10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2023

I am not sure about the security situation in Iraq these days but at least some people do ornithological research there – resulting in papers such as one titled “Breeding observations of the Black-winged Kite Elanus caeruleus (Desfontaines , 1789) in Iraq” Impressive. Fortunately, they are quite common in Shanghai.

Birds 130

Birds Iraq China Ireland 130

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2023

Some of the lazier Common Moorhens apparently try to pass the arduous work of raising their chicks on to other species -a paper describes how Little Bitterns are utilized as surrogate parents. Still, the poor sparrows … Advice to them: Avoid landfills and researchers. But I may well be wrong.

Birds 147

Birds Geese Fish Industry 147

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2011

Between staying warm/cool, finding food, avoiding predators, migrating thousands of miles every year, finding mates, raising chicks and doing all this at the mercy of the elements, it makes sense that they have more brainpower than just simple instinct to run on. I believe in science. Science, for many years, has done no better.

Emotional 216

Emotional Science Birds Mammals 216

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 8, 2022

Given the complexity of the research, the result feels like a bit of a letdown – “northern populations start migration earlier than southern populations, especially in autumn” The species name of the Chestnut-eared Bunting is fucata , from the Latin “fucare”, to paint red.

Birds 221

Birds Eggs Bangladesh China 221