10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 28, 2014

Why does this little Screech Owl look so horrified? We receive nestling owls who have been fed nothing but hamburger, whose bones are so brittle from lack of calcium that they break when they try to stand. And they would realize that any species whose young tried to nurse with a pointed beak would be a short-lived species.

Wildlife Rehabilitation 257

Wildlife Rehabilitation Wildlife Feral Cats Hamburgers 257

10,000 Birds

JUNE 22, 2011

Many are familiar with dissecting owl pellets, but several birds will caste a pellet including hawks, eagles, gulls, herons and heck, I once witnessed a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher hack up a small one. Above is a pellet from one of a pair of Great Horned Owls that nested a few blocks from my apartment.

Bats 214

Bats Dissection Owls Minnesota 214

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 28, 2017

We might not get the variety of a New Jersey autumn but we do get major numbers of species that winter in South America. However, this year, we opted for a site that could also give a chance at Great Jacamar and a few other key resident species in addition to migrants. We saw them do their butterfly flight over the tree tops every day.

Costa Rica 169

Costa Rica Birds Parrots Farming 169

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2016

The proximity of both slopes also facilitates seeing a lot of different species in a short span because the montane barrier has resulted in differences in terms of species and habitats. This small antbird species is common in Panama to Ecuador but rare in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica 166

Costa Rica San Jose Panama Birds 166

10,000 Birds

MAY 24, 2013

When you move on to Montana, you discover that there are worse things that one species of tiny screaming mammal tricking you each year as you try to cope with an influx of songbirds and a winterized memory bank that contains only Black-capped Chickadees and Dark-eyed Juncos (and only about half their calls at that.) You sigh and move on.

Chipmunks 186

Chipmunks Squirrels Rodents Montana 186

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 11, 2017

Sadly, four other teams did as well, and we finished fourth with our 123 species. Before dawn we were walking through the dark forest at the Greentree Preserve hoping for a Great Horned Owl or an Eastern Screech-Owl. Our Great Horned Owl ! Every bird counted as one so common and uncommon species were all appreciated.

Bald Eagle 100

Bald Eagle Jamaica Birds New York 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 19, 2011

Are you going to help “raise public awareness about the decline of the house sparrow and throw light on the problems faced by the species&# or are you in the camp that hates the lowly House Sparrow ? Get yours today! Asides Win a Copy of Hawks at a Distance Utah Birders has a copy of Hawks at a Distance to give away. Wicked, right?

Sparrows 210

Sparrows 2011 Deer New York 210

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 27, 2013

in the US, they even know species names: definitely Bald Eagle and probably Golden Eagle too because Golden Eagle is not that hard. They know that eagles are like hawks but bigger, and then they see hawks in a situation that is not ‘soaring against an open sky’ and they are like Holy cow, that is big, must be an eagle.

Eagles 187

Eagles Bald Eagle Fox Cows 187

10,000 Birds

JULY 16, 2012

I was delighted by the invitation and spent hours going through my photos, printing them out, imagining fifteen 4-year olds entranced by egrets, herons, and Burrowing Owls. Jake’s favorite before-bedtime book when he was just a bit younger was Owl Babies by Martin Waddell, a picture book I had picked up at a nature center.

Birds 223

Birds Owls Switzerland Lions 223

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2011

I’ve been chasing Northern Saw-whet Owls , those adorable little predators, for years now. But here we are in March again, so off I trudged to Owl Woods, Rochester’s surest spot for Saw-Whets. Most owlers look for whitewash, pellets, and other owl sign; I, on the other hand, look for other owlers!

2011 174

2011 Owls Deer New York 174

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2011

Forgotten Owls When Is A Tanager A Spindalis? Pochards: Last Lifer of the Trip About the Author Larry Larry Jordan was introduced to birding after moving to northern California where he was overwhelmed by the local wildlife, forcing him to buy his first field guide just to be able to identify all the species visiting his yard.

Wildlife 156

Wildlife 2011 Sacramento Jordan 156

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

In the right season, with a little luck, we often find it, and sometimes it perches high and long enough that we can admire its scimitar of a bill, its stern face pattern, and even the patch of rusty red on the undertail that gives the species its English and its scientific names. Wicked, right?

