10,000 Birds

JUNE 27, 2014

Parrots captivate me more than any other bird family. Second, they occupy an astonishing variety of habitats from temperate Araucaria forests in Chile to alpine scree in New Zealand to seasonally flooded rainforests in Brazil to rocky sea cliffs in Australia. However, they do not occur evenly across their familial distribution.

Parrots 169

Parrots Brazil Mauritius Dominica 169

10,000 Birds

MAY 14, 2014

But today, briefly, let’s recall that I am supposed to be the New Zealand beat writer. I’m pleased to do this because two bits of the puzzle of New Zealand’s faunal history were in the news today, and besides, it means I don’t have to think about some tropical idyll in this miserable Antipodean winter day.

New Zealand 163

New Zealand Penguins Sea Lions Lions 163

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

’s bird family tree in a new tab and follow along as you read. So do parrots, some songbirds, humans, and a few other mammals. In 2008, Nick Sly published a review of Hackett et al. titled Avian relationships – What do we know? Now it’s late 2014, six and a half years later, and here’s what we know today.

Family 279

Family Birds Parrots 2014 279

4 The Love Of Animals

MARCH 17, 2011

Dogs are able to detect diseases such as cancer and diabetes and warn humans of impending heart attacks and strokes. In many ways, human emotions are the gifts of our animal ancestors. Chimpanzees and elephants grieve the loss of family and friends, and gorillas hold wakes for the dead.

Emotional 100

Emotional Animal Whales Whaling 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2011

They are rock stars in their family (or group of families, depending on what taxonomists have been smoking lately), a family that includes Scarlet Macaws , Crimson Shining-parrots , Golden Parakeets and Rainbow Lorikeets , and that is no mean feat. I guess New Zealanders really like flightless birds.)

New Zealand 190

New Zealand Parrots Sanctuary Family 190

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 11, 2014

We’ve only recently begun to completely piece it together, using fossils and scientific analysis, but what is shows is that, once upon a time, the rail family was one of the most, if not the most, species rich family of birds in the world. But they are, as a family, prone to remarkable wandering.

Hawaii 214

Hawaii Mammals Guam Fiji 214

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2011

Nice. ((** all names have been changed to protect identities and have been substituted with (almost) randomly chosen substitutes suitable for a family of Alpine Accentors.)) Dale Forbes Mar 16th, 2011 at 8:37 am Hi Laurent, that is a fascinating example of humans responding to difficult environmental challenges.

2011 221

2011 Breeders Breeding Deer 221

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 24, 2012

So I thought I could give fair warning about one of the more dangerous birds out there, even more dangerous than the Lesser Goldfinch , and one of the more common and familiar birds of Australia and New Zealand, the Australian Magpie. A young bird contemplates a future of attacking humans in a funny field. Australian Magpie!

New Zealand 156

New Zealand Birds Australia Kangaroos 156

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2011

So, inspired by a similar article on road birding in Thailand, I present road birding in New Zealand. As with any kind of road birding, birding as a car passenger in New Zealand generally restricts the kind of birds you’re going to see. 2) Masked Plover Masked Plover ( Vanellus miles ) by James Reed.

New Zealand 179

New Zealand Birds Thailand Falcons 179

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2015

None fly, most are curious and social, which probably contributes to our cultural perception of penguins as one step away from human. She’s produced seven photographic books about the Galapagos Islands and books on the Andes, Antarctica, and New Zealand (her current home). Some are cute, some are dignified (and royal!).

Penguins 209

Penguins New Zealand South Africa Albatross 209