10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 4, 2012

Out into the Atlantic Ocean, 400 miles from the coast of Senegal, lies an archipelago of islands known as Cape Verde. The Hoopoe Lark’s former range in Cape Verde included the island of Boa Vista from which the third part of the latin trinomial is taken.

Cape Verde 160

Cape Verde Pakistan Afghanistan Senegal 160

10,000 Birds

JUNE 4, 2012

It soon became apparent that all three were referencing the same bird which shouldn’t be because the two species are rather different from each other. I don’t remember who the first person was that said the words “ Cape Verde Shearwater ” but those words were uttered.

Cape Verde 163

Cape Verde New York New York City North America 163

10,000 Birds

MARCH 19, 2013

They are a commensal species, meaning that they are a wild animal that lives in close association with humans, not as a pet or as a farm animal but more like a parasite, to the extent that it is hard to find them in truely wild settings, and it is hard to find human settlements without them.

Killing 194

Killing South Africa Nebraska Collecting 194

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 17, 2022

A study has shown that they make false alarm calls when seeing other species such as meerkats with attractive food. The Green-winged Pytilia was previously mostly called Melba Finch, which is also its Latin species name (melba), even though nobody seems to be quite clear about what the melba means or where it comes from.

South Africa 185

South Africa Africa Birds Cape Verde 185

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2017

146 shared checklists (an increase on last year’s 97, well done chaps) noted 664 species (ooooh, down on 826 from last February) and brought the yearly total to 1063 (1303 at this time in 2016, ouch!). The life total has been pushed to 2724 by means of Corey’s meanderings and Pat ceaselessly bashing the forests of Costa Rica.

2017 100

2017 Australia Sanctuary Woodpeckers 100