10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

The brilliant orange coloration and rich, haunting song of the Spot-breasted Oriole ( Icterus pectoralis ) makes this species one of my favorite permanent residents in southeastern Florida, even though it is an introduced exotic. How can an introduced species be a favorite among birders? Don’t they compete with native birds?

Miami 186

Miami Costa Rica Florida 2005 186

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2013

Although both species are widespread in North America as breeders in shrubby edge habitats, that is not the case in the southern half of the sunshine state (the more northerly race of Prairie Warbler is an uncommon breeder in the panhandle). Everyone, I would like you to meet the ‘Florida’ Prairie Warbler ( S.

Florida 211

Florida Miami Breeders Tampa 211

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2013

It is one of three species of ani ( Groove-billed and Greater Anis are the other two) and together form a unique branch in the cuckoo family. According to the Florida Breeding Bird Atlas, the first confirmed breeding record was in Miami in July of 1938. Petersburg area and Cape Canaveral.

Florida 221

Florida Virgin Islands Miami Breeders 221

10,000 Birds

APRIL 10, 2015

In February of 2013, I wrote a piece outlining my thoughts on which exotic bird species should be added to the American Bird Association (ABA) checklist. In 2014, the Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee (FOSRC) voted to add this species to the Florida state list. The ABA Checklist Committee quickly followed suit.

Los Angeles 154

Los Angeles Miami San Francisco San Antonio 154

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 5, 2012

Carlos Sanchez is an excellent birder, a Miami resident, and a polyglot. Matheson to preserve the wild and natural beauty of the area , this venerable park is the oldest in Miami-Dade County. It even contains, dare I say, a little bit of history (by Miami standards, anyways) in the form of structures and old walls made of coral.

Miami 163

Miami Florida Pelicans Birds 163

10,000 Birds

APRIL 18, 2011

Are they breeding? Miami and Los Angeles were also major importation hubs, and populations of Aratinga mitrata are well established in those areas. They are a temperate zone species, found at high elevations, so they are somewhat cold-adapted. What, you may ask? How did they get there? How do they survive the winter?

New York City 241

New York City Los Angeles New York South America 241

10,000 Birds

JULY 24, 2012

Carlos Sanchez is an excellent birder, a Miami resident, and a polyglot. Over twenty species of wood-warbler may be recorded in a single winter in Miami-Dade County, with several more species recorded regularly in Monroe and Broward. During the winter, southeast Florida becomes the wood-warbler capital of the ABA area.

Florida 160

Florida Miami Cuba Bahamas 160

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Many Nearctic species and families reach their southern terminus in the Northern Central American Highlands, such as Common Raven , Red Crossbill , Steller’s Jay , and even Brown Creeper. Alex also masterfully worked another tricky species into view for us during that first afternoon, Ruddy Crake (a close relative of the Black Rail ).

Honduras 244

Honduras El Salvador Costa Rica Arizona 244

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 13, 2012

Nonetheless, this bird is one of the most interesting species in the avifauna of southeast Florida for many reasons — an interesting biology that parallels that of several pigeon species in the Old World Tropics as well as its limited distribution in the state. Is this the closest equivalent to a tramp species in the Americas?

Florida 187

Florida Miami Bahamas Mexico 187

10,000 Birds

MAY 16, 2014

Although many South Florida specialties can be seen throughout the year such as White-crowned Pigeon and Snail Kite , most visiting birders decide to come in the months of April and May in search of summer migrants or secretive birds that only vocalize during the breeding season.

Florida 157

Florida Miami Bahamas Breeders 157

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

Various smaller bird species which are not seen easily later in the day also make an appearance at the break of dawn, and and as February turns into March, their singing becomes more incessant and forms a significant part in the wetland dawn chorus – White-eyed Vireo , Great Crested Flycatcher , Carolina Wren , and Northern Cardinal.

Wildlife 149

Wildlife Alligators Miami Florida 149

10,000 Birds

MAY 2, 2016

On my recent short family vacation to Miami, I was granted a single day to get out and really bird like a madman. We immediately headed to an undisclosed location where Carlos had breeding Mangrove Cuckoos staked out. Can you believe that a New Yorker could travel all the way to Miami and not be treated to breakfast?

Florida 139

Florida Miami Birds Owls 139

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2013

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. New World Vultures.

California Condor 209

California Condor Turkey North America Jordan 209

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 5, 2021

Dragonflies and Damselflies of Costa Rica: A Field Guide covers 113 damselfly species and 170 dragonfly species, a total of 283 species. Wait–that adds up to 290 species, but the book only covers 283. .* Wait–that adds up to 290 species, but the book only covers 283. Paulson, William A. INTRODUCTION.

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica North America Family America 264

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 29, 2012

Seeing as birds are extremely adaptable creatures as a whole, I have always found it interesting to see which bird species manage to make a living or even thrive among all the concrete, cars, and noise. In fact, several species in Miami-Dade are found exclusively in such habitats.

Miami 124

Miami Fast Food Florida Cattle 124

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 15, 2012

Red-necked Grebe by Carlos Sanchez My Best Bird of the Year was a Red-necked Grebe discovered in an urban pond in Tallahassee which lingered long enough for me to go and see it — a full 17 hour round trip drive from Miami. This bird represented only the second documented record of this species in Florida.

2012 173

2012 Guatemala Birds Florida 173