10,000 Birds

MAY 5, 2015

I would be more apt to accept the science of BBI if the science of hemispheric brain functions was not subject to so much misconceptions and simplification.* It is a common, for example, to say that Forster’s Tern has whitish wings and Common Tern has darker gray on the wings.

New Jersey 170

New Jersey Birds Science Groups 170

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 28, 2017

The World’s biggest citizen science wildlife count takes place this weekend. It is marketed as a family activity and limited to one hour to allow for young attention spans. Greenfinch populations have plummeted as Goldfinch numbers have soared for example. How easy is that?

Birds 100

Birds Wildlife Science Protection 100

10,000 Birds

JUNE 25, 2019

That fallacious family name seems to have encouraged all manner of knaves, dunderheads, and miscreants when time came to label species. Consider some examples: NAMED FOR OTHER BIRDS. For example, the legendary ornithologist Alexander Wilson happened upon in his broad travels a warbler previously undescribed by science.

Rights 113

Rights Connecticut Tennessee Nashville 113

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

Jennifer Ackerman points out in the introduction to What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds , that we don’t know much, but that very soon we may know a lot more. What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds is a joyous, fascinating read.

Owls 211

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 211

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2015

How to choose bird feeders; how to make nutritious bird food; how to create a backyard environment that will attract birds; how to survey your feeder birds for citizen science projects; how to prevent squirrels from gobbling up all your black oil sunflower seed (sorry, none of that works). The story of Duncraft is a good example.

America 229

America Industry Birds Squirrels 229

10,000 Birds

JUNE 4, 2018

In a little less than two weeks my family and I will be enjoying a long weekend on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. But rather than just use field guides for visual field marks and xeno-canto for sounds I have discovered a fun way to help me prepare that also contributes to citizen science in a small but noticeable way.

Belize 106

Belize Mexico Honduras Science 106

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2020

In addition, many of the numbers and examples given for NYC areas beyond the Bronx represent species observed in Central Park in Manhattan and Prospect Park in Brooklyn. This is a project that clearly spanned decades. The authors say they want to “place Van Cortlandt Park’s avifauna in a New York City park perspective” (p.34).

New York City 149

New York City New York Birds Breeding 149

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

Birkhead, the experienced storyteller who is also Emeritus Professor at the School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, author of multiple scientific articles as well as books of popular science, knows how to make it readable and fun. Colonialism and appropriation of knowledge is discussed in Chapter 6, The New World of Science.

Dissection 219

Dissection Birds Research Europe 219

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

For example, on finding gulls: Close study of gulls is not for everyone, and birders shouldn’t feel obligated to get deep into it if you prefer colorful, less-confusing, families of birds. In every chapter, Nate makes clear that you can go further and deeper, but you don’t have to. And you will still be a birder.

Birds 263

Birds North Carolina North America Science 263

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2014

It’s relatively easy to classify birds into family groups based on physical characteristics. We view them as our enemies when they eat our crops and as an extension of our family when we see them at our feeders. Remarkably, there are 59 bird families that have very little cultural significance; these are listed in Appendix III.

Birds 213

Birds Egypt Family Eagles 213

Critter News

NOVEMBER 16, 2010

Change Of Heart provides science-based answers to many questions that are hotly debated among animal activists. For example, why is it so hard for our family members and co-workers – many of whom have companion animals that they love – to cut cruelty from their diets and go vegan? In the author's words.

Advocacy 100

Advocacy Factory Farm Factory Farming Companion Animal 100

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2021

Bird communication is a complex and evolving science. Ballantine and Hyman explore how birds communicate and summarize studies on how that communication functions in diverse bird families all over the world. Bird communication is much broader than just vocalization, something I tend to forget.

North America 278

North America Research Birds Groups 278

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2019

Written in a friendly, inclusive style quietly grounded in science, How to Know the Birds is an excellent addition to the growing list of birding essay books by talented birder/writers like Pete Dunne and Kenn Kaufman.

