10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2023

We were in the remote Amazonian forests and not a sound was to be heard except for the rhythmical dripping of water from the raised paddles. Only in the late 1980’s was it “rediscovered” so to say, with the male being found at Imuya Cocha and described to science for the first time. Do you hear that song?” At first nothing.

Solomon Islands 207

Solomon Islands Ecuador Colombia Brazil 207

10,000 Birds

JULY 3, 2012

The three co-authors of Life Along the Delaware Bay are scientists who know how to write about science without jargon or pretense. They are simply amazing, as I think you can see from the examples here. And, if you want to see a good example of how to convincingly present a case for conservation. Ah, the photographs!

Delaware 176

Delaware New Jersey Research Eggs 176

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 168

Bolivia Birds Brazil Switzerland 168

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2012

Even the lyrics of the song echo the art and science of hawk watching, “Link by link, making the connections…”) Chapters are strategically illustrated with David Sibley’s drawings. There is also poetic feel to parts of the book, echoing the passion hawk watchers bring to the science. These are not just drawings of hawks per se.

North America 215

North America Bald Eagle Birds Eagles 215

10,000 Birds

MARCH 13, 2012

Durban museum based ornithologist Philip Clancey took numerous expeditions into Zululand and Mozambique, discovering several new subspecies as well as a new species to science, Lemon-breasted Canary in 1961. James Wakelin is prime example of modern ornithologist and conservator.

Mozambique 182

Mozambique South Africa Africa Collecting 182

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 217

China Birds Pythons Eagles 217

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. A good example is the function of beauty in male birds. copyright @2020 by David A llen Sibley. I disagree.

2020 262

2020 Birds Groups North America 262

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2012

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. Unique among the auks, indeed among seabirds, they will attempt to double brood, to lay another clutch after successfully raising the first chick.

Eggs 163

Eggs Puffins Breeding Raised 163

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2011

Between staying warm/cool, finding food, avoiding predators, migrating thousands of miles every year, finding mates, raising chicks and doing all this at the mercy of the elements, it makes sense that they have more brainpower than just simple instinct to run on. I believe in science. Science, for many years, has done no better.

Emotional 198

Emotional Science Birds Mammals 198

10,000 Birds

MARCH 20, 2011

My friend Vickie Henderson , who has some serious long-range vision, looked at the science behind Tennessee’s crane hunting proposal and found it badly wanting. Ask the proposing states to follow Nebraska’s example, to let them, and their big, desperately imperiled white cousins, alone. Here’s the petition.

2011 239

2011 Hunting Kentucky Hunters 239

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

The chapter on Martha, for example, just shows a close-up of her stuff body–not the whole body, the torso and tail–against an almost-black background. This bit of science is a nice final counterpoint to an account that has emphasized art, history, and literature. Can I say that this is a beautiful book?

2014 159

2014 Killing Michigan Kentucky 159

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2011

I would encourage the KDFW to take Tennessee’s example as an indication that offering sandhill cranes for hunting will create far more public relations trouble than it’s worth. From July 1 2008-June 30 2009 Ducks Unlimited raised 200.4 18 Responses to “Sandhill Crane Hunt in Kentucky?!

2011 239

2011 Kentucky Tennessee Hunting 239

10,000 Birds

MAY 19, 2011

Another question this raises has to do with migration itself. But in the vast in between where most birds exist there are all sorts of contradictory examples. Little tiny birds with their little tiny wings and high daily energetic demands fly zillions of miles, while larger birds migrate shorter distances, for example.

Research 187

Research Humane Compassion New York 187

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2023

It is mostly a question of economics – raising just one is troublesome enough given the resources required to feed and educate the chick. Some examples of animal names working the other way around – with the Latin name sounding naughty – can be found here. Fortunately, they are quite common in Shanghai.

Birds 130

Birds Iraq China Ireland 130

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 8, 2022

In contrast, the females need to make sure not to get duped into raising actual cuckoos – the buntings are a targeted host species ( source ). I thought the British see themselves as very fair sportspeople – this is definitely not a good example. So much for this post’s pseudo-philosophical thought.

Birds 197

Birds Eggs Bangladesh China 197

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2022

I have written about the interesting sex life of these jacanas a few times already (short version: female mates with male, lays a bunch of eggs for him to incubate and raise the chicks, leaves him, finds another male, repeat). But it is all for science, I hear them say.

Birds 147

Birds China Eggs Breeding 147