10,000 Birds

JUNE 1, 2021

Pough “with illustrations in color of every species” by Don Eckelberry, Doubleday, 1946. The National Audubon Society Birds of North America covers all species seen in mainland United States, Canada and Baja California. The press material says it covers over 800 species, so you know I had to do a count.

North America 279

North America America Birds California Condor 279

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2024

Osborn, a passionate field biologist who participates to the core of her being three re-introduction projects aimed at saving three very different, endangered species: Peregrine Falcon, Hawaiian Crow (‘Alala)*, and California Condor. Well-researched and footnoted, these sections never feel disconnected from the more personal sections.

California Condor 204

California Condor Falcons California Birds 204

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

It feels good to start a post with some truly attractive birds – such as two species of broadbills. Strangely, there do not seem to be many papers on this species. In one paper , you can find fascinating sentences such as “The new species is most similar to D. My cats refuse to even try Fiery Minivets.

Birds 236

Birds Sri Lanka Taiwan Cats 236

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 186

Hunters Hunting North America Game 186

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 168

North America Sparrows America United States 168

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 14, 2013

En route they will be “birding in nearly every country in mainland North and South America,” and, as they say on their excellent blog , “Our journey is about collecting valuable data on bird species, their status and distribution, current conservation issues, and more along the way.

South America 199

South America San Diego Mexico America 199

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

MARCH 6, 2018

It’s not often that we have the opportunity to glimpse the home life of albatrosses, nor of any seabird species. Where does the female Emperor Penguin go after she has produced that one egg and handed it over to the male for incubation? Technology to the rescue! What about incubation shifts?

Albatross 115

Albatross Penguins Research Breeding 115

10,000 Birds

JULY 3, 2012

As a Northeast birder I am familiar with the alarming decrease in the number of Red Knots along Atlantic shores and have signed petitions and written e-mails calling for legislation and rules that will limit the overharvesting of the horseshoe crab, whose eggs Red Knots depend on. The visual beauty and textual facts are a strong combination.

Delaware 189

Delaware New Jersey Research Eggs 189

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

A little bit of research when I got home unraveled the ways of publishers here and in Great Britain. First published in 1973 in association with the Asa Wright Center, the book focuses on species descriptions, with illustrations grouped together in plates positioned in the center of the book. The AOU has not accepted that split.

Trinidad 215

Trinidad Birds South America Research 215

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

Ackerman’s new book is about owls and owl research–the knowledge recently and currently being discovered through DNA analysis, new-tech tracking and monitoring, and old-fashioned fieldwork under the auspices of organizations like the Global Owl Project and the Owl Research Institute.

Owls 235

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 235

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2012

Or, Pygmy leaf-folding frogs, Afrixalus brachycnemis, from Tanzania, tiny climbing frogs who lay their eggs in leaves and then fold the leaves over them for protection, sealing the nest with secretions. The male and female position themselves close to each other, on top or in back, so that the eggs are fertilized as the female releases them.

Reptiles 195

Reptiles Madagascar Family New York City 195

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2013

The story of the cahow, a “Lazurus species” that was thought to be extinct for over 300 years and then discovered to be breeding on a tiny remote island in Bermuda, is part of modern birding legend. It is hypothesized, for example, that nocturnal seabirds like the Bermuda Petrel eat bioluminescent prey. These are magical experiences.

Birds 177

Birds Rats Breeding 2012 177

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 17, 2011

ForestPuffin was targeting this species as it is very habitat dependent and, unbeknownst to me, such habitat exists within a big stone’s throw of my house. Second they are reliant on Horseshoe Vetch on which they lay their eggs and on which the caterpillars feed. The male is on the left.

Rabbits 156

Rabbits Ireland 2002 Sheep 156

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 6, 2024

Kooyman (co-author with Jim Mastro) spent decades studying Emperor Penguins and can be considered the world’s foremost expert on the species. Empire Penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) are the largest living penguin species, almost four feet tall (taller when they stretch), and the least likely to be seen on birding or nature trips.

Penguins 175

Penguins Seals Leopards Research 175

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 252

China Birds Pythons Eagles 252

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2013

For birders, it’s the extremely large book, shelved in a place where it can’t crush the field guides, used to research the history of a bird in their area. They utilized GIS (geographic information systems) technology to pinpoint breeding bird location to a level far beyond the usual block-based geographic model.

Pennsylvania 248

Pennsylvania Breeding Birds Sparrows 248

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Ridgway himself had 23 species, 10 subspecies, and two genera of birds named for him, including Ridgway’s Hawk.) The team explored Nevada and Utah, with Ridgway collecting thousands of bird specimen, plus nests and eggs for the Smithsonian. That’s a photo of Ridgway’s office on the right, fifth floor of the South Tower.

Collecting 160

Collecting Illinois United States Science 160

10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2024

The island is teeming with so many birds that their eggs and young chicks were once harvested for food. The Scottish Seabird Centre supports hundreds of volunteers in the effort to eradicate this species when it was first noticed that the number of puffins was declining. An odd side effect was noticed by researchers – black irises.

Puffins 130

Puffins Sanctuary Lamb Research 130

10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2014

The majority of wildcats live today in Africa, and virtually none of them have provided the DNA from which supposed histories of domestication have been constructed by researchers. Also, feral Cats on islands seem to be a serious problem, causing the extirpation of some indigenous species. Let me tell you this: They are.

Feral Cats 257

Feral Cats North America Feral Cats 257

Animal Person

MARCH 17, 2009

In addition to heaps of information at www.RPAforAll.org about RPA's 10,000 Years Is Enough campaign to get our universities out of the meat industry, there is now a current list of all 50 governors with address and their state's LGU. Let me know -- any time! -- if you'd like assistance or more information. Thanks and best wishes!