Birds 115

Birds North America Breeding Prairie Dogs 115

10,000 Birds

MAY 19, 2015

If only you could make fine adjustments to the expression of existing DNA you could hatch a dinosaur, starting with, for example, a turkey. The second thing they did was to interfere with the genetic pathways in some chickens, which produced a chicken with beaky bits that were more like snouty bits found in, for example, a Alligator.

Alligators 213

Alligators Chickens Birds Research 213

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2020

This is more than eBird reports–a checklist generated from the citizen science database lists only 1,413 species. The song of the Amazonian Antshrike, for example, is “an even pitched, fast (9-11 noes/sec), slightly accelerating series of hollow, popping notes that get louder; occ. slightly rising-falling in pitch and pace.

Bolivia 173

Bolivia Birds Brazil Species 173

10,000 Birds

MAY 4, 2021

Marybeth learns as she birds, embraces listing goals as a means of engaging with community, unabashedly enjoys a little competition, struggles to balance her absolute joy in birding with unexpected, life-and-death family obligations. The book focuses on two listing events: her 2012 Louisiana Big Year and her 2016 Louisiana 300 Year.

Louisiana 264

Louisiana Species Mississippi Alabama 264

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2012

For example, I was going to add “no tail” to the list of features above, what all frogs share, when I remembered that there are indeed a small family of Tailed frogs, four species in New Zealand and two in North America (though, the tails are quite tiny). If you don’t live near a science museum, then read this chapter.

Reptiles 185

Reptiles Madagascar Family New York City 185

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 15, 2011

Artists rendition of Inkayacu paracasensis There are 17 living species of penguins, which make up their own Linnean family (Spheniscidae), which is the only family in the order Sphenisciformes. Fossil Evidence for Evolution of the Shape and Color of Penguin Feathers Science, 330 (6006), 954-957 DOI: 10.1126/science.1193604

Penguins 192

Penguins Seals Peru Science 192

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 22, 2013

For example, take the Mississippi Kite (above), photographed at the Dairy Mart Ponds in Tijuana River Valley, between San Diego and the Mexican border. Not only is it a very impressive citizen science project that manages to marshal the legions of birders around Canada and the U.S., Let’s get to it then.

San Diego 170

San Diego California Condor California Bald Eagle 170

10,000 Birds

JUNE 21, 2016

They used Great T**s from non-urban and urban areas, and mixed them up through breeding, to rule out any possible family history of telomere length. In this study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a group of juvenile zebra finches was allowed to interact with an adult. Here’s the problem.

Mammals 110

Mammals Zebras Birds Primates 110

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2015

Thankfully, English names are listed by whole name; for example, Stygian Owl is listed as “Stygian Owl”, under S. With so many book indexes listing species under family name, I am thankful that the decision was made NOT to list all 39 owl species under the heading “Owl.”

North America 222

North America Owls America Dominican Republic 222

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2019

Clearly, author Phyllis Limbacher Tildes, the author of 24, soon to be 25, children’s books, is also a birder (and a little research brings up a presentation she gave at Ogeechee Audubon, Georgia with the biographical information and she and her family “love watching birds and wildlife seen near their lagoon on Skidaway Island.”

New York City 148

New York City Pelicans Birds New York 148

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 1, 2022

I happen to be particularly fond of turtles because my family has taken care of a small box turtle for 30 years (beware–turtles are extremely low-maintenance pets but will outlast your child’s youth and probably your life). Or that tortoises and terrapins are considered part of the turtle family. Lovich and Whit Gibbons.

Turtles 197

Turtles Tortoises Family Terrapins 197

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2012

The famous Verreaux family who made several expeditions into the province through the 1820’s and 1830’s procuring specimens for rich collectors. Gurney’s Sugarbird was discovered by the Verreaux family and named after wealthy English banker and amateur naturalist John Gurney from Norwich. Image by Hugh Chittenden.

Mozambique 187

Mozambique South Africa Africa Collecting 187

10,000 Birds

MAY 23, 2022

But that is science in hierarchical institutions). Confusingly, while there are more than 50 species in the fantail family, the Yellow-bellied Fantail is not one of them. Instead, it is a member of the family of fairy-flycatchers, which sounds vaguely homophobic but probably is not.

