10,000 Birds

MARCH 19, 2022

Bird names say much about human perception, they can also give us insight into the people who invented names for official bird descriptions. Some names are clearly descriptive and thus make one feel good about saying them; woodpecker and grosbeak come to mind. Rail-Heron? Heron-Rail? Painted Water Stalker? Pewee is a royal pain.

Costa Rica 272

Costa Rica Pennsylvania South America Panama 272

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2022

This was where I set up my bird feeders, just one at first, then expanding as everyone expressed delight in seeing the Carolina Chickadees, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Downy Woodpeckers. I picked up a Downy Woodpecker, an every-day visitor. I was shocked when I found the first body, a female Towhee. The window silhouettes were gone.

New York City 261

New York City Birds Illinois Science 261

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2023

In Better Living Through Birding , Chris tells us stories of his life, a very unique life, but he also crafts his experiences so we can relate to them as birders and as people. Because being a birder means you experience life through that framework. And, as he did a decade ago, the joys and benefits of birding.

Emotional 228

Emotional Birds Minneapolis Nepal 228

10,000 Birds

JUNE 30, 2018

It would use that mini rapier of a beak to full poking effect if the hapless human tried to take a sip from its feeder, or pick one of its flowers, or even neglect to fill the feeder on time. Trust me, we are better off not being able to translate all of that hyperactive sputtering. I would hope not!

Humane 177

Humane Neglecting Investigation Birds 177

10,000 Birds

JULY 31, 2020

Starlings, they’ll dutifully explain, are ruthless invasives that have been responsible for the serious declines of several beloved native species, like the Red-headed Woodpecker ( Melanerpes erythrocephalus ) and the Eastern Bluebird ( Sialia sialis ).

Farming 197

Farming New York Breeding Unwanted 197

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 1, 2020

In “Birding in Traffic,” Jonathan Rosen, no stranger to making connections between birds and human elements as he did in “The Life of the Skies,” describes how he took the subway to Union Square Park to see a rare (for NYC) Scott’s Oriole. The two stories about New York City are personal favorites, of course.

New York City 198

New York City Birds Owls Fox 198

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2020

The longer Introduction lists and briefly summarizes topics covered in the Portfolio (evolution feathers, coloration, variation, senses, movement, physiology, migration, food and foraging, survival, social behavior, birds and humans, threats). More narrative, more dense, maybe a little less fun.

2020 264

2020 Birds Groups North America 264

10,000 Birds

JUNE 26, 2018

The causes were the usual reasons for island extinction—deforestation by both humans and invasive plants that crowded out native plants, hunting, and invasive rats, mongoose, monkeys, and, of course, feral cats. Is it any wonder that Pink Pigeons were on the brink of extinction when humans intervened? I know, that’s harsh.

Mauritius 102

Mauritius Stud Zoos Eggs 102

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 2, 2018

He brings to this book an academic background in biology and horticulture and, more importantly, decades of experience developing strategies for the best backyard bird feeding practices. Jim Carpenter is the founder of Wild Birds Unlimited, the popular bird feeder and seed franchise. Places for the birds to perch near the feeders?

Birds 182

Birds New York City Squirrels New York 182

10,000 Birds

JUNE 3, 2014

Female Imperial Woodpecker in flight, Mexico, a still from recently found film made by William Rhein, p. Eskimo Curlew, Passenger Pigeon, Ivory-billed Woodpecker, Bachman’s Warbler, Carolina Parakeet—these are names that echo mightily through birding histories and even some recent field guides. The photographs were never published.

Animal 270

Animal Mammals Hawaii Dolphins 270

10,000 Birds

JUNE 18, 2011

Our visit had two main purposes, one was to experience the exotic biodiversity of the lowland Choco forest and its birds, and the other was to gauge the state of conservation in this area that has been highly criticized due to the deforestation caused by a the logging company Botrosa.

Monkeys 174

Monkeys Birds Farming Woodpeckers 174

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 13, 2018

I don’t really know – from my own experience with school bullies or from Jack London’s novels? Those bears live in the wild and are not used to humans. Finally, the list of birds mentioned in the examples include: Acorn woodpecker, Melanerpes formicivorus. How did I know that? Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea.

Animal 115

Animal Bears Stray Dog Blackbirds 115

10,000 Birds

MAY 29, 2011

Hoping for Red-headed Woodpecker we found instead a Red-tailed Hawk. To them I say that a shower and a nice big dinner with some booze was far more important to us as human beings then a couple more birds was to us as birders. We wanted Great Blue Heron and Eastern Towhee but found Eastern Bluebird.

Soreing 165

Soreing Birds Suffering Woodpeckers 165

10,000 Birds

MARCH 12, 2011

However, the Stresemann’s Bristlefront is one of those birds that is simply enigmatic and rare and recently discovered, with many aspects of its life history unknown to humanity. They really appeared to enjoy this, because as soon as they swam back to the rocks they would line up again to repeat the experience.

Brazil 216

Brazil 2011 Birds Wildlife 216

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

So do parrots, some songbirds, humans, and a few other mammals. Humans don’t share merely a similar capacity for vocal learning with hummingbirds, we share share similar brain machinery , and that brain machinery is regulated by similar genes , genes not shared by hummingbirds’ closest relatives, nor by ours. Jarvis et al.

Family 279

Family Birds Parrots 2014 279

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2015

Last month woodpeckers, this month penguins. None fly, most are curious and social, which probably contributes to our cultural perception of penguins as one step away from human. There is also a great deal of biological and ecological information encapsulated within De Roy’s experiences.

Penguins 209

Penguins New Zealand South Africa Albatross 209

10,000 Birds

MAY 4, 2017

My personal favorites are the images that show the relationships that are at the heart of this book–a Linneated Woodpecker perched opposite a bromeliad on an exposed tree, Azteca ants on a cecropia tree whose decaying parts provide food, and, a little distressingly, two Capuchin Monkeys feeding on a Toucan (thanks to James Adams).

South America 162

South America Ecuador Reptiles America 162

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2011

There are also a number of Takahe , one of which, named Greg, has learnt that humans equal food, and will hang around the day visitors in the hope of a snack. Duncan Mar 10th, 2011 at 3:01 am I know from experience that Saddlebacks are tricky little guys to catch. A week spent on Kapiti only got us 3 of them!

New Zealand 149

New Zealand 2011 Deer Cats 149

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2011

The experience is one of the ornithological highlights in the world. Geophagy, the intentional consumption of soil by vertebrates, has long been documented in a number of bird and mammal species – including wide-spread use by humans – which consume soil to increase absorption of certain minerals not naturally occurring in the local diet.

Peru 255

Peru Parrots 2011 South America 255

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2013

Families do not hike up mountains to sit all day on pointy rocks to watch woodpeckers. I’m not going to try to explain why people are fascinated by hawks; human-to-avian psychology is not my specialty. I look forward to hearing about your experiences with the Crossley ID Guides, both for Eastern Birds and Raptors.

North America 222

North America Bald Eagle Falcons Owls 222

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Other birds with webbed feet, including ducks and geese, have only three webbed toes; the hallux (which in birds is usually the “hind toe&# and in humans, the “big toe&# ) is free. For all of recorded history, humans have classified other living things by their physical characteristics.

2011 155

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 155

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2011

.’ Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, Though its answer little meaning – little relevancy bore; For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door - Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door, With such name as `Nevermore.’

2011 249

2011 Fowl Deer Cats 249