10,000 Birds

JANUARY 14, 2021

This is the second post in the Birding crème de la crème series (the first, focused on southern Asia, is here ). The bird-richest region of Africa is its equatorial East: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi (unlike the rest, the last one, Burundi, is politically unstable and not recommendable). Lake Nakuru.

Africa 192

Africa Kenya Uganda Tanzania 192

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 9, 2016

As a result, the Aruba Birdlife Conservation Foundation began a campaign to make the Burrowing Owl the country’s national bird , which was officially named in 2012. The added publicity – the bird now appears on Aruba currency and stamps – will draw attention to needed conservation and protection efforts.

Prairie Dogs 101

Prairie Dogs Tortoises Owls South America 101

10,000 Birds

APRIL 15, 2020

While birding along the highway, a younger man on a motorcycle stopped to talk with me. 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 had a very nice visit with his family — so nice that I didn’t get to do all that much birding.

Mexico 166

Mexico South America United States Mammals 166

10,000 Birds

JULY 3, 2014

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. The wood stork occurs and breeds in Central and South America. However, birds in the U.S. Wood storks primarily breed in Central and South Florida.

North Carolina 191

North Carolina Bald Eagle South Carolina Florida 191

10,000 Birds

APRIL 18, 2017

Small, delicate, graceful, the Least Tern embodies all we love about birds and then some. Though they weight less than two ounces, Least Terns migrate from South America to the West, East, and Gulf Coast to breed on dunes or flat gravel roofs (there are also populations in the middle of the United States).

South America 102

South America United States Protection Pelicans 102

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 12, 2014

After wrapping up our time in the highlands of Honduras, Chris Lotz (owner of international bird tour company Birding Ecotours ) and I arrived at the deservedly famous Pico Bonito Lodge. However, for me, there were birds to be seen. Photo by James Adams. For the hardcore birder, Pico Bonito has plenty to offer.

Honduras 162

Honduras Monkeys Birds America 162

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2013

Podicipediformes, aka Grebes, are freshwater diving duckish birds that are not ducks. That of course is true of many birds.) Like many birds, Grebes are mainly preyed on by other birds, but also, because Grebes liv in and on and near (mostly) fresh water, they are also preyed on by the smaller carnivores such as ferrets.

2010 198

2010 South America 2011 Argentina 198

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2023

He’s the author of The New Neotropical Companion (2017, originally published in 1997), a must-read for any birder preparing to travel to Central and South America, the Peterson Reference Guide to Bird Behavior (2020), and a long list of other books and articles. There are changes in where to find the birds.

2006 241

2006 Tortoises Sea Lions Sea Turtles 241

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 28, 2017

Birds begin to filter down through this southern part of Central America by August but the biggest avian movement happens during the third and final weeks of October. We might not get the variety of a New Jersey autumn but we do get major numbers of species that winter in South America. In Costa Rica, October is our May.

Costa Rica 152

Costa Rica Birds Parrots Farming 152

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. The Andean Flamingo is now protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. It is the largest and easiest to identify in all age stages.

Chile 154

Chile Endangered Species Eggs Argentina 154

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 29, 2014

Watching Humboldt seabirds on the cold waters off the coast of South America , I noticed that of them dive for their fish/food. Small birds will take shallow dives with little or no head start (terns and some gulls) whereas other will take impressive head starts for deeper dives and generally larger fish. Birds Peruvian Boobi'

Lifestyle 183

Lifestyle South America Woodpeckers Fish 183

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 25, 2015

I’ve seen Forster’s Terns and Common Terns , but one particular species was fast becoming a nemesis bird: the Black Tern. Black Terns do not breed or over-winter in Florida, they merely migrate through on their way to Central and South America. I adore all protected areas along the barrier islands.

Breeding 160

Breeding South America Florida Protection 160

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 29, 2016

Fortunately, nowadays, there are protected areas and efforts to establish biological corridors that provide more hope for the endangered Great Green Macaw, and other species. But, if you want to go further afield, fear not, there is some wonderful lowland forest birding up near Nicaragua and down south by Panama as well.

