10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

The very first thing we notice about this large member of the Galliformes is that there is a wild version and a domestic version, and although the two are rather different, they are both given the same species name, Meleagris gallopavo. This is not entirely unknown among domestic animals, but many domesticates have no living wild version.

Turkey 223

Turkey Columbus Spain Fowl 223

10,000 Birds

MAY 30, 2019

Raised in and around the West Texas steppe country where temperatures reached 100 degrees with regularity, he began life as the Dust Bowl and Great Depression converged. His parents moved where opportunity beckoned, taking him from San Angelo, Texas, to Columbus, New Mexico, then to Dallas, and finally on to California.

Falcons 203

Falcons California Condor Alaska Texas 203

10,000 Birds

MAY 17, 2011

I’ve rushed to spring reports of these birds in Columbus, Ohio’s Greenlawn Cemetery. I mumble the species’ name over and over something like this: that’s a *&$#^ Great Gray Owl! I raised a bottle of beer in its honor, then headed for my hotel, satisfied that the day was mine.

Connecticut 185

Connecticut North Dakota Ohio Owls 185

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

The species that manage to colonize these islands evolve in competition with relatively few other species, developing survival strategies based on interdependence, co-evolution, and mutualism rather than adapting to deal with a broad range of predators and competitors. A species, wiped off the earth, never to exist again.

Cuba 257

Cuba Parrots Collecting Columbus 257