10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2022

The first half describes the problem (why birds hit windows, the scale of the deaths, scientific research, what happens when birds strike windows) and the second half discusses what to do about it (community and worldwide education, window deterrent solutions, legal mandates and building codes, citizen science–what individuals can do).

New York City 249

New York City Birds Illinois Science 249

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 216

North America Owls America Dominican Republic 216

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 28, 2012

I’ve been banding birds of prey for 5 years it is easy to put ourselves through endless fog days and cramped quarters when the end result is good research, accurate data, and minimal impact on the raptors we encounter. Above, a Merlin sits through a few quick documentation pics before… …heading off into the sunset.

Research 200

Research Welfare Rights Humane 200

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

An associated issue is that the Belize and Costa Rica guides share many of the same descriptions of species, written by Howell. Similarly, descriptions of species repeated across volumes do not lose their accuracy with each publication. Other species are splits and lumped and have had their names changed. Why are these issues?

Costa Rica 206

Costa Rica Belize El Salvador Birds 206

10,000 Birds

MAY 20, 2014

However, we now understand that birds vary in how they navigate, and many if not all bird species use multiple approaches to navigation. New research adds a bit more to our understanding of bird migration. The story of how this research came about is interesting, and chronicled here. Birds EMF migration Navigation research'

Humane 226

Humane Compassion Research Cooking 226

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 21, 2014

The socioecology of Monk Parakeets: Insights into parrot social complexity by Elizabeth Hobson, Michael Avery, and Timothy Wright, is a new paper in Auk , with this abstract: In many species, individuals benefit from social associations, but they must balance these benefits with the costs of competition for resources. This: Just like people.

Parrots 199

Parrots Research Dogs Groups 199

10,000 Birds

JUNE 9, 2022

If I was an ornithologist aiming for a grant, I would now definitely highlight the need for more research on this topic. The Grey-Streaked Flycatcher looks only marginally more interesting, and while the Latin species name griseisticta sounds vaguely mysterious, it only means grey-spotted.

Singapore 147

Singapore Mountain Goats Birds Giraffes 147

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 15, 2015

Most likely, all individuals of a given species have very similar genes guiding very similar developmental processes, but produce different results because the plasticity itself is selected for. My research in the Congo supports this idea. During the former periods, we certainly came across animals, but rarely.

Birds 117

Birds Research Humane Pets 117

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 172

Oregon Washington Birds Chad 172

10,000 Birds

APRIL 19, 2016

This example is important because it appears that the protector species, not just the protected species, gains a benefit, the latter having been documented many times before. Previous research has shown that wading bird nesting colonies could provide substantial food for alligators in the form of dropped chicks.

Alligators 114

Alligators Protection Leopards Birds 114

10,000 Birds

JUNE 23, 2022

I saw two Pitta species at Hongbenghe, both among the slightly less glamourous among the pitta family: The Blue-naped Pitta … … and the closely related Rusty-naped Pitta. It seems that this is another species for which the standard phrase of scientists anywhere, “more research needed”, applies.

Birds 147

Birds Myanmar China Chicago 147

10,000 Birds

APRIL 20, 2016

I could see it now, a whole new species, with my name following in italics! Hours of research later, I find that the sub-species, Melanerpes formicivorus angustifrons is well documented, but in all the research and data, there is only one mention of the dark eyed Acorn Woodpecker.

Woodpeckers 100

Woodpeckers 2000 Mexico Research 100

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

Their habitats vary widely in both rural and urban landscapes; open habitats are preferred and the species generally shuns only extensively forested areas and wetlands 1. To show how adaptive this species is, the following photograph was sent to me by one of my readers and I use it with her permission.

Hunters 174

Hunters Hunting North America Game 174

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 147

New York City New York Birds Breeding 147

10,000 Birds

MAY 17, 2015

I’d seen nine warbler species, Baltimore Orioles , a brilliant Scarlet Tanager , and what seemed like dozens of catbirds when an odd warbler caught my eye. ” Upon close review of my photographs and some additional research, that theory makes sense to me.

Minnesota 179

Minnesota New York City New York Baltimore 179

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2015

If this was America, we might not be concerned because starlings are an invasive species, at least in North America. Researchers are wondering if the die-off might spread to other birds or even fish. This is not something I needed to tell you but there is some new research. Since then the deaths haven’t stopped.

Science 151

Science Iraq Research Birds 151

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 12, 2013

Nearly 70 species of parrots have been recorded flying free at some stage or another in Miami, including Hyacinth Macaws. Dozens of other introduced bird species, largely escapees from pet owners, now call Miami home. But I couldn’t help but get more excited about the countable species as opposed to the uncountable ones.

Miami 131

Miami Parrots Research Birds 131

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 207

Birds Egypt Family Eagles 207

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2015

In its natural old-world range, the House Sparrow offers an interesting identification challenge and has vagrant potential since it is a polytypic species with a highly complex taxonomy. The genus Passer has several well-recognized and recognizable species in Europe, and still holds several enigmas.

