds 176

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. In fact I would go so far as to say it is probably the best site to see the species for 100 miles in any direction and best of all it’s only 4 miles as the gull flies from where I live.

Poland 157

Poland 2009 Europe France 157

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

The very first thing we notice about this large member of the Galliformes is that there is a wild version and a domestic version, and although the two are rather different, they are both given the same species name, Meleagris gallopavo. This is not entirely unknown among domestic animals, but many domesticates have no living wild version.

Turkey 234

Turkey Columbus Spain Fowl 234

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

MARCH 4, 2011

Among these white-headed/dark-winged gulls formerly lumped into the genus Larus , there were 18+ recognized species the last time I checked, sharing similarities that make telling them apart for the amateur birdwatcher very difficult. 1998), then the proper name for this species is L. fuscus – should be separated as species.

2011 157

2011 Cyprus Species Deer 157

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 108

Germany Owls 2013 2006 108

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 263

Germany Birds 2000 South America 263

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 203

Greece Pelicans Buffalo Fish 203

4 The Love Of Animals

NOVEMBER 24, 2009

Understanding a pointed finger may seem easy, but consider this: while humans and canines can do it naturally, no other known species in the animal kingdom can. It’s no coincidence that the two species that pass Hare’s pointing test also share a profound cross-species bond. and Europe.

Wolves 100

Wolves Fox Dogs Puppies 100

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 143

Austria Switzerland Europe Geese 143

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? This is easy.

North America 183

North America Europe America Asia 183

10,000 Birds

JULY 20, 2018

Following passage of the United States Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, the California Condor ( Gymnogyps californianus ) was among the first 75 species listed for protection, the so-called “Class of 1967”. With a double-headed eagle on its coat-of-arms, Cologne has a longstanding penchant for ominous-looking raptors.

California Condor 113

California Condor Oregon California Zoos 113

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. Thanks, Wikipedia !

2011 187

2011 Birds Deer Europe 187

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. I therefore finished the year on a high note, seeing quite a few species I scarcely got to see during the previous years.

2016 104

2016 Germany Italy Netherlands 104

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2023

Not a cover species The Black Kite is not actually black, but of course, misleading bird names are not exactly rare. No surprise then that the species is listed as Vulnerable. But then, sanity (or maybe respect for you, the reader) prevailed. Fortunately, they are quite common in Shanghai.

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. All photos ( 4 ) by Istvan Ham.

Hungary 180

Hungary Serbia Austria Eggs 180

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 11, 2016

Of course such a clear case of misjudgement would never have happened here in the Olde Europe. Well look, it’s a nice species – but visually that’s nothing you wouldn’t get by repeateldy crossing Canada with Barnacle Geese. American birders, on the other hand, obviously are. And the Nene?

Hawaii 183

Hawaii Albatross Europe America 183