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It was not a kitty cat, even though all of its relatives in the Americas were. But they don’t live in North America. I find it astonishing that people argue of whether feral cats are bad for birds in North America. In North America, you’ve got Bears at the large end, Cats in the middle, and at the smaller end, the Mustilids.
My feelings about shorebirds came back to me a few days later, as I observed a mixed group of peeps and Dowitchers at Mecox Inlet, eastern Long Island, not far from where Peter Matthiessen once observed the shorebirds of Sagaponack, the stars of the first pages of his classic The Shorebirds of North America (1967).
Bufflehead ( Bucephala albeola ) Female at Cavity Entrance photos by Larry Jordan “Some 85 species of North American birds excavate nesting holes, use cavities resulting from decay (natural cavities), or use holes created by other species in dead or deteriorating trees. Talk about cute! www.youtube.com/watch?
Fish and Wildlife Service has listed the “Rufa” population of Red Knot ( Calidris canutus rufa ) as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The other sub-species, Calidris canutus roselaari , migrates along the Pacific Coast and breeds in Alaska and the Wrangel Island in Russia.
Yet, the fact that tiny Panama is as popular as huge Brazil, with twice as many bird species, speaks volume for Brazil’s stage of ecotourism development. A lot more needs to be done to protect and sustainably utilise that biodiversity, although with the Brazil’s current president, it seems highly unlikely. What would be your choices?
Whether you happen to be more interested in music or birds, you may love “A Guide to the Birdsong of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean” Since this is a music project rather than an actual guide of bird vocalizations, there won’t be a catalog of antbird trills and toucan yelps. Oh, how nice that would be!
And though the satellite transmitter let Machi be tracked it did not protect it from the hunters’ guns. This practice is a throwback to more than a century ago when gunners hunted shorebirds throughout the Americas. Conservation organizations continue to work toward some compromise that will reduce pressures on declining species.
The short answer is that wilderness areas are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System and they are protected by the Wilderness Act of 1964. Simply put, wilderness areas are the most protected public lands in America. But what is “wilderness” and how does it differ from any other federal land?
A wonderful variety of bird species are waiting to be seen and among them are many a birder’s favorite avian group, the wood-warblers. Among the most desired bird species during May migration, brightly colored, beautiful and boldly patterned, how can a birder not get hooked on spring warblers? Great Green Macaw!
The trees that occur, that thrive in such places are various species of mangroves and as is typical of so many other tropical microhabitats, mangrove forests have their own suite of birds. It’s ironic because even though it doesn’t live anywhere else, even in perfect habitat, the Mangrove Hummingbird is not an abundant species.
I was happy to read that the wood stork ( Mycteria Americana ), a bird near and dear to me, was down-sited from the status of endangered to threatened species. Fish and Wildlife Service is down-listing the wood stork from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). However, birds in the U.S. Photo: U.S.
Few areas in North America support such dense concentrations of waterfowl; more than half the mallards in the Pacific Flyway overwinter at some time in this portion of the Columbia River Basin. As the image shows, it is an island of protected habitat in a sea of urban sprawl and agriculture. My eBird checklists are here and here.)
Birds included common species such as Black Drongos , Jungle Babblers and a Hoopoe. During the Pleistocene, Dholes were found across the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe and North America, sharing their space with sabre-toothed cats. These days, the species shares habitats with Tigers, Snow Leopard, Bears, etc.
Thanks to fortunate foresight, a lot of land was set aside in Costa Rica as national parks and protected areas (and some of these are easily accessed) but the best forest still happens to be at the terminus of the road and en route, you will be treated to species deficit birding in plenty of pastures. A pair of Shining Honeycreepers.
Birds are arriving in North America, flying from places far to the south. Many come from Central America, a good number fly much further. Based on population estimates and migration routes, yes, millions, and for some species, many millions! Cliff Swallow , one of many million that migrated through Costa Rica.
Twenty two species are distributed among six genera, depending on what happens to be extinct, and for the most part one grebe is like another. This makes Grebes vulnerable to climate change and the predation of invasive species. It is easy to see how Minks set lose in a welcoming habitat could eat an entire species.
Of the 6 species of quetzal, the one that lives in the cloud forests of Central America usually gets the “most spectacular” badge. And yes, this species lives in Quetzal Valley, a place that actually does exist! In the birding realm, any quetzal is a little piece of heaven. That is one seriously crazy looking bird!
Yet, I was not aware of any of Arjan’s big year updates in English, so I had no clue where he was or how many species he managed to see. After 3 months of South and Southeast Asia, Indonesia and Australia, Arjan’s count stood at 2,060 species. And I wanted to learn about his travels in detail.
Bluebird Man is about Alfred Larson, but you can be one of the film’s heroes by contributing to its production… There is something special about bluebirds, and it isn’t just because the world’s three species are only found in North America. There is something more. Bluebird nest box near Prairie, Idaho.
Our big month of bird movements in Costa Rica, the 10th month of the year, is when most of the swallows, Scarlet Tanagers , thrushes, and other species on the South American express push through. How do they compete with resident species? In October, it’s what’s happening in Costa Rica. What do they eat?
In the midst of an intensifying battle between protecting public lands and advancing private interests, I want to share a moment of avian celebration at Yellowstone National Park. There are 258 species documented; half of which nest in the park. To protect our wild spaces and all the flora and fauna (including humans), add your voice!
