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The tail of the Motmot

10,000 Birds

A few weeks ago, when we traveled to Guadalajara, Mexico, I researched the many different species, especially the hummingbirds. In doing some research on the Motmot family, I found several references to the fact that the long decorative tail is actually quite fragile. Their food consists of insects, small reptiles, and fruit.

Mexico 111
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Frogs and Toads of the World: A Book Review by a Fairy Tale Junkie

10,000 Birds

And, I started daydreaming about encountering something a little different, maybe a Horned Frog, Ceratophrys cornuta, a large, squat green and brown frog of South America, with a wide mouth large enough to eat other frogs as well as reptiles. A book about all the frogs and toads of the world is an ambitious undertaking.

Reptiles 198
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Birding Hongbenghe, Yunnan

10,000 Birds

Like a bad boyfriend not changing into nicer clothes for an evening out, the Brown-cheeked Fulvetta gets chided on eBird for not making any efforts: “an unapologetically drab and unmarked fulvetta” The Chestnut-headed Bee-eater apparently digs nest-burrows in which to lay its eggs. “It is not deep enough yet!

Birds 147
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Turtles of the World: A Guide To Every Family–A Book Review by a Turtle Lover

10,000 Birds

Turtles are the reptile everybody loves. Birders are always happy to see a turtle or tortoise, and there are times of the year when my social media feeds are sprinkled with photos of turtles beings removed from roads or crawling to land to lay eggs. Or that tortoises and terrapins are considered part of the turtle family.

Turtles 230
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Feral Cats Are An Invasive Species in North America (and elsewhere)

10,000 Birds

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. And for rodents and reptiles as well. Read what you want about the origin of domestic cats; the genetic evidence is not properly sampled.

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How much bird is there, anyway?

10,000 Birds

Here’s some data from the famous research project of Manu, Peru, giving biomass in kilograms per hectare. Amphibian’s and Reptiles: 3.4 Comparing mammals, birds, and reptiles, for instance, what is the distribution and range of sizes? The data here are from the site of Manaus: All animals: 200 Mammals: 8.4

Mammals 187
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Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests: A Field Guide Review

10,000 Birds

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. The Harrison guides are out of print.

Eggs 257