10,000 Birds

JULY 25, 2012

Throughout most of North America, European Starling is a four letter word. There are groups dedicated to species like Eastern Bluebirds and Purple Martins and with extensive writings on how to keep starlings at bay and even recommendations on how to legally trap and kill them should they drive away North American birds.

North America 152

North America Europe America Livestock 152

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2015

I still know my audience - this is primarily a blog read by birders in North America, who see the term “squirrel” as little more than a synonym for house sparrow, starling, pest and cholera. Germany, like most of Europe and very much unlike North America, is home to only one species of squirrel.

Squirrels 162

Squirrels North America Germany Europe 162

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 30, 2019

This month we were able to go to Europe again, for our first real vacation in a few years. One of the groups that doesn’t seem to become any less common in fall is the T**s, known in North America as Chickadees and their relatives. Some of my readers may recall that my wife and I went to Spain a few months ago.

Switzerland 110

Switzerland Austria Europe Spain 110

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2018

to the Rocky Mountains and beyond, Alaska, throughout the Caribbean, and in seven countries in Europe. Of the 300 hummingbird species across the globe, North America only sees fewer than two dozen of them. Angela Minor has lived, traveled, and birded from the southern U.S. Rufous hummingbird, Photo © Robin L.

Texas 175

Texas North America Alaska America 175

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2019

Anyone in North America might know them as Cosmopolitan Butterfly. Any individuals found in Britain are immigrants or progeny of emigrants from Europe and Africa and thus receive exalted status. The Aristocrat group is not a recognised classification group. For that we turn to the Nymphalidae.

Ireland 121

Ireland South America North America Groups 121

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2011

Newts can be found in Asia, Europe, and North America. The most familiar newt in eastern North America, where I live, is the Red Eft , which is the juvenile form of the Red-spotted Newt Notophthalmus viridescens , which is in the above image.

Salamander 161

Salamander Pythons North America Europe 161

10,000 Birds

JULY 23, 2012

After all, North America has no native hedgehogs and seeing something so outside of our normal experience was pretty exciting, even if the little guy quickly headed for cover and refused to show itself for Clay Taylor, who came upon the scene a minute too late. New Zealand has a host of hedgehogs but they are introduced.

Hedgehogs 169

Hedgehogs Hungary Opossums North America 169

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 17, 2023

North America has far more birds named after people than we do in Europe, where’s there is only around 50, and most of those are scarce or restricted in range.

Falcons 221

Falcons Collecting 2003 Wounded 221

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2013

Perhaps because of threats to the ecosystems of the many places the Arctic Tern visits (Europe, Africa, South America, and North America), it may be on the decline. It probably helps that they weigh less than 5 ounces! You can learn more about their incredible journeys here.) .

Bald Eagle 181

Bald Eagle Pandas Puffins Bears 181

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2017

This is the first identification guide that I know of that covers Mexico (technically North America but rarely included in North American raptor guides) and Central America. Like Peterson’s Hawks of North America, 2nd edition (Houghton Mifflin, 2001), which Clark co-authored with Brain K. klak-klak, keeear!,

Mexico 162

Mexico America North America Falcons 162

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2012

Its natural range in Europe was restricted the the surroundings of the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea, and in Asia it ranged from Asia Minor to central China. Contradicting this relentless shooting were efforts to establish feral populations in many regions of Europe, both within and outside its natural range.

Feral 169

Feral Europe Asia North America 169

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 8, 2017

Its buffy face and chest identified it as an immature bird (thank you, 7th edition of the National Geographic Guide to Birds of North America, soon to be reviewed here). They are found in meadows and other grasslands, habitats which have been attributed as a major reason for their steep decline in Great Britain and Europe.

