10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2023

The official Ontario bird checklist, produced by Ontario Field Ornithologists , June 2022 listed 506 bird species**, putting it in the top tier of U.S. Small Species Accounts: Each species is allotted one page (with certain exceptions) offering basics–bird names and size, one or two photographs, and a one-paragraph description.

North America 199

North America Birds Owls Canada 199

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 25, 2021

We are too far into the year for many FOY sightings, but not quite far enough for most migratory species to make their return appearances. No surprise to that; these two species always initiate the migratory season here. I’m no expert, but I strongly suspect Rusty Sparrows only hunt for grubs when they are feeding babies.

Louisiana 258

Louisiana 2000 Mexico Groups 258

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2020

I am a birder living in the epicenter of the epicenter of COVID-19 right now. Over the years I’ve seen a variety of open-country birds there, including Bobolinks , Vesper Sparrow , and American Kestrel. Since the pandemic I’ve added one new species to my personal list for Willow Lake Preserve, a Field Sparrow.

Bald Eagle 177

Bald Eagle New York City Birds New York 177

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2020

Where can I see Cabanis’s Ground-Sparrow followed by a fantastic meal ? Local guide and birder David Mora Vargas has been spending much of his time at his family’s farm in the Sarapiqui lowlands. With around 400 species recorded for the area, yeah, it’s where we might all like to quarantine for a bit!

Costa Rica 202

Costa Rica Birds Thailand Family 202

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2021

A typical description of the family is that of “a tropical African and Asian songbird that typically has a melodious voice and drab plumage”, another is “small, dull-colored passerine birds of Asia and Africa”, yet another states that they are “often rather plain” Individual species get even harsher reviews.

South Africa 214

South Africa Malaysia Africa China 214

10,000 Birds

MAY 12, 2021

And many of these species are also strikingly beautiful. Yellow-winged Caciques , showy members of the Blackbird/New World Oriole family, are always conspicuous residents of the region. Those are very unripe Jocote fruits, along with a Stripe-headed Sparrow , in the header photo above.). The Hot Country is, well… hot.

Mexico 167

Mexico Blackbirds Sparrows Owls 167

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 20, 2020

The bird family that got his attention was originally the herons, egrets and other wading birds, but as time went on New World warblers, woodpeckers and ducks fueled the passion further. Luis is an avid eBirder and he likes to keep a good record of his lists, photograph as many species as he can, and he encourages others to do the same.

Canada 162

Canada Cuba Miami Florida 162

10,000 Birds

JUNE 23, 2019

This is the same history of conquest and despoliation which now puts many of these very species in danger of extinction. This longspur,” Driver writes, “is named after a man who fought for years to maintain the right to keep slaves, and also fought against multiple Native tribes.”. McCown is an extraordinary case.

Birds 260

Birds North America Cooking Campaign 260

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2012

The bird was a sparrow, that much was clear, but it didn’t seem to fit any of the easily boxes the other North American sparrows can be fairly easily sorted into. Superficially, it resembled the Black-chinned Sparrow of the southwestern United States with its gray chest and chestnut streaked with black back.

New Jersey 213

New Jersey North Carolina Sparrows Connecticut 213

10,000 Birds

APRIL 22, 2021

Just last year, 5 new bird species and 5 new subspecies were discovered in a few short weeks of fieldwork on the islands of Taliabu, Peleng and Batudaka. In recent years Indonesia has been competing with the Andes as the region giving rise to the biggest number of undescribed bird species (naturally, all of them endemics).

Indonesia 263

Indonesia Timor Brunei Guinea 263

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2022

we learn) that are home to coveted boreal species, breeding wood-warblers, and two species of Grouse. There are 461 species on the Maine checklist. This field guide covers 265 species, the ones most likely to be seen–residential and migratory, almost all nesting birds, many wintering birds.

Los Angeles 184

Los Angeles Birds District of Columbia Parrots 184

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 28, 2024

Called home to the Oregon Coast to operate the family motel, in her free time she leads Tufted Puffin walks and escapes to guide at birding festivals and explore the world as often as possible. Although it is right on a busy road once you walk into the lobby it is peaceful and quiet. And somehow this directed us to Oaxaca.

