10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

I’ve been fortunate to see two Penguin species in the wild (African and Galapagos) and have dreamed of seeing more–maybe even all!–especially –especially when reviewing books like A Field Guide to the Wildlife of South Georgia or Far from Land: The Mysterious Lives of Seabirds.

Penguins 278

Penguins Georgia New Zealand Albatross 278

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 27, 2020

There is a thing parents know very well – how important it is to choose the right name for a child. Birders normally care about species and make species lists, how do families fit into those? Adding more species brings a lot of excitement, as long as you bird your own country or a continent. Families perhaps?

Family 297

Family Birds South America Breeding 297

10,000 Birds

JUNE 1, 2022

All right, I’ll admit it. I’m feeling pretty good about myself right now. I’ve never known quite what to do with the two Cardinal sightings I have had near our church in Morelia, since that species is not supposed to be seen there, or to be migratory, but both sightings occurred in winter. It means something.

Mexico 234

Mexico 2018 Ducks Breeding 234

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2014

Sometimes, they even have the same species… I’m looking at you, House Wren ! While this low-density species may be declining across its wide range, BirdLife International still considers it of Least Concern. Of course I got great looks at the Red-ruffed Fruitcrow (as well as the Cauca Guan) right at the lodge.

Colombia 201

Colombia South America Argentina Ecuador 201

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 26, 2020

Two weekends ago I was scheduled to take part in a live birding video, one of twenty birders from across North and South America who were out and about looking for good birds to share with the world through Swarovski Optik Birding’s Facebook page. Not a bad video of a young White-crowned Sparrow , right?

Birds 276

Birds South America Sparrows America 276

10,000 Birds

JULY 19, 2018

And what does it tell us, other than the obvious “head for South America” or perhaps Indonesia? It divides countries into categories, where the next category has 200 more species. Shown as a list, it looks like this: Less than 200 bird species: Antarctica; oceanic islands. 801-1000 sp. – 1201-1400 sp: Venezuela; China.

Equatorial Guinea 207

Equatorial Guinea Costa Rica Guyana Central African Republic 207

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 18, 2021

All sorts of exotic and beautiful species may be seen. This would sound attractive even to me, except for one fact: almost all of those exotic and beautiful species are common down here in central Mexico. Southeastern Arizona is unusual, precisely because its species mix is as much Mexican as it is American.

Arizona 264

Arizona Mexico Los Angeles Dallas 264

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 2, 2022

This is my best place to pick up species that inhabit, or visit, the border between the Hot Country thorn forest and highland pine-oak forest habitats. It wasn’t the most colorful species of the day. And how am I doing on my species race for the year? But its rump was somewhat bright, I suppose.

South America 206

South America Sparrows Mexico Bears 206

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

I drove out a bit late because of an almost-flat tire that needed attention, and then managed to drive right past the reservoir without seeing it. This species loves to sing while high up in pine trees. But I was delighted to see a Black-chinned Sparrow near the shore; this is only my eighth sighting of this species.

2020 280

2020 Birds South America Reptiles 280

10,000 Birds

MARCH 30, 2019

It’s also a big time for bird movements, a period punctuated by waves of migrants, first the early ones, then a time of many species, and finally, those last “late” migrants moving north. Several come to Costa Rica and a lot of those are, right at this moment, on the move.

Costa Rica 146

Costa Rica South America Tennessee Philadelphia 146

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 30, 2021

From there, we entered a side tributary full of Ringed and Amazon Kingfishers , with Chestnut-fronted and Scarlet Macaws in flight… and then the noise: groans, croaks and grunts… and the smell… of this 65 million years old species, so old that the last dinosaurs must have fed on them! Later, we would be seeing dolphins every day.

Dolphins 263

Dolphins Colombia Otters Birds 263

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 26, 2020

The muted colors of Blackburnians, Black-throated Greens, and Blackpolls fit right in with the dull greens and golden highlights of the early fall vegetation. This being an uncommon species in upstate New York, I appreciate having an abundance of Cliff Swallows to look at. Birds Can Fly Right Over Costa Rica.

