10,000 Birds

JULY 22, 2024

In this second post on the birds of Tan Phu Forest, let’s get the bulbuls out of the way first. The Ochraceous Bulbul looks similar to the Puff-throated Bulbul, with which it shares a genus – the similarity made one of my travel companions doubt the whole framework of species distinctions. Who gets weeded out?

Vietnam 243

Vietnam Fowl Birds Iran 243

10,000 Birds

JULY 13, 2023

Lake Kerkini National Park in the north of Greece is the very best birding area in the Balkan Peninsula and definitely among the top ten hotspots of Europe. Some 320 species have been recorded here, and in springtime it is possible to observe more than 150 bird species in a week.

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Greece Pelicans Stray Dog Tortoises 246

10,000 Birds

APRIL 27, 2022

While preparing an article this week for a local newspaper on the nighttime denizens of Tobago, it crossed my mind that I never considered owls as a group, far less target species for any particular outing (except for a select few, upon which I shall expound here). Some of my earliest bird-related memories (what other memories even exist?)

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Trinidad Owls Barn Owls Abandon 279

10,000 Birds

JULY 27, 2024

As I have written before on this site, I consider even a bad day birding to still be a great walk in the woods. And this Monday was not a spectacular birding day. It was drizzling off and on all morning, and never sunny, so the birds weren’t active at all. I love to see the new growth on our dozens of oak species.

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Abandon Abandoning Abandonment Mexico 246

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2013

It’s among a handful of species — American Robin, Black-capped Chickadee , the unholy trinity of House Sparrow – Rock Pigeon – European Starling , a few others — that have been everywhere I’ve ever lived. We never would have gotten all those extra species of Red Crossbill that way.

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Connecticut Baltimore North America New York City 218

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 17, 2021

Several male birds will work together to build the perfect bower to attract females. Well, now it has really fallen apart and they have abandoned it. Cygnet Park continues to be a good location for observing Olive-backed Orioles and many other bird species. The bower in the post 2 years ago.

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Abandon Abandoning Abandonment Humane 264

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 24, 2016

House prices which were already starting at high have now progressed past stupidly high and eye-wateringly high and are now at the point where I’m contemplating abandoning civilisation and living in a cave in Siberia. Even very rare species like Saddlebacks, Stichbirds and Whiteheads can be found in some gardens.

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Los Angeles New Zealand Abandon Abandoning 180

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2014

They were commenting where they felt most at home – on their favourite FB pages (predominantly American Birding Association). Eric DeFonso: “I was thinking about one particular quote from the blog post today while guiding, pertaining to recounting special bird sightings. ‘ Making sure that all trip participants see all the birds.

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Greece Zambia Birds Abandon 247

10,000 Birds

JULY 23, 2024

By Fitzroy Rampersad Fitzroy or Fitz as he is fondly called began observing and photographing birds when the COVID-19 Pandemic forced border closures around the world including Trinidad & Tobago where he was vacationing at the time. For many birders, the quest to spot a specific bird can become an obsession.

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Trinidad Costa Rica Panama Whales 241

10,000 Birds

JUNE 7, 2018

I have observed this species many times (my eBird says 28 times this year alone) and never had one landing near me. Nowadays, it has a feeling of an abandoned construction site. Hidden from my view, it stood on a nearby tree and if it weren’t for those clumsy beats, I wouldn’t have noticed it.

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Eagles Otters Serbia 2016 212

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2019

The toughest thing for me, as a local birder, was to choose the most attractive birds because those that attract my attention are generally all too common in the northwest of Europe, from where most visiting birders are coming. In no particular order, here they are: Where to watch the top-20 birds of Belgrade.

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Serbia Woodpeckers Albania Eagles 250

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 23, 2015

There are many charismatic endangered birds that capture people’s hearts and imaginations: the colossal California Condor , the evocative Red-crowned Crane , and the adorable Spoon-billed Sandpiper come to mind. Regardless of their popularity, these species and the threatened ecosystems they inhabit are equally spectacular.

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Brazil California Condor 2013 Abandon 239

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 27, 2018

Leaves and birds in the Appalachian Mountains. Strong populations of birds reside in the hardwood forests and dense understories in this north-eastern location of West Virginia. There are guides for historic buildings as well as birding tours. If you visit later in the year, join Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count.

