10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2017

Spring is in the air, and all around the Baja desert I am seeing a plethora of species, all looking for love, in what appears to the right places. The silky black plumage of the males almost glowing in the bright sunlight, the striking white wing tips, flashing with each wing beat.

Costa Rica 105

Costa Rica Panama Nevada Guatemala 105

10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2019

Getting to actually see four species, in the last two weeks, and to hear two more is almost unheard of in my experience. Last week, a good friend, Dan Weisz gave me a tip on the location of a family of Burrowing Owls that were extremely easy to access. Here is a shot of that Northern Pygmy Owl, from Madera Canyon.

Owls 152

Owls Arizona Tucson South Africa 152

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2022

A family motel and passion for responsible ecotourism brought her home to the Oregon Coast where she and her husband, Erik, adventure and record a podcast ( Hannah and Erik Go Birding ), created in an effort to inspire others to get out and bird. About half of all breeding Wandering Albatross nest on the Prince Edward Islands.

South Africa 263

South Africa Mice Albatross Africa 263

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2020

That’s pretty amazing–Bolivia has more bird species than India! 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.

Bolivia 174

Bolivia Birds Brazil Switzerland 174

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 23, 2014

When you monitor a species of birds over many years you learn a lot from your observations and you soon become aware of the fact that some birds are just better at parenting than others. Some of the young from this pair of Pied Oystercatchers have gone north to join a non-breeding flock and others have flown south.

Eggs 165

Eggs Raised Breeding Family 165

10,000 Birds

JULY 30, 2015

They fly from extreme northern North America to the southern tip of South America and are seldom seen perched during migration. Another cool fact was learning that the Barn Swallows has started to breed in South America since the 80s. Swallows have migrated north to south along the Americas for millennia. Photo: Alfredo Begazo.

South Dakota 168

South Dakota South America North America America 168

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 27, 2012

One of the sweetest subsections of the duck family has to be the sawbills, formally known as mergansers. Mergansers are a family of diving waterfowl in Merginae , the seaduck subfamily of Anatidae. It is also a species in rapid decline, considered vulnerable by some authorities and endangered by others. Notice the sawbill?

North America 231

North America Thailand Russia Ducks 231

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2012

Africa has more than its fair share of storks, with 8 of the world’s 19 species gracing the continent. Furthermore we have another very special stork-like bird, the regal Shoebill , previously known as the Whale-headed Stork but now placed in its own family. It is also related to Wood Stork of the Americas and Milky Stork of Asia.

Africa 241

Africa Tanzania South Africa Uganda 241

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

Illustrated by Chandler’s mainly excellent photos, the book shows about 180 species, or some 80 % of the total. Basically, it is an overview of the world’s 226 shorebird (in Europe: wader) species (following the IOC checklist), proceeded by essays on their plumages and behavior. What is it, then? I, for one, have never seen it.

Botswana 119

Botswana 2017 Groups Europe 119

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 2, 2014

Did I dare dip my toe into this catalog of tantalizing species? Not a great place for a family vacation, though I think Duncan will disagree. The Indexes show images of the most common birds of the area against a painted background, with page references to species accounts. Now, I’m not so sure. Back to the field guide!

Brunei 175

Brunei Birds Asia China 175

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 13, 2012

With a family renowned for its strong flight and capability to colonize far flung locations (such as the Imperial-Pigeons and Fruit-Doves of the Tropical Pacific, Blue Pigeons of the Indian Ocean, or endemic pigeons of the Canary Islands), this fact comes to no surprise. Is this the closest equivalent to a tramp species in the Americas?

Florida 161

Florida Miami Bahamas Mexico 161

10,000 Birds

JUNE 27, 2014

Parrots captivate me more than any other bird family. For one, they are remarkably diverse with a little over 380 species spread over every continent except Europe (only introduced) and Antarctica. However, they do not occur evenly across their familial distribution. I am a self-proclaimed psittacophile. Most do not.

