10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2022

According to the HBW, there are 41 species of African Barbets and 34 species of Asian Barbets. There are also 14 species of New World Barbets and 2 species of Toucan-Barbets (all in South America). T he Golden-throated Barbet (Baihualing, Yunnan) has an interesting species name, franklinii.

South Africa 195

South Africa Africa India China 195

10,000 Birds

MAY 4, 2017

In a time of little published information about the rainforests of Central and South America aside from scientific journal articles and the works of 19th-century naturalists, the “little green book,” as it was called, became a must-read amongst nature-oriented travelers and researchers.

South America 142

South America Ecuador Reptiles America 142

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 29, 2020

Cuba (twice), South America (twice), Europe and Morocco (once) and Bali (once). I had never birded this way before, and can confirm that what I had heard is true: Birds are much more tolerant of human presence when those humans are on a boat! The 29 species I added to my January list say so as well.)

Birds 158

Birds 2006 Mexico Morocco 158

10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2014

When you think of invasives, you think of the birds that have been helped by human beings to get where they are, such as House Sparrow or European Starling. Other species have certainly expanded their ranges, but never in such a rapid and global scale. Cattle Egret has been introduced by humans to Hawaii and the Seychelles.

Cattle 170

Cattle South Korea Suriname Seychelles 170

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2019

For most avian migrants heading south towards Mexico, Central and South America, crossing thru the Arizona desert areas can provide very few water, food and resting areas. Certainly what I would consider to be an under birded area, eBird.com lists 232 species on 397 total check lists.

Mexico 130

Mexico Tucson Arizona Ducks 130

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2024

Osborn, a passionate field biologist who participates to the core of her being three re-introduction projects aimed at saving three very different, endangered species: Peregrine Falcon, Hawaiian Crow (‘Alala)*, and California Condor. Sophie Osborn’s stories are personal and inspiring, but this is more than a personal memoir.

California Condor 168

California Condor Falcons California Birds 168

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 24, 2015

I didn’t realize how many new species I would see within the city itself! Because of this, areas around the city that were once sleepy are now “urban,” with humans and wildlife struggling to keep up. After all, part of getting to know any city is learning its non-human inhabitants!

Austin 107

Austin Texas Birds Non Human 107

10,000 Birds

APRIL 23, 2015

Later, it was brought up that the now famous ducks appear not to mind the presence of humans. Is this the first record of this species in the region in over a 100 years?, White-faced Whistling Ducks are widespread in hot and humid habitats of eastern South America. Photo: Courtesy of Victor Bustinza.

Ducks 157

Ducks South America Peru Adoptable 157

10,000 Birds

APRIL 18, 2017

Though they weight less than two ounces, Least Terns migrate from South America to the West, East, and Gulf Coast to breed on dunes or flat gravel roofs (there are also populations in the middle of the United States). In Florida, the Least Tern is a state-designated threatened species; the interior populations are federally endangered.

South America 102

South America United States Protection Pelicans 102

10,000 Birds

APRIL 8, 2019

More than 5,000 bird species in the world make some kind of seasonal movement. But in the fall (with plumage as in the photo on the left, above) they take an entirely different, and heroic, route, first to Massachusetts and then, after a rest, south over the Atlantic Ocean. Eighty hours of flying. More than two thousand miles.

Ohio 192

Ohio Bats Legislature Ducks 192

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2015

If this was America, we might not be concerned because starlings are an invasive species, at least in North America. That means crows join humans, apes and monkeys in exhibiting advanced relational thinking, according to the research. So, here we go… Fighting in Iraq has been affecting starlings.

Science 151

Science Iraq Research Birds 151

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 5, 2013

First published in 1973 in association with the Asa Wright Center, the book focuses on species descriptions, with illustrations grouped together in plates positioned in the center of the book. The guide covers 477 species, an expansion of 35 from the second edition, which was published in 1991. The AOU has not accepted that split.