Litter 212

Litter China Species Abandon 212

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2020

This is a delightful book, large (8-1/2 by 11 inches), filled with Sibley’s distinctive artwork and an organized potpourri of research-based stories about the science behind bird’s lives. They portray the nesting cycles of Mallard, Red-tailed Hawk, and American Robin, illustrating the various ways in which birds create families.

2020 264

2020 Birds Groups North America 264

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 20, 2023

As you can easily judge from the dullness of this information, it is not something I made up but rather an appalling example of nepotism in the naming of birds. If you have always wondered what the minimum anesthetic concentration for isoflurane and sevoflurane for the Crested Serpent-eagle is, science has an answer.

China 228

China Birds Eagles Pythons 228

10,000 Birds

JULY 25, 2022

For example , in one study, it was found that more than 80 percent of the fledgling Australian Magpies born in a territory one year were sired by males from outside its borders. When these birds breed, this can lead to highly cringeworthy announcements, for example from Adelaide Zoo : “We have egg-citing news!”

Birds 228

Birds Australia Mountain Goats Ducks 228

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2011

The thousands of hours of observations that have been added up over the years would not have been possible without the help of the many volunteers and assistants who have offered their time and energy in the cause of science and conservation. Volunteers are one of the most important aspects to the project.

Peru 255

Peru Parrots 2011 South America 255

10,000 Birds

JULY 3, 2018

This is also where Johnson starts talking about the cost of the theft to the Museum and to science. The Flame Bowerbird, for example. He says he is motivated by what he has learned from the curators about the skins importance to science, but he is also clearly irritated by the fact that Rist has gotten off so lightly.

Collecting 103

Collecting Iraq Ostriches Science 103

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2011

Some have proposed that the Larus gulls were an example of a ring species proposed by the late great Ernst Mayr, but that conclusion has been disputed (convincingly, I would say). Dan is an active member of BirdLife Cyprus and goes birding whenever his career and family allow.

2011 157

2011 Cyprus Species Deer 157

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 13, 2011

Their taxonomic affinities have caused great confusion and debate amongst ornithologists; they were originally assigned to the thrush family, then Old World warblers before being shifted to babblers (the last mentioned a common dumping-ground for any aberrant passerines).

South Africa 222

South Africa Lesotho Africa Swaziland 222

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 13, 2012

Nonetheless, I thought it might be interesting and informative to review a DVD put out by Crowe’s Nest Media , a family owned and operated company, which is how I found a copy of Your Backyard: A young beginner’s guide to identifying 18 common feeder birds by sight & sound in my mailbox earlier this week. .”

Science 175

Science Owls Pennsylvania United States 175

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2011

And if you look into it enough, it presents a classic case where science can fail us. I believe in science. Science is based on logic and evidence, which I think is a very respectable way to look at the world. But what many people fail to realize, and too often scientists themselves, is that science is elastic.

Emotional 205

Emotional Science Birds Mammals 205

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 18, 2011

This has happened before, Archaeopteryx and the bird family tree have had an often tenuous relationship. But it is utterly bewildering to me to see news reports about this recent science that read “… An icon knocked from its perch&# or “Archaeopteryx no longer first bird.&# Flight is an example.

Mammals 248

Mammals Europe Groups Family 248

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2012

A few families have a small number of eggs in the clutches, like gulls or cormorants. The species readily takes to nesting in small artificial boxes, and the scientists of PRBO Conservation Science have over 450 such boxes scattered across the island to monitor the species.

Eggs 164

Eggs Puffins Breeding Albatross 164

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 5, 2021

For example, while we’re used to ‘seasonality,’ observing damselflies and dragonflies in warmer months, rainfall is “the most significant variable” in the tropics (p. Species are arranged by family and genus along taxonomic lines, but not always in accordance with the very latest molecular DNA research.

Costa Rica 260

Costa Rica North America Family America 260