10,000 Birds

AUGUST 20, 2015

This map shows the distribution of the World’s bird species, based on overlying the breeding and wintering ranges of all known species. I live in the southeast of Europe, for a while lived in the south of Africa and also have extensively birded western and central India. Map by BirdLife International.

Sri Lanka 257

Sri Lanka Botswana Africa Serbia 257

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 13, 2011

If you have been on the receiving end of any guided birding you know that a good guide can make or break the trip and João was up there with the best in terms of his knowledge of the local sites, breeding birds and visitors, coping easily with our constant questioning.

Portugal 255

Portugal Legislation 2000 Adoptable 255

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 24, 2015

Worried by the lack of appropriate action by the authorities (as described in the previous post ), this year I invited two more wildlife protection organisations to take part in the annual census of Pygmy Cormorants in Belgrade. “The Pygmy Cormorant is a strictly protected bird species in Serbia, as well as in the European Union.

Serbia 189

Serbia Protection Europe 2007 189

10,000 Birds

JULY 10, 2014

, and at the same time not grumpy enough to make them draw their guns (yep – it’s a true story, but do not trust the first impression: they were rough on the outside and soft on the inside, e.g. being fiercely protective of stray dogs and cats – that particular guy kept about five dogs and 15 cats, and they all lived together peacefully).

Serbia 247

Serbia Stray Dog Botswana Protection 247

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 17, 2020

This is a bit of a dilemma for local authorities – on the one hand, they would presumably like to protect the birds, on the other hand, they also want to draw as many tourists to the place as possible. Black-bellied Plover: Known as Grey Plover in Europe and Asia. Point for American birders, I am afraid.

China 305

China Birds Asia Fish 305

10,000 Birds

JULY 10, 2012

Image by Adam Riley Of the 115 African species now listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered, nearly half occur on the islands surrounding Africa or are non-breeding migrants to Africa. This strange but beautifully plumaged bird was widely known throughout Europe as the Waldrapp (meaning “Forest Crow”).

Endangered Species 228

Endangered Species Species Morocco South Africa 228

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2012

Sometimes they have to protect their catches from piratic African Fish Eagles who swoop down as soon as they that see a Saddle-bill has successfully caught a fish. During breeding season, their white plumage turns a delicate pink color, a lovely sight indeed. They also prey on frogs and crabs.

Africa 250

Africa Tanzania South Africa Uganda 250

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2019

The Kerkini Lake National Park is my favourite birding area in the whole of the Balkans and while I’ve been here in April and again (migration), September (migration), October (coffee break), December and January (wintering), this was my first time in the breeding season, in May. But nowadays, they, too, breed here, about 20 pairs this year.

Greece 203

Greece Pelicans Buffalo Fish 203

10,000 Birds

JUNE 15, 2012

Specifically, rural northwestern Spain, at various points along the Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage route to the supposed burial place of Saint James the apostle and, before that, to the westernmost point in continental Europe, the supposed End of the Earth, the Finis Terra. There are many big birds, many pretty birds.

Spain 197

Spain Europe Rodents France 197

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2014

A range of hills protects the cove from the eastern wind, yet, the bushes are swaying in the rythm of it. This shearwater is a Mediterranean endemic, breeding from Sardinia and Corsica to the Adriatic and the Aegean. Trips Europe Greece seabirds' Even before we come close, we find our first threatened Yelkouan Shearwater.

Greece 252

Greece Malta Croatia Italy 252

10,000 Birds

JUNE 8, 2024

Here in the British Isles we are lucky enough to have some of the largest and most important seabird colonies in Europe. Preparing for the perfect landing Brakes on, landing gear down The Gannets are present at Bempton from the end of February through to October, for their breeding season is an exceptionally long one.

Puffins 234

Puffins Eggs Fish Culling 234

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2014

Even among the protected areas of Serbia, the Iron Gates National Park (in Serbian: Djerdap) stands out as better preserved. Keep in mind that the special nature reserves (dark green on the park map) enjoy the highest level of protection and are off limits to visitors (possible only with research permits issued by the park authorities).

Serbia 226

Serbia Turtles Romania Eagles 226

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 4, 2012

The descriptions of the territory’s birds, seals, whales, introduced mammals, invertebrates, and plants are written within the framework of the conversationist, so it is more than a field guide, it is a record of endangered wildlife and the efforts being made to protect it.

