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Big Day Birding in Costa Rica- Strategies and Constraints

10,000 Birds

In the northern hemisphere, the combination of migrants, resident species, and higher frequency of bird song makes it much easier to identify more birds, compared to say, August, so if you want to get really crazy and go for a Big Day record, spring is the time to go for it. They got all three potoo species in Costa Rica.

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Birding Shanghai in February 2023

10,000 Birds

Not a cover species The Black Kite is not actually black, but of course, misleading bird names are not exactly rare. No surprise then that the species is listed as Vulnerable. But then, sanity (or maybe respect for you, the reader) prevailed. Fortunately, they are quite common in Shanghai.

Birds 130
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Champions of the Flyway – the Dakar Rally of Birding

10,000 Birds

I’ve just returned from a trip to Israel and I feel like I’ve run 300 miles in a week…in the blazing sun…uphill…with no water…and carrying a one hundred pound sandbag. The playing field for the race was limited to southern Israel. And I had it easy.

Cyprus 257
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Birding Shanghai in December 2022

10,000 Birds

This is a rather photographer-friendly species, staying on the same branch for quite a while and even returning to it after catching some insects – you can see this on video here and here. While the source does not say so directly, it hints that this means the species is not as intelligent as Eurasian Magpies (which pass the test).

Finland 147
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Birding Shanghai in September 2022

10,000 Birds

The ongoing destruction of Nanhui, where the species can frequently be seen on migration, certainly will not help. Judging from the facial expression of this White-shouldered Starling , I would rather not have an annoyed bird of this species as a roommate. The species has reversed sex roles, with the males doing the incubating.

China 168
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Birding Hluhluwe, South Africa

10,000 Birds

I guess most scientists would love to see their original research become the basis for a vast field of further studies. A study has shown that they make false alarm calls when seeing other species such as meerkats with attractive food. They are being parasitized by indigobirds which also use other host species.