10,000 Birds

APRIL 16, 2016

As with any birding locales, there are similarities and there are differences and in this transcontinental case, the differences are obviously much more pronounced but I can’t help but think about comparisons. I have been back from Eilat, Israel for more than a week but still find myself dreaming about birding in the desert. As I scan for the Hoopoe Lark that I dipped, I wonder what else is being seen in the sparse wadi vegetation.

Israel 44

Israel Costa Rica 2016 Jordan 44

Hannah's Blog

FEBRUARY 4, 2020

Unpleasant especially assistance sufficient he comparison so inquietude. Occasional entreaties comparison me difficulty so themselves. In post mean shot ye. There out her child sir his lived. Design at uneasy me season of branch on praise esteem.

2020 130

2020 Horses Laws Compassion 130

Critter News

MARCH 30, 2010

It spotlights the Humane Society, but I think it's a pretty universal comparison. This article pretty much sums up how the two agendas are simply at cross-purposes. Compassion is perceived to hurt profits.

Animal Welfare 100

Animal Welfare Welfare 2010 Agenda 100

Critter News

MARCH 28, 2009

The German constitutional court has ruled that animal rights organisation PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) must end its campaign in which it draws a comparison between the Holocaust and industrial farming. PETA wants to run a campaign that compares factory farming to the Holocaust. Touchy subject there in Germany.

Campaign 100

Campaign PETA 2009 Factory Farm 100

Critter News

AUGUST 9, 2009

This is a great response to his recent complaining that the NFL is colluding against Vick and his insulting comparison of Vick to Jackie Robinson, the African American who broke the race boundaries in major league baseball. Jesse Jackson is just a nut I think. The defense is not from an animal rights perspective, but it's still good, especially in exposing the lame attempt to make this a civil rights issue.

2009 100

2009 Pit Bulls Michael Vick Animal Rights 100

Animal Person

AUGUST 16, 2011

When he spends what seems like an eternity discussing cockfighting and the people who participate, mostly to set up the comparison to how the chickens we eat are treated and the lack of outrage over that, I respond, “What is wrong with you? Hal Herzog’s “ Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat ” (Harper 2011), though fascinating, is ultimately depressing for vegans and animal rights activists.

2011 172

2011 Morals Advocacy Pit Bulls 172

Critter News

AUGUST 2, 2010

By comparison, Bangor University used 1,464 mice and 664 fish, Aberystwyth used 289 cattle, 153 mice and 102 sheep and Swansea used 1,208 fish. Here's an article about an increase in animal experiments at Cardiff University in Wales. According to a Wales on Sunday investigation, the number of animals used at Cardiff has risen by 13 percent since 2006.

Animal Research 109

Animal Research 2010 Research Mice 109

4 The Love Of Animals

NOVEMBER 5, 2009

Outside of Australia, the bilby is a little-known animal that occasionally draws comparisons to Star Wars’ Yoda character. In Australia, however, the endangered marsupial is making a comeback, due in large part to a recently launched “Save the Bilby&# fund. With help from the Environmental Protection Agency and Wildlife Preservation Society, a pair known simply as the Bilby Brothers are doing their best to help save an animal they call “graceful&# and “beautiful.&#

2009 139

2009 Marsupials Australia Protection 139

Animal Person

AUGUST 1, 2009

By comparison, there were only 727 white male inmates per 100,000 white men. Something interesting happened when I read New York Times columnist Bob Herbert's article about the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., called " Anger Has Its Place." Allow me to jump down to the paragraph that startled me into forced contemplation for several reasons: Black people need to roar out their anger at such treatment, lift up their voices and demand change.

2009 100

2009 Obama Puppies illegal 100

Animal Person

MAY 9, 2009

Here's my concern: Though I think the game is disgusting and cruel, it sort of pales in comparison to what comes next for the lobsters. My self-appointed job in this blog is to think critically about how our human lives intersect with those of sentient nonhumans, in action and thought. Yesterday I received an e-mail alert from the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF) regarding " a coin operated game that uses live lobsters at the Royal Palm Ale House in Royal Palm Beach.

Advocacy 100

Advocacy 2009 Game Slaughter 100

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 25, 2021

For easier comparison, confusingly similar pairs are shown on the same page, side by side. Since the 2nd edition of the Collins Bird Guide (published as “Birds of Europe” in the US) from 2009, the field guide market for European guides is practically dead.

