10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013

…a City Council committee voted 5-0 to recommend a new law that in essence licenses the care and feeding of free-roaming cats as part of a larger effort to reduce their numbers. Cats are domesticated animals that are not indigenous wildlife in North America. What would success look like? In Copperas Cove, Texas.

Feral Cats 215

Feral Cats Feral Cats Minneapolis 215

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2012

This post is old news to those who pay attention to what I say on Facebook but I am still pleased as punch to point out that I have finally reached the 500-bird milestone in the American Birding Association area (basically North America north of Mexico). How did I finally reach this lofty peak?

San Marino 106

San Marino Los Angeles Birds Laws 106

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 17, 2014

The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation (NAMWC) is often held up as the best system of wildlife management and conservation in the world. Developed in the post-frontier era, the NAMWC helped put a stop to wanton wildlife destruction in an era where many species were being hunted and trapped ruthlessly to the brink of extinction.

Wildlife 244

Wildlife Coyotes Hunters Wolves 244

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2022

And, then there are the pick-up-dead-birds initiatives in major cities in North America–New York City’s Project Safe Flight, Chicago’s Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, Toronto’s Bird Collision Monitoring Patrols, Washington, D.C.’s ’s Lights Out DC, to name a few. It’s not a bad idea.

New York City 259

New York City Birds Illinois Science 259

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2016

Over 3,200 photographs have been used, most showing species in their habitats. There is also text, distribution maps, a dark red bar “warning” about similar looking rare species, and conservation symbols. plus a chapter on “Vagrant landbirds from North America.” The design focuses attention on the photographs.

Ireland 147

Ireland Birds Groups Falcons 147

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

In the right season, with a little luck, we often find it, and sometimes it perches high and long enough that we can admire its scimitar of a bill, its stern face pattern, and even the patch of rusty red on the undertail that gives the species its English and its scientific names. Following a detour to Harvard Law School, he took the Ph.D.

2011 140

2011 Tucson Arizona Deer 140

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2012

It’s the warbler that is often the last unchecked species on birders’ life lists and, whether you list or not, for most of us observing it is a once in a lifetime experience. Fish and Wildlife Service endangered species list. The warbler is on the road to being delisted from the Endangered Species List.

Michigan 235

Michigan Bahamas Endangered Species Research 235

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 8, 2020

The species was named after John P. I suspect there is little opposition to changing the names of species with particularly sordid namesakes. That said, it seems obvious that the central purpose of a common name is to have a uniform and well-known identifier for a particular species. Some see political correctness run amuck.

Birds 245

Birds Laws 2020 Jordan 245

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 14, 2017

The USVI are smaller and have fewer habitats and, as a result, fewer bird species. Puerto Rico has a checklist of 269 species, 207 of which are migratory and the USVI has a checklist of 149 species, 124 of which are migratory. Herbert Rafaelle includes 284 species in his field guide , which covers both territories.)

Puerto Rico 159

Puerto Rico Virgin Islands Hawaii United States 159

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2019

As I mentioned last week, my wife, son, and daughter-in-law spent much of the month of October in Europe. Visiting the continent after the end of most of the autumn migration meant that the number of bird species I could see in northern France, Switzerland, southern Germany, and Austria was much reduced. Boy, was I glad I got photos!

Austria 127

Austria Switzerland Europe Geese 127

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

There is a total of 235 different bird species in Greenland, most of them are migratory birds with approximately 60 species breeding within the land. Destinations Arctic Tern Greenland North America' Thankfully, travel writer Mia Petersen has offered us the inside scoop on what makes birding Greenland special.

North America 178

North America Eagles Breeding Fish 178

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2020

are up next, with a wonderful Australian species: It is very hard to choose a Best Bird of the Year any year. The male of this species has a royal blue throat, a white chest and rump, and a long v-shaped tail with intermittent white patches that makes it looks like part of it are floating in space. Clare (and Grant!) How cool is that?

2020 240

2020 Birds Costa Rica Germany 240

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2023

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. It is also called Chinese Bulbul.

Birds 130

Birds Iraq China Ireland 130

10,000 Birds

MAY 25, 2019

Reschedule that visit to the in-laws, cancel the company picnic and drop everything else because GBD is in the house! Although many a birder in the temperate zone of North America does take GBD seriously, for birding communities in some Latin American countries, this day has become the most important birding day of the year.

Costa Rica 199

Costa Rica Species 2019 Owls 199

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 28, 2015

During my previous five trips to Indonesia, I only heard but never caught a glimpse of three species. Now my tally stands at four species seen and a fifth heard-only. However, all that changed when I saw a species that was both a long-awaited lifer and a very rare vagrant for Costa Rica. A country-first?

2015 187

2015 Costa Rica Birds Sparrows 187

10,000 Birds

JUNE 28, 2018

In 1850, the Passenger Pigeon ( Ectopistes migratorius ) was the most abundant bird in North America and possibly the world. Lacey of Iowa introduced the nation’s first wildlife-protection law, which banned the interstate shipping of unlawfully killed game. A newly created U.S.

Hunting 113

Hunting Hunters Gorillas Wolves 113