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Sentient: a book review

10,000 Birds

The subtitle of Jackie Higgins’ book Sentient: How Animals Illuminate the Wonder of Our Human Senses , aptly sets forth her thesis – though the “wonder” it refers to could equally well be used to describe animal (not just human) senses, as she shows in fascinating detail.

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Habitats of the World: A Field Guide for Birders, Naturalists, and Ecologists

10,000 Birds

Yes, I had local bird books, but only during my second tour of Costa Rica did I finally buy a mammal guide, and only after my trip to Colombian Amazon did I obtain a habitat guide. Three pages of text are illustrated with superb photos of a forest in the mist, two birds and a mammal.

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Birding Ruoergai, Sichuan, China – The Raptor Edition

10,000 Birds

Hopefully, this role gives the birds some protection, as indicated here : “Himalayan vultures are highly respected within the Buddhist culture of the Tibetan plateau, playing a unique role in a centuries-old sky burial tradition (feeding of human corpses to vultures at specific sites) that is followed by about four million Tibetan people.

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Peterson Reference Guide to Bird Behavior, by John Kricher — a review

10,000 Birds

How, to humans, is “behavior” separate from the bird itself? For example, ritualistic displays of aggression and appeasement, of coming to the brink and then backing off, are common in humans and, probably, all animals. Again, both these behaviors seem quite human — or maybe our equivalents seem quite avian.

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Whales Share Some Human Traits, Study Shows

Critter News

As the future of whales once more comes under global debate, some scientists say the marine mammals are not only smarter than thought but also share several attributes once claimed as exclusively human. From the AFP.

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Springtime Tree Cutting and Wildlife

10,000 Birds

Both were too small for a human hand and too deep to see what was inside, so he called PMWC and was asked to bring the entire section of trunk to the center. Even if you remove the branches and cut the tree to a safe height, it will still provide homes to birds, mammals, insects, and fungi. They’re called ‘habitat poles.’”.

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Every sperm is sacred

10,000 Birds

Because unlike those of mammals, avian ova need penetration by multiple sperm in order to successfully develop into baby birds. This differs from humans and other mammals, in which the addition of extra sperm essentially destroys the egg. … especially if you’re a lady bird in heat.

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