10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 11, 2022

This large flock is generally the non-breeding birds and on one occasion we have observed a nest there, but we do not know the outcome of it. In recent years there have been Pied Oystercatchers attempting to breed along the shores of Roebuck Bay. Many of the migratory shorebirds still have some of their breeding plumage.

Breeding 147

Breeding Family Hunting Eagles 147

10,000 Birds

APRIL 11, 2012

There cannot be many ABA area breeding birds harder to get than those that only breed on the remotest tips of the north of North America and then fly off to places that aren’t on the major continental flyways. It’s also fun to think about the massive disparity between the winter and summer range of the species.

North America 241

North America Fiji Hawaii America 241

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2014

Many may find the inclusion of the Osprey into a post on German eagles odd, but the German name of the Osprey translates to “Fish Eagle”, and German birders would find it self-evident to include the species here. Ospreys have shown a remarkable recovery in Germany. Go Eagles!! all the way to Saxony. Short-toed Snake Eagle.

Eagles 217

Eagles Germany Breeding Hunting 217

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 11, 2014

The story of the White-winged Guan , in some ways resembles the re-discovery of some species thought to be extinct. The decades of storage in a museum came after it was regarded as an extinct species. There were reasons to think that the White-winged Guan had been extirpated by over-hunting. The Guan was declared extinct.

Collecting 270

Collecting Peru Neglecting Ecuador 270

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.

Tigers 252

Tigers Dogs India Snow Leopard 252

10,000 Birds

APRIL 27, 2011

Last week I introduced the Great Frigatebird , one of five species of man-o-war bird. I got rather carried away showing all the plumages you can see around a breeding colony, which means I had to split my post on the species into two. A surface snatch on the wing. That said, it is possible to see them doing it sometimes.

Albatross 215

Albatross Philippines Hawaii Hunting 215

10,000 Birds

MAY 28, 2012

They both perch hunt and hover hunt and will even hop along the ground in pursuit of prey. Whatever they are doing – hunting, chasing other birds, or just flying around – Eastern Kingbirds are fun to watch. Eastern Kingbirds breed across the eastern United States and much of southern Canada.

Kittens 248

Kittens Hunting South America United States 248

10,000 Birds

JULY 28, 2022

Logging roads have opened up vast areas to commercial hunting, leading to industrial-scale poaching and a more than 60 per cent drop in the region’s Forest Elephant population in less than a decade. Other primates include Chimpanzee and Putty-nosed Monkey, several duiker antelope species, etc.

Central African Republic 317

Central African Republic Congo Gabon Gorillas 317

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2012

The current header image of my own blog is another Barn Owl, this one a ringed individual I found daylight hunting, and unconcerned by the presence of my car as it hunted from posts presumably feeding young in early summer last year. Above our fireplace is a large painting of a Barn Owl.

Barn Owls 240

Barn Owls Finland Owls Portugal 240

Critter News

AUGUST 22, 2010

In 2000, around 1,000 breeding pairs were known, but by 2009, the number had plummeted to just 120-220 pairs, a decline of 88%. During that time, adult survival appeared unchanged and breeding success was reasonable, but the recruitment of young birds back into the adult population was zero in all but one of the years studied. "The

Species 100

Species Myanmar Endangered Species Russia 100

10,000 Birds

MARCH 27, 2014

It is also known for the 500 exotic species of animals and plants that now call the Sunshine State home. Exotic species are animals that did not historically occur in Florida. One such species is the familiar mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). The New Zealand Grey Duck is nearly extinct as species.

Florida 259

Florida Ducks New Zealand Feral 259

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2014

My Dark-eyed Juncos are trilling in preparation to retreat to quieter breeding grounds, the Black-Capped Chickadees sing their two notes, and the Song Sparrows absolutely will not shut up. Snow Geese overgrazing their breeding grounds, displacing other Arctic-breeding species and setting themselves up for a fall.

Geese 237

Geese Montana Breeding Pelicans 237

10,000 Birds

JUNE 27, 2024

She enjoys seeing all species of birds, but her favorites are hummingbirds. A Palm Warbler , in breeding plumage, hopped onto the end of our table. A Red-shouldered Hawk was crying as it hunted. By Leslie Kinrys Leslie Kinrys has loved birds since her father put a House Sparrow fledgling in her young hands.