Trinidad 188

Trinidad Birds South America Research 188

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2011

Found throughout South America in ever-dwindling numbers these extremely beautiful birds – threatened by habitat destruction and collection for the wild bird trade – are often difficult to see and hard to find. That’s right – birds eating clay. Scarlet Macaws.

Peru 254

Peru Parrots 2011 Research Center 254

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

I got to see a beautiful female and owlet on a trip to a secret nest location near Howard Prairie Lake (human-made nest structures have enhanced local breeding for these huge owls whose nest success is boosted to 83% on artificial platforms vs. 66% at natural sites). The experience, the place, and the bird combine to make this my BBOTY.

2014 182

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 182

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 24, 2014

August arrived and I was releasing birds knowing they’d need time to adapt prior to making that long flight across the Gulf of Mexico, headed to South America. But lets see … I’d say one of my most memorable releases is that of a Purple Martin , a species of special concern in California.

Wildlife Rehabilitation 213

Wildlife Rehabilitation Ohio Tulsa West Virginia 213

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2014

The island contains 80,000 breeding Sooty Terns, in addition to 4,500 breeding Brown Noddies and another 100 breeding pairs of the huge Magnificent Frigatebirds, not to mention pelicans, herons, Black Skimmers , other tern species, and so much more.

Birds 173

Birds Florida Groups Breeding 173

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2023

Originally, I was going to highlight one of the species endemic to the islands of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean; but once I typed in “Lesser Antillean”, six species popped up. Interestingly, this species has been split into two distinct subspecies, one for each of the islands on which it is found.

Puerto Rico 165

Puerto Rico Grenada Barbados Trinidad 165

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 13, 2013

How far is the closest human settlement? Does the word define a species within country terms, regional terms etc? Is the term defined at the sub-species or full species level in terms of classification? The species must be restricted to an internationally recognized country, island or island group.

Birds 197

Birds South Africa South America Feral Cats 197

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2014

Greater Rheas, a species the Germans call Nandu, are very popular in Germany and frequently kept in zoos as well as private enclosures. This is where the fact that German birders are humans comes into play (and they sure aren’t the only ones ). Nonetheless, this week will be chock full of invasive species.

Germany 237

Germany Birds 2000 South America 237

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 28, 2023

Available, due to the sun’s varying alignment and the birds’ migrations, for a limited number of days only, it caused the hummers’ wings to be filled “with a wash of rainbows,” like this one, which he titles “Sundance”: and this, “Opal Wings”: The images (these two, of South America’s Black jacobins) are exquisite, and (..)

Birds 198

Birds South America Brazil 2011 198

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 7, 2014

In fact, the Dodo belonged to a clade (sometimes called Raphini) of 15 remarkable, bizarre, intriguing island-adapted pigeons, some of which are still alive today, but eight of which have been hacked from the tree of life, driven to extinction by humans. The painting above is by 17th-century Flemish artist Roelant Savery.

Solomon Islands 271

Solomon Islands Guinea Mauritius Humane 271

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 9, 2020

For, in birder lingo, a split occurs when subspecies are determined to be, in fact, entirely separate species. If you happen to have seen both species, your life list can increase without you even leaving the house. Two former species can also be joined into one, the same way. This Bullock’s Oriole migrated from up north.

San Diego 170

San Diego San Francisco Mexico Baltimore 170

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2021

From there, we entered a side tributary full of Ringed and Amazon Kingfishers , with Chestnut-fronted and Scarlet Macaws in flight… and then the noise: groans, croaks and grunts… and the smell… of this 65 million years old species, so old that the last dinosaurs must have fed on them! Black-collared Swallow by Tyler Ficker.

Dolphins 256

Dolphins Colombia Otters Birds 256

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

Less than 1% of all species exhibit role some type of role reversal where males do what females typically do. Perhaps the most complicated and bizarre mating system is that of the Rheas of South America. They live in flocks in the open country shrubland of Southern South America. Featured Photo: Cody Hinchliff.