Sparrows 210

Sparrows Italy Asia Austria 210

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 21, 2018

Major extinction events that are geologically instantaneous have been followed by periods of time with reduction of species or unstable habitats that last for hundreds of thousands or millions of years. There are about 10,000 species of them, after all, which is a lot for a vertebrate. Here, according to the research , there is.

2018 101

2018 Science Humane Species 101

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

JUNE 7, 2012

Recently it has also been documented as breeding in Wisconsin, Ontario, and the Upper Michigan Peninsula, but those birds are few and not always accessible. It’s the warbler that is often the last unchecked species on birders’ life lists and, whether you list or not, for most of us observing it is a once in a lifetime experience.

Michigan 223

Michigan Bahamas Endangered Species Research 223

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2014

Ideally a photograph is the best way to document your observation, but it is not necessary if you make clear notes on the positioning of the metal band and the flags. It is truly remarkable and it is happening right here in Broome with our migratory shorebirds and all across the world with a huge variety of species.

Belarus 162

Belarus Cameroon Taiwan China 162

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

There are 35 raptor species that have a presence in the United States and Canada, 56 (more or less) if you count by subspecies, and they are all covered in admirable, exhausting, unbelievable detail in B irds of Prey of the East: A Field Guide and Birds of Prey of the West: A Field Guide by Brian K. Species Accounts.

North America 186

North America Birds Mississippi Bald Eagle 186

10,000 Birds

JULY 17, 2012

Getting intimate with a species over the course of the breeding cycle is one of the more rewarding aspects of birding, and field research too. I present here an annotated collection of photos documenting the entry of new parrotlets into this world. You don’t really know a bird until you’ve studied it on its breeding grounds.

Eggs 268

Eggs Venezuela Porcupines 2008 268

10,000 Birds

APRIL 12, 2013

With some research, I ended up with more questions than answers, making these birds all the more interesting! In Florida, the species shows up annually (and in multiples!) Between 1960 and 2002, more than 50 official documented records were recorded in Everglades National Park alone. where are these birds coming from?

Florida 180

Florida United States Texas Miami 180

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2018

There are over 11,000 species of moths in North America. I have a hard enough time with the 1,103 bird species on the ABA Checklist. The Southeastern guide doesn’t; I imagine this was to save space in a book with 300 additional species. This is the first thing we learn in the Introduction of each guide. Let that sink in.

North America 100

North America America Oklahoma Missouri 100

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

APRIL 2, 2019

I like observing them, reading about them, grappling with species and subspecies identification, and even—on a good day—talking about sparrow taxonomy. Peterson Reference Guide to Sparrows of North America covers 61 species of the New World sparrow family Passerellidae that breed in Canada, the United States, and northern Mexico.

North America 143

North America Sparrows America United States 143

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 199

Turkey Columbus Spain Fowl 199

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 18, 2012

In addition, since the species is popularly kept as a pet or reared for meat by the local peoples, historical trading has resulted in small introduced populations occurring on other islands in the region such as New Britain. With such a response, I had basically written it off as a species I had any chance of seeing.

Guinea 137

Guinea Meat Australia Pets 137

10,000 Birds

APRIL 17, 2012

Oil begins to wash up on the beaches throughout May and June of 2010 May 6, 2010 Oil washes ashore on the Chandeleur Islands off the Louisiana coast, an important nesting and breeding area for many bird species. We documented the relocation of several turtle nests. Traces of hydrocarbon poisoning are showing up in fish species.

2010 228

2010 Louisiana 2012 2011 228

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2012

This thrush is extremely common in urban and suburban Germany and one of the most conspicuous bird species here, comparable to the American Robin in North America. It appears as if some bird species are more susceptible to an infection than others, but many species are affected.

Germany 159

Germany Blackbirds 2006 Denmark 159

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

NOVEMBER 3, 2015

Navarro’s exceptional drawings illustrate the species accounts. Forty-eight species. Compare, for example, the species account illustration of the Cuban Trogon with the photo that opens up the introductory chapter. The luxury of space means that each species can be shown from various angles and in distinctive poses.

Cuba 226

Cuba Birds United States 2000 226

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2016

where and when the species is likely to be seen on the east coast, flight style, size and structure as compared to similar species. I realized a curious thing while researching some of the creatures in this guide–some of the common names given for the flying fish appear to have originated with co-author Steve N.G.

Pennsylvania 160

Pennsylvania Texas Whales Whaling 160

10,000 Birds

JUNE 3, 2014

The idea of Lost Animals was conceived after the publication of Extinct Birds (2001), a 400-page, four-pound book on 75 extinct species. And so, Fuller embarked on a new initiative—locating and researching photographs of lost birds and, expanding his scope, of mammals. Other species are less known.

Animal 265

Animal Mammals Hawaii Dolphins 265