10,000 Birds

JULY 20, 2014

In Australia we definitely have our fair share of invasive species and the main problem is that we are such a huge land mass with such a small population. The population of Australia is concentrated mainly around the city areas along the coast and many invasive species have been able to spread with ease.

Australia 157

Australia Species Feral Cats Feral 157

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 15, 2015

Some bird groups take more to learn than others. Challenging groups of birds are those with very similar species occurring in one locality. Others include species where males and females have breeding and non-breeding plumages and those species that take multiple plumage stages to reach the adult age.

Groups 160

Groups Birds Breeding Species 160

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2024

Now that this bird has seemingly moved on, I had to find other species to distract me, but fortunately that was not too hard. Fortunately, I did not only see the standard species, but was also rewarded with less regular species. Perhaps the scaups are bad luck for me, but I’m sure I’ll get my bittern one day.

Birds 211

Birds Ducks Groups Species 211

10,000 Birds

APRIL 12, 2012

In North America, we have, traditionally at least, four species, the most familiar of which is the White-breasted Nuthatch ( Sitta carolinensis ). Noting these results in combination with long-recognized (if subtle) morphological and vocal differences, the 2011 paper proposes that all four populations could be given full species status.

Species 268

Species North America Nevada 2007 268

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2015

These and several other species might end up being armchair ticks if and when we take a closer look at their evolutionary history. This bunch of possible Costa Rican crypto birds can be grouped into four main categories: (1). A species that lives in both Costa Rica and South America but might be two separate species. (3).

Costa Rica 216

Costa Rica Species South America America 216

10,000 Birds

JULY 15, 2024

Somewhat strangely, the HBW calls it a “small grey to yellow babbler” – while the species indeed has some grey parts, that is not the color that sticks to mind when seeing or remembering the bird. Plus the sibia apparently plays an important role in the pollination of one endangered rhododendron species ( source ).

Eggs 232

Eggs Birds Japan Myanmar 232

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2018

More than 50 years ago, the Hawaiian Goose (Nene) was one of the first birds listed under the Endangered Species Act, part of the inaugural “ Class of 1967 ”. Under the Endangered Species Act, any listing, uplisting, downlisting, or removal from a list requires a formal “rulemaking” process.

Endangered Species 102

Endangered Species Species Hawaii 2018 102

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2024

David Tomlinson wrote this week about how many and which species he has seen so far this year, and I can do the same. Especially since, to my surprise, it turns out that I am somehow picking up species faster this year, here in Michoacán, than in any other year. Fortunately, I have other 10,000 Birds writers from whom to steal ideas.

Virginia 218

Virginia Mexico California Species 218

10,000 Birds

MARCH 28, 2024

This time, they counted 3,000 Northern Shovelers , 1,000 Green-winged Teals , 2,800 American Avocets , 2,150 Stilt Sandpipers , 820 Long-billed Dowitchers , 1,000 Least Sandpipers , 500 Western Sandpipers , and 150 American White Pelicans , along with lesser numbers for 30 other species. Flamingos !”

Mexico 198

Mexico Cuba Chile South America 198

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 7, 2021

Yes, field guides to other groups of organisms, as there’s hardly any room left in your baggage or the energy to carry it. No, Madagascar is the most famous for an endemic group of mammals: lemurs, sifakas, indri, aye-aye – in total, 112 endemic species and subspecies of lemurs alone!

Madagascar 247

Madagascar Mammals Lemurs Seychelles 247

10,000 Birds

APRIL 13, 2022

As is my self-declared tradition of speaking of groups of birds within the species gamut of Trinidad & Tobago, allow me to introduce you to yet another group of three. While the entire Tyrannidae family of Tyrant Flycatchers is massive, the Myiarchus group of those recorded on these two islands comprises just three species.

Trinidad 218

Trinidad ALA Groups Family 218

10,000 Birds

APRIL 21, 2013

So, Maley suggests recognizing four species, instead of the two currently recognized. I should also note that the abstract for the Condor paper proposes five , not four, species. Perhaps tenuirostris of Central Mexico is proposed as a full species, instead of being lumped with the endangered Pacific and Baja populations?