Parrots 168

Parrots Brazil Mauritius Dominica 168

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 22, 2012

It seems strange that I’ll miss the return of the Sun this year, as I leave this week for a trade show and then a short trip out west to see my family. Right now we’re pretty much a three species town, Ravens with a chance of Hoary Redpolls and a sprinkling of Rock Ptarmigan. “Do you mind? This was a later nest.

South America 160

South America Eggs Family Raised 160

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 Deer Species 157

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2013

It’s among a handful of species — American Robin, Black-capped Chickadee , the unholy trinity of House Sparrow – Rock Pigeon – European Starling , a few others — that have been everywhere I’ve ever lived. We never would have gotten all those extra species of Red Crossbill that way.

Connecticut 176

Connecticut Baltimore North America New York City 176

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Brown Pelicans , and the northernmost Brown Booby breeding colony on this side of the Pacific. That larger clade is in turn sister to a clade containing the four remaining totipalmate bird families, which do still seem to be related, and which needed a new order name once pelicans were removed.

2011 153

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 153

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 6, 2015

Gordon, president of the ABA, an Introduction, Species Accounts, Acknowledgements, Image Credits, a Checklist of the Birds of the state, and a Species Index. Species Accounts in both titles are arranged loosely in ABA Checklist order, with some flipping around of order within each family.

Colorado 238

Colorado Florida Birds New Jersey 238

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

Getting to know the subtleties in differences between closely related species takes years of dedication and practice. Thirdly, many species of shorebirds display such vast differences in their summer and winter plumages that it is always interesting to note how some birds in the same flock are in contrasting stages of plumage.

Florida 191

Florida South Africa 2011 Africa 191

10,000 Birds

MARCH 29, 2012

Here are a few helpful tips. Most of them are essentially telling you what species they are when they talk, so just focusing on appearance may make the identification process more complicated than it has to be. If you can identify this bird for what it is, you will earn the respect of your elders and bring much honor to your family.

LACS 187

LACS Alaska Wildlife Connecticut 187

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2011

The little stiff-tails are almost year-round at Jamaica Bay though almost all leave to breed in the summer and in the depths of winter, when the ponds are almost completely frozen, they tend to head for open water. I can see why you thought you had found a new breed with this one. Hat-tip to Stella. Wicked, right?

Ducks 152

Ducks 2011 Jamaica Deer 152

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2011

They breed across Canada and Alaska’s boreal forest near ponds and lakes, using nest holes made by woodpeckers, almost exclusively flickers. Because of is huge range and large and growing population it is classified as a Species of Least Concern , great news for those who like to feel the gaze of the Bufflehead upon them.

2011 150

2011 Ducks Deer New York 150

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

In the right season, with a little luck, we often find it, and sometimes it perches high and long enough that we can admire its scimitar of a bill, its stern face pattern, and even the patch of rusty red on the undertail that gives the species its English and its scientific names. Hat-tip to Stella. That is so absolutely incredible!!

2011 140

2011 Tucson Arizona Deer 140

10,000 Birds

MARCH 10, 2011

The vast majority of Baltimore Orioles that breed in North America return to the tropics between Mexico and northern South America for the cold half of the year. A trip to the coastal plain may net you up to seven species of warblers, from the omnipresent Yellow-rumps to Chats and Cape Mays. Hat-tip to Stella. Wicked, right?

North Carolina 140

North Carolina 2011 St. Louis Baltimore 140

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2011

I had a beautifull view on 5 horned grebe here (one in breeding plumage), in Ann Arbor Michigan, for the 3 seconds it lasted, until I heard a huge “CRRACK&# , and I fell through the ice. On Sunday at Kissena Park I saw five species of sparrows. Hat-tip to Stella. And my first Killdeer of year! Wicked, right?

2011 155

2011 New York Deer Birds 155

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

” Writing about owls means writing about roughly 250 species (I counted 245 on the 2022 Clements spreadsheet, but I might have missed a few, and we all know that each classification system is different). The chapters on courtship and breeding and roosting and migration are the longest, which isn’t surprising.