Alligators 244

Alligators Woodpeckers Turkey Florida 244

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 23, 2014

It’s always tragic when a species goes extinct. But that tragedy is compounded when the species at risk is a country’s national bird. The sighting suggests that for all its struggles with habitat loss and hunting, the species is still managing to reproduce. Image of banded Ma’oma’o from Samoanbirds.com).

Samoa 227

Samoa Bald Eagle Campaign Hunting 227

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 27, 2014

The official definition of CR status says the species could be gone within ten years, or could lose 80 per cent of its population within three generations – whichever comes first. Sociable Lapwings breed in several areas along the Kazakhstani – Russian border and overwinter in Iraq, Sudan and northwest India. Gujarat, December 2010.

Sudan 252

Sudan India Ukraine Camels 252

10,000 Birds

APRIL 2, 2015

APRIL 12: Second flight of a b h and then she hunts. ” Falcons do hunt pigeons, we all know that, but what is a Kamikaze pigeon? Take the Saker for example: with 52 to 64 breeding pairs ten years ago, Serbia held 13 per cent of the European population of this Globally Threatened species ( source ).

Switzerland 251

Switzerland Serbia Feral Falcons 251

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

For mankind to snatch away a species’ very existence is wrong on so many levels that I can’t begin to explain them. However, despite our best efforts to wipe them off the face of the earth, some of the more vulnerable species have managed to hang on. this species breeds. this species breeds.

Albatross 253

Albatross Endangered Species Bald Eagle Alaska 253

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 14, 2012

The wonderful family Meropidae contains 27 dazzling species, of which Africa is endowed with no less than 20 species, the balance occurring across Asia and with one as far afield as Australia. We have both resident and migratory species, and this post will briefly discuss each of the 20 species of African bee-eaters.

Africa 266

Africa Gabon South Africa Uganda 266

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 18, 2021

Two more aspects contribute to bird diversity: these are the inner city waters, so hunting is forbidden, and the Danube rarely freezes, and even then it would be the last water to freeze. Yes, other species easier to spot in winter include the Long-eared Owl and the Peregrine , but I am not going to discuss their whereabouts openly.

Serbia 306

Serbia Woodpeckers Ducks Birds 306

10,000 Birds

APRIL 5, 2023

While the P-a-P Wildfowl Trust’s main thrust is the breeding and release of five duck species, the habitat encourages a number of native wetland birds to inhabit and proliferate the area. Due to the plethora of bird species around, invariably we were to experience something breathtaking.

Trinidad 264

Trinidad Birds Ducks Fish 264

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 23, 2021

It was also great to finally travel overseas again, meet a lot of people I did not know (and some I did), to be in a new country… and not just the new country, but its best birding area, where almost all local hotspots are yellow (150+ species) and several are ochre (200+ sp.), impressive for Central Europe.

Austria 299

Austria Factory Asia Battery 299

10,000 Birds

MAY 19, 2012

It has recently been reclassified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List; this category is reserved for only the most threatened species in the world. If this bird did become extinct, it would be the first pheasant species to have been lost in the 400 years since proper records began.

Vietnam 200

Vietnam 2000 Germany Asia 200

10,000 Birds

JUNE 1, 2024

, I noticed that many birds had moved from setting up territories and breeding to feeding chicks, I thought it would be worth sharing some more observations. Although I once saw a group of Barn Swallows pass overhead a few weeks earlier, these birds were clearly on passage only as there was no sign of this species since.

Birds 246

Birds Collecting Canada Hunting 246

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

The species ranges widely across the Pacific, as its scientific name suggests, from the Revillagigedo Islands off Mexico to the Japanese Bonin Islands to New South Wales in Australia. In the air you can see the wedged tail that gives the species its name. I’ll do a post on this special little shearwater later on.

Albatross 227

Albatross Madagascar Breeders Mexico 227

10,000 Birds

MARCH 14, 2019

a British expat birder who was living in Belgrade, for a suggestion: “The top species is undoubtedly White-tailed Eagle. commented further: “With a little work some species can be seen quite easily such as the divers, scaup, scoter, Goosander , Garganey and Long-eared Owl. Black Storks migrate along and breed in the Danube flood zone.

