10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2015

India, February 2013. I am camping in the dry-deciduous jungle in eastern Maharashtra, near the geographic heart of India. Birds included common species such as Black Drongos , Jungle Babblers and a Hoopoe. These days, the species shares habitats with Tigers, Snow Leopard, Bears, etc. It is February and evenings are cold.

Tigers 239

Tigers Dogs India Snow Leopard 239

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). Might have something to do with the fact that they were hunted here until quite recently).

South Africa 207

South Africa Africa India China 207

10,000 Birds

JUNE 11, 2020

One of the many things I did not know about Delhi is that it is the capital city with the second-largest number of bird species (after Nairobi). House-hunting, apparently. Not every bird in India is colorful. This species constantly looks like it is very concerned about something, though I have no clue what that is.

Cattle 204

Cattle India Birds Sanctuary 204

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 26, 2024

Sadly, the HBW states that the species is “almost extinct in some areas in China owing to hunting and trapping for the cagebird trade and taxidermy” The Maroon Oriole looks much more interesting, though my photos do not really do it full justice. when living in suburbia. How is that for a link?

Nepal 163

Nepal Birds Owls Fish 163

Critter News

AUGUST 1, 2009

India is to amend its wildlife crime laws to protect the country's tigers, a government minister said. This will increase the habitat area for tigers, who prefer to live and hunt in thick vegetation. Tags: India tigers wildlife endangered species. But is it enough? From the Press Association.

Tigers 100

Tigers India Protection Endangered Species 100

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 27, 2014

The official definition of CR status says the species could be gone within ten years, or could lose 80 per cent of its population within three generations – whichever comes first. Sociable Lapwings breed in several areas along the Kazakhstani – Russian border and overwinter in Iraq, Sudan and northwest India. Gujarat, December 2010.

India 246

India Sudan Ukraine Camels 246

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 19, 2019

And here in Europe, they are the real deal, an indigenous species and not domesticated animals gone wild. This was only my second time ever to observe this subspecies (the first time was here as well), two other subspecies I have observed in India. Finally, 24 species in Annex I of the EU Bird Directive were recorded in this area.

Serbia 245

Serbia Otters Boars Eagles 245

10,000 Birds

JULY 25, 2013

There are some seven birds among the 100 most endangered species on the planet on the list of fauna and flora listed as the rarest by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Zoological Society of London – and this morning, I am after one of those! Trips Great Indian Bustard India' Males reach 1.2

India 242

India Gazelles Endangered Species Pakistan 242

10,000 Birds

MARCH 19, 2014

The Spilornis serpent-eagles are represented by a number of insular species and one widespread mainland species, the Crested Serpent-eagle. This species ranges from India to Japan and south down Borneo. They live in forests and along forest edges where they specialise in hunting snakes and lizards.

Eagles 173

Eagles Japan India Africa 173

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

There are four species in the family, ranging from India to the Solomon Islands. It’s a forest specialist, and hunts from a perch, which isn’t just unusual among the swifts (as in it never happens), it’s also unique within the family. Whiskered Treeswift. She’s looking to your left. Canopy walkways rock!

Solomon Islands 166

Solomon Islands Singapore India Family 166

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 22, 2015

There’s a Three-striped Palm Squirrel by the side of the track, while Jungle Bush Quails are running across it in front of our Maruti Gypsy, almost the official safari vehicle of India. The Osprey tries another hunt, finally a successful one, while Telia goes deeper into the water and lies down. Some results may already be visible.

Tigers 246

Tigers India Killing 2012 246

10,000 Birds

MAY 12, 2016

Late April / early May is the best birding season in the south of Europe and wherever you go, you will have 50% to 100% more species than in any other season. Recently, I did a bit of embankment birding, nailing 65 species (several of them firsts for the season, European Bee-eaters among them – always exciting).

Birds 112

Birds India Africa Serbia 112

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 11, 2012

Originally a hunting term, the Big Five were the most dangerous and prized targets of the great white hunters on safari. Elephant The big – two species of elephant are now recognized as occuring in Africa, the smaller and more secretive Forest Elephant and the larger, more familiar African or Bush Elephant.

Buffalo 204

Buffalo Rhinoceros Elephants Leopards 204

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 3, 2013

But, from the existing data, the authors have drawn a different conclusion – there is no proof that the breeding population ever existed, that the south of Africa was beyond the species range and that that all observations were of vagrant individuals. During my lifetime, this species was rare in my native Serbia, too.

Sudan 227

Sudan Macedonia Botswana Serbia 227

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2014

We worship birds, we hunt birds, we protect birds, and, yes, we eat birds. Additional back of the book material includes a Glossary, Biographical Details, a Select Bibliography, Notes, Credits, an Index to Species and a General Index. The beautiful Bee-eater family, with its 26 species, is covered in a little less than two pages.

