10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 5, 2013

Two-thirds of the world’s population breeds colonially on Greek islands. Unlike other falcons, they do not breed in spring, but in late summer, to exploit the abundance of songbirds and pick up those first-time (and last-time) migrants from the sky. Falco eleonorae , copyright © Nikos Samaritakis {Winged Cretans}.

Falcons 175

Falcons Greece Madagascar Game 175

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 21, 2019

At some stage, in the darkness with Claire and Callan, Tim Dee was stalking a nightjar in Madagascar. …hundreds of working man and boys would take advantage of the free hour at dinner time to visit the bridges and embankments, and give the scraps left from their meal to the birds.”

Angola 183

Angola United Kingdom Mozambique Botswana 183

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2012

Yellow-billed Stork portrait (note the pink flush indicating breeding status), Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania by Adam Riley The Yellow-billed Stork has a closely-related sister species in Asia known as Painted Stork. During breeding season, their white plumage turns a delicate pink color, a lovely sight indeed.

Africa 238

Africa Tanzania South Africa Uganda 238

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

But it also occurs in the Indian Ocean, from Aldabra near Madagascar to Western Australia. The species breeds on an extraordinary number of islands, and has a worldwide population of perhaps over five million birds, and this is in spite of declines to due hunting, persecution and introduced species.

Albatross 169

Albatross Madagascar Breeders Mexico 169

10,000 Birds

MAY 12, 2013

Africa has two resident pelican species, the huge and widely distributed Great or Eastern White Pelican and the smaller Pink-backed which is restricted to Africa, the southern Arabian peninsula and Madagascar (where it may now be extinct.) Great White Pelicans showing the pink flush of breeding plumage. Photo by Adam Riley.

Africa 207

Africa Somalia Mozambique Pelicans 207

10,000 Birds

MAY 1, 2014

A few weeks from now (it was early April), Eleonora’s Falcons will become a possibility, too, once they return from Madagascar. This shearwater is a Mediterranean endemic, breeding from Sardinia and Corsica to the Adriatic and the Aegean. A movement at the cliff, two birds, one drab brown, the other blue – a pair of Blue Rock Thrushes.

Greece 231

Greece Malta Croatia Italy 231

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 22, 2013

Cosmopolitan species like Horned and Eared ( Slavonian and Black-necked respectively on the other side of the oceans) Grebes and Red-necked Grebe breed on freshwater bodies across the high latitudes of the northern hemisphere and turn up anywhere from sewage treatment plants to saltwater in the winter.

Jordan 191

Jordan Guatemala South America Birds 191

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2017

The Species Accounts tell us the birds’ stories, and a lot of information is packed into these paragraphs: appearance; age and gender differences in appearance; how the species differs from similar birds; interesting behavior or nesting notes; whether it is common or uncommon or rare; migratory or resident, breeding or nonbreeding in Kruger N.P.;

Ecuador 170

Ecuador Wildlife Reptiles Mammals 170

10,000 Birds

MARCH 8, 2011

This is an endemic breeding bird in North America and much is now being done by various federal and non-profit groups to ensure and foster its conservation. Piping plovers are always a treat to see, whether at their coastal or inland breeding grounds or whether at their southern wintering grounds.

Florida 187

Florida South Africa 2011 Africa 187

10,000 Birds

JUNE 24, 2024

Research required to determine its feeding ecology and breeding biology.” ” “Breeding Mar–Jun. ” And why not. The HBW entry is basically a list of things not known about the bird: “Poorly known. ” “Habits not well known.” No other information.”

Vietnam 212

Vietnam Birds Woodpeckers Bangladesh 212

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 9, 2012

Each male builds numerous nests, most of which are rejected by the female, who will eventually select a nest she is happy with, allow the proud architect who usually hangs under his masterpiece to mate with her and then begins the breeding process. Image taken by Adam Riley in Perinet, Madagascar. These nests can weight up to 1 ton!

Tanzania 219

Tanzania Buffalo Kenya Namibia 219

10,000 Birds

JUNE 26, 2018

A bit of background: Pink Pigeons are medium-sized, pink/gray/ brown birds found on the island of Mauritius, Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. Pink pigeon near Le Pétrin, Mauritius by Michael Hanselmann, used under Creative Commons license. Mauritius may sound familiar, it was also the home of one of our most famous extinct birds—the Dodo.

Mauritius 101

Mauritius Stud Zoos Eggs 101

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 24, 2012

No, you see, the males are pretty defensive about their young, and in the breeding season will aggressively attack what they perceive as a threat to their nest. Bicycle helmets often sprout antennae during the breeding season, or poles mounted on the back of the bike. Signs are posted warning of particularly aggressive birds in parks.

New Zealand 149

New Zealand Kangaroos Australia Birds 149