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. And yet, perhaps ironically, the biggest sign of spring in a Montana March is when the skies fill with white. The Varied Thrushes came back.

Geese 183

Geese Montana Breeding Pelicans 183

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2020

Lately (in the last month or so) he’s been through the Dakotas, Montana, and Canada, up to the Northwest Territories. And in April, he sees the return of the many species he has seen in that month in years past – but, also, weirdly, a Virginia Rail, a reclusive marsh bird, flopping around the sidewalk in downtown D.C. (the

New Hampshire 239

New Hampshire Washington Virginia United States 239

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 1, 2013

A week ago today, the federal government proposed a “threatened” listing for the Greater Sage Grouse in Nevada and California , as part of a larger study considering whether the species as a whole should be listed. Conservation Endangered Species Act Greater Sage Grouse sage-grouse'

Nevada 161

Nevada Endangered Species Montana Humane 161

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2017

The potholes and associated grasslands create North America’s most productive habitat for breeding waterfowl, making it an area of global significance for Mallards , Northern Pintails , Blue-winged Teals , Gadwalls , Northern Shovelers , and others. But taken as a whole, WPAs total almost 3.8 million acres.

Factory 118

Factory Ducks North Dakota Nebraska 118

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 24, 2014

Though hardly common, Great Gray sightings are a yearly occurrence in Western Montana, and it is one of the twelve species of owl known to breed in the state. As a result, its territory in the Rocky Mountains extends far south of the bulk of its range. Photos courtesy of Asta So. *I Birding Great Gray Owl owls'

Owls 237

Owls Minnesota Montana 2014 237

10,000 Birds

JULY 1, 2011

Moreover, at the time I had no inkling that I’d be moving to Montana in two and a half years – in fact, it would be nearly a year before I decided to go to grad school and entertained the notion of leaving New York at all. In Central Park , to be exact. It was exciting — to a degree. And that, that was exciting.

New York 169

New York Montana Breeding Fish 169

10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2011

I imagine these explorers had the same reaction as the Lewis and Clark expedition as they moved from the tallgrass prairies of North Dakota and Montana into the northern Rockies of western Montana. Views like this offer specialty niches for many high-altitude species. This species is an athletic and patient one.

Colorado 136

Colorado North Dakota Montana Owls 136

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

But some species remain elusive when they shouldn’t be. Even a big trip to Canada, though it turned up many other delightful species ( Boreal Owl , anyone?) Moving to Montana would surely make a difference, because Evening Grosbeaks aren’t “irruptive” here, they’re just birds, living their lives.

Pythons 191

Pythons Litter Montana 2006 191

10,000 Birds

JUNE 15, 2012

On the first day, before the sun was even properly up, I already had one of my target species under my belt: the storied and spectacular White Stork. My travelling companion, also from the University of Montana creative writing program, was not a nature girl at all, but she could relate to birds that played a role in stories.

Spain 176

Spain Europe Industry Rodents 176

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

Jennifer Ackerman brings a sense of curiosity and wonder to her material, whether she’s interviewing evolutionary ecologist Christopher Clark about the mechanics of an owl’s silent flight or looking for Northern Pygmy Owl nests in Montana with a team from the Owl Research Institute.

Owls 224

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 224

10,000 Birds

MARCH 24, 2017

Only a little for Ezra, whose suffering was quickly ended, and certainly not for Red-tailed Hawks as a whole – the species is numerous, widespread, adaptable, and not in a position to be devastated by the loss of a single breeding individual.

Feral Cats 109

Feral Cats Suffering Montana 2006 109

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2013

My best bird of the year is based on the sighting rather than the species. My best bird of the year was without a doubt the Montana Baikal Teal , a bird that combined rarity, beauty, and the good grace to stick around long enough for me to actually see it. Montana’s Baikal Teal by suneko. Rock Warbler by Clare Morton.

2013 168

2013 Birds Costa Rica India 168

10,000 Birds

APRIL 11, 2014

Things hadn’t quite gotten to that point when my friends Asta and Isaac and I arrived at Freezeout, but there wasn’t much white to be seen – perhaps a hundred Snow Geese, mostly passing overhead, and twenty or so swans too far out on the water to identify as to species.

Geese 176

Geese Montana Ducks Falcons 176

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 15, 2022

The Latin species name of the Kalij Pheasant is leucomelanos , meaning “white” (leukos) and “black” (melanos, both Greek words). thesis on the “Social Behavior and Cooperative Breeding of Kalij Pheasants” in a place with much nicer sanitary facilities than where I saw the bird (in rural Fujian).

Rhode Island 147

Rhode Island Research South Dakota North Dakota 147

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2012

There’s some excitement in putting up feeders and in discovering which species are gracing us with big invasions this year (2011, Montana: Snowy Owls ) but much of the time its a slog. Cultures that experience it generally put a holiday of some sort at the end to motivate people to even bother living through it.

Bald Eagle 158

Bald Eagle Montana Owls Dogs 158