10,000 Birds

APRIL 24, 2021

I strained to see them, could only see an occasional booby escape our bow, watch some of the hundreds of Wedge-tailed and Pink-footed Shearwaters zip by and hold on as our boat tested its speed. As we approached and drew nearly alongside the small seabirds, we also tested the limits of our optics, our balance, and our focus.

Costa Rica 264

Costa Rica Dolphins Sea Turtles Turtles 264

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2019

Several Ferruginous Duck and one surprising male Goosander , four Glossy Ibises , Common Kingfishers , Eurasian Hopooes , a high note of a Penduline Tit somewhere from the willows along the canal, Eurasian Spoonbills , European Turtle Doves gently purrring …. Five years ago, I observed Dalmatian Pelicans breeding on purpose-built platforms.

Greece 198

Greece Pelicans Buffalo Fish 198

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 7, 2020

The book is divided into three parts: “Introduction,” “Avifaunal Overview,” and “Species Accounts.” The authors’ detailed delineation of problems with the accuracy of NYC breeding bird surveys or with the limits of historical writings may test a reader’s patience. Most birders will go straight to the “Species Accounts.”

New York City 153

New York City New York Birds Breeding 153

10,000 Birds

MAY 19, 2015

The feature distinguishes birds from other species; All birds have them, no other species do. Beaks vary across different kinds of birds, and this great diversity in beaks is part of the great diversity of the 10,000+ species of birds that exist today; Beaks thus facilitated the diversification of birds. Here’s the thing.

Alligators 218

Alligators Chickens Research Reptiles 218

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 185

California Condor Turkey North America Jordan 185

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 4, 2021

Of the dozen gifts mentioned in the Christmas carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” seven are birds: the seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying, four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves, and – of course – a partridge in a pear tree. No matter how big your avian-related library is, this would be a terrific addition to it.

Colombia 245

Colombia Birds Bald Eagle Guyana 245