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The Beautiful and Colorful Mourning Dove

10,000 Birds

The nickel was placed in the nest for the photo to show me the size of the egg for identification purposes, then removed. Even though the female lays only two eggs per nest attempt, they enjoy a protracted breeding season in which multiple nesting attempts can occur every 30 days, and in Southern locations, nearly year round.

Hunters 200
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Exploring the relationship between flamingos and grebes: The wonderful birds

10,000 Birds

Modern flamingos build mud nests for a single egg, while modern grebes build nests of vegetation for multiple offspring. The eggs in the fossilized nest showed structural characteristics of the shell known only from modern flamingos. In 2012 came an exciting new discovery: a fossilized nest. And that is wonderful indeed.

2001 263
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Where the People Are

10,000 Birds

Contentious issues like parrot ownership, the role of hunters in conservation, and the romaniticization of bygone eras of egg and nest collecting are passed over with nary an acknowledgement that they are controversial.

Science 202
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The Changing Fortunes of Europe’s Vultures – Part 1

10,000 Birds

The chicks need six months to develop so the adults lay their eggs in January. In Franco’s day, a price was paid to farmers and hunters who brought evidence of having shot “vermin”. Griffon Vultures have a long breeding season. So why are these Griffons arriving now? Isn’t it a bit late to breed? All this changed with protection.

Africa 246
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Birding Hongbenghe, Yunnan (Part 1)

10,000 Birds

This laughingthrush is a cooperative breeder – nestlings are fed by all members of a group, often 6-12 (not just 2 as in Wham!): “A female may share a nest with another, and 3 or more adults may take turns incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks.” ” ( source ).

Burma 242
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Dark Deeds

10,000 Birds

Scavenger or efficient hunter? I’ve watched them glean insects (crane flies) from the Tundra, and they are known to rob nests of eggs and nestlings. My friend thought it was a mitiq, which generally applies to one of the eiders. They have their own names, but in the vernacular it works fine for either.

Hunting 197
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The Art of Bird Camp

10,000 Birds

On our first morning after breakfast, my group and the teens piled onto a boat and headed out to Eastern Egg Rock, once again the breeding ground for Atlantic Puffins (as well as a host of other seabirds) thanks to biologist Dr. Stephen Kress. What was it like?” I asked one of the teens, when eventually they rejoined us.

Puffins 277