Cyprus 87

Cyprus Asia 2009 Turkey 87

10,000 Birds

JUNE 24, 2020

While the 480-odd species recorded within T&T may outstrip our fellow Caribbean islands by leaps and bounds, it pales in comparison to the massive lists of mainland South and Central America.

2020 86

2020 Family Trinidad America 86

Animal Person

JUNE 20, 2009

But by presenting that example to the reader, the author positions herself to then present an alternative that is worlds better by comparison. Bea sent me a link to an article in Gourmet called " Humane Slaughterhouses ," by Rebecca Marx, that is absurd. And the absurdity is in the reality that the author and the featured person who kills sentient nonhumans for a living, think they're onto something.

Slaughter 101

Slaughter Slaughtered 2009 Cows 101

Animal Person

JULY 3, 2009

Regarding accusations of anthropomorphism (which arise frequently and did in Bekoff's previous book, as well) and also evolutionary continuity, which provides for symmetry in comparisons, the authors write: "It isn't that we set out looking for humanlike traits in animals and hope to find some. " Wild Justice: The Moral Lives of Animals ," By Marc Bekoff and Jessica Pierce, is the most recent (for me) book that debunks myths about the differences between human and nonhuman animals.

2009 100

2009 Morals Emotional Elephants 100

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 30, 2020

The juvenile Pied Oystercatcher gives you a glimpse into its development when it stretches a wing out and when it stands close to its parents for size comparison. The one surviving Pied Oystercatcher chick that I introduced you to four weeks ago continues to thrive.

2020 76

2020 Eggs Breeding Family 76

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2015

At least we have birds… My desire to see boreal specialties pales in comparison to my passion for staying warm and dry. Keep your eyes to the skies for freaky hybrids ! If you live on my side of the globe–north/south axis, of course–you may be as sick as I am of winter weather. Alas, the long slog to spring will take many, many more frigid, blustery weeks.

2015 63

2015 ALA Hunting Birds 63

10,000 Birds

JULY 16, 2020

I particularly like the large falcons and the two-page spread giving you a chance for easier comparisons.

Mongolia 91

Mongolia 2020 2019 Falcons 91

4 The Love Of Animals

APRIL 20, 2012

We take a look into how man’s best friends see and how good their vision really is in comparison to that of a human’s. Dogs are incredibly intelligent animals, learning tricks, words and even learning how to push their owner’s buttons to get that much-deserved treat! Colour myth. First up, let’s visit a common myth circulated about dogs’ vision. Contrary to popular belief, dogs can see in colour; however they can’t see the full range of colour that humans can.

2012 109

2012 Dogs Hunting Humane 109

10,000 Birds

MARCH 27, 2016

Maybe this whole comparison falls apart upon closer scrutiny, but these are still fine days to be looking at birds! While so many spent the weekend obsessing over eggs, others cast their eyes to the feathered fruit of eggs… not necessarily Easter eggs, but different, non-chicken eggs. I enjoyed observing Wild Turkeys , clearly feeling bolder on Easter than Thanksgiving, foraging openly along the Palisades Parkway.

2016 40

2016 Eggs Chickens Turkey 40

10,000 Birds

JUNE 19, 2019

And for the sake of comparison, here is the normal, run of the mill Bushtit. Fast becoming one of my all time “Go To” spots, Florida Canyon, just a few miles north of Madera Canyon has yielded yet another great bird. Just last Saturday, I was up in the canyon, hoping to see the Yellow-billed Cuckoo that has been reported. I was shut out on the cuckoo, but discovered a group of Bushtits , which made them a first time for Florida Canyon for me.

2019 43

2019 Florida 2014 Arizona 43

10,000 Birds

APRIL 8, 2015

I took a few shots of the male Calliope Hummer a few years ago, perched next to a male Anna’s Hummingbird ( Calypte anna ) seen in the background here for comparison. This is around the time of year I expect to start seeing the Calliope Hummingbird ( Selasphorus calliope ) at my feeders. Click on photos for full sized images. The Calliope Hummingbird is the smallest North American breeding bird 1.

2015 81

2015 2010 North America Breeding 81

Critter News

JUNE 16, 2010

If they are "only" animals, if they are beasts which abstract not, then my comparison is a piece of sentimental foolishness. I particularly question the use of chimpanzees in medical research. From what I recall, chimpanzees share at least 95 percent of human DNA, although the number that floats around the most is 98.6 percent. The following is from The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan.