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West Virginia Virginia Kentucky South Carolina 203

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Even among our primate relatives, whoa are generally very smart, “Theory of Mind” is found in only a few species. Capuchin monkeys, macaques, Cotton Top Tamarins, Chimpanzees, and many other animals, including various birds, have been investigated and found to be unable to make inferences about HCAs.

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Abandon Abandoning Abandonment United Kingdom 267

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2024

There are 154 species of cuckoos in the world, and they’re all a fascinating bunch. However, my current favourite member of the family Cucilidae is the Great Spotted Cuckoo (GSC), a common bird in Cyprus in spring. I wonder whether birds that breed in Europe ever meet up with those nest in southern Africa?

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Cyprus Africa Europe Asia 246

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 4, 2022

The American Birding Association has declared that 2022 is the year of the Burrowing Owl, but if Rosemary Mosco has her way, it will also be the year of the Rock Pigeon. Yes, sure, Rock Pigeons are not a vulnerable species, unless you count the number of times they have been mocked, scorned, and shooed away. Watcha looking at, human?”

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New York City 2018 Abandon Abandoning 246

10,000 Birds

MAY 23, 2022

At this moment, Baihualing is the eBird hotspot in China which has by far the largest number of species – 486. With 398 species, Nanhui is trailing far behind despite being covered by a much larger number of checklists (2225 compared to 608). Two of these birds are relatively easy to see at Baihualing. Is there any?

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Litter China Abandon Abandoning 261

10,000 Birds

MARCH 25, 2020

Yeah, I’ve birded in the developed world. I know that you have ever-so-organized birding clubs, with their beginning birdwatching classes, monthly field trips, and (just imagine!) I know that you have ever-so-organized birding clubs, with their beginning birdwatching classes, monthly field trips, and (just imagine!)

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Birds Abandon Abandoning Abandonment 164

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2024

I was participating as a speaker and guide in the Third Bird Festival of Michoacán. The key word here may be “Third” [Bird Festival, that is]. Birding in Michoacán, and indeed, in Mexico, is quite a new activity. These three annual birding festivals have focused on promoting bird tourism in Michoacán.

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Lamb Abandon Abandoning Abandonment 245

10,000 Birds

MAY 6, 2016

I asked a group of wildlife rehabilitators: “What are some of the Worst Bird Myths? Rehabbers are very responsive, although constantly living under the gun makes us sometimes vent about species that aren’t necessarily the ones in question. Three: Why would anyone , no matter what their species, want to become tangled in human hair?

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Wildlife Rehabilitation Porcupines Raccoons Ethiopia 189

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 2, 2015

Birding in Florida is unique in that so much of that state’s plenty is evident even to the casual observer. There are few places in the United States where simply driving around can leave you with a list of 30+ species, many of them large and spectacular. One had a cluster of recently fledged birds and their nonplussed parent.

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Owls Tenant Florida United States 243

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 15, 2021

When out birding, I prefer completely wild habitat. I enjoy birding in cocoa estates especially – as they retain some of the highest percentage of native biodiversity (as compared to other altered habitats). Shade-grown crops have myriad advantages, and naturally, we’re here for the birds. Yellow-breasted Flycatcher.

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Trinidad Abandon Abandoning Abandonment 261

10,000 Birds

JULY 9, 2015

Further down the road, we reach a derelict building with a large veranda hidden among the trees – an abandoned hunting lodge (if I were in a situation to invest, I would choose to upgrade this into a luxury wildlife lodge). Birds included common species such as Black Drongos , Jungle Babblers and a Hoopoe.

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Tigers Dogs India Snow Leopard 252

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2022

But their broad collection of rather odd sounds (moans, groans, hoots, screeches, and bill rattles) also do not include anything remotely like a “ beep beep “ Popular media getting bird calls wrong. Those were dark days for my attempts at bird photography, my friend. This is because roadrunners are very entertaining birds.

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Coyotes Mexico ALA Abandon 252

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

They are clinging birds and use the technique on branches and tree trunks. Chickadees, woodpeckers, titmice (like the bird above) and nuthatches are considered “clinging type birds&# and can easily hang upside-down to get access to food. Gradually add and increase the amount of safflower in your bird feeder.

