10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 14, 2021

The Collective added six new states in the past three years, but none have eclipsed the century mark: Wisconsin ( 74 ), Utah (55), Hawaii (38), Oklahoma (18), Rhode Island (9), and Connecticut (5).

Birds 105

Birds West Virginia Puerto Rico Species 105

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 22, 2021

I realize I’m not in Kansas (well, California) anymore. Four moments (and species) stand out in my own personal birding renaissance: I put an improvised birdbath in my yard to see if I can get the House Sparrows to stop munching on my lettuce plants, and a stunning Black-vented Oriole arrives to bathe.

Birds 104

Birds Species Sparrows Squirrels 104

Critter News

APRIL 24, 2012

Nationally, California ranks behind Texas, Kansas and Nebraska in total cattle numbers. The sale of cattle and calves was a $1.82-billion billion industry in California 2008 and fifth among the state’s top 20 commodities. Beef cattle are raised in nearly every California county.

Cows 124

Cows California Cattle Meat Industry 124

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2019

In addition to spotting exciting new species in Florida, including the rare Snail Kite, travel across the country brought me into contact with birds in Oregon, California, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Alabama, and more. 2018 proved to be one of my best birding years ever.

Birds 89

Birds Bald Eagle Species Florida 89

Critter News

DECEMBER 28, 2009

This week's stories: PETA demands that the National Institutes of Health take back grant money awarded to the University of Kansas; The Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums prepares to investigate the Calgary Zoo next year; Convicted dog fighter Michael Vick receives an award in courage from the Philadelphia Eagles; Canada tries to find a public (..)

Michael Vick 100

Michael Vick PETA Zoos Eagles 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2012

A Kansas Snowy Owl that was seen by hundreds of birders was struck and killed by a car. At death, it weighed 876 grams, about half what a healthy owl should weight.

Owls 72

Owls Kansas Killing 72

10,000 Birds

JULY 15, 2021

The author, Steve Hilty, received his PhD in Zoology from the University of Arizona and is currently a Research Associate in Ornithology at the Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum of the University of Kansas.

Colombia 105

Colombia Birds Species Breeding 105

10,000 Birds

MARCH 22, 2013

Kansas Jayhawks. Liberty Flames (represented by their American Bald Eagle, Sparky). Temple Owls. Iowa State Cyclones (represented by Cy the Cardinal). Louisville Cardinals. LIU-Brooklyn Blackbirds. Creighton Bluejays. Marquette Golden Eagles.

Bald Eagle 87

Bald Eagle Birds Blackbirds Eagles 87

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2018

I would add new sightings to my current year list, which has stood at 250 since the Bell’s Vireo I spotted in Kansas on September 7th. I would tick off migrating songbirds, from tanagers to vireos and everything in between. But it was not to be.

Florida 45

Florida Pelicans Birds Ducks 45

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2019

I don’t think I have added any new species, but I did add Alaska, Kansas, and Oklahoma to the group state list. Texas and Florida round out the Top 5. 10,000 Birds also has an eBird profile and since I as a beat writer in 2016, I have been a part of that group. Ten years seems like a good time to look forward as well.

Birds 89

Birds Bald Eagle Puerto Rico Species 89

10,000 Birds

MARCH 12, 2012

Toucans tell you that you aren’t in Kansas anymore. There’s something about a toucan, isn’t there? They affirm that the tropics are true, not just myths manufactured to make those of us with winter jealous. Thanks to a childhood steeped in sugary cereal, I’ve always had a soft spot for Toucan Sam and his ilk.

Ecuador 93

Ecuador Birds Species Kansas 93

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 30, 2018

Quivira NWR (Kansas). Lee Metcalf NWR (Montana). Malheur NWR (Oregon). Minnesota Valley NWR (Minnesota). Ottawa NWR (Ohio). Parker River NWR (Massachusetts). Pea Island NWR (North Carolina). Santa Ana NWR (Texas). Marks NWR (Florida). A Google map (which is also the image at the top of this post) with all 25 locations is here.

Wildlife 81

Wildlife Birds Las Vegas Species 81

4 The Love Of Animals

APRIL 20, 2012

Tom Harvy, the holder of the Kansas Zoo, stated that Isabella managed to perform all her maternal duties: she did not notice the difference between species, feeding, cleaning and licking the cubs permanently.

