10,000 Birds

MAY 14, 2014

First off, it seems that New Zealand’s two iconic families of ratites, large flightless southern birds that includes emus, rhea, ostriches, cassowaries and the extinct elephant birds, are not particularly closely related. With the arrival of the Maori the secret penguin was, unfortunately, wiped out.

New Zealand 163

New Zealand Penguins Sea Lions Lions 163

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

Not, as Linneaus thought, an ostrich, nor even, as later scientists concluded, a distant cousin of pigeons deserving of family rank, it was an honest-to-goodness pigeon, deeply embedded within the family Columbidae. For much more, see The history of the Dodo Raphus cucullatus and the penguin of Mauritius (PDF).

Solomon Islands 278

Solomon Islands Guinea Mauritius Humane 278

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

The new 48-genome analysis included only ostrich and tinamou DNA, so it doesn’t shed further light on paleognath interrelationships, but it does reinforce their distinctiveness from all other living birds. So do parrots, some songbirds, humans, and a few other mammals. Open Jarvis et al.’s Ratites, Tinamous, and Fowl.

Family 279

Family Birds Parrots 2014 279

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 1, 2016

Others, by their own admission, are Luddites and believe that the pinnacle of human technological achievement was reached on the day that man first bound a notebook in moleskin. Common Ostrich – Struthio camelus. Little Penguin – Eudyptula minor. Jackass Penguin – Spheniscus demersus. 27 Aug 2016.

2016 154

2016 Sanctuary Australia Ghana 154

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 3, 2016

Others, by their own admission, are Luddites and believe that the pinnacle of human technological achievement was reached on the day that man first bound a notebook in moleskin. Common Ostrich – Struthio camelus. Little Penguin – Eudyptula minor. Jackass Penguin – Spheniscus demersus. 27 Aug 2016.

2016 101

2016 Sanctuary Australia Ghana 101