Species 223

Species Cuba North America Louisiana 223

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 19, 2024

Quite a few bird species have crests. In fact, crests occur in at least 20 of the 30 orders of extant birds, and in all major groups of passerines. Their main use is to display – either to communicate with other members of the species or to scare other species, as a raised crest makes the bird appear larger.

South Africa 208

South Africa China Germany Africa 208

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

I’ve waited a few weeks even to make this post, as members of this group of birds have historically been targeted throughout their range for their singing prowess. Some weeks later, I heard of a small group of Lined Seedeaters in the same location. In all the years birding this spot, I had never seen this species there before.

Trinidad 343

Trinidad Groups Blackbirds Species 343

10,000 Birds

JULY 28, 2024

Wilson’s Storm Petrel Heading to the shelf seems to be the preferred option as it is here that you will find some of the key species. Wilson’s Storm Petrel Oceanodroma oceani cus seems to be everyone’s target species. It just needs a little patience. I have even seen storm petrels within sight of the coast.

Portugal 259

Portugal Breeding Hunting Species 259

10,000 Birds

JULY 5, 2024

These species are not only beautiful or charming, but have a personal resonance for me. Around 2011 or 2012, I discovered an online forum of a rather select group of Mexican birders. In May of 2018, I included some rather sad photos of what I had identified as a group of 6 Long-billed Dowitchers in my eBird report for Lake Cuitzeo.

Squirrels 229

Squirrels Mexico Kansas South America 229

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 27, 2021

The islands and surrounding islets of Trinidad and Tobago boast an astounding list of almost 500 species of birds. There is a recurring theme of threes within the multitude of bird species in T&T, you can see for yourself in some previous posts I made. There are of course a few more which I intend to get to in due course.

Trinidad 262

Trinidad Groups Family Species 262

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 2, 2024

I have mixed feelings about ranking different bird species. This Monday, I went in a group of four to bird around the town of Atzimbo. So I kind of feel that I should not talk about which birds are best. And yet, I just can’t help myself.

Livestock 215

Livestock Sparrows Birds North America 215

10,000 Birds

APRIL 27, 2023

The Latin species name alphonsiana refers to Prof. Of course, the Red-billed Leiothrix is a species native to Sichuan – in Britain, it is now discussed whether to regard it as an invasive species ( source ). While the Buffy Laughingthrush is a nice-looking bird, its Latin species name berthemyi is quite unfortunate.

Italy 193

Italy China France Eggs 193

10,000 Birds

APRIL 14, 2021

These magical forests hide isolated treasures like the critically endangered Golden Tree Frog – not to mention several species of birds not found anywhere else in the country. Last weekend I accompanied a small group of intrepid birders to El Cerro del Aripo, the tallest peak on the island at about 940m.

Trinidad 264

Trinidad Groups Parrots Eagles 264

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 13, 2024

I was very happy about this lifer as I had been hoping to see this species in autumn during my stay on Heligoland. In addition, other typical species around included Eurasian Coot , Common Merganser , Mallard , and Great Crested Grebe and Little Grebe. A Water Rail was hidden, calling from the reeds.

Netherlands 228

Netherlands Birds Ducks Hunting 228

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

I’ve been fortunate to see two Penguin species in the wild (African and Galapagos) and have dreamed of seeing more–maybe even all!–especially The goal of Around the World For Penguins is simple: Describe the 18 species of penguin and their breeding grounds “from the perspective of a traveller.”

Penguins 278

Penguins Georgia Albatross New Zealand 278

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 6, 2021

The very last Sunday of the decade heralded our final CBC – with group sizes limited to five persons. For birders who have visited T&T in the past, the livestock station has always been a staple site for several key species that would be fairly difficult elsewhere. Safe to say no species was left behind!

Trinidad 264

Trinidad Livestock Groups Eagles 264

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 26, 2023

Yet, there is one group of birds where even I prefer photographs: gulls. That is why I am so pleased to see the new “Gulls of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East: An Identification Guide” being illustrated with nearly 1400 colour photographs of the 45 species of gulls found in the Western Palearctic.