Mexico 177

Mexico Birds Oregon Groups 177

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2018

In the end, I ended up with 9 species, 4 of which were new to the list, the Black-crowned Sparrow Lark, White-checked Bulbo, House Crow , and the Indian Silverbill. We have been dragging him thru every bird spot possible, so he could go to Scotland to see where his family is from. Here is the male Tree Sparrow.

Qatar 112

Qatar Sparrows South Africa Africa 112

10,000 Birds

JULY 20, 2019

If a list also shows the status for each species, birders on their way to Costa Rica would realize that they shouldn’t really expect vireos with white eyes nor blue heads (but would hopefully know that they should very much report those species on eBird so local birders can chase them!). Not every list has Great Tinamou on it.

Costa Rica 196

Costa Rica Birds Owls South America 196

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2018

I love sparrows, so seeing a feather-worn Vesper Sparrow this past July filled my heart with joy. We saw sparrows–a total of 14 species–and we saw many other great prairie birds, and we often saw them perched on posts. Baird’s Sparrow was one of those elusive creatures.

North Dakota 134

North Dakota Birds Sparrows Blackbirds 134

10,000 Birds

JULY 3, 2015

Many of these species were very high on my life bird wish list, and the country itself would be a totally new experience: a vibrant and enchanting culture, a varied and tasty cuisine, and stunning and new landscapes. Boldly patterned and full of character, this endemic sparrow was the highlight of my first day in Mexico.

Mexico 171

Mexico Birds Owls Sparrows 171

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2012

Saturday of this weekend saw a Le Conte’s Sparrow reported from Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn. Somehow, I have never seen a Le Conte’s Sparrow , which leaves a gaping hole on my life list among many other fine Ammodramus sparrows. The Le Conte’s Sparrow was not refound. Mystery bird?

Sparrows 176

Sparrows Africa Rights Family 176

10,000 Birds

MAY 17, 2020

Kroodsma waited for years for the right opportunity to record its different songs, a “cascade of sweet and liquid notes,” one naturalist said, “like the spray of a waterfall and sunshine.”. Like he does, say, for the Canyon wren. He had long wondered, Kroodsma says, how many songs, exactly, the Canyon wren has in his repertoire.

Virginia 232

Virginia Boston North America 2020 232

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2021

Of course, with the Drakensberg still not that far away from Capetown and South African explorers obviously very fond of saving mental energy by simply starting bird names with the word “cape”, we have the Cape Robin-Chat … … the Cape Rock Thrush … … the Cape Sparrow … … and the Cape Weaver.

South Africa 221

South Africa Africa Lesotho Nigeria 221

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 16, 2020

I am shocked to be writing this post already, and doubly shocked that I’ve seen six new species for Queens since I guessed what my next five Queens birds would be just eight months ago, back in March. Eastern Whip-Poor-Will : It’s kind of amazing how rarely this species is reported in Queens. I’ll make it three!

New York City 150

New York City Birds New York Blackbirds 150

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 5, 2017

Some birds are so familiar, even non-birders can’t help but know what they are, or at least what family they belong to. That’s OK, we love all sorts of birds, I even love imaginary ones, and the ones that come to the backyard are also ideal starter species. How this species is often seen inside the forest.

Costa Rica 115

Costa Rica Dominican Republic Kansas Guinea 115

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 5, 2012

Striolated Bunting ( Emberiza srtriolata ) This member of the bunting family (that’s bunting, not sparrow. Sparrows are from the family Passeridae. The species used to be lumped with the commensal House Bunting, but the two are now treated as separate species. A whole bunch coming for a drink.

United Arab Emirates 160

United Arab Emirates Saudi Arabia Oman Yemen 160

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2016

A guide that feels so right in my hands? Sibley Birds East covers “nearly 700” birds, up from 650, and Sibley Birds West covers “over 700,” which I’m assuming is more than the first edition count of 703 birds, if for no other reason than that taxonomic splits have give us Ridgeway’s Rail, Bell’s Sparrow and Sagebrush Sparrow.

North America 151

North America 2003 Birds America 151

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Many Neotropical families and genera have some of their northernmost members here, such as the spinetails ( Rufous-breasted Spinetail ), Tangara tanagers ( Azure-rumped Tanager ), and guans ( Horned Guan ). the species suffering most from deforestation). This is a fascinating area of transition. We were off to a great start.

