10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 7, 2015

Even where Common Starlings are not introduced, their homeland of Europe, they are hardly loved. I encountered these Red-winged Starlings at the Cape of Good Hope National Park, a lovely park for Bontebok, Ostriches , nesting Cape Cormorants , Malachite Sunbirds and Cape Sugarbirds. This is grossly unfair.

Ostriches 147

Ostriches South Africa Africa Reptiles 147

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2016

Here go those moments of curiosity, in no particular order: Europe: And so, I was driving from Greece to Serbia… in central FYRO Macedonia, two birds were circling not far from the motorway… black and white… perhaps White Storks on migration? Europe: The sun is scorching the area, and the birds are nowhere to be seen.

Wildlife 183

Wildlife Tigers Asia Europe 183

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2014

That list included: Hoopoe (a dove-sized, pink, black and white bird with a flamboyant crest), Great Bustard (a bird of open grasslands, sort of an ostrich / turkey cross) and a Bee-eater (iridescent blue, green, gold and chestnut, a little bit like a streamlined kingfisher.) It would be icing on the cake if I saw any of those.

Spain 171

Spain Ostriches Africa Canada 171

10,000 Birds

JULY 21, 2022

Europe has one species (Eurasian Spoonbill), the Americas have one (Roseate Spoonbill), Australia two (Royal and Yellow-billed Spoonbill), and Asia has two as well (Eurasian and Black-faced Spoonbill). As the world’s largest living bird, the Ostrich is the topic of many weird and wonderful scientific papers.

Ostriches 147

Ostriches Parrots Birds Eggs 147

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2022

Vagrancy in Birds is organized into two major parts: (1) A detailed, 62-page synthesis of research and theory and (2) “Family Accounts,” 259 pages covering bird families from Struthionidae/Ostriches) to Thraupidae/Tanagers and allies (Clements is the taxonomic authority). 2022 (available in Europe from Helm/Bloombury).

Birds 262

Birds Compassion Eagles Science 262

10,000 Birds

APRIL 21, 2015

Ostriches are infected as well as, in one known case, Falcons. We have seen H5N2 become an important virus for domestic poultry, suddenly, starting in Asia, moving to Europe, then to North America with wild migratory birds as the likely vector. There will be a Turkey for every table for the US Thanksgiving.

Mississippi 176

Mississippi Fowl Turkey Minnesota 176

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 5, 2014

Editor Mitchell is the founder and managing editor of Birdwatch magazine, managing editor of Birdguides, a birding news website, and the author of two books on the birds of Europe and Great Britain. 1700, is a fake, formed from a plaster cast of a real Dodo head and real Dodo feet combined with chicken wings and Ostrich feathers.

Collecting 172

Collecting Mauritius Egypt Cyprus 172