Meat Industry 100

Meat Industry Industry Meat Responsible Policies 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 9, 2023

In total, there are eight species of hornbills in Borneo – the best place to see them seems to be the Kinabatagan River area (also known as Sukau). If you want to see photos of all 8 of them, there is a nice one-page leaflet online which is also the source of some of the information below. A good reason to come back soon then, I guess.

Rhinoceros 137

Rhinoceros Singapore Transported Hunting 137

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2022

It’s a unique bird, even its scientific name is wonderful, so it’s not surprising that Gerard Gorman, Woodpecker Expert Supreme, has written a book all about the species. I was surprised to learn that there are two Wryneck species in the Jynx genus: Eurasian Wryneck, Jynx torquilla, and Red-throated Wryneck, Jynx ruficollis.

Woodpeckers 256

Woodpeckers Hungary Thailand 2014 256

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 1, 2022

At the very least appreciated for their hard-shell adaptation, the way they quietly survive in ponds, rivers, oceans, islands, forests, even, for a few species, deserts, and, if you are of a certain age, their cultural depiction as ninja warriors. Or that tortoises and terrapins are considered part of the turtle family.

Turtles 224

Turtles Tortoises Family Terrapins 224

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

I’ve been fortunate to see two Penguin species in the wild (African and Galapagos) and have dreamed of seeing more–maybe even all!–especially The goal of Around the World For Penguins is simple: Describe the 18 species of penguin and their breeding grounds “from the perspective of a traveller.”

Penguins 279

Penguins Georgia New Zealand Albatross 279

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 9, 2023

While Napos relative remoteness made it seem less vulnerable to covid, on the second day of our hotel stay we were informed that they could no longer service the hotel rooms as all the hotel service staff had contracted the virus. Why the Latin species name is cyaniventer (meaning having a dark blue belly) remains a mystery to me though.

China 147

China Hunting Birds illegal 147

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 22, 2024

When not climbing, he collected species, and thus a number of birds are named after him. While the Bornean Forktail looks quite similar to the White-crowned Forktail, it apparently is a separate species, making it another Borneo endemic. Of course, only chemists have a rough idea what that might mean. Leave the bad jokes to me, please.

Birds 242

Birds Indonesia Breeding Charlotte 242

10,000 Birds

APRIL 4, 2022

I guess I would therefore usually not include them in this post were it not for the information below. Once the egg has been laid, the female is chased away and the males hatch it.” The species is listed as Vulnerable, with severe degradation of the wintering lake habitats in China cited as an important factor.

Birds 235

Birds China Pythons Breeding 235

10,000 Birds

MAY 15, 2023

I visited Tengchong in late 2020 and wrote about it – but I also went there earlier, in 2017, and this post shows some photos I took during that trip, along with the usual comments that seem to be much more about ridiculing my fellow humans (especially ornithologists and the like) than providing useful information on birds.

China 204

China 2017 Birds Indonesia 204

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

The section South Georgia Wildlife describes 65 species of birds, 20 species of sea mammals, nearly 60 species of insects, and more than 40 species of flowering and nonflowering plants. They breed in dense colonies, incubate their single egg on the feet, and take more than a year to fledge a chick.

Georgia 175

Georgia Penguins Wildlife Whales 175

10,000 Birds

JUNE 26, 2018

Basically, this species is so dimwitted, it doesn’t know how to survive. Because, Pink Pigeons are not capable of doing the tasks required to create and bring up children of the species. These endangered birds have trouble producing a fertilized egg and, even worse, they don’t even know how to build a nest so the egg survives?

Mauritius 103

Mauritius Stud Zoos Eggs 103

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

It is the 100th Anniversary of the extinction of the species known as the Passenger Pigeon and writers are paying attention. Errol Fuller’s The Passenger Pigeon is a beautifully illustrated, elegantly written “celebration” of the passenger pigeon and the artists who illustrated and photographed the species. It is a hodgepodge.

2014 162

2014 Killing Michigan Kentucky 162

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2017

The guide covers 747 breeding residents or regular migrants, 29 introduced species, and 160 vagrants, a total of 936 species. The authors emphasize in the Introduction the great degree to which the text and illustrations are based on current scientific information. Another departure from the norm!

Australia 113

Australia Birds Penguins 2015 113

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 7, 2021

This may have been partly a leftover from the Victorian fascination with egg collecting (the infamous passion known as oology), but probably more from people’s burgeoning interest in the nests and eggs found in their gardens and fields, gateway artifacts to a newer hobby called birdwatching. Harrison. (A Baicich and Colin J.

Eggs 254

Eggs Birds United States Sparrows 254

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2012

Although designed as a field guide, it is a hefty book, 376 pages long, covering 336 species. Many species are dimorphic, with females looking different from males. Many species also differ with age. And, there are some odonate species that include andromorphs, females which look like the males. Yes, 675 photographs.

United States 246

United States Costa Rica Massachusetts North America 246

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2023

Take a medium-sized stork, then imagine placing a fried egg over each of its eyes. Color the white of the egg yellow and the yellow of the egg dark red, and you get a close approximation of what Storm’s Stork looks like. It is also by far the stork species with the lowest number of scientific papers focusing on it.

San Diego 201

San Diego Zoos Malaysia Eggs 201

10,000 Birds

JULY 2, 2019

And, I looked at my eBird list and realized I’ve seen nine species of Antpitta and one of Gnateater. Antpittas and Gnateaters covers 64 species in six genera and two families. (I The Species Accounts feature highly detailed text by Harold Greeley, distribution maps, and over 250 photographs by a number of photographers.

Research 158

Research Eggs South America Costa Rica 158