Europe 236

Europe Africa Greece Groups 236

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 8, 2023

An associated issue is that the Belize and Costa Rica guides share many of the same descriptions of species, written by Howell. Similarly, descriptions of species repeated across volumes do not lose their accuracy with each publication. Other species are splits and lumped and have had their names changed. Why are these issues?

Costa Rica 219

Costa Rica Belize El Salvador Birds 219

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 18, 2023

I also felt slightly mocked by the fact that the species is so regular on passage here that people don’t even report it in the rarities groups (since I very obviously showed my excitement when someone at the observatory mentioned they saw a wryneck on the beach).

Birds 222

Birds Adoptable Groups Species 222

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 11, 2020

We saw several species of this challenging family, after some time I managed to graduate with the ability to classify them as “streaked” or “unstreaked” When it came down to the actual species, however, I left it to the expert! I learned that Stout Cisticolas often stick together in small groups.

Kenya 206

Kenya Washington Groups Game 206

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 25, 2021

We are too far into the year for many FOY sightings, but not quite far enough for most migratory species to make their return appearances. Still, in any given three-week period (which is the period I have dedicated to this latest group of thematic posts), dedicated birding will produce some sort of news. Does one ever?)

Louisiana 263

Louisiana 2000 Mexico Hunting 263

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 6, 2022

Torresian Crows Corvus orru are the most common of the Crow family in the northern part of Australia and are the most likely of the Crow species that you will encounter. In Broome it is the only Crow species and we do not have Ravens , so it makes identification easy.

Australia 217

Australia Eggs Family Groups 217

10,000 Birds

JULY 20, 2022

The exploration of triads within the avifauna of Trinidad and Tobago has taken me through various families and species groups on this blog. On the smaller island of Tobago there are three species of woodpeckers and three species of woodcreepers – one of each is found on Tobago but not Trinidad.

Woodpeckers 246

Woodpeckers Trinidad South America Hunting 246

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

I have been lucky enough to get close views of two massive Old World Vulture species, the Eurasian Griffon and the Egyptian Vulture. Here in Mexico, I can almost always count on Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures to pad each outing’s list by two species. feet), even though it is one of the smallest of this group.

California Condor 205

California Condor Turkey Mexico Meat 205

10,000 Birds

JULY 12, 2024

Since this latter martin appears to winter in northern South America, and no one knows where the the Sinaloa Martin winters, it has been suggested that the two species might winter together there. I have now seen the species in eight different years. Of course, Paso Ancho is also a hotspot for many other beautiful species and endemics.

Mexico 218

Mexico South America 2020 America 218

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 9, 2023

There was one odd reprint in 2018, when the Subalpine Warbler was split into the Eastern and Western species, but the changes in the guide weren’t sufficient to call it a 3rd edition, so it remained the updated reprint of the 2nd edition. I haven’t noticed changes in the few descriptions of harder to ID species that I compared.

Europe 257

Europe Birds Woodpeckers Ireland 257

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2021

There was a time when I thought each bird species had its own individual song. Then I found out that there was this vocalization called a ‘call,’ so I thought each bird species had its own individual song (but just the males) and individual call. There is so much here! How do they know?

North America 279

North America Research Birds America 279

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 2, 2021

But when I felt familiar with perhaps half of the species around my town, I started to feel that my field guide is now too bulky and too hefty to carry, and that was the era before smartphones and phone apps. of January 2019, which resulted in 10,711 species, 40 orders, 246 families and 2,313 genera. Subspecies are not included.

Botswana 250

Botswana Africa Ecuador Birds 250

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 10, 2024

Although the bird was found a while ago, it had still been seen the day before I went to check out the site with my mother (not a birder but interested in birds), who, in an unlikely coincidence, came across this species a few days earlier when looking through my bird guide and decided that she would really want to see this species.

Reptiles 218

Reptiles Falcons Groups Species 218

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 8, 2020

The authors wrote: [Species] “are the currency of field guides and of birding, but deciding what to treat as ‘species’ is inevitably a subjective endeavour. … We have tended to a liberal (= realistic) direction when recognising species.” There are no species distribution maps, only textual descriptions.

Chile 205

Chile Birds South America Albatross 205