10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

The other day, Minneapolis, Minnesota passed a feral cat ordinance. So I put together a “carnival” (of sorts) of Feral Cat Ordinances and Issues that samples current events across the US. From the Star Tribune : Feral cats win a round at Minneapolis City Hall. She said she has a cat that stays indoors — unwillingly.

Feral Cats 215

Feral Cats Feral Cats Minneapolis 215

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2015

If I were to describe my long time wildlife nemesis, my ultimate dip of dips, I would reach for a nemesis cat, not a nemesis bird. I had, after all, been to 13 countries that were home to leopards, over the course of 14 years, of which in all but one I had been in habitat suitable for this most adaptable of big cats. I’ll wait).

Cats 105

Cats Leopards South Africa Tigers 105

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2023

There’s usually a wintering Peregrine around A resting Sparrowhawk Wild Cat – note the thick, bushy tail. A Kerkini mini-tiger Disappointingly, mammal encounters are few, other than the odd Roe Deer. Kerkini’s most famous mammal is the domesticated Water Buffalo – large herds are kept around the lake.

Greece 219

Greece Pelicans Geese Buffalo 219

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 16, 2012

I had noted that if you took a quick look around you’d think there were a lot of birds and very few mammals. Of course, a lot of the mammals would be hiding. For instance, assume (and I will NOT stand by this number, it is just one I’ve heard here and there) that kitty cats in America kill 50,000,000 birds a year.

Cats 186

Cats Boston Ferrets Killing 186

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 1, 2016

I’ll never forget my introduction to the mammals of Kruger National Park, South Africa. This is the thing—no matter how devoted you are to birds and birding, once you get to Africa, you can’t resist the mammals. This means you need to pack a mammal guide in addition to your bird guide. Believe me, I tried.

Rhinos 245

Rhinos Mammals Animal White Rhinos 245

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

My cats refuse to even try Fiery Minivets. While my cats like the taste of the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo , they tend to look fairly ridiculous eating them, as the racket tail sticks out of their mouth. In the unloved “Other” section of today’s post, we have a few more mammals.

Birds 222

Birds Sri Lanka Taiwan Cats 222

10,000 Birds

MARCH 20, 2023

To illustrate my frequently made point that mammals are kind of evil, here is another piece of evidence. In this case, multiple individuals, most were female juveniles, were involved in watching the process of predation” So not only do mammals kill birds, but they also see this as a kind of spectator sport.

Birds 147

Birds Mammals St. Louis Monkeys 147

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 26, 2021

” Anyway, given that my first choice of burial (being turned into cat food) is probably not realistic, a sky burial sounds like a decent second choice. Little Owls have a somewhat less interesting diet consisting of insects, small mammals, and birds. Possibly, as a result, they look much cuter than the vultures.

China 257

China Falcons Birds Owls 257

10,000 Birds

JUNE 23, 2012

Some cats, like my Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Paul’s pet, Pippa, are not bright enough to realize that, you know, that’s a freaking bear!

Bears 167

Bears Cats Suffering Pets 167

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 6, 2013

The subject is one that comes up a lot in this blog and other bird blogs, the subject of cats and their effect on wildlife. As most people know cats, both feral and domestic, have a pretty big impact on wild birds and other wildlife, and the effect of mammals is particularly profound in New Zealand.

New Zealand 122

New Zealand Possums SPCA Cats 122

10,000 Birds

MARCH 19, 2013

On 14 March, 2013, the Orlando Sentinel published an opinion piece by Ted Williams under the headline “Trap, neuter, return programs make feral-cat problem worse.” Then he gave a couple of alternative solutions to the feral cat problem: There are two effective, humane alternatives to the cat hell of TNR.

Feral Cats 272

Feral Cats Trap Neuter Return Tnr Extremist 272

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 27, 2015

Motomco’s Material Safety Data Sheet for “Hawk” warns that the product “is extremely toxic to fish, birds, and other wildlife” and that “dogs and predatory and scavenging mammals and birds might be poisoned if they feed upon animals that have eaten this bait.” Motomco also makes “Jaguar” and “Tomcat,” complete with cat icons, of course.

Mountain Lions 265

Mountain Lions Rats Rodents Lions 265

10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2013

We waited with baited breath wondering what would emerge from the obstructing grass and after 3 minutes or so, a very proud young Leopard appeared with a massive and freshly dead African Wild Cat in her jaws. The Wild Cat was such a large individual that the Leopard actually struggled to walk normally whilst dragging it along.

Leopards 162

Leopards Cats Namibia Killing 162

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 29, 2024

One of my cats claims that the males taste better than the females (“too sour”), but then that cat has told me many lies before – I still think it more likely it has never eaten any minivet in its life. This is not a putdown, just a statement of fact.

Squirrels 140

Squirrels Birds China Bears 140

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 22, 2012

I’ve written at length in the past about the circumstances of that extinction event, how the rich endemic fauna was utterly vulnerable to introduced mammals and how waves of invaders wiped out different groups of species. Of particular interest would be the commitment of the islanders to give up having cats as pets.

New Zealand 174

New Zealand Rats Mammals Possums 174

Reddit Animals

SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

I have never once seen a cat anywhere in my neighborhood. None of my neighbors have cats and I'm only aware of one dog owner blocks away. but that's pretty much it for mammals. I'm sure most people would say probably a cat. or even this city for that matter. Lots of squirrels, chipmunks, deer, rabbits.

Rats 40

Rats Mice Rodents Chipmunks 40

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2012

New Zealand has been the recipient of a higher than average number of introduced species, in particular a range of mammals from elk to mice. This is quite a big deal for an island group that had no mammals save bats for millions of years. The principal poison used in New Zealand its sodium flouroacetate , commonly known as 1080.

Animal Rights 266

Animal Rights Rights New Zealand Animal 266

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2023

Most of them had brought kids along as well (probably among my least favorite mammals), which were pulled on gaudily colored skiing sleds by their hapless parents, creating a constant raucous noise. In pre-communist China, Giant Pandas were considered the aristocrats among Chinese mammals.

Pandas 213

Pandas Birds Eggs China 213

10,000 Birds

JULY 27, 2023

Finally, of the at least 20 species of mammals present here, the otter, the jackal, and the wildcat certainly deserve a mention. Basically, Porto Lagos is a hamlet built, you got it, around a harbour, on an isthmus separating Lake Vistonida (more about it later) from the Aegean Sea.

Greece 193

Greece Pelicans Birds Otters 193

10,000 Birds

JULY 21, 2011

Watching birds isn’t much of a challenge if you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting one. In your back yard, if you have a feeder and exclude insects, birds may represent 100% of the animal biomass until either you our your cat walks outside. The data here are from the site of Manaus: All animals: 200 Mammals: 8.4

Mammals 177

Mammals Rodents Birds Reptiles 177

10,000 Birds

APRIL 17, 2020

With Stranger than Fiction, she depicts a Siamese cat on the left of the frame being stared down by unlikely menagerie of birds on the right — none of whom are practicing appropriate social distancing, I might add.

Collecting 164

Collecting Canada Mammals Shelters 164

10,000 Birds

APRIL 10, 2013

What put this once small fishing town on the map was not birds but mammals, specifically whales and dolphins. Being a convenient stop between the ferry town of Picton and the city of Christchurch didn’t hurt, but it was the chance to get up close and personal with marine mammals that turned the place into a popular tourist destination.

Whales 208

Whales Whaling Albatross New Zealand 208

10,000 Birds

MAY 20, 2011

This behavior is not at all out of character for Tufted Titmice as is explained on All About Birds : They line this cup with soft materials such as hair, fur, wool, and cotton, sometimes plucking hairs directly from living mammals.

Raccoons 233

Raccoons Woodchucks Opossums Squirrels 233

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2019

There are mammals, with Nilgai antelope being the most obvious. Less often seen are Blackbuck and Jungle Cat. It was difficult to estimate the number of storks as they disperse into the surrounding areas to feed and the numbers have swollen since the study and the heronry has expanded across a number of islands.

2003 113

2003 India Breeders Eggs 113

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2022

These two islands are about halfway between the tip of South Africa and Antarctica in the Subantarctic Indian Ocean, have had relatively few human visitors, and are primarily inhabited with some of the rarest seabirds in the world and a smaller number of mammals.

South Africa 264

South Africa Mice Albatross Africa 264

Reddit Animals

MAY 6, 2023

2) If the rabbit is in danger such as from your cat or dog try to release it out of the perimeter. 3) Rabbits have one of the highest caloric milks among mammals so cows milk isn’t going to cut it. If it’s bad weather or construction work you can take it in but at that point the clock starts ticking.

Rabbits 52

Rabbits Wildlife Rehabilitation Kittens Fox 52

10,000 Birds

JUNE 28, 2013

As long as they had no drugs in their system, and as long as they weren’t touched by a cat (and thus contaminated with salmonella/pasteurella/Bartonella, etc.) My mammal-rehabber friends give me their unfortunates, as well. In any case: joining the already-packaged food items in my freezer are wild birds who didn’t make it.

Wildlife Rehabilitation 201

Wildlife Rehabilitation Rodents Mice Rats 201

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2013

Leaving from the harbour on boats were tours to swim with one of New Zealand’s most endangered mammal species, the Hector’s Dolphin. We set out with Black Cat Cruises to see these diminutive dolphins and to have a swim with them. Birding dolphins marine mammals New Zealand endemic' South Banks Peninsula.

Dolphins 156

Dolphins Sharks New Zealand Albatross 156

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2014

The cat actually appeared almost golden in the early morning light and this time we could admire its magnificent thick, blotched pelt, extremely long tail and large head. This is the genus of the typical large cats including Lion, Leopard, Jaguar and Tiger. However most recent research places them amongst the Panthera.

Snow Leopard 279

Snow Leopard Leopards Hunting Sheep 279

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

I don’t mind that they share the world with other creatures, and I have even developed an appreciation for mammals, reptiles and amphibians – but only so long as watching them doesn’t collide with my finding birds. Examples are wolf, beaver, otter, domestic cat, wolverine, wild boar, elk (moose), and reindeer.

Europe 165

Europe Mammals Animal Birds 165

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 11, 2012

Africa is famous for its large, charismatic mammals, and the Big Five epitomize the most sought-after of these fantastic beasts. As visitors’ and the public’s interests expanded from the Big Five, and an appreciation for lesser mammals, birds and smaller wildlife has became more widespread, the term Little Five was coined.

Buffalo 209

Buffalo Rhinoceros Elephants Leopards 209

10,000 Birds

MARCH 20, 2016

Even if a cat dares to come into our garden, despite the moth balls hanging around the perimeter to try and prevent them entering, the birds will chatter away rather than leave. They want the water and they are not going to let a cat interfere with what they need to survive. Common Tree Snake coming forward to investigate us.

Reptiles 100

Reptiles Investigation Cats Mammals 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 13, 2022

According to the HBW entry for this species, it “has been claimed that loss of native mammals after European settlement created shortage of nesting material, explaining this species’ penchant for taking hair from humans.”

Australia 204

Australia Birds Feral Cats Kangaroos 204

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 22, 2015

The lake consists of a large body of open water, a belt of tall yellow grass (where a big orange cat can blend and disappear if it chooses so) and, all around it, thick forests of predominantly teak, interspersed with thickets of bamboo. Conservation endangered species India Mammals tiger' Telia, copyright © Nitin Bhardwaj.

Tigers 250

Tigers India Killing 2012 250

Animal Person

AUGUST 25, 2010

Assuming that the fish are kept in a large aquarium that mimics their natural habitat, and that the keeper treats the fish as family (as they would a rescued dog, cat, rabbit, etc.), Of course that also brings up the dilemma of feeding cats and fish, who are omnivores and actually need to eat some meat in order to be healthy.

Fish 100

Fish Rabbits Rescue Vegan 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 11, 2021

Though elderberries have an unpleasant taste when raw and contain alkaloids that are toxic to mammals (birds seem to have no problem enjoying them), cooking improves their flavor greatly and destroys these poisonous substances. While a few dozen places in France were named for Saint Medardus, this dedication in the British Isles is unique.

France 239

France Eagles Shelters Suffering 239

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2012

The number of individual birds and mammals alone that are affected by these factors are countless; and when you consider fish, reptiles and amphibians, it is hard to comprehend the magnitude of life that gets wiped out around the world (and certainly including the U.S.) There is nothing abstract or controversial about this.

Animal Rights Movement 214

Animal Rights Movement Animal Rights Rights Wildlife 214