2011 140

2011 Tucson Arizona Deer 140

10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2015

Kelly Preheim was talking about the large numbers of Snowy Owls on the nearby National Wildlife Refuge. The next spring she reported that her first class was doing very well and were able to rapidly identify nearly 200 species. There were 23 cows killed; some had to be shot up in trees where they were stuck. That blew my mind.

South Dakota 266

South Dakota Nebraska Missouri Killing 266

10,000 Birds

MAY 30, 2015

However, there are a few stand out sites here and there that are significantly better for species like Jabiru, Lance-tailed Manakin, and Nicaraguan Grackle to name a few. But, you won’t find any dairy cows at Medio Queso. BUT, we did see lots of other nice birds, most of them bonus species tough to see elsewhere in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica 179

Costa Rica Chile Nicaragua San Jose 179

10,000 Birds

MARCH 7, 2011

Checking for moult limits on a female Band-tailed Manakin to determine her age Imagine learn or improving your mist-netting, bird banding, handling, aging, and Neotropical bird ID skills in one of the most exuberantly natural surroundings ( 599 bird species recorded at Explorer’s Inn and Sachavacayoc Centre!) Wicked, right?

Peru 206

Peru 2011 Deer Birds 206

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2011

That is why it is such amazingly awesome news that the British Birdwatching Fair raised £242,000 to help conserve a species that could become the first recorded bird extinction in mainland Africa. Here’s hoping the Liben Lark defies the odds and long graces the grassy plains of Ethiopia! RECENT POSTS More Habitat for Snowy Plover?

Ethiopia 145

Ethiopia 2011 Deer New York 145

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2011

Here is another photo of this beautiful species. About the Author Larry Larry Jordan was introduced to birding after moving to northern California where he was overwhelmed by the local wildlife, forcing him to buy his first field guide just to be able to identify all the species visiting his yard. Does anyone know for sure?

2011 209

2011 Jordan Deer New York 209

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2011

One such controversial bird is the Veraguan Mango , a small hummingbird species that was, until very recently, believed to be a Panamanian endemic. Veraguan Mango by Carlos Bethancourt Although the Neotropical region supports fewer bird families than Africa, there are considerably more bird species here than anywhere else on earth.

Panama 216

Panama Costa Rica 2011 Cleveland 216

10,000 Birds

JULY 11, 2013

A dusty-red road leads me through Marico bushveld deeper into the 750 square kilometers large wilderness of the Madikwe Game Reserve – the 4th largest reserve in South Africa, home to 350 bird and 66 mammal species, some 4 hours’ drive from Johannesburg. Barn Owl on a dry tree trunk and a… traffic jam!

Africa 200

Africa South Africa Elephants Rhinos 200

10,000 Birds

MARCH 10, 2011

When I began birding with people from parts farther north I became familiar with the term “ Half Hardy “, which refers to those species of birds who are generally present in small numbers during mild winters, but usually can’t handle the rough patches of extreme cold temperatures and snow that are less frequent.

North Carolina 140

North Carolina 2011 St. Louis Baltimore 140

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2011

However, the species sometimes referred to as the Barbary Duck appears very much out of place just about everywhere else. While most domestic ducks descend from the mighty Mallard , the other barnyard duck is the much maligned Muscovy. Actually, this lean, hardy bird has lots of fans in kitchens and at tables all over the world.

Ducks 226

Ducks 2011 Deer New York 226

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2011

This species is not only usually the earliest, but the most common. What’s remarkable about this species is what we don’t see here: the extremely long migration that this species makes, with some individuals traveling from Sub-Saharan Africa to Greenland and back every year. Get yours today!

Cyprus 145

Cyprus 2011 Deer New York 145

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

Getting to know the subtleties in differences between closely related species takes years of dedication and practice. Thirdly, many species of shorebirds display such vast differences in their summer and winter plumages that it is always interesting to note how some birds in the same flock are in contrasting stages of plumage.

Florida 200

Florida South Africa 2011 Africa 200

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2017

Back then, in 2012, the motivation was to have something nice to blog about and to show Corey how the cow eats the cabbage since he was seeing too many good species too easily. I am not entirely sure if I am going to include a graph of my species total since I will not define a numerical goal. Species List.

2017 100

2017 Germany 2012 2013 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 19, 2011

In southern Africa, there are two species. I too am fascinated by the name of this species. Frank Mar 22nd, 2011 at 8:02 pm Awesome images of a species that looks somewhat prehistoric. They are cryptically plumaged birds whose camouflage helps them to blend in with their often arid environments. How do we know this?