New York 155

New York North America France Feral Cats 155

10,000 Birds

JULY 21, 2013

They were once a widespread and diverse group, however, with many fossils known from what are now North America and Europe. Mousebirds are social fruit-eaters that dangle precariously at odd angles in tight clumps, feet spread wide and long tails often splayed. The six living species are all found in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Kenya 172

Kenya Parrots Africa North America 172

10,000 Birds

APRIL 29, 2015

I’m a big fan of the antelopes, a group that is most commonly associated with Africa but which also occurs in Asia and, if you stretch the term to be cladistically meaningful, Europe and North America. By this I mean applying the term antelope to cover all of the family Bovidae, which would include the sheep, goats and ox.

Africa 165

Africa Hunters Goats Wolves 165

10,000 Birds

APRIL 9, 2011

If you are mildly interested, proceed and read the caption. Despite being taken in Europe, this image exemplifies why forest birding in North America might soon be rated NC-17. North America may currently feel very smug, safe and sound. Yes, there is a bird in this picture. Of course you have already spotted it.

North America 145

North America Europe America Asia 145

10,000 Birds

JUNE 22, 2011

After all, Hooded Crows are a bird of eastern and northern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East and are not known as long distance migrants. A couple of other birders were around and it didn’t take long for what is potentially the first accepted record of a Hooded Crow in North America to show, much to our delight.

New York 215

New York Kazakhstan North America New York City 215

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

the development of field-based ornithological research in Europe and Great Britain; a quick step back through the history to look at bird protection, conservation, and our precarious future, with a focus on Birkhead’s long-term (50 years!) Birkhead knows that these are sensitive topics.

Dissection 218

Dissection Birds Research Europe 218

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 17, 2016

Of course, I will need to mention our local import, now spreading its way across North America, much like the English House Sparrow and the European Starling have , t he Eurasian Collared-dove , Streptopelia decaocto decaocto.

San Jose 100

San Jose North America Mexico America 100

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2020

These two shorebirds are exceedingly common in western Europe. But the Great Swallow-tailed Swift is one of the largest Swifts in North America. So it is always a joy when I can finally put one of those birds on my current digital list. And Oystercatchers are very amusing birds. I think all Swifts are cool.

Austria 146

Austria Spain 2019 Birds 146

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2011

Anas strepera is a common and widespread duck, breeding across northern Europe and Asia, as well as central North America. They are not in enough habitat types to be considered one of the usual waterfowl though I am used to seeing them.

United States 162

United States North America Jamaica Asia 162

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 27, 2012

Common Merganser female by John Borg There are six living species of mergansers, three of which are commonly spotted in North America: The Common Merganser ( Mergus merganser ) ranges widely throughout the northern hemisphere. Anyway, the hoodie is the only merganser endemic to North America. Notice the sawbill?

North America 229

North America Thailand Russia Ducks 229

10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2014

That was a wild cat, a wild Wildcat, the cat that lives in the wild because that is where it is from and where it belongs, at the southern end of its pan-African range that extended at one time well into Europe and Asia. But they don’t live in North America. Unless we put them there. I once knew a guy who kept and raised cats.

Feral Cats 254

Feral Cats North America Feral Cats 254

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 7, 2011

Common Merganser ( Mergus merganser ) photos by Larry Jordan (click to enlarge) The Common Merganser ( Mergus merganser americanus ) or Goosander ( Mergus merganser merganser ) as it’s known in Europe, is a large, cold-hardy, fish-eating duck that nests worldwide near large lakes and rivers in northern forested habitats 1.

Jordan 163

Jordan North America Abandon Abandoning 163

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2016

It has also been published in Great Britain by Bloomsbury Publishing under the title Wildfowl of Europe, Asian, and North America , which explains why the English translation has British spelling conventions. Waterfowl of North America, Europe, and Asia: An Identification Guide is a serious book for serious birders.

North America 149

North America Asia Europe America 149

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

I haven’t yet been birding in Europe but whenever I occasionally skim a field guide about the birds on the other side of the Atlantic, I’m always encouraged to find that I’m already familiar with many species found over there, even though most of my birding experience has been limited to eastern North America.