Owls 213

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 213

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 14, 2012

The wonderful family Meropidae contains 27 dazzling species, of which Africa is endowed with no less than 20 species, the balance occurring across Asia and with one as far afield as Australia. We have both resident and migratory species, and this post will briefly discuss each of the 20 species of African bee-eaters.

Africa 264

Africa Gabon South Africa Uganda 264

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 22, 2013

And now we enter into a family of birds more or less unknown to non-birders. And truth told, over the years they’ve been something of a square peg for ornithologists too, not fitting precisely into any of the known families of birds. Pied-billed Grebe , photo by Steve Tucker. Not enough for you?

Jordan 193

Jordan Guatemala Birds South America 193

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2011

. ((** all names have been changed to protect identities and have been substituted with (almost) randomly chosen substitutes suitable for a family of Alpine Accentors.)) all Alpine Accetor photos digiscoped (c) Dale Forbes. all Alpine Accetor photos digiscoped (c) Dale Forbes. Journal of Ornithology 137 (1): 35-51 N. Davies et al.

2011 212

2011 Breeders Breeding Deer 212

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. What follows are the responses that readers offered, a veritable aviary of sought after species. It is a really neat bird that I have not seen before.

Brazil 206

Brazil 2011 Birds Wildlife 206

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2013

It is one of three species of ani ( Groove-billed and Greater Anis are the other two) and together form a unique branch in the cuckoo family. According to the Florida Breeding Bird Atlas, the first confirmed breeding record was in Miami in July of 1938. Petersburg area and Cape Canaveral.

Florida 192

Florida Virgin Islands Miami Breeders 192

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2011

Hunting sandhill cranes in Kentucky is a bad idea from a public relations standpoint, considering the growing cadre of birders and nature enthusiasts for whom cranes are a touchstone species. Initiating a hunting season on a large, charismatic species like a crane is no way to resuscitate hunting.

2011 247

2011 Kentucky Tennessee Hunting 247

10,000 Birds

JUNE 8, 2013

Honeyeaters are an Papuo/Australasian specialty with only one species crossing the Wallace Line west, to Bali. Along with Australian Chats, Wattlebirds, Myzomelas, Friarbirds, etc, they make up 178 species in the family Meliphagidae.

Kangaroos 175

Kangaroos Australia Collecting Breeding 175

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 5, 2011

It is at the breeding season, however, that the Western Gull accomplishes real mischief. While he effects a passable truce with his own kind at that season, it is that he may the better combine with his fellows and terrorize all other breeding sea-birds.” Did I say firm? I meant squishy. Warm, damp and squishy.

Breeding 175

Breeding Collecting California Hunting 175

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2016

But, as with many avian families, the more you look, the more complicated it gets. And, the whole question of subspecies, which in the Northeast tends to focus on the Cackling Goose, but which I’m sure is a topic of fascination with other waterfowl species in all other parts of the world. There are the females, so many so brown.

North America 151

North America Asia Europe America 151

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 5, 2021

Dragonflies and Damselflies of Costa Rica: A Field Guide covers 113 damselfly species and 170 dragonfly species, a total of 283 species. Wait–that adds up to 290 species, but the book only covers 283. .* Wait–that adds up to 290 species, but the book only covers 283. Paulson, William A. INTRODUCTION.

Costa Rica 261

Costa Rica North America Family America 261

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2011

Outside of the breeding season a few birds may join together in a loose flock if the feeding is good. A three-part trip report for Hong Kong including the Orange-headed Thrush and visiting Tai Mo Shan , Cheun Lung Family Walk, and Aberdeen Reservoirs, can be found on Redgannet. Very interesting species. Hat-tip to Stella.

2011 183

2011 Deer India New York 183

10,000 Birds

MARCH 20, 2011

Another 170 are in captivity, many of them breeding stock for reintroduction efforts. It may be as sick as deliberately targeting an endangered species for death. Birders know that the light’s not always perfect or even particularly good when you’re trying to tell one species from another. The big white one. It flies on.

2011 242

2011 Hunting Kentucky Hunters 242