2011 170

2011 Deer Africa Peru 170

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Today we are looking at two species that can be difficult to separate under typical field conditions. I tried on a purist attitude and chose not to ID the species. To answer this quiz, please do NOT indicate the species of either bird. Extra Credit: Tell us all how you separate these two species (I need the help!).

2011 124

2011 North America Deer America 124

10,000 Birds

MARCH 12, 2011

As part of the Wildlife Conservation Society Birds of Brazil giveaway we asked readers of 10,000 Birds to name the bird in Brazil that they would like to see more than any other species. What follows are the responses that readers offered, a veritable aviary of sought after species. It is a really neat bird that I have not seen before.

Brazil 216

Brazil 2011 Birds Wildlife 216

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2011

I live in upstate New York where only one of these two species occurs. and the species name will appear. I still prefer to use the field markings as the decider between the species. Wing coloration while sitting will help. But not while flying. Think “white”. Call will help. Beware of hybrids. Wicked, right?

2011 140

2011 New York Deer Owls 140

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2011

Go win a copy and you might get it before I get off my keister and write my review… Great Horned Owl Taking a Deer Leg Seriously, that really happens in this excellent video of a Great Horned Owl scavenging a deer carcass by Kirk Mona. RECENT POSTS More Habitat for Snowy Plover? Wicked, right?

Honduras 154

Honduras 2011 Deer Birds 154

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2011

The countryside too is full of signature European species like European Bee-eaters, European Rollers and Great-spotted Cuckoos … Within a shortish drive of the lodge is an unusual birding spot called Pulo do Lobo or The wolf’s Leap. This is worthwhile to pick up some rocky terrain species and the scenery is stunning.

Portugal 178

Portugal 2011 Deer Birds 178

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2011

Fluttering Shearwater ( Puffinus gavia ) Flesh-footed Shearwater ( Puffinus carneipes ) Buller’s Shearwater ( Puffinus bulleri ) Along with these three were Two further species, also both familiar to North American birders, Sooty Shearwaters and Short-tailed Shearwaters. It is also restricted as a breeder to the north of North Island.

New Zealand 176

New Zealand Albatross 2011 Cooking 176

10,000 Birds

MARCH 12, 2011

How lucky you are to live in a country with three different species. Go win a copy and you might get it before I get off my keister and write my review… Great Horned Owl Taking a Deer Leg Seriously, that really happens in this excellent video of a Great Horned Owl scavenging a deer carcass by Kirk Mona. Wicked, right?

Ecuador 204

Ecuador 2011 Deer New York 204

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2011

Among these white-headed/dark-winged gulls formerly lumped into the genus Larus , there were 18+ recognized species the last time I checked, sharing similarities that make telling them apart for the amateur birdwatcher very difficult. 1998), then the proper name for this species is L. fuscus – should be separated as species.

2011 157

2011 Cyprus Deer Species 157

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2011

When I first saw it I thought it might be a snowy or a barn owl because it was almost white. On Sunday at Kissena Park I saw five species of sparrows. A mixed species flock of sparrows (american tree, field and chipping) was by the bike track parking lot. It was very a pale gray. I see why people sometimes call them gray ghosts.

2011 156

2011 New York Deer Birds 156

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

And reports of birds nesting – not owls, of course, those weirdo snow fetishists, but other birds nesting – light up my life. Barred Owl Bombardment About the Author Carrie Carrie Laben, after years of writing and birding in New York State, moved to Montana to pursue her two great passions more effectively. Wicked, right?

Montana 138

Montana 2011 New York Bahamas 138

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 28, 2011

Having never been to Brazil I can’t possibly speak as an expert in terms of what birds are covered or how well species that I have never seen are depicted. The species accounts are written by Robert Ridgely, one of the premiere neotropical ornithologists, and a veteran at writing excellent field guides. Talk about a win-win!

Brazil 212

Brazil Wildlife 2011 Birds 212

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2011

I briefly entertained the idea that I had found a rare species never before seen in New York but quickly came to my senses and realized that I was dealing with a leucistic individual. What I am getting at here is that I have seen lots and lots of Ruddy Ducks at Jamaica Bay but never one that looked like this particular individual.

Ducks 154

Ducks 2011 Jamaica Deer 154