Birds 215

Birds Egypt Family Eagles 215

10,000 Birds

JUNE 11, 2013

Geladas are the sole survivors of a once abundant branch of primates that historically foraged across the grasslands of Africa, the Mediterranean and India. A harem system would indicate that the males gather and forcibly retain the affections of their females, as is the case with the savanna baboon species, but not with Geladas.

Ethiopia 160

Ethiopia Primates Mammals Fur 160

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2012

Africa has more than its fair share of storks, with 8 of the world’s 19 species gracing the continent. Storks are typically viewed as wetland species and whilst some storks are restricted to aquatic habitats, others are not. This is another wetland species that nests in sometimes huge colonies atop trees bordering rivers and lakes.

Africa 241

Africa Tanzania South Africa Uganda 241

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 9, 2023

In total, there are eight species of hornbills in Borneo – the best place to see them seems to be the Kinabatagan River area (also known as Sukau). Another item they feed on is hunting edible bird nest swiftlets, which are quite common in edible swiftlet houses in Sabah, Malaysia ( source ).

Rhinoceros 127

Rhinoceros Singapore Transported Hunting 127

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 9, 2023

That comes at a price – the HBW describes the species as “stocky and fairly sluggish” and – with a critical undertone – continues to state that the species is “generally less agile in flight than are most flycatchers”. Why the Latin species name is cyaniventer (meaning having a dark blue belly) remains a mystery to me though.

China 147

China Hunting Birds illegal 147

10,000 Birds

MARCH 6, 2023

Shockingly, the Ashy-throated Parrotbill apparently is a species heavily hunted for bird fighting in Guizhou Province, China ( source ). If being hunted by evil humans was not enough, Ashy-throated Parrotbills are also hosts of the parasitic Common Cuckoo. Unfortunately, some other species do not seem to listen to the wren much.

Eggs 168

Eggs China Birds Mammals 168

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 14, 2023

Sometimes I just want to hug eBird, or more specifically, whoever writes the short species descriptions (even though I am not the typical hugging kind of person, trust me on this). There are about 50 different species of flowerpeckers globally. If these are taken off, the species looks just like Clark Kent. “Dull, me?

Los Angeles 187

Los Angeles Birds Woodpeckers Owls 187

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 27, 2013

My best bird of the year is based on the sighting rather than the species. Obviously my best bird of the year is going to come during this trip, what with several species of endemic pitta and broadbill possible, not to mention 8 species of hornbill and numerous babblers, storks, kingfishers, trogons and even the endemic Bornean Bristlehead.

2013 167

2013 Birds Costa Rica India 167

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 28, 2011

There are few stories in ornithology I enjoy more than those of a Lazarus taxon, a species thought to be extinct being found alive and well in some hidden part of the world. Jerdon’s Courser , a small nocturnal wader from India, wasn’t seen between 1900 and 1986. Rediscovered the species might have been, or was it?

New Zealand 190

New Zealand India 2003 Collecting 190

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 4, 2013

My post last week where I defended game hunting as a conservation tool has, unaccountably, encountered a certain amount of push back. Who would have thought that a post defending hunting game in general would have not been universally acclaimed? I will address two of them in the new year, namely, “Is hunting moral at all?”

Tigers 173

Tigers Hunting Game Protection 173

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 14, 2012

The wonderful family Meropidae contains 27 dazzling species, of which Africa is endowed with no less than 20 species, the balance occurring across Asia and with one as far afield as Australia. We have both resident and migratory species, and this post will briefly discuss each of the 20 species of African bee-eaters.

Africa 264

Africa Gabon South Africa Uganda 264

10,000 Birds

MARCH 25, 2024

Interestingly, these juveniles look more similar to another species, the Pale-billed Parrotbill, than the adult babblers – and they sometimes are part of the same flock. If you want to see how this species builds its nest, see here.) These roads are much less of a hindrance for the Pin-striped Tit-babbler , a mid-story bird.

Burma 192

Burma Birds Vietnam Laos 192

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2020

The Black Kite ( Milvus migrans ) is ubiquitous as a scavenger across the whole of India, often seen by the hundred wheeling over towns. As a bittersweet afterthought, it was also the last bird I photographed in India before losing my sponsored travel opportunities. Clare (and Grant!) How cool is that?

2020 233

2020 Birds Germany Costa Rica 233

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 29, 2024

.” Blue-bearded Bee-eaters seem to have a pretty clever hunting strategy. The species name athertoni is derived from Lt. The species name athertoni is derived from Lt. Atherton (1797-1827), a naturalist (whatever that means exactly) and a member of the British Army in India.

Squirrels 138

Squirrels Birds China Bears 138

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 30, 2023

The Ashy Tailorbird is a good example of the different perspectives of describing a bird – while the English name focuses on the body of the bird, the Latin species name ruficeps refers to the rufous head. The split makes the bird one of the six species endemic to Sabah, Borneo ( source ), four of which I saw during my week at Sepilok.

Woodpeckers 210

Woodpeckers Birds Eggs India 210