Georgia 180

Georgia Penguins Wildlife Whales 180

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2016

July is that boring period after the breeding and prior to migration season. So many beaches of Central Europe ended up here, mostly in the Deliblato Sands (Delibatska pescara) reserve in the southeast of the Vojvodina province – the largest sandy terrain of Europe. But first, where did all that sand came from?

Sheep 158

Sheep Turtles Squirrels Europe 158

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 11, 2018

Black Stork and three pairs of White-tailed Eagles breed here. This protected area is of special importance for migrating waders, of which some 27 species were reported here, including Pied Avocet , Temminck’s Stint , Red-necked Phalarope , Sanderling and Dunlin. eBird bar chart. #2 2 Baranda fish farm. eBird bar chart. #1

Serbia 195

Serbia Bulgaria Farming Turtles 195

10,000 Birds

JUNE 26, 2013

If you are a migratory bird in Europe and western Asia, this is your sweet spot. The population of Millerbirds on Laysan has doubled , and breeding seems to be going well. The survival of songbirds depends in part upon eliminating illegal hunting. Photo by David Guttenfelder, courtesy of National Geographic ).

Cambodia 152

Cambodia Slaughter Slaughtered Cyprus 152

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 26, 2015

No, I took a paddle and discovered the Danube backwaters (cover photo: 1995), the very same area I am fighting to protect now, but the Government, it seems, has an interested investor… Seeing the most valuable habitats disappearing in front of our eyes, environmentalists are quite prone to depression, but that is another story.

Serbia 190

Serbia Bosnia Lions Horses 190

10,000 Birds

JUNE 29, 2016

But this breeding and social arrangement has its risks. And for wild pheasants ( Common , in Europe; or Ring-necked , stateside), a bigger group may actually present an existential danger. Maybe monogamy, with just one partner to support and protect, isn’t so bad after all. Having a harem sounds like a pretty sweet deal.

Europe 100

Europe Game Breeding Groups 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2011

By March though Scandinavian Rock Pipit begins to show some changes into breeding plumage and outs itself as a migrant rather than a resident. By the way: at the Baltic coast we had large flocks of spinoletta migrating through in late March/April, and due to them moulting from non-breeding to breeding plumage, many had seemingly pale lores.

2011 175

2011 Deer Fish New York 175

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 11, 2022

Iron Gates, after the ancient Roman name for the gorge, Porta Ferrea) National Park lies in the north-eastern Serbia, where the Danube has incised the longest gorge of Europe, extending for over 100 kilometre (62 mi), stretching from the medieval Golubac Fortress to the Roman castrum Diana. Djerdap (a.k.a.

Serbia 264

Serbia Woodpeckers Birds Romania 264

10,000 Birds

APRIL 27, 2017

At the southeast part of the lake is a breeding colony of Black-crowned Night , Purple and Squacco Herons. Status: Proposed for protection , but threatened by plans for a large scale development. Status: Veliko Ratno Island is a protected nature reserve, while Kozara is proposed for protection. +. eBird checklist.

Birds 214

Birds Eagles 2017 Otters 214

10,000 Birds

MARCH 17, 2011

The variety of plumages that they show and the way different individuals molt at different times is interesting to me and I have stopped being surprised at seeing a small flock of ruddies with some nearly in full breeding, or alternate plumage, while others are still in their basic, or non-breeding plumage. The proposal from U.S.

Ducks 149

Ducks 2011 New York New York City 149

10,000 Birds

MARCH 20, 2011

The male Bar-tailed Godwit are the first to show us breeding plumage and then the Red Knot and Curlew Sandpipers have two beautiful reds-red wine rather than cranberry juice! Breeding colour becomes rather obvious! She has lived in the Middle East and the United States and traveled extensively in Europe.

2011 150

2011 Australia Deer China 150

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 15, 2018

Habitat destruction combined with hunting has pushed them away from their former breeding grounds. What remains of their range is currently protected as the Pastures of Great Bustard Special Nature Reserve, but in the last several years there are only a dozen birds left, and only one adult male among them. What treats do they face?

Serbia 114

Serbia Romania Hungary Hunting 114

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 4, 2016

There is not just one comparative layout of gulls flying; there are plates of small and medium-sized gulls in non-breeding plumage, dark-winged larger gulls, 1st-winter larger gulls, 2nd-year larger gulls, 3rd-year larger gulls, and white-winged gulls. as Birds of Europe, 2nd edition (PUP, 2011).