Serbia 250

Serbia Woodpeckers Albania Eagles 250

10,000 Birds

MAY 3, 2011

But, as with so many other species, these birds have been left to do their own whistle blowing. West Indian Whistling Ducks are the largest of the eight different whistling duck species. The whistling duck call carries with it the crimes of big business, the failures of governments and the ignorance of irresponsible hunters.

Antigua and Barbuda 247

Antigua and Barbuda Puerto Rico Dominican Republic Jamaica 247

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 19, 2020

Last weekend I wasn’t on the hunt for any species in particular though. Many of these were still in their breeding plumage, a special treat for us here in the tropics as they would soon shed their richly patterned exterior for a drab and more mundane outfit. There were more Lesser Yellowlegs than we could count.

Trinidad 255

Trinidad South America Blackbirds Game 255

10,000 Birds

MAY 28, 2015

And that is why the hides are where they are, not to admire the scenery (or shoot at it – hunting is prohibited in the reserve and the ban is enforced). For example, the White-headed Duck is nowadays a rarity in Europe (okay, excluding Spain, I know… that Spain …), but until some 50 years ago, it used to breed in Serbia.

Serbia 268

Serbia Spain Birds Hungary 268

10,000 Birds

MAY 31, 2015

We call it a “mouse gradation year” I was not able to find a catchy English term for “gradation year” – it’s what happens when a certain species showing population cycles reaches a peak year. The kestrels , on the other hand, will more frequently hunt from low perches. Gotta be mouse gradation.

Fox 187

Fox Rodents Gophers Germany 187

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

A quite uncommon bird – there are only about 6000 pairs on the planet and this is one of only a handful of my observations of this species. Two-thirds of the world’s population breeds colonially on Greek islands. My first one was about 20 years ago not far from Thessaloniki, three dark morph birds, and I still remember it.

Falcons 235

Falcons Greece Madagascar Game 235

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 5, 2020

Striated Heron in breeding plumage – extra plumes and blue lores. Scores of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks circled overhead, these vocal ducks are often hunted illegally here so it was refreshing to see so many. Especially as we were at the time about to experience a rapidly advancing tropical storm. Great Blue Heron.

Livestock 264

Livestock ALA Ducks illegal 264

10,000 Birds

JUNE 26, 2013

The survival of songbirds depends in part upon eliminating illegal hunting. That means passing over the Mediterranean Sea and the Middle East, where you’re liable to get shot, trapped, or otherwise hunted. Fearing that a natural disaster, introduced species, or disease could wipe this fragile population out, the U.S.

Cambodia 185

Cambodia Slaughter Slaughtered Cyprus 185

10,000 Birds

MAY 19, 2014

It also makes sense, what with the black-on-yellow stripes and its pugnacious personality when it comes to defending both feeding areas and its breeding turf. Fortunately for birders, the Cape May Warbler is considered a Species of Least Concern by Birdlife International because of its large range and large and stable population.

New York City 205

New York City Tigers New York Canada 205

10,000 Birds

JULY 27, 2011

The name wasn’t proposed to settle a trans-Atlantic dispute like the previous two names, but instead merely in an effort to give this little species a suitably noble name. The name didn’t stick and the species went back to being the White Tern, but it’s a change I liked and would have been happy to see remain.

Eggs 195

Eggs Fish Hunting Breeding 195

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 16, 2014

The Veliko Ratno Island birdlist is about 170 species long, of which more than 90 were observed from the Dorcol Promenade. Highlight species: Ferruginous Duck , Goosander , Red-breasted Merganser , Red-crested Pochard , Greater Scaup , Velvet Scoter , Black-throated Diver. In March and November, Common Cranes are a possibility.

Serbia 255

Serbia Ducks Birds Eagles 255

10,000 Birds

MAY 11, 2018

There are an additional 1,200 acres of surrounding protected refuge, supporting a documented 525 bird species! In the park proper, 358 species have been recorded. One of the highlights of birding in this Texas state park is the chance to see five owl species that breed here. Stygian Owl. Photo by © Hector Bottai.

Texas 189

Texas Owls Barn Owls Hunting 189

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 19, 2016

Photo above by Louise Hunt, courtesy of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology) At just about 5,000 individuals, Florida’s only exclusive endemic is Endangered. And with the bird’s oak scrub habitat rapidly disappearing , scientists are searching for ways to preserve the species. Take the Florida Scrub-Jay. ”

Florida 189

Florida California Hunting Research 189