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Crested and Proud

10,000 Birds

Their main use is to display – either to communicate with other members of the species or to scare other species, as a raised crest makes the bird appear larger. In fact, crests occur in at least 20 of the 30 orders of extant birds, and in all major groups of passerines. Crests are made of feathers.

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The return of the Old Man

10,000 Birds

Storks, Ibises and Spoonbills goes on to give greater detail of the former nesting sites in Europe: it could once be found “in southern Germany and Austria, in the valleys of the upper Rhine and Danube Rivers, and in the Alps of Switzerland, Italy and Germany, and perhaps in Hungary and Greece”.

Morocco 233
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Whooper Swans at Lake Kussharo, Hokkaido

10,000 Birds

On the one hand, they are very easy to see in Germany, swimming in public parks or teaching pensioners how to eat bread. However, some swans claim that the views are much better in the highland habitat, and others are not that keen on raising chicks anyway. To be honest, I never cared too much for swans.

China 224
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Germany’s Great Bustards and how to see them

10,000 Birds

I am not entirely sure whether most birders outside Germany know or realize that Germany still has a decent population of one of Europe’s most attractive and desired bird species: the Great Bustard Otis tarda. Now that I might have wetted your appetite, here’s where and how to find them in Germany: 1.

Germany 101
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Birding Yibin, Sichuan

10,000 Birds

Yibin is a typical smallish Chinese city (which in China means slightly above 850,000 people in the metro area, which would make it the fifth-biggest city in Germany but does not get it into the top 100 in China). But then, would a lady pheasant be pleased to be described as “large”? What a weird world.

Italy 197
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The Collins Bird Guide, 3rd edition

10,000 Birds

The 1st edition from 1999 was a complete revolution in just about everything, but predominantly the quality and realism of illustrations, showing what a field guide could be and seriously raising the threshold for other publishers. That made everyone happy (with the possible exception of other publishers).

Europe 260
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PETA Wants Knut Castrated!

Critter News

He was raised by a trainer. PETA Germany's position is that he should be castrated so he doesn't mate with his cousin Giovanna. Tags: zoos knut Germany polar bear PETA. He was the cute little polar bear whose birth at the Berlin Zoo was so controversial because his mother rejected him. How suggestive!

PETA 100