Costa Rica 330

Costa Rica West Virginia New York South America 330

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2022

Or would be, had I encountered more of them – so far, I have seen only a very small share of the approximately 233 woodpecker species, and got decent photos of an even smaller number – not much more than 10% of all of them. So, writing a post about them is easy.

Woodpeckers 245

Woodpeckers South Africa China Singapore 245

10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2021

Fortunately, China itself has a large number of bird species and habitats. According to a Wikipedia entry, China has 1413 bird species – though strangely, another list found online, purportedly based on Birdlife International, claims only 1288 species. The first two photos were actually taken right from my hotel room.

China 264

China Pandas Birds Zoos 264

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 5, 2020

Knowing that there are reserves with long lists of 600 or more species, I set my threshold at more than 600 birds… and found only a few such hotspots. In early November 2020, there were 15 countries with more than 1000 species eBirded so far. Other than that, there are barely a few hotspots with over 500 species.

Asia 276

Asia Malaysia Papua New Guinea Thailand 276

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2019

From the Amazon basin through the towering Andes to the endemic-rich Choco, it is possible to observe 600 species in two weeks and even 800 in three weeks – they could all find themselves on your life list. Robin Restall is an acclaimed bird artist, whose works include the Helm’s Birds of Northern South America (2006).

Ecuador 158

Ecuador South America 2006 Birds 158

10,000 Birds

JULY 31, 2019

The Yellowthroat group is an odd collection of bird species. The one migratory species, aptly named the Common Yellowthroat , can be seen almost anywhere in North America. Another one, the Masked Yellowthroat , can be found in five unconnected resident territories over much of South America. See the difference?

Mexico 199

Mexico Bahamas South America Panama 199

10,000 Birds

JULY 7, 2021

and Canada and winter in northeastern Mexico, while the sedentary wrens of central Mexico, Central America, and South America are now to be identified as Grass Wrens. That’s 100% Barn Owl butt, right there. The name Sedge Wren is to be used for the migratory wrens that summer in the U.S. Did they show up for us?

Barn Owls 262

Barn Owls Owls Mexico Leopards 262

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2023

Because, let’s face it, when you get off that plane and look at those severe volcanic landscapes and then find yourself face to face with one of the islands’ four mockingbird species, you’re not going to think, “Oh, look, lava and a mockingbird.” The updating of the text is very important.

2006 262

2006 Tortoises Sea Lions Sea Turtles 262

10,000 Birds

APRIL 4, 2023

That’s 18 species in one book. This is more than a collection of species accounts. There are also two pages illustrating the “Holistic Approach,” silhouettes of each species (Western birds on the left, Eastern birds on the right), that allow for comparison of structure, size, and shape.

Los Angeles 225

Los Angeles North America America Species 225

10,000 Birds

JULY 20, 2019

If a list also shows the status for each species, birders on their way to Costa Rica would realize that they shouldn’t really expect vireos with white eyes nor blue heads (but would hopefully know that they should very much report those species on eBird so local birders can chase them!). Toucan species with new names.

Costa Rica 202

Costa Rica Birds Owls South America 202

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2020

Last weekend I wasn’t on the hunt for any species in particular though. I happened to look up at just the right time to catch a small flock of Scarlet Ibis. Pectoral Sandpipers pass through en route to southern South America, some going as far as Tierra del Fuego. Greater Yellowlegs.

Trinidad 190

Trinidad South America Blackbirds Industry 190

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2014

Nestled right in the middle of Europe, we have a little bit of everything, a nice cross section of Europe’s avifauna. Greater Rheas, a species the Germans call Nandu, are very popular in Germany and frequently kept in zoos as well as private enclosures. Nonetheless, this week will be chock full of invasive species.

Germany 254

Germany Birds 2000 South America 254

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 26, 2021

And apart from local people, primate researchers sometimes spot it, but it is a species seen by fewer than ten living birders. This book is essentially about those birds that breed on the continent south of the Sahara, a topic few birders are familiar with. Some are incredibly rare and hard to find.

Congo 264

Congo Africa South Africa Madagascar 264

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

Decades of land transformation and hydrological changes resulted in the decline of the only species of apple snail native to Florida and the kite population followed suit. While the native apple snail continued declining, another species of apple snail native to South America began to appear in canals and ponds in South Florida.

