10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 2, 2014

With a trip to South Africa on the horizon at the time, I thought I could handle it. The two-page spread, shown above, gives a history of the species interaction with humans (fortunately, it does not taste good so it is not actively hunted) and documents records for each of the four areas covered by the guide. Now, I’m not so sure.

Brunei 173

Brunei Asia Birds China 173

10,000 Birds

JULY 17, 2012

.* However, morphologically and behaviorally they are perhaps closer to the Kagu of New Caledonia and the Painted Snipes of Africa. Sunbitterns prefer hunting along the edges of fast-flowing, clear streams and tend to immediately retreat to the shade when approached, making a prolonged sighting difficult. A real misfit basically.

Costa Rica 251

Costa Rica Suriname Eggs Hunting 251

10,000 Birds

APRIL 7, 2020

It didn’t occur to me till I started reading The Falcon Thief: A True Tale of Adventure, Treachery, and the Hunt for the Perfect Bird that there was also a possible threat to the eagle herself: poachers, who steal raptor eggs and chicks. McWilliam realizes he’s dealing someone special, a career falcon egg-thief.

Falcons 201

Falcons United Kingdom Zimbabwe Eggs 201

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 1, 2016

I’ll never forget my introduction to the mammals of Kruger National Park, South Africa. We –participants of the ABA South Africa Safari—were on a small plane when one Lori Conrad looked out the window and screamed, “There are elephants down there!” and everyone ran to Lori’s side of the plane. Believe me, I tried.

Rhinos 234

Rhinos Animal Mammals White Rhinos 234

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 23, 2024

According to Storks, Ibises and Spoonbills of the World , a handsome volume written by James Hancock, James Kushan and Philip Kohl and published by Academic Press in 1992, Geronticus eremita “once nested in the mountains of central Europe, across northern Africa and into the Middle East. But this range is now much reduced.

Morocco 216

Morocco Austria Algeria Germany 216

10,000 Birds

JUNE 19, 2012

The quills of the “Saqu Ettair” Secretarybirds feed on small lizards, insects, rodents, birds eggs and, of course, snakes. In reality this is not true and they can easily succumb to the venom of many of Africa’s poisonous serpents. Watching them hunt is fascinating. Note the huge wings.

Botswana 215

Botswana Porcupines Eagles Hunting 215

10,000 Birds

JUNE 24, 2024

Surprisingly, the chance of a nest being robbed is greater in the forest interior than close to the road, as three of the four predator species listed above (all except the magpie) prefer hunting there. Spiderhunters : As their name suggests, they specialize in hunting spiders and other small invertebrates, although they also consume nectar.

Vietnam 206

Vietnam Birds Woodpeckers Bangladesh 206

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 20, 2014

The eider is the most common bird for hunting and eating, it lives near all of Greenland’s coasts and breeds on small islands such as Kitsissunnguit. The Arctic terns are very enduring and have the longest bird migration from their way across the Atlantic Sea to western Europe and along the west coast of Africa to the Antarctic waters.

North America 175

North America Eagles Breeding Eggs 175

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2023

From Hiro, we learn how Northern Pygmy Owls are “rule breakers,” not incubating eggs till all are hatched and then raising owlets that mature at the same rate even though the eggs were laid asynchronously (as most owl eggs are). They are also hunted.

Owls 202

Owls Science Barn Owls Penguins 202

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 8, 2022

Fortunately for the buntings, they seem to detect most cuckoo eggs smuggled in (75% in one study). A study found that for Plain Prinia , egg characteristics in a mainland China location with many cuckoos make it much easier to spot cuckoo eggs than in a Taiwan location with few cuckoos ( source ). Better safe than sorry.

Eggs 199

Eggs Birds Bangladesh China 199