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Blakiston’s Fish Owl on Hokkaido

10,000 Birds

When Jonathan Slaght did his research on Blakiston’s Fish Owl in Russia’s Far East – which he describes in his excellent book “Owls of the Eastern Ice” – he had to cope not only with extreme cold but also with rather bad music: “Katkov filled our commutes with loud music. How ironic.

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Horrible Hybrids

10,000 Birds

As soon as I looked at it more closely it was quite clear that it wasn’t a scaup of any species, despite its resemblance to a North American Lesser Scaup. I hadn’t considered the possible parentage more than the two probable species involved, but intriguingly a Pochard drake x Tufted duck looks quite different.

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American Birding Association Field Guide to Birds of Ontario: A Field Guide Review

10,000 Birds

The official Ontario bird checklist, produced by Ontario Field Ornithologists , June 2022 listed 506 bird species**, putting it in the top tier of U.S. Small Species Accounts: Each species is allotted one page (with certain exceptions) offering basics–bird names and size, one or two photographs, and a one-paragraph description.

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Heading Out for the First Day of the Great Backyard Bird Count

10,000 Birds

The aggregated recordings help researchers gain a snapshot of bird populations and their distribution. Per usual, the Canada Geese proved to be the most prevalent species – and the loudest. And a lone American White Pelican , its impressive wing span reminding me for the umpteenth time of the hugeness of this species. .

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Costa Rica on a relaxed birding pace

10,000 Birds

Few places boast so many different bird species in such a small area — over 900 species (more than Europe, or all of the United States and Canada combined), including 75 different families, like 51 species of hummingbirds, 48 warblers, and 45 tanagers. It was close to 5 a.m., More about it in the weeks to come.

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The “Rufa” Red Knot is now protected under the Endangered Species Act

10,000 Birds

Fish and Wildlife Service has listed the “Rufa” population of Red Knot ( Calidris canutus rufa ) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The other sub-species, Calidris canutus roselaari , migrates along the Pacific Coast and breeds in Alaska and the Wrangel Island in Russia.

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Vagrancy in Birds: A Book Review

10,000 Birds

Vagrancy in Birds is organized into two major parts: (1) A detailed, 62-page synthesis of research and theory and (2) “Family Accounts,” 259 pages covering bird families from Struthionidae/Ostriches) to Thraupidae/Tanagers and allies (Clements is the taxonomic authority). Copyright © 2022 Alexander Lees and James Gilroy.

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