Honduras 206

Honduras Costa Rica El Salvador Arizona 206

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2020

That’s pretty amazing–Bolivia has more bird species than India! The source of this ranking, BirdLife International, lists Bolivia as currently having 1,439 bird species, including 18 breeding endemics. The guide covers 1,433 species, the number of birds documented at the end of 2014, the cutoff point for the book.

Bolivia 167

Bolivia Birds Brazil Switzerland 167

10,000 Birds

MAY 5, 2015

Birding by Impression is a conscious, deliberate method of identifying and recognizing birds based on the study and evaluation of “distinctive structural features and behavioral movements” and comparison with nearby and similar species. It is not a handbook, though it approaches species from a collective viewpoint. So say Kevin T.

Birds 168

Birds New Jersey Science Groups 168

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2020

Sedge Wren – There are records of this species in Queens, generally along the coast in fall. Great Shearwater – At this point, seabirds are my weakest family in Queens with the most species having reported in the borough that I have not seen. Western Tanager – Pretty unlikely but a guy can dream, right? 0 out of 1!).

2018 157

2018 2015 Birds 2019 157

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2015

These arid hills, cloaked in a mosaic of deciduous scrub and desert vegetation, form a northern outpost for several Neotropical species while also harboring several key endemics and southwestern Nearctic species. The birds we observed were nesting right into the cliff face. Think Arizona meets Costa Rica with a Mexican twist.

Mexico 185

Mexico Costa Rica Arizona Birds 185

10,000 Birds

JULY 1, 2011

On a recent family trip to Jones Beach, on New York’s Long Island, I had the opportunity to observe a small flock of gulls bathing, resting, and preening in some shallow brackish water that had collected behind the beach. Ugly, right? But also interesting in terms of what they can teach the careful observer about molt and aging.

New York 177

New York Collecting Sparrows Experience 177

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2018

Moth plates from Peterson Field Guide to Moths of Northeastern North America (left plate) and Southeastern North America (two right plates). There are over 11,000 species of moths in North America. I have a hard enough time with the 1,103 bird species on the ABA Checklist. Let that sink in.

North America 100

North America America Oklahoma Missouri 100

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 21, 2015

I have 10,000 Birds contributor Adam Riley to thank for telling me I had to add it to my list, and a quick bit of research showed that he was right on. I did see a Greater-striped Swallow and a host of Capes – a Cape Sparrow , Cape Canary and best of all a Cape Longclaw. A terrible shot of Barrow’s Korhaan.

South Africa 145

South Africa Africa Falcons Family 145

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 5, 2017

The bird was a little harder to find than I expected; I needed to triangulate the sounds of the call and finally, after standing and looking and walking around the tree where the bird had to be calling from, I took a deep breath, looked again, and there it was right in front of me, actually at eye level. At least for birders.

Arizona 102

Arizona Lovebirds Phoenix New Jersey 102

10,000 Birds

APRIL 18, 2011

That means that as of right now the yardstick I am holding does not exist because there are no yard sticks that are zero long. That will be much better, right? Not much of a vignette but I have a nice picture of the sparrow so I feel that I had to mention it. Besides, suffering brings birds, right? Stupid yardstick.

New York City 162

New York City New York Walruses Birds 162

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2015

I still know my audience - this is primarily a blog read by birders in North America, who see the term “squirrel” as little more than a synonym for house sparrow, starling, pest and cholera. Germany, like most of Europe and very much unlike North America, is home to only one species of squirrel. So to speak.

Squirrels 162

Squirrels North America Germany Europe 162

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 18, 2013

She has lived in Maine, California, France, New York, and currently makes her home in Virginia Beach Always bringing her camera along, Erika is building her life-list by trying to check off at least one new species each week in her field guide. White-throated Sparrow. I was becoming frustrated. Kayaking is an amazing way to bird.

Birds 168

Birds DC Sparrows Canada 168

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2013

Confusing, right? The Common Black Hawk earns its name by being common throughout at least part of its wide range, being black or very dark as adults, and being a hawk in the family Accipitridae. gundlachii ), currently embargoed by the United States, is widely considered a distinct species. The Cuban Black Hawk ( B.

Chicago 236

Chicago South America 2013 Illinois 236

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 5, 2013

As the story goes, way back in the late 19th Century and organization called the American Acclimitazation Society was working hard to introduce every one of the 600 species of birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays to North America. But we forget that the family Sturnidae consists of more than our familiar European Starling.

India 155

India Stray Dog United States Stray 155