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2011 Woodpeckers Blackbirds Deer 229

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 14, 2015

You (or your child/friend/etc) have just found a seemingly parentless baby bird. Here with the answer(s) is Maureen Eiger, a bird rehabilitator in Roanoke, VA: . Wild bird rehabilitators want bird parents to feed their own babies. Unfortunately a bird’s nest location is not always perfect.

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Wounded Rescue Medical Cats 257

10,000 Birds

JULY 28, 2015

June is an interesting time to bird in northwestern Maine. Sure, the birds are out there, but to see them you have to face…the dreaded…black flies. I hoped to see warblers, warblers, warblers, plus classic northeastern species I had had no opportunity to look for while living in North Carolina. Big mistake. Kennebago Lake.

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North Carolina Birds North America Abandon 163

10,000 Birds

MAY 25, 2022

For Global Big Day on May 14th, we decided we’d try our hand at birding as much of the island as possible. One of the first birds we actually got a proper visual on was a true rainforest specialty, impossible elsewhere: this gorgeous adult male White-tailed Sabrewing ! From hidden perches, Blue-backed Manakins vocalized.

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Trinidad Woodpeckers Ducks Abandon 264

10,000 Birds

MAY 25, 2011

If we can all agree on one thing, it’s that chickadees and tits are terrific birds. Not for nothing did 10,000 Birds readers elect the chickadee as the Most Beloved Backyard Bird of 2008 ; if we had run elections in other years, chickadees would no doubt have been front-runners.

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Seattle Wildlife Rehabilitation Rescue Dogs 253

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2018

The Juniper Titmouse ( Baeolophus ridgwayi ) is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. You can also see my 10000 Birds post on the Oak Titmouse here. Thanks to my friend Rebecca Carrier for penning this post for 10,000 Birds on my behalf. One of my favorite bird species living by my house is the Juniper Titmouse.

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2017 New Mexico Groups Abandon 196

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

The threat of extinction of such iconic Florida bird prompted State and Federal agencies to find solutions to stop and reverse the declining trend. 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.

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Florida South America Bolivia Eggs 247

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 14, 2020

While we’re not quite in such dire straits here at Birds and Booze, there may have been some last-minute rummaging around the cellars for this week’s featured wine. For most couples, it’d be enough just having a romantic wine to share on Valentine’s Day, but birders will surely appreciate a bottle that celebrates birds, too.

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2016 Abandon Abandoning Abandonment 221

10,000 Birds

JUNE 5, 2012

Birding’s Holy Grails. We pour over photographs, read with envy the eye-witness accounts of the “lucky ones” and fabricate secret plans to abandon our loved ones and embark on expensive trips to track them down. One of the most highly desirable birds in the world, the Pel’s Fishing Owl is a true phantom.

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Fish Owls Botswana Barn Owls 262

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 16, 2020

Large and round-headed, smartly-striped, with a gentle gaze of mysterious black eyes, in the European south of its range this species chooses preserved mountain forests, preferably mixed deciduous and conifers. The bird tolerated us for perhaps a dozen seconds before it majestically took off. Absolutely thrilled!

Serbia 246

Serbia Owls Slovakia Croatia 246

10,000 Birds

MAY 27, 2024

Given how far Hokkaido is from Europe, it seems a bit surprising how many bird species wintering on this Japanese island have a name starting with “Eurasian” Or how many of these species I have also seen in my parents’ garden in Germany. It seems extra-pair paternity is very frequent in this species.

Iran 231

Iran Germany Research Humane 231

10,000 Birds

JULY 31, 2012

There are two species in the Old World woodpecker genus that sounds like birds that birders would never be able to see. They are literal jinx birds in that their genus name is “ Jynx.” Neither even makes their own nesting cavities; they use the abandoned holes of other woodpeckers.

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Hungary Asia Woodpeckers Africa 190

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 29, 2022

” Funny how the difficulty of breeding a species can be illustrated in simple monetary terms. But that may have helped me to see them – the species is quite nomadic and settles wherever there is rain. Ok, back to the (presumably non-sacred, certainly non-mummified) Australian species. ” ( source ).

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Australia Birds Sheep Zebras 147