Remove Family Remove Research Remove Sparrows
article thumbnail

The origins of tanagers, warblers, and sparrows are coming into focus

10,000 Birds

A new paper out this month attempts to paint the most comprehensive picture yet of the origins and diversification of the American sparrows, wood-warblers, blackbirds, cardinals, tanagers, and their kin, an enormous group of birds more than 800 species strong. We now know a lot more about who is a tanager vs. a sparrow vs. a cardinal.

Sparrows 279
article thumbnail

The Hidden Qualities of House Sparrows

10,000 Birds

To us on the traditional side of the Atlantic, they’ll always belong to the family Iznogoudae , the birds who want to become warblers instead of the warblers. I therefore decided to counter this month’s heinous wood-warbler attack on my retina by choosing the good old trusty House Sparrow as the topic of my May post.

Sparrows 257
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Trending Sources

article thumbnail

Tiny Asian bird discovered as sole member of ancient family. Who’s next?

10,000 Birds

Big news about a small bird broke earlier this month when bird researchers from several nations announced that the species formerly known as Spotted Wren-Babbler ( Spelaeornis formosus ) — a tiny, secretive bird of montane forests from the eastern Himalayas to southeast China — is not a Spelaeornis wren-babbler at all.

Family 272
article thumbnail

Summer guide to bird taxonomy and systematics news

10,000 Birds

A new genus for the American Tree Sparrow. Slager and John Klicka propose the new genus name Spizelloides for American Tree Sparrow , which is not a Spizella sparrow and is instead distantly related to Fox Sparrow , Zonotrichia , and the juncos. And more sparrow shake-ups to come. Elephant birds and their kiwi kin.

Elephants 244
article thumbnail

2013 AOU North American checklist proposals

10,000 Birds

Sage Sparrow split. Proposal 2013-A-7 would split the Sage Sparrow ( Amphispiza belli ) into two species: Great Basin Sage Sparrow ( A. nevadensis ) and California Sage Sparrow ( A. The proposal author (a Sage Sparrow researcher) argues that multiple factors indicate the birds deserve full species status.

2013 232
article thumbnail

Bird Talk: An Exploration of Avian Communication–A Book Review

10,000 Birds

”* And then, my bird club friends started talking about alternate warbler songs and sparrow dialects and I thought, “Really? And, that sparrow I heard in California that sounded so different really is a Song Sparrow?” I do wish there was more about research on female bird song. And, that’s it.

article thumbnail

Polygynandry and avian swingers

10,000 Birds

Nice. ((** all names have been changed to protect identities and have been substituted with (almost) randomly chosen substitutes suitable for a family of Alpine Accentors.)) While studying, he also worked on various conservation/research projects (parrots, wagtails, vultures, and anything else that flew) and ringed thousands of birds.

2011 235