10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2015

Here are some things I’ve learned from the Peterson Reference Guide to Owls of North America and the Caribbean by Scott Weidensaul: The Burrowing Owl is the only North American owl species where the male is larger than the female, albeit, only slightly larger. And the term is ‘non-reversed size dimorphism.’).

North America 214

North America Owls America Dominican Republic 214

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

Jennifer Ackerman points out in the introduction to What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds , that we don’t know much, but that very soon we may know a lot more. What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds is a joyous, fascinating read.

Owls 200

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 200

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2020

That’s pretty amazing–Bolivia has more bird species than India! The source of this ranking, BirdLife International, lists Bolivia as currently having 1,439 bird species, including 18 breeding endemics. The guide covers 1,433 species, the number of birds documented at the end of 2014, the cutoff point for the book.

Bolivia 168

Bolivia Birds Brazil Switzerland 168

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 23, 2017

But does the value of a particular trip come from the number of birds seen, viewing a particular species, seeing an endangered species, catching a glimpse of a rarity, adding a lifer, or something else? I emailed the authors and asked about their research and their use of eBird data. Birders derive “value” from birding.

Oregon 170

Oregon Washington Birds Chad 170

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2020

The book is divided into three parts: “Introduction,” “Avifaunal Overview,” and “Species Accounts.” Most birders will go straight to the “Species Accounts.” It’s important to note that the 301 species selected for this section are those of historical and current importance to the core study area, the northwest Bronx.

New York City 146

New York City New York Birds Breeding 146

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2014

Jonathan Elphick and John Fanshawe provided “specialist research” and support.” Additional back of the book material includes a Glossary, Biographical Details, a Select Bibliography, Notes, Credits, an Index to Species and a General Index. The beautiful Bee-eater family, with its 26 species, is covered in a little less than two pages.

Birds 205

Birds Egypt Family Eagles 205

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2018

It’s not often that we have the opportunity to glimpse the home life of albatrosses, nor of any seabird species. Think about it–how do you document the behavior of birds that spend years flying (or swimming) and feeding and, apparently, sleeping above or within the deep sea? What about incubation shifts?

Albatross 114

Albatross Penguins Research Breeding 114

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 5, 2016

All species are from the ABA area, and all groups must meet at least one of these criteria: (1) the group “represented a good opportunity to build core birding skills,” (2) the authors thought it was a group that needed “a refreshed treatment,” (3) the authors were intrigued by the group and wanted to present it using their unique format.

Birds 189

Birds Groups 2015 North America 189

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

But getting a grip on gulls can be rewarding, and even within a large group of seemingly drab-colored, dump-loving trash eaters, there are spectacular species, like the dramatic Sabine’s Gull, the nearly mythical Ivory Gull, and easily one of the most sought-after species in North America, the mysterious Ross’s gull. (p.

Birds 262

Birds North Carolina North America Owls 262

10,000 Birds

MAY 23, 2023

Birders often venture into various habitats, such as forests, wetlands, grasslands, or coastal areas, to encounter different bird species. The primary objective of birding is to identify bird species based on their physical characteristics, behavior, and vocalizations.

United States 147

United States North America Birds America 147

10,000 Birds

MAY 6, 2011

You’d think, then, that applying science to philosophy by studying the evolutionary underpinnings of thought and behavior across species would be right up my alley. But perhaps such morals would be the hardest to discover and document. Still, it strikes me as a worthwhile project.) Other choices I am less enamored with.

Morals 108

Morals Animal Humane Research 108

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2018

“The Purpose of Field Guides: Taxonomy vs. Utility,” co-authored with Brian Sullivan, Michael O’Brien, Chris Wood, Ian Lewington, and Richard Crossley ( Birding , November 2009) proposed a standard avian species order for field guides, apart from the ever-changing AOS taxonomic order. Species are useful handles (p. 16, below).”

Birds 136

Birds North America 2012 America 136

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2011

UNLESS that is you get yourself down to the internationally-renowned Tambopata Research Centre in southern Peru where literally hundreds of macaws (and other parrots) congregate around a 50 meter high clay bank. That’s right – birds eating clay. Chestnut-fronted Macaws Ara severa.

Peru 254

Peru Parrots 2011 Research Center 254

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2023

Even the Latin species name soror (“sister”) indicates the similarity to another pitta species (blue-naped). The eBird description of the Small Niltava starts with the surprisingly dull statement that “size distinguishes this species from other niltavas” Who would have thought.

China 217

China Birds Pythons Eagles 217

10,000 Birds

JULY 3, 2018

This is also where Johnson starts talking about the cost of the theft to the Museum and to science. In some cases, he took all adult males of the species or subspecies held by the museum. The skins were invaluable tools for ornithological, ecological, environmental research. Mostly adult males. The Flame Bowerbird, for example.

Collecting 102

Collecting Iraq Ostriches Science 102

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2012

At the recent Swarovski Social Media Summit in Arizona, Nate proselytized passionately for the program that both manages your sightings and contributes them to science. After many hours of meticulous preparation, I was ready to import my data, a process that is poorly documented to say the least. But Nate is an eBird fanatic.

Arizona 173

Arizona Belize Adoptable ALA 173

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 18, 2011

And one of the things you do is to study old documents, and you have this old book, this very very old book, that chronicles the life and times of some historic people in some historic period, but you don’t know exactly when it is from or where it was written. Imagine you study history.

Mammals 240

Mammals Europe Groups Family 240

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 5, 2021

Dragonflies and Damselflies of Costa Rica: A Field Guide covers 113 damselfly species and 170 dragonfly species, a total of 283 species. Wait–that adds up to 290 species, but the book only covers 283. .* Wait–that adds up to 290 species, but the book only covers 283. Paulson, William A. INTRODUCTION.

Costa Rica 256

Costa Rica North America Family America 256

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2014

In this book, rare birds are species “for which, on average, only 5 or fewer individuals have been found annually in North America since around 1950.” Species that were once seen rarely and have now become more common, like Clay-colored Thrush, are not included. Rare Birds of North America covers 265 species within these parameters.

North America 247

North America America Birds United States 247

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2015

During my previous five trips to Indonesia, I only heard but never caught a glimpse of three species. Now my tally stands at four species seen and a fifth heard-only. At least in the northeastern United States, their rate of so doing is high, according to research I summarized here. Clare went a chose a first for Australia.

2015 180

2015 Costa Rica Birds Sparrows 180