Costa Rica 165

Costa Rica San Jose Panama Birds 165

10,000 Birds

MARCH 3, 2020

One of these days, Jeopardy will feature a category called “Field Guides” and the first clue will be: “This landlocked South American country finally got its own bird field guide in 2016, but it wasn’t available in the United State until 2019.” Bolivia doesn’t come up much in discussions of birding travel.

Bolivia 169

Bolivia Birds Brazil Switzerland 169

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Jacamars live only in the neo-tropical rainforest of South America. But unlike hummingbirds, they feed exclusively on invertebrate of the kind that flycatchers and other aerial hawking birds would not dare to go after. Here is where the rictal bristles act as a shield protecting the eyes from spiky legs and flapping wings.

South America 168

South America America Protection Groups 168

10,000 Birds

APRIL 24, 2012

Here is my contribution to Bird Love Week from the tropics. The Maroon-tailed Parakeet lives in northern South America. The place of this Bird Love action is the Sumaco National Bioreserve located on the east slope of the Ecuador in the legendary Loreto Road.

Ecuador 146

Ecuador South America Parrots America 146

10,000 Birds

JULY 21, 2014

It’s etched into my audio memory, which is quite a feat considering the problems I have recognizing even the most common bird cries. I look up and see three large green birds, the bright green contrasting with dark blue underwings, whitish-grayish foreheads and breasts shining in the winter sun, flying overhead. “We

Chicago 196

Chicago New York City New York Illinois 196

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2015

The Brown Pelican occurs in both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America and northern South America. The Brown Pelican is Louisiana’s state bird. Pelicans are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Brown Pelicans in non-breeding plumage. Photo: Lance and Erin (Creative Commons – Flickr).

Pelicans 157

Pelicans North America Peru Fish 157

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 23, 2014

2014 has been a good year for us at 10,000 Birds. We’ve traveled to lots of places, seen lots of great birds, and met lots of great birders. So, as we’ve done for the last several years we thought we would share our Best Birds of the Year with you. Below are our Best Birds of the Year. What was yours?

2014 184

2014 Costa Rica South Africa Birds 184

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 14, 2019

Even if we couldn’t find time to raise the bins at a favorite patch, it only takes momentary glances into the sky and hearing chip notes from the trees to remind us that birds are on the move. This one was moving in a quick glide, clearly on the move to parts further south. The old neighborhood standbys are quiet or maybe gone.

Costa Rica 143

Costa Rica South America Tennessee 2019 143

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2024

These birds are out here creating architectural masterpieces while we struggle to assemble flat-pack furniture without swearing. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the top five bird nests that will put your DIY skills to shame. These birds construct intricate hanging nests that resemble high-end condominiums.

Sri Lanka 183

Sri Lanka Asia Malaysia Uruguay 183

10,000 Birds

MAY 28, 2012

Whatever they are doing – hunting, chasing other birds, or just flying around – Eastern Kingbirds are fun to watch. Their frenetic activity forces you to constantly change which bird you are watching and something is always happening. This is no mere functional protection of the nesting area from injurious invasion.

Hunting 188

Hunting South America United States Kittens 188

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2012

I know it sounds strange, especially when the folks at Mission San Juan Capistrano are trying to coax them back by playing recordings of the bird’s mating calls. Because I am a local Audubon board member, I was recently contacted by a bird lover who witnessed Cliff Swallow nests being destroyed at the marina where they dock their boat.

San Diego 165

San Diego illegal California South America 165

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2011

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.

Ducks 211

Ducks 2011 Deer New York 211

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2015

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. And it raises a question: if all the birds are having a party over there, am I in the wrong spot? I am talking 600 or 700+ bird species. Why am I here?