Eggs 152

Eggs South America Raised America 152

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 9, 2015

As a result of human interference, four Chimney Swift nestlings had to be rescued. Her determination was further fueled by the fact that this year, the status of this species had been changed to Endangered in Nova Scotia. What turned out to be an epic journey began in Nova Scotia, one of Canada’s Atlantic provinces.

Wildlife Rehabilitation 198

Wildlife Rehabilitation Canada Wildlife South America 198

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2020

This pervasive pandemic we’re currently experiencing has squashed everyone’s travel plans – humans that is. Last weekend I wasn’t on the hunt for any species in particular though. Pectoral Sandpipers pass through en route to southern South America, some going as far as Tierra del Fuego.

Trinidad 173

Trinidad South America Blackbirds Industry 173

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 26, 2016

The name “Harpy Eagle” was coined by South American explorers, and is based on the harpies of Greek Mythology. ” Panama hosts the largest breeding population of Harpy Eagles, though they were once “found from southern Mexico through Central and South America all the way down to northern Argentina.”

Panama 100

Panama Grizzly Bear Porcupines Eagles 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 14, 2014

It seems, in fact, that the moa’s closest relatives are the tinamous , familiar to birders that have been to South America. And then there are the species that came here from New Zealand’s Subantarctic possessions, specifically the Auckland Islands (a largish windswept archipelago south of New Zealand).

New Zealand 160

New Zealand Penguins Sea Lions Lions 160

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

processed the entire genomes of 48 bird species and compared nearly 42 million base pairs of DNA (Hackett et al. Now we move on to the Neognathae , which also has two very deep branches that lead to all the other living species of birds. So do parrots, some songbirds, humans, and a few other mammals. Jarvis et al. This is why.

Family 279

Family Parrots Birds 2014 279

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2011

crossing the Carribean and winding up in South America? Unless you are nothing but the lowly diehard lister, for which you should feel much shame and embarrassment for, birders and biologists alike frequently want to understand birds on a deeper level than how to identify the age, sex and species of a certain individual.

Emotional 197

Emotional Science Birds Mammals 197

10,000 Birds

JULY 2, 2019

And, I looked at my eBird list and realized I’ve seen nine species of Antpitta and one of Gnateater. Antpittas and Gnateaters covers 64 species in six genera and two families. (I The Species Accounts feature highly detailed text by Harold Greeley, distribution maps, and over 250 photographs by a number of photographers.

Research 135

Research Eggs South America Costa Rica 135

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2011

For native people, living in South America meant living with hummingbirds, and for Europeans, discovering South American meant discovering hummingbirds (and, tragically, exploiting South America meant exploiting hummingbirds, destroying hundreds of thousands for stuffed specimens and in futile attempts to keep them alive in captivity.)

South America 156

South America New York Alaska America 156

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2011

Approximately 2,300 bird species inhabit Africa, however as impressive as that sounds, much smaller South America boasts nearly 1,000 species more. Birding here is a joy, further augmented by the world’s most intact mammalian megafuana, fascinating tribal cultures, breath-taking scenery and the cradle of human history.

Papua New Guinea 211

Papua New Guinea Madagascar Africa Equatorial Guinea 211

4 The Love Of Animals

JULY 3, 2010

ADI, which has previously rescued and relocated animals in Europe, South America and Africa have described it as one of the most complex logistical operation they have ever undertaken but say it will be worth all of the effort when the animals walk free. ADI also rescues animals in distress worldwide.

ADI 100

ADI Animal Defenders International Bolivia Lions 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2015

The title is a bit deceptive, for while photographs are a huge part of the book, it is grounded in the 239 species accounts written by woodpecker guru Gerard Gorman. This background material is a good, succinct framework within which to read the Species Accounts, particularly for birders new to woodpecker study.

Woodpeckers 233

Woodpeckers 2002 Europe Research 233

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 11, 2020

But it is the height of migratory season here in central Mexico, and that made me also spend some time thinking about this issue of connectivity, and the artificial separations we humans attempt to create. Empidonax Flycatchers (7 different species!) How divided can we really be, when our world is so connected? Thank you, Australia.

North America 234

North America United States America Mexico 234