I birded savannas of Southern Africa, I birded India and Central America, and I always missed having a local mammal guide with me. No, Madagascar is the most famous for an endemic group of mammals: lemurs, sifakas, indri, aye-aye – in total, 112 endemic species and subspecies of lemurs alone! Yet, those bird guides are hefty.
There is another area of the Queens County CBC where a team will also likely see Monk Parakeets , Myipsitta monachus , but I am seriously determined to count that bird for my area, Coastal Flushing, a section of northeast Queens, New York, that includes Whitestone, home of one of the loudest invasive bird species in the U.S.
The Results of the 2014 Tricolored Blackbird Statewide Survey confirm that this species is in rapid decline. ” The report continues: “Following the breeding season, most tricolors are found in the Sacramento Valley where they aggregate with red-winged and other blackbird species and feed, often in large flocks, on ripening rice.
Developed in the post-frontier era, the NAMWC helped put a stop to wanton wildlife destruction in an era where many species were being hunted and trapped ruthlessly to the brink of extinction. Now, in 21st century America, we’re entertaining new considerations, in keeping with our modern understanding of wild animals and conservation.
The smellier the better, particularly as, unusually for birds, many species can boast a robust sense of smell. In any case, our hang-ups with vultures clearly stem from our own issues rather than any inherently bizarre trait of the species themselves. Vultures famously feed on carrion. Dead things. Here’s the kicker though.
This time the tome that three lucky readers will receive is Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and Vultures of North America by Pete Dunne. The first and easiest way to win a copy of Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and Vultures of North America is to subscribe to the 10,000 Birds email mailing list. How do you win one?
They migrate through Central America and winter in South America, apparently almost entirely east of the Andes. BirdLife International lists them as a Species of Least Concern because of their enormous range and population of approximately 13,000,000 individuals, though the population does seem to be decreasing slightly.
The stars of the bird world take many forms and fame is often related to location but some species, some cool groups of birds are accorded priority no matter when or where they are seen. The Olive-crowned Yellowthroat is one of Costa Rica’s resident wood-warbler species. 13 Warbler Stars from the North.
Lovely Cotinga is the flagship species at Pico Bonito, where it is perhaps easier to see than anywhere else within its range. More than 400 species have been recorded at the lodge to date. Central American Pygmy-Owl is another key species at the lodge. However, for me, there were birds to be seen. Photo by James Adams.
One of the fastest growing cities in America, Austin is the capital of Texas and home of the University of Texas. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) declared the Golden-cheeked Warbler “ endangered ” under the Endangered Species Act. Future acquisitions will likely increase the amount of protected acreage. 1:17-cv-00538-SS (W.D.
The latest from his pen is Birds of Prey , a hybrid between an identification guide and an essay collection, a book of lore that provides a comprehensive overview of the raptors of North America. Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and Vultures of North America by Pete Dunne with Kevin T. Karlson, $26.00, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Every person has a responsibility to be part of the solution by doing something to protect and encourage the re-establishment of biodiversity. Insects and a host of other invertebrate life have evolved with these plant species, and thus depend on them. Locally native plants are the base part of the local ecology.
home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Birds / Manky Muscovy Ducks Manky Muscovy Ducks By Mike • March 2, 2011 • 6 comments Tweet Share The Muscovy Duck ( Cairina moschata ) attracts more attention than most ducks, at least in North America.
The money is intended to create and protect national parks, areas around rivers and lakes, national forests, and national wildlife refuges from development, and to provide matching grants for state and local parks and recreation projects.
In most countries, long, sweaty, expedition birding is required to see the only curassow species in Middle America. That changes in Costa Rica, where the vulnerable Great Curassow is easily seen at several protected sites. In Costa Rica, it’s pretty common and easy to see in and near just about any protected forest.
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).
Costa Rica enjoys an international reputation as an iconic birding location, bursting with epic Neotropical species and breathtaking natural attractions. Zamora Estate protects acres of unspoiled habitat within one of the fastest growing sections of San Jose, a holding that has sustained four generations of the Zamora family.
I may be in tropical Central America, but at 2100 m / 7000 ft a.s.l. Serge is a professor of ecotourism at University of Costa Rica, CEO and founder of Costa Rica Birding Hotspots Route, CEO and founder of Birdwatching Central America, and the former manager of the famous Selva Verde Rainforest Lodge. It is 6.40 ft) above ground.
The conservation need is urgent: great attention has rightly been paid to Brazil’s Amazonian rainforest but not enough resources have gone to the Pantanal and the Cerrado, of which only 4% and 5%, respectively, are protected. Talk about a win-win!
Shorebirds have left their northern tundra pools and boreal fens, August is when they pass through much of North America. Even so, we do have some sandpipers and plovers around; there have been recent reports of Surfbirds and various other wading species. Go birding in Costa Rica in August and you will find shorebirds.
I didn’t know what species of woodpecker it was, but I knew it was just in the clearing on the other side of the road. Black-backed Woodpeckers are non-migratory, although there have been documented intermittent irruptions of the species outside their normal range. Click on photos for full sized images. Siegel and, D.
But this man turned out to have worked with the government habitat protection agency, which is why he stopped when he saw me birding. I think I do a pretty good imitation of several other species, but, unlike the Trogons, they never seem to think the same.). He is also and Evangelical Christian, as I am. (I
It can’t have escaped your notice lately that the blog has been overrun with articles about North America’s pseudo-warblers (or wood warblers, as some people, apparently unaware the name is taken by a proper European species, call them), and, even worse, no small amount of poetry. And they are always a pleasure to see.
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