10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2014

But a falconer did legally trap a snowy, I saw the picture on his Facebook page before he deleted it after a firestorm of controversy exploded. When I looked at lists of birds allowed for falconry in Minnesota years ago, I asked some of my falconer friends, “Really, owls?” I learned that I knew nothing of falconry.

Wisconsin 235

Wisconsin Falcons Owls Hunting 235

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

These large parrots are popular in the pet trade, and that’s a likely source of the population of this species on Trinidad. I had never seen a Peregrine Falcon soaring with Black Vultures before – interestingly enough I would later see the very same occurrence two days later on another part of the island.

Trinidad 194

Trinidad Birds Parrots Falcons 194

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 30, 2019

Smaller raptors were either European Sparrowhawks (true hawks) or Eurasian Kestrels (falcons). We stayed with friends in the tiny French town of Cessy, and there I saw my second European woodpecker species, the handsome Great Spotted Woodpecker. The beautiful Eurasian Blue Tit. The Long-tailed Tit. And a Willow Tit … I think.

Switzerland 108

Switzerland Austria Europe Spain 108

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 30, 2012

Superficially similar to Fork-tailed Flycatcher, especially if you don’t know that this species exists! Most of these birds are escaped/freed pets who have established breeding populations, and many of these populations are growing; others could be falconer’s birds, or part of a zoo or private collection.

San Francisco 170

San Francisco San Diego Connecticut South America 170

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2012

The reason we do not allow introduced species onto checklists until they are breeding and self sustaining for many generations is that without this rule you could go to a pet store, release a bunch of crazy colorful finches and count them all on your yard or state list. Let’s call it the California Condor exception.

California Condor 150

California Condor Rescue Game California 150

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 1, 2012

This is what happens when people choose their pet birds on visual factors alone without taking vocalizations into account. Rather, it originates from the white-hot evil fire that is the soul of an invasive, alien species hell-bent on destruction and mayhem. Very stupid thing to do. We love them anyway.

Germany 238

Germany Netherlands Zoos Geese 238

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 11, 2017

Along that stretch, we enjoyed Fork-tailed Flycatchers and other species in the open fields and marshes including Harriss’s Hawk , the local Nicaraguan Seed-Finch , and, best of all, a pair of normally sneaky and secretive Yellow-breasted Crakes walking in the open through a grassy marsh!

Costa Rica 117

Costa Rica San Jose Birds Farming 117