10,000 Birds

MAY 13, 2024

Zebra Doves are raised for singing contests in countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, and may cost between 1000 and 50,000 USD depending on their singing qualities ( source ). Apparently, some Zebra Doves can be quite valuable, though presumably not the ones I saw.

Vietnam 181

Vietnam Zebras Birds Sparrows 181

10,000 Birds

MAY 13, 2022

The Asian Koel is a cuckoo species and thus freed from the obligation to raise its own chicks (though the birds like to refer to themselves as brood parasites, which sounds a bit less obviously selfish). While their population there is declining (they are classified as Near Threatened), they have become fairly common in Singapore.

Singapore 235

Singapore Birds Zebras Feral 235

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2015

And it raises a question: if all the birds are having a party over there, am I in the wrong spot? Thailand (925 / 948). And where all those birds are? This map shows the distribution of the World’s bird species, based on overlying the breeding and wintering ranges of all known species. Map by BirdLife International. The Oriental realm.

Sri Lanka 257

Sri Lanka Botswana Africa Serbia 257

10,000 Birds

APRIL 3, 2023

That paper raises an interesting question: “When less attractive people accept less attractive dates, do they persuade themselves that the people they choose to date are more physically attractive than others perceive them to be? Fortunately, some Buddhist temples at least in Thailand have now spoken out against the practice ( source ).

Birds 212

Birds Blackbirds Indonesia Bhutan 212

10,000 Birds

MAY 7, 2014

The 28 odd species of this genus are found in the Sunda (the islands of Indonesia, Malaysia and the southern bit of Thailand) and the Philippines, and are named for the inescapable (in this region anyway) Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, he of the founding of Singapore fame.

Philippines 164

Philippines Protection Malaysia Indonesia 164

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2023

It is mostly a question of economics – raising just one is troublesome enough given the resources required to feed and educate the chick. Chongming Dongtan, where these photos were taken, is the wintering location of about 100 Hooded Cranes – about 1% of the global population.

Birds 130

Birds Iraq China Ireland 130

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2012

I say this not only because he is president of the Grosse Pointe Audubon Society and because his official bio says he “has traveled across North America and to Cuba, Iceland, and Thailand to view and research birds”. It’s clear that this is a writing project performed with avian devotion and love.

Michigan 240

Michigan Bahamas Endangered Species Research 240