2010 109

2010 Animal Apes Medical Research 109

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2014

Whatever Corey will be doing surely pales in comparison, so let’s not even talk about it. We all have invasive species on our minds this week, which should serve as an inspiration to those of us interested in expanding our personal range. Being a resident in an ecosystem certainly has its advantages, as does being a breeder (sometimes), but, every once in a while, you should visit someplace where you’re considered an exotic!

2014 63

2014 Colombia Breeders Species 63

10,000 Birds

JULY 15, 2020

But, in comparison with most of my sightings, these Anis looked almost gaudy. What with lockdown and all, it had been a while since I had made the one-hour drive down to Paso Ancho, my closest option for birding a full-blown tropical thorn forest habitat.

2020 67

2020 Cooking Squirrels Sparrows 67

4 The Love Of Animals

MAY 16, 2010

Here are the tips and stats that they sent us: Nearly 2,900 letter carriers were bitten by dogs last year, yet that pales in comparison to the 4.7 Did you know that May 16-22 is National Dog Bit Prevention Week? Neither did we! That is, not until we got an email from the USPS. Now that we know, we are happy to spread the word. They are working hard to help spread that word about how to prevent dog bites.

2010 100

2010 Tethering Neutering Spay 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

There is a major difference: the Raptors guides are photographic and the Birds of Prey guides are illustrated with Wheeler’s paintings, over 1,000 images in each guide, organized with logical precision for reference, research, and comparison, with a self-evident side benefit–the portrayal of the beauty of raptors. Habitat, Comparisons & Maps. Not really a fair comparison, since these guides are so very specific, almost purely aimed at identification of hawks in the air.

2018 67

2018 Mississippi Bald Eagle North America 67

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 27, 2016

Here is the Eurasian Wigeon pair for comparison (note the tan eyelid on the drake). I have tried for what seems to be a long time to get a decent photo of a Eurasian Wigeon ( Anas penelope ) drake. Not that the female Eurasian Wigeon is not exciting to view but she looks a lot like the female American Wigeon. This is a shot of the American Wigeon ( Anas americana ) drake. Click photos for full sized images. And the American Wigeon pair.

2016 42

2016 Groups Ducks Birds 42

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 7, 2016

I have included a photo of the Whimbrel , for comparison. In my continuing coverage of the return migrants to the lower Baja, todays story is of the Long-billed Curlew. This extremely large shorebird, coming is at nearly 24 inches. It is easily identified by not only by its overall size, but the extremely long bill. For the most part, there is little question about the appearance of the bird, for identification purposes.

2016 46

2016 San Francisco Groups Pelicans 46

4 The Love Of Animals

APRIL 22, 2009

Only soy-based inks used for all package printing - Soy-based inks require substantially less energy to produce in comparison to standard petroleum-based inks, and also help reduce air pollution. The Honest Kitchen has offered a great package of treats for the dog owner who cares about the planet and the health of their pet! One lucky reader will get a pack of Smooches, Nuzzles, and Pecks!

2009 100

2009 Transported Meat North America 100

10,000 Birds

APRIL 23, 2020

For a comparison, Melghat Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra has one landscape, five bird photos (one of them shot by my dear friend Nitin Bhardway when we explored this park together) and with only one paragraph on birdwatching sites more than Gir, it is noticeably better described.

India 87

India 2020 Lions 2016 87

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 7, 2016

A couple of crows even showed up for a handy size comparison. I’ve written before about the surprising and sometimes lovely variety of forms that the simple Rock Pigeon can take, and how much fun there is in simply through sorting through a flock – like the one that inevitably gathers around the dumpsters of the grocery store a block from my apartment and wages a battle of attrition with the paint job of every car that parks on the street.

Falcons 57

Falcons 2016 Rats Dogs 57

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

Despite considerable speculation, the evolutionary origins of this species’ remarkable tool behaviour remain largely unknown, not least because no naturally tool-using congeners have yet been identified that would enable informative comparisons. Hawaiian Crows Use Tools. From Nature, “ Discovery of species-wide tool use in the Hawaiian crow “: Only a handful of bird species are known to use foraging tools in the wild.

Hawaii 56

Hawaii 2016 2012 Research Center 56

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 25, 2017

The juvenile of the light morph shows dusky feathers across its entire body which makes it easy to separate from the slimmer Little Egret if there is none with which to make the comparison. The Western Reef-Heron , Egretta gularis, sits neatly between Little Egret and Snowy Egret in Clements taxanomic checklist. The slim, elegant, white egrets are very similar and operate in similar niches, but in opposite hemispheres.

