article thumbnail

Blakiston’s Fish Owl on Hokkaido

10,000 Birds

When Jonathan Slaght did his research on Blakiston’s Fish Owl in Russia’s Far East – which he describes in his excellent book “Owls of the Eastern Ice” – he had to cope not only with extreme cold but also with rather bad music: “Katkov filled our commutes with loud music. Sitting in a heated(!)

Fish 191
article thumbnail

From Russia With Birds: The World’s Biggest Owl, “Zombie” Pigeons

10,000 Birds

Blakiston’s Fish Owl (image by Robert tdc/Wikimedia Commons) . Today’s post includes two such stories, brought all the way to you from Russia. And to learn more about Blakiston’s Fish Owl (and download a ringtone of its call!), Sometimes, on the bird news beat, you find gold at both ends of the rainbow.

Russia 187
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Trending Sources

article thumbnail

Birding Gonggangling and Dujiangyan, Sichuan, China

10,000 Birds

Interestingly, it seems that Jonathan Slaght, when searching for Blakiston’s Fish Owl in remote parts of Russia, had similar experiences, as described in his book: “Katkov filled our commutes with loud music.

China 205
article thumbnail

The Ross Sea – the Last Intact Marine Ecosystem on Earth – and I

10,000 Birds

The Ross Sea is the most productive stretch of water in the Southern Ocean, teeming with large predatory fish, whales, seals, penguins and other animals that form the last intact marine ecosystem on Earth. Hence, McCormick left his position to subsequently become surgeon on the Ross’s Antarctic expedition between 1839 and 1842.

Russia 167
article thumbnail

Exploring the Uncharted Bird World

10,000 Birds

601-800 sp: Canada, Costa Rica, Panama; Russia; Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo (Brazzaville), Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa; Laos, New Guinea (PNG); Australia. Shown as a list, it looks like this: Less than 200 bird species: Antarctica; oceanic islands.

article thumbnail

What is a Merganser?

10,000 Birds

These narrow bills, hooked at the tip and set with numerous horny denticulations, are adapted for catching fish, a merganser’s primary source of food. Mergansers primarily feed on small or medium-sized fishes which they capture underwater by swift pursuit. Anyway, the hoodie is the only merganser endemic to North America.

article thumbnail

The “Rufa” Red Knot is now protected under the Endangered Species Act

10,000 Birds

Fish and Wildlife Service has listed the “Rufa” population of Red Knot ( Calidris canutus rufa ) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The other sub-species, Calidris canutus roselaari , migrates along the Pacific Coast and breeds in Alaska and the Wrangel Island in Russia.