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When Birds Are Near: Dispatches From Contemporary Writers

10,000 Birds

At the same time, reading When Birds Are Near: Dispatches From Contemporary Writers , edited by Susan Fox Rogers, set me wondering about viewers’ reactions, especially New Yorkers who have never seen an owl outside of a zoo or a picture book. But–is that it? The two stories about New York City are personal favorites, of course.

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Africa’s endangered species

10,000 Birds

The stunning head plumes of the Gray Crowned-Crane make it attractive to bird collectors and zoos; illegal collecting of wild birds is one of the reasons why this species is now considered Endangered. This plain used to be little affected by humans, being grazed by just a few cattle, goats and camels.

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Birding Hluhluwe, South Africa

10,000 Birds

On the other hand, compared to the Laughing Dove , human life is still pretty long. Please insert your own dirty joke relating to humans here. I have to admit that I also tend to feel a bit itchy after a long flight in economy class. A study found that Laughing Doves at a South African reserve have a life expectancy of 0.83