2017 40

2017 UAE Stray Sanctuary 40

10,000 Birds

JUNE 1, 2011

For size comparison, a scrum of albies. It’s winter down here for sure now, and winter in Kaikoura , on the coast of South Island north of Christchurch, means one thing, albatrosses! This time a few years ago I attended an ornithological conference in Kaikoura, and the day afterwards we went out to see the many seabirds that come in close to the shore there.

Albatross 82

Albatross 2011 Breeders South America 82

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

I don’t think we ever saw the second one but the first one twice, as photo comparisons between my sightings seem to show the same individual. This past Saturday morning I was out at Jones Beach birding all morning with my good friends Seth and Mary, who had dragged me, kicking and screaming, from my local patches in Queens.

2019 60

2019 New York Hunting Species 60

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 7, 2013

Even by comparison with a couple of Dunlin and a one-legged Western Sandpiper, the Least Sandpiper look less than a satisfying mouthful. When the opportunity to get a series of pictures for a photo-gallery presents itself, one can’t take the time to wonder if Corey hasn’t already got some stunning digishots (he has of course). When the moment is at hand, shoot.

2013 58

2013 San Francisco Sea Lions Lions 58

10,000 Birds

JULY 19, 2018

Hence try the comparison of the species richness not per country – but per square mile. Summer is normally the vacation season, for ordinary tourists at least. Birders follow different patterns of bird migration and their local activities and travel accordingly. But – where? I discovered this cover-photo map somewhere at the BirdLife International’s website. It illustrates the bird richness per country.

2018 77

2018 Guyana Equatorial Guinea Suriname 77

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 26, 2015

For comparison, this is the male Purple Finch ( Carpodacus purpureus )… And the female Purple Finch … One of the physical distinctions between the Cassin’s Finch and the Purple Finch that may be most obvious is the bill shape. As I mentioned in my last post , Lassen Volcanic National Park is a great birding destination. You can see some of my older Lassen Park posts featuring several other species from this beautiful park here.

2015 59

2015 North America America Research 59

10,000 Birds

JUNE 12, 2011

Fancy was the most entertaining section to read, and the comparison of Vegas showgirls to birds-of-paradise is spot-on and just a little bit disturbing. Each and every section has strong points, and Hansen’s clear prose style makes even difficult concepts easy to understand, in a way that reminds me of Bernd Heinrich, though that comparison is too tempting to make considering that Hansen discusses taking Heinrich’s “Winter Ecology&# course.

2011 75

2011 Reptiles Bats Eggs 75

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

This means that any comparison of results obtained in different years may not reflect the success of a birder’s endeavours but rather the variation of the overall birding conditions of the respective years, which are outside the sphere of anyone’s influence. This not only leads to an unfair comparison between the results of different years.

2015 79

2015 Feral Asia Florida 79

10,000 Birds

APRIL 26, 2016

While the females are much drabber by comparison, their gold/tan color and black spotting makes them stand out from other species as well. Many states choose their representative bird based on common, native birds spending part or all of the year within the states’ borders. South Dakota went a different way, designating the Ring-necked Pheasant as the state bird in 1943.

South Dakota 40

South Dakota 2016 Hawaii Asia 40

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 28, 2011

My own Solitary Sandpiper sighting seems paltry in comparison. If you live anywhere along the Mid-Atlantic Coast up to Maine, you’re probably happy that the weekend is over for a change. Hurricane Irene really delivered the pain to so many coastal cities and communities. But as Irene taketh with one 500 mile wide hand, she giveth with the other… assuming you’re a birdwatcher. To birders who survived her wild wake were showered gifts of rare terns and tropicbirds!

2011 54

2011 New York Experience Experiments 54

10,000 Birds

JULY 13, 2013

… For comparison purposes, here is a shot of a Black-chinned Sparrow, another desert sparrow found at Red Rock Canyon. On my western sojourn back in June we made a half-day visit to the absolutely gorgeous Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area near Las Vegas. Because we had four children with us we chose to do the thirteen-mile loop road, stopping several times to take in the views and once, at the Willow Springs Picnic Area, to take a short hike through the desert.

Sparrows 68

Sparrows 2013 Las Vegas Nevada 68