10,000 Birds

JANUARY 2, 2024

Hauber Hauber’s mini-essays focus on specific behaviors, enhanced by references to recent research yet written in a relaxed, personal way. © 2023 Tony Angell; © 2023 Mark E. Hauber is really good at presenting scientific findings so they don’t seem scientific at all, simply reasonable answers to our questions.

Barn Owls 176

Barn Owls Chicago Penguins New Zealand 176

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 13, 2019

In birding, perhaps only the proverbial wild goose chase and snipe hunt rank below owling in terms of expected success. A Great Horned Owl illustrated in Game Birds: Life Histories of One Hundred and Seventy Birds of Prey, Game Birds and Water-Fowls by Neltje Blanchan. There’s the whole role of chance in owling, too.

2017 137

2017 Owls Game Fowl 137

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

They became known as “Turkie Fowl” (spelling varies) because they were coming from the general direction of Turkey. The “Fowl” was dropped and the term “Turkey” was applied to other large Galliformes that were encountered in the New World. They may have also had hunting dogs with them as well. Which would be weird.

Turkey 201

Turkey Columbus Spain Fowl 201

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 6, 2015

I could go on and on, it’s that kind of a book—a comprehensive treatment of a species we respect and adore, based on the most current research, written in a style that, while factual, is from the author’s viewpoint, flavoring facts with a witty, observant personal quality. Mitochondrial DNA analysis strikes again.

North America 219

North America Owls America Dominican Republic 219

10,000 Birds

APRIL 25, 2015

Severe weather can stress birds and even influence the coloration of their feathers , new research finds. Scientists investigate the DNA of Hawaii’s free-roaming fowl. Researchers have figured out where the thought-to-be-extinct Bryan’s Shearwater is roosting. Why did the chicken cross the archipelago? Different, but the same?

Malta 182

Malta Barn Owls Fowl Cyprus 182