10,000 Birds

JULY 19, 2014

Here at 10,000 Birds we are going to dedicate the coming week, from today until Saturday, to invasive species. Of course, most of the species we will cover will fit the more traditional definition of invasive species, which usually only covers introduced species that are doing harm to species in the areas to which they are introduced.

Species 205

Species New Zealand North America Mammals 205

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2020

I was soooo excited about getting to know the Middle East, as well as some of its exotic species. The Streak-backed Oriole shown at the head of this post is far from an uncommon species in Paso Ancho. This female Rose-throated Becard also gave me my best photo so far of its species. All in all, it was a very satisfying day.

Species 175

Species Mexico Jordan Turkey 175

10,000 Birds

MARCH 4, 2016

As the subtitle implies, this appreciation drives the bulk of A Chorus of Cranes: The Cranes of North America and the World. A Chorus of Cranes: The Cranes of North America and the World by Paul A. While the book as whole is both pleasurable and educational, I found the section on Sandhill Cranes to be the most engaging.

North America 150

North America America Nebraska Neglecting 150

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. Taxa that could end up being split into one species occurring north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and one south of the isthmus. (2). Bird species that require further research.

Costa Rica 242

Costa Rica Species South America America 242

10,000 Birds

MAY 4, 2021

With two of North America’s major flyways, Mississippi and Central, overhead, and with almost 400 miles of coastline Louisiana is one of those states where you can see Eastern and Western birds and a hell of a lot of shorebirds and waterfowl. (The Adventures of a Louisiana Birder: One Year, Two Wings, Three Hundred Species.

Louisiana 264

Louisiana Species Mississippi Alabama 264

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 30, 2015

When it comes to individual North American species, the old reliable trick of naming them after physical traits is in full effect. Well, I never did see a Black-backed Woodpecker on my trip, but they were on my mind… What could be more straightforward than the naming of woodpeckers? Here are birds that peck at wood. Black-backed.

North America 157

North America Woodpeckers America Family 157

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 9, 2013

Both of these species show gregarious flocking behavior except when nesting. References: 1 Birds of North America Online. The orange beak on the female American Goldfinch and its white undertail coverts distinguish it from the female Lesser Goldfinch below, which has yellow undertail coverts and a darker beak.

California 180

California Species Oregon North America 180

10,000 Birds

JULY 26, 2014

Perhaps our outrage at invasive species can be a bit hypocritical at times. Listers are quick to put aside their condemnation of invasive species once they attain that coveted status of exotic: not native, not fully naturalized, but established well enough to be countable by the prevailing authority. That’s where we come in.

Species 160

Species Feral Cats Feral Miami 160

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 25, 2015

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.

Sparrows 275

Sparrows North America South America Blackbirds 275

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 29, 2018

Maybe it’s because the American Coot ( Fulica americana ) is the most abundant and widely distributed species of rail in North America that it gets no respect? The post The American Coot – One of the Least Appreciated Birds in North America appeared first on 10,000 Birds.

North America 113

North America America Ducks Industry 113

10,000 Birds

MAY 24, 2020

North America is home to many amazing bird species, including several which require a special effort to see and appreciate. In the summer, they are the highest altitude breeding songbird in North America. So let’s look at this sampler, shall we? Want to see an Elegant Trogon on a Naturalist Journeys tour?

America 264

America Arizona North America Texas 264

10,000 Birds

APRIL 11, 2012

There cannot be many ABA area breeding birds harder to get than those that only breed on the remotest tips of the north of North America and then fly off to places that aren’t on the major continental flyways. They do turn up on the coast of North America, but not often.

Fiji 202

Fiji North America Hawaii America 202

10,000 Birds

MARCH 20, 2012

These particular birds were in Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan, but the same story is taking place all over the world right now, as few species have successfully adapted to as many locations as the House Sparrow.

Sparrows 239

Sparrows Raccoons Battery North America 239

10,000 Birds

JUNE 6, 2012

The American Acclimatization Society was a group