2017 117

2017 Portugal Rabbits Europe 117

10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2015

During the Pleistocene, Dholes were found across the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe and North America, sharing their space with sabre-toothed cats. These days, the species shares habitats with Tigers, Snow Leopard, Bears, etc. If they can survive next to such neigbours, how come they are endangered?

Tigers 237

Tigers Dogs India Snow Leopard 237

4 The Love Of Animals

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

In Pukka’s Promise, Kerasote travels the dog world in Europe and throughout North America interviewing breeders, veterinarians, and leaders of the animal-welfare movement, and uses cutting-edge research to help dog owners rethink the everyday choices they make for their pets. We also get to hear stories about Pukka. “In

Dogs 100

Dogs Animal Welfare Lifestyle North America 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 14, 2011

In the end, Chandler comes very near his goal of creating “a book for anyone in Europe or North America who wants to know more about the Barn Owl.” ” And if it looks a bit like a supermodel among your practical Petersons and stolid travel guides, well, couldn’t your joint use a bit of classing up?

Barn Owls 177

Barn Owls Owls North America Europe 177

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 8, 2013

There is actually quite the overlapping avifauna between North America and Europe. And while neither of us have ever birded in either place we have both seen some birds that occur in ol’ Blighty and the Emerald Isle. In fact, you have to!

Ireland 182

Ireland North America Europe America 182

10,000 Birds

MARCH 25, 2011

. - Delete these 6 letters, leaving 4 letters remaining. - Rearrange these 4 remaining letters and you will end up with a rare avian visitor to North America. From the pictures in the guides I have from Europe and Asia, it looks pretty cute. What is the name of this beverage? Extra Credit: Here is a story.

2011 140

2011 North America Asia Europe 140

10,000 Birds

APRIL 30, 2013

In North America, at least in the eastern part of it, we celebrate the return of the Baltimore Oriole to parks and farms this time of year. This revelation shocked me when I first read it, but as it it turns out the troupial is not one of those next parasites and lays and leaves like North American cowbirds and cuckoos in Europe.

Baltimore 176

Baltimore Broker North America Raised 176

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 13, 2022

Tap water is not as cold as in Europe (and, I presume, North America), but to be called lukewarm it should be warmer. You will love the softness of their beds and the breakfast area in the front yard (at 5 am, when we ate, the temperature was pleasantly cool 24 ºC / 75 ºF), but do not expect hot showers.

Colombia 239

Colombia Birds Cooking Fish 239

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 1, 2012

Unlike North America, Germany has never had naturally occurring psittacines that went extinct, and the one we have is a true and complete invasive alien introduction. But now that we do have, and while we may or rather should wish we had not, we might as well roll with the punches and accept that we have.

Germany 244

Germany Netherlands Zoos Geese 244

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 9, 2011

I mention all of this because we in North America, especially the southern part of North America, have storks too. They are, after all, the feathered bearers of actual children if the old stories are to be believed, and their shadow lies long over birder and non-birder alike.

North America 170

North America Pedigree South Carolina Brazil 170

10,000 Birds

JUNE 11, 2011

The Black-headed Gull , Larus ridibunus, is similar in many ways to Bonaparte’s Gull , Larus philadelphia of North America. They are summer visitors to much of northern Europe, wintering in the Mediterranean with resident populations favouring western Europe.

Philadelphia 177

Philadelphia Russia Europe North America 177

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 18, 2018

I wonder if birders in North America before European colonization were eager to watch the colors of a singing male Indigo Bunting go from shaded black to shining sapphire blue? From conversations I have had with Tico birders, they would be likewise elated to lay eyes on the fish eagle of North America.

Costa Rica 101

Costa Rica Bald Eagle Eagles Birds 101

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. The Usutu Virus has spread considerably in central Europe over the last 10 years. and species breeding in cavities are less affected.

Germany 160

Germany Blackbirds 2006 Denmark 160