Sri Lanka 256

Sri Lanka Botswana Africa Serbia 256

10,000 Birds

MAY 20, 2014

They packed up in June of 2013 and headed south from San Diego with the southern tip of South America as their destination. Like so many trips this one is more about the journey than the destination which brings us to why they have a guest post (hopefully the first of several) on 10,000 Birds. Their second is here.

Guatemala 162

Guatemala Mexico San Diego South America 162

10,000 Birds

MARCH 18, 2011

Found throughout South America in ever-dwindling numbers these extremely beautiful birds – threatened by habitat destruction and collection for the wild bird trade – are often difficult to see and hard to find. That’s right – birds eating clay. Scarlet and Blue-and-Yellow Macaws Ara macao and A.

Peru 254

Peru Parrots 2011 South America 254

10,000 Birds

JULY 13, 2011

What started as me posting a link on my private Facebook page about how much I hate the Transportation Security Administration, quickly turned into a very revealing conversation about race and could be a very large and underlying issue of why we don’t see more people of color in birding or enjoying nature in general. Not too many I bet.

Laws 227

Laws Colorado America Kazakhstan 227

10,000 Birds

JULY 17, 2012

Nick Sly, a friend of 10,000 Birds who writes intermittently at the thoroughly-recommended Biological Ramblings , is an ornithologist who graduated not so long ago from Cornell only to be cast out into the real world where he keeps a wry eye on all things biological! The youngest bird in this clutch is only two or three days old.

Eggs 268

Eggs Venezuela Porcupines 2008 268

10,000 Birds

MARCH 10, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Birding / Half Hardy Half Hardy By Nate • March 10, 2011 • 2 comments Tweet Share This past Monday I was running around with my son in my backyard after work. Instead I saw a flash of orange.

North Carolina 140

North Carolina 2011 Baltimore St. Louis 140

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

And reports of birds nesting – not owls, of course, those weirdo snow fetishists, but other birds nesting – light up my life. Most exotics, at least in the bird world, stick close to their point of arrival and barely hang on – or don’t – over the generations. In 1998 W. And of Wyoming.

Montana 133

Montana 2011 New York Bahamas 133

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2019

We chase birds, so we carry bird guides – in many ways, not too different from tourist guides. To paraphrase Keith Barnes, who wrote on world birding in 2008 ABA’s Birding magazine, if you can afford only one big tropical bird tour, let it be Ecuador. Still, is it hefty? Both “yes” and “no” apply.

Ecuador 143

Ecuador South America Birds 2006 143

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 6, 2012

These were the sounds I heard as I walked around a small pond in Amherst, Massachusetts last week, looking for dragonflies, listening for birds. Or, one of the 145 species of Glass frogs living in the Cental and South American rainforests, I could look through the transparent skin on their undersides and see their internal organs.

Reptiles 182

Reptiles Madagascar Family New York City 182

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

Mating systems and parental care patterns can be odd among birds. Male-female role reversal, happens in some familiar birds, but is rare. 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 152

Eggs South America Raised America 152

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2014

Despite having only revealed 6 pictures on my Kylie Minogue calender so far, I may already have a candidate for Best Bird of the Year. The Great Grebe , Podiceps major , is a bird of South America where it frequents large waters and coastline on both sides of the continent. Birds Argentina Great Grebe grebes'

Argentina 171

Argentina Uruguay Chile South America 171

10,000 Birds

MARCH 1, 2011

home about advertise archives birds conservation contact galleries links reviews subscribe Browse: Home / Birds / Veraguan Mango – Panama’s ex-endemic Veraguan Mango – Panama’s ex-endemic By James • March 1, 2011 • 4 comments Tweet Share Endemism is special.

Panama 200

Panama Costa Rica 2011 Cleveland 200

10,000 Birds

MARCH 28, 2012

Mareeba Wetlands Just north of the town of Mareeba are the Mareeba Wetlands , a large lake reserve that protects both wetlands and northern savannah. One of Australia’s largest and most magnificent flying birds, this was a real treat for me. The swamp was certainly worth a visit though.

Geese 167

Geese Ducks Australia Pelicans 167