Tigers 133

Tigers Zoos Badgers Stray Dog 133

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 15, 2022

As a popular game bird, the Ring-necked Pheasant seems to have such high importance in the US that there are several papers just discussing the species in individual US states. Examples: California. Connecticut. New Jersey. North Dakota. Rhode Island. South Dakota. Washington. Wisconsin. I particularly like this photo of a female at Nanhui.

Birds 59

Birds Species Rhode Island South Dakota 59

10,000 Birds

MARCH 15, 2021

In the year 2000, the world held their breath as ornithologists from the Smithsonian and the University of Kansas led an expedition into the southern Rupununi region. Only a handful of small, fragmented populations were believed to exist in Venezuela and possibly parts of Colombia.

Guyana 111

Guyana Birds Otters South America 111

10,000 Birds

APRIL 10, 2018

On eBird profile pages, size matters: tiny Delaware is barely noticeable whereas Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri are conspicuous. Other states, such as North Dakota and Arkansas, were also gray, but those seemed less troublesome, since I have never visited either state. But that’s better than other parts of the country, such as the U.S.

Puerto Rico 49

Puerto Rico North Dakota District of Columbia Michigan 49

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 13, 2018

Even some states that technically have checklists barely qualify: the great state of Illinois has just a single checklist with two species (from an airport).

Birds 51

Birds Rhode Island West Virginia Puerto Rico 51

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 15, 2011

Everything is coming to a head in Kansas. Noted Biologists, farmers and ranchers are also interviewed as we take a look at how our society operates in a world we too often think that we are independent of. Do urban/suburban people really get the big picture?

Birds 81

Birds Chickens North America Kansas 81

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 15, 2019

There is, however, an eBird hotspot for the Geographical Center of the Continental United States , so be sure to submit a checklist next time you’re in that part of Smith County, Kansas.

Birds 45

Birds Seattle Blackbirds Species 45

4 The Love Of Animals

FEBRUARY 25, 2010

“Many animal abusers have a history of domestic violence or other criminal activity, and there is a disturbing trend of animal abuse among our country’s most notorious serial killers.”.

Animal Legal Defense Fund 133

Animal Legal Defense Fund ALDF Animal Animal Abuse 133

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 5, 2017

It only takes a few looks at some of the jays in Mexico to know that Kansas is definitely on the far side of some distant rainbow, and if we go birding in the Amazon, Borneo, or New Guinea, you might wonder if you are still on the same bird planet.

Costa Rica 58

Costa Rica Birds Dominican Republic Species 58

10,000 Birds

MARCH 24, 2014

A hero of the Rip Van Winkle Rod & Gun Club is – no doubt – Bob Aronsohn, who lives in Kansas and in December 2013 celebrated killing his 150,000th crow.

Killing 108

Killing Slaughter Slaughtered Animal Abuse 108

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2020

But before we get into new predictions, let’s take a look at what I predicted would be my next ten birds way back in 2015 when Barack Obama was still president, the Kansas City Royals were working their way to a World Series victory, and I was still on the young side of forty. Below are my predictions exactly as I made them.

Birds 93

Birds Pelicans Species Jamaica 93

10,000 Birds

APRIL 26, 2013

First, we were on a schedule that, while not tight, did involve being in Kansas City before nightfall. Lest you think that modern technology robbed all the challenge from my hunt, though, I would point out that there were a couple of confounding factors.

Sparrows 88

Sparrows St. Louis Birds Kansas City 88

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2020

The Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Eastern and Central North America, Seventh Edition covers resident and migratory birds from the Atlantic coast west to a line that runs roughly along the 100th meridian (western border of Nunavit and Manitoba, down through the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, most of Oklahoma, and the eastern part of Texas).

North America 98

North America Birds America Species 98

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 14, 2018

Quivira NWR (Kansas): 99.1%. The list of NWRs from 80-90% is impressive as well: Anahuac NWR in Texas (80.0%), Edwin B. Forsythe NWR in New Jersey (84.3%), Laguna Atascosa NWR in Texas (86.3%), and Ottawa NWR in Ohio (83.8%). Malheur NWR (Oregon): 25.8%. Minnesota Valley NWR (Minnesota): 0.0%. Ottawa NWR (Ohio): 83.8%.

Ducks 81

Ducks Birds Wildlife North Carolina 81

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2018

Jason hoisted his colours in Kansas and claimed the state for 10,000 Birds. They noted 598 species as a team, bringing the year total to 2118 and pushing the life list to 3555. Claire and Grant went walkabout for 20 FOYs. In an unusual turnaround during September, more birds were seen in USA than in Costa Rica.

2018 45

2018 Australia Woodpeckers Sparrows 45