Florida 230

Florida South America Eggs Bolivia 230

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2012

Very few birds – or animals for that matter – would plunge head-first into the churning cauldrons of some of South America’s most treacherous rivers. Otun Quimbaya remains a very good place to view this highly enigmatic and entertaining species. Because after we found that female she led us right to a male.

Ducks 251

Ducks Colombia South America Squirrels 251

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 11, 2019

Oh, all right, I’ll admit that you could stay at home and still enjoy your Yellow- and Black-crowned Night-Herons.). Among our bird groups with many such species are the Wood-Partridges, Quail-Doves, Ant-Tanagers, Forest-Falcons, and Tody-Flycatchers. But you will have to head south to do so. But check out this adult!

Sparrows 142

Sparrows Mexico United States Groups 142

10,000 Birds

MAY 4, 2017

In a time of little published information about the rainforests of Central and South America aside from scientific journal articles and the works of 19th-century naturalists, the “little green book,” as it was called, became a must-read amongst nature-oriented travelers and researchers.

South America 162

South America Ecuador Reptiles America 162

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

Less than 1% of all species exhibit role some type of role reversal where males do what females typically do. Perhaps the most complicated and bizarre mating system is that of the Rheas of South America. They live in flocks in the open country shrubland of Southern South America.

Eggs 154

Eggs South America Raised America 154

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2013

Confusing, right? Southwest all the way down through Central America to parts of South America and the Caribbean. gundlachii ), currently embargoed by the United States, is widely considered a distinct species. How about the fact that a Blackhawk is not a Black Hawk? Immature birds are streaked brown and white.

Chicago 250

Chicago South America 2013 Illinois 250

10,000 Birds

MAY 30, 2014

There are approximately 10,000 plant species in the Cerrado. It also supports the greatest variety of large mammals in all of South America, including such iconic species as Maned Wolf and Giant Anteater. A Rufous-winged Antshrike, a typical species of lightly wooded savanna in the lower elevations of the park.

Brazil 169

Brazil South America Collecting America 169

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2018

It actually makes a lot of sense, the geographic features of the isthmus between North America (including Mexico, because Mexico is part of North America) and South America cut across political lines, as do birds. In addition, 67 species are listed in a chapter entitled “Marginal, Dubious, and Hypothetical Species.”

America 214

America El Salvador Costa Rica Honduras 214

10,000 Birds

JULY 2, 2019

And, I looked at my eBird list and realized I’ve seen nine species of Antpitta and one of Gnateater. Antpittas and Gnateaters covers 64 species in six genera and two families. (I The Species Accounts feature highly detailed text by Harold Greeley, distribution maps, and over 250 photographs by a number of photographers.

Research 149

Research Eggs South America Costa Rica 149

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 13, 2013

Does the word define a species within country terms, regional terms etc? Is the term defined at the sub-species or full species level in terms of classification? The species must be listed as a separate, full species by both of the most widely used ornithological bird lists, Sibley/Monroe and Clements.

Birds 215

Birds South Africa South America Feral Cats 215

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 17, 2015

Before coming to Costa Rica on a permanent basis, I knew and accepted that there would be some things I would obviously miss right away (like the DiCamillo bakery , Viola’s subs, family, and friends), and unforeseen aspects of life later on. We get migration in Costa Rica too but there are some similarities and differences.

Costa Rica 194

Costa Rica Goats South America New York 194

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2011

For native people, living in South America meant living with hummingbirds, and for Europeans, discovering South American meant discovering hummingbirds (and, tragically, exploiting South America meant exploiting hummingbirds, destroying hundreds of thousands for stuffed specimens and in futile attempts to keep them alive in captivity.)

South America 158

South America New York Alaska America 158

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 5, 2015

The Andean Flamingo ( Phoenicopterus andinus ) is one of the three flamingos occurring in the high Andes of South America. Andean Flamingoes and Chilean Flamingo (far right) (Photo: Ron Knight – Flickr). The Andean Flamingo is now protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

Chile 155

Chile Endangered Species Eggs Argentina 155