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Birding Yibin, Sichuan

10,000 Birds

The eBird cartoonists call the Spot-breasted Parrotbill a “bulbous-headed brown bird with a comically large bill” As a foreigner living in China and thus used to having my nose size ridiculed, I definitely feel with the parrotbills. In one group, they added a blue egg to their nests. What a pity.)

Italy 182
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How Birds Evolve: What Science Reveals about Their Origin, Lives, and Diversity: A Book Review by a Non-Science Person

10,000 Birds

He also believes that we are living in an era of incredible scientific research, one in which new genetic technology and findings from diverse scientific disciplines have turned assumptions upside down, opened up new lines of thought, and provided answers, or at least probable answers, to many of our questions about why birds do the things they do.

Science 207
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The Secret Perfume of Birds: Uncovering the Science of Avian Scent–A Book Review

10,000 Birds

Whittaker’s adventures in olfactory research take unexpected turns into genetics, chemistry, and the halls of academia. One of Whittaker’s first experiments was to place other birds’ preen oil on the nests and eggs of Dark-eyed Juncos. Whittaker’s research road is more serpentine than most academics.

Science 213
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Birding Shanghai in June 2023

10,000 Birds

In the slightly frighteningly named journal “Science of The Total Environment”, there is a paper on organochlorine compounds in Purple Heron eggs nesting in sites located around a chloralkali plant (Ebro River). Summary result: relevant chemicals emitted by the plant can be found in the eggs. Bye, bye, Lesser Coucal.

Birds 130
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Birding Chongming Island in summer

10,000 Birds

Another puzzling thing to me, as for me, the ideal number of people to live with would be somewhere between zero and one but definitely not above 1. According to the HBW, when breeding, male birds do most of the incubation and parenting while females often leave the nest up to one week before the eggs hatch. End of side note.

Birds 162
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Far From Land: The Mysterious Lives of Seabirds–A Book Review

10,000 Birds

Where does the female Emperor Penguin go after she has produced that one egg and handed it over to the male for incubation? This is essentially a survey of ornithological marine research told in the voice of one of its most passionate and experienced participants. Technology to the rescue!

Albatross 114
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National Audubon Society Birds of North America: A Guide Review

10,000 Birds

I am particularly happy to see that the bird communication section includes recent research on singing female birds. They expand the definition of this book from identification guide to avian reference book. Plate 28 from Audubon Bird Guide, Eastern Land Birds, by Richard H. These are all informative and current.