Ireland 175

Ireland Birds Falcons Turtles 175

10,000 Birds

APRIL 12, 2011

reduce traffic casualties amongst Badgers , get the White-tailed Eagle back as a breeding bird, increase the number of protected plant species etc.). We started the series with the idea that too many people travel away from Europe thinking that there is no real nature left there. so far you have focussed on European nature.

Badgers 145

Badgers Ethics Africa Spain 145

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Written by Mark Avery, Conservation Director for the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) for nearly 13 years, this book explores the reasons for the extinction of the Passenger Pigeon from the point of view of the outsider. 8) that could not possibly happen in Europe. Or the absence of legal protection.

2014 167

2014 Killing Michigan Kentucky 167

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 25, 2018

It is the largest woodpecker in Europe (to describe its size, I’ll tell you that Goldeneyes breed in the holes this pecker makes). Three centuries later, in order to protect the northern border of the Ottoman empire, sultan Bayezid II in 1483 revised and strengthened the existing fortress.

Serbia 131

Serbia Woodpeckers Bears Birds 131

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2011

It is also familiar at inland sites in winter, especially reservoirs and refuse tips, and breeds in the relatively-Northerly regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. Yellow-Legged Gull These gulls breed around the Mediterranean and have yellow, rather than flesh-coloured legs. Get yours today! I am clearly not.

2011 157

2011 Cyprus Deer Breeding 157

10,000 Birds

JUNE 8, 2017

Shallows provide an ideal spawning ground for almost 50 fish species and submerged islands breeding ground for more than 100 bird species. Beside several well-showing Red-backed Shrikes , the highlight was one uncommon Lesser Grey Shrike (highly localized ** , with only 700 to 1000 breeding pairs in Serbia). I like driving.

Romania 153

Romania Serbia Turtles Blackbirds 153

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2023

Maybe those should be protected too? Given that the Black Kite is politely described as an “opportunistic hunter” – which includes the fact that they are more likely to scavenge than most other raptors – the name choice of the company protecting the world’s cyber ecosystem is a bit weird.

Iraq 130

Iraq Birds China Ireland 130

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 10, 2022

Hopefully, seeing these birds and learning about them will also make you understand that it is important to protect them and nature in general. The Olive-backed Pipit is a small songbird that in Shanghai can only be seen in winter – in summer, it breeds further north. This sometimes makes it difficult for wild animals to survive.

Birds 162

Birds Fish Germany China 162

10,000 Birds

JULY 20, 2018

Following passage of the United States Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, the California Condor ( Gymnogyps californianus ) was among the first 75 species listed for protection, the so-called “Class of 1967”. Part of its obscurity is due to the fiercely protective relationship Cologne has with its beer.

California Condor 114

California Condor Oregon California Zoos 114

10,000 Birds

APRIL 26, 2018

Yet, in the late 1970s there still were six colonies with about 40 breeding pairs left, but in the early 1990s only two colonies and 22 pairs persisted (of which only 13 bred in 1991) – five of them in this gorge. Due to mass wolf poisonings in the 1960s and the 1970s, Griffon Vultures in Serbia suffered a dramatic population crash.

Serbia 120

Serbia Herzegovina Bosnia Sheep 120

10,000 Birds

MAY 26, 2024

Griffon Vultures have a long breeding season. Isn’t it a bit late to breed? Why bother with such a risky journey if you aren’t going to breed? We can speculate that it’s part of the learning curve to adulthood or it may simply be that the non-breeding areas in Africa become inhospitable for them at this time of the year.

Africa 246

Africa Morocco Senegal 2003 246

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 9, 2024

The European Breeding Bird Atlas 2 makes interesting reading. Originally confined to the Arctic, breeding [of Barnacle Geese] is now confirmed throughout much of the Baltic coast S North Sea. This Barnacle goose is part of a resident breeding flock in North Norfolk.

Netherlands 245

Netherlands Geese Denmark Feral 245

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 22, 2016

Out of just under 200 bird species I observed this year in SE Europe, there are 6 threatened species. The decrease in numbers has been accompanied by fragmentation of the breeding range and is continuing to affect all populations. Disturbance on breeding grounds (e.g. The IUCN/BirdLife International Red List).

Montenegro 203

Montenegro Serbia Greece Bulgaria 203