10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2013

It’s clear that ibis have been part of human civilization for as long as there has been civilization of which to be part. The group has a worldwide distribution; 28 species living and two additional extinct. It draws a more or less firm line between those species in the Old World and those in the New, however.

Birds 223

Birds North America Charlotte New Jersey 223

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2013

The smellier the better, particularly as, unusually for birds, many species can boast a robust sense of smell. In any case, our hang-ups with vultures clearly stem from our own issues rather than any inherently bizarre trait of the species themselves. Vultures famously feed on carrion. Dead things. New World Vultures.

California Condor 190

California Condor Turkey North America Jordan 190

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2015

If this was America, we might not be concerned because starlings are an invasive species, at least in North America. Last year, beginning about Halloween, thousands of juvenile auklets started washing ashore dead from California’s Farallon Islands to Haida Gwaii (also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands) off central British Columbia.

Science 152

Science Iraq Research Birds 152

4 The Love Of Animals

MARCH 17, 2011

Dogs are able to detect diseases such as cancer and diabetes and warn humans of impending heart attacks and strokes. In many ways, human emotions are the gifts of our animal ancestors. Dogs can differentiate dilutions of 1 part per billion, follow faint odor trails, and are 10,000 times more sensitive than humans to certain odors.

Emotional 100

Emotional Animal Whales Whaling 100