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Hoatzins invaded South America from Africa … by raft

10,000 Birds

Which is why, upon meeting new people, we want to know where they’re from, who their family is, what they “do,” or two or three other things, depending upon our cultural values. Suddenly, hoatzins are no longer strictly birds of the Neotropics. And Mayr et al.

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Bird Families of the World by Winkler, Billerman and Lovette

10,000 Birds

It seems to me that Lynx Edicions must know Vedran, too, and it was with him in mind that their authors, David W Winkler, Shawn M Billerman and Irby J Lovette, chose the “Bird Families of the World: A Guide to the Spectacular Diversity of Birds” as the full title of their new edition. Families perhaps? It weighs 3.7

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

10,000 Birds

The authors argue that most major groups, including the sparrows, wood-warblers, blackbirds, and cardinals then diversified in North America and subsequently colonized South America in a series of overwater (before the Isthmus of Panama had formed) or overland dispersal events.

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Here’s the new bird family tree. It’s amazing.

10,000 Birds

’s bird family tree in a new tab and follow along as you read. The Hoatzin, which may have reached South America by raft , has resisted placement in basically every study ever done. In 2008, Nick Sly published a review of Hackett et al. titled Avian relationships – What do we know? Open Jarvis et al.’s

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GUYANA–Simply Delicious Birding!

10,000 Birds

Before I delve into some of these avian treasures let me give you a few non-birding reasons to visit this gem of South America. If your Spanish or Portuguese is at the level of a 2-year-old bonobo like mine is, then you’ll probably be pleased to know that Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America.

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All about alcids: Extravagant divers of northern oceans

10,000 Birds

Together, these birds compose the family Alcidae , and they share adaptations that we recognize as penguin-like: an upright stance on land, black-and-white plumage, and — most important — wings that propel them underwater in pursuit of prey ( see them in action here ). © David J. See Cairns et al.

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This Week in Bird(ing) News: Science, Citizen Science, and Citizen Savagery

10,000 Birds

Proving that cruelty knows no bounds, some (language unsuitable for a family blog) in Virginia Beach is shooting blow darts at birds. Birding in Israel? Report your sightings to help build an eBird-like database of the country’s avifauna. Meanwhile, an Oregon farmer caught a beating from a neighbor irritated by his loud “bird cannons.” (Who

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