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Horrible Hybrids

10,000 Birds

Lars Svensson’s accompanying text explains “a rather puzzling fact is that, among wildfowl, hybrids appear to occur more commonly among geese and members of the ‘pochards’, genus Aythya , than among dabbling ducks. Further research revealed the Bird Hybrids blog ( [link] ) has several revealing photographs of this (and many other) hybrids.

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At Sea With the Marine Birds of the Raincoast: A Book Review

10,000 Birds

This is the story of Fox’s experiences on board the Achiever, the research vessel of the Raincoast Conservation Foundation. It’s a small group of 10 to 12 researchers and crew members, and Fox is the sole person responsible for the bird surveys. Although we are not close nor on a direct course, the geese are skittish.

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Best* Bird Books, Binoculars, Bottles** of Booze, and Backpacks of the Bygone Year

10,000 Birds

Of the dozen gifts mentioned in the Christmas carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” seven are birds: the seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and – of course – a partridge in a pear tree. This is a book that will be read with pleasure and amazement by both birders and nonbirders.

Birds 245
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Here’s the new bird family tree. It’s amazing.

10,000 Birds

Several recent studies have found that tinamous are embedded within the ratites, which means that either they regained the ability to fly or (as many researchers feel is more likely) that flightlessness and large body size arose multiple times within the paleognaths, a topic discussed in detail at Tetrapod Zoology. Jarvis et al.

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Rare Birds of North America: A Book Review

10,000 Birds

And, as we talked of Long-billed Murrelets and Pink-footed Geese and Nutting’s Flycatchers, questions came up. What year was the Red-footed Falcon seen in Massachusetts? He has led birding tours for many years and is a research associate at Point Blue Conservation Science. What does “ship assisted” mean?

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National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 7th Edition: A Field Guide Review

10,000 Birds

“Ducks, Geese, and Swans” in the front, “Blackbirds” in the back; “Caracaras and Falcons” next to “Old World Parrots,” “Loons” about one-third of the way down the list, after “Tropicbirds” and before “Albatrosses.” The wonder of research?