10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2023

In the slightly frighteningly named journal “Science of The Total Environment”, there is a paper on organochlorine compounds in Purple Heron eggs nesting in sites located around a chloralkali plant (Ebro River). Summary result: relevant chemicals emitted by the plant can be found in the eggs. Bye, bye, Lesser Coucal.

Birds 130

Birds Eggs Breeders Breeding 130

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2022

According to the HBW, when breeding, male birds do most of the incubation and parenting while females often leave the nest up to one week before the eggs hatch. According to Couzens, after laying the eggs, females sometimes immediately abandon their first mate and pair up with another male. But maybe that is actually a good thing.

Birds 162

Birds South Korea Japan Abandon 162

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2021

Being a bit older myself now, I have to point out that young human males usually do not look that good, at least to me. Cattle Egrets have perfected that smudgy look. The Blue-and-white Flycatcher is one of the few birds in which the young male looks both distinctive and rather nice. A juvenile male. The real thing: an adult male.

Birds 218

Birds LACS France Japan 218

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 18, 2022

Oh, and maybe humans need to be a bit less destructive to your habitat, too. On the other hand, for every disturbed Nanhui, there are probably at least 10 coastal places in China that are completely undisturbed, so it all evens out. No wonder that Oriental Pratincoles generally encourage humans to eat more beef.

Cattle 147

Cattle Portugal Buffalo Breeding 147

10,000 Birds

JUNE 24, 2021

One Oriental Pratincole of them was courageously raising its wings when I unknowingly drove towards its eggs – I reversed, but I am not so sure about the next person using that road … Being yelled at by the chick of an Oriental Pratincole. I guess looking elegant during sex is difficult for most humans, too.

Birds 205

Birds Uganda Breeding Rats 205

10,000 Birds

JUNE 8, 2023

One study in Korea found that 37% of injuries and deaths were caused by predation by natural enemies, another 37% (a worryingly high number) by window strikes, 10% by traffic accidents, 7% each by flooding and dehydration, and 3% by human disturbance. I wonder what Barn Swallows did before humans started building houses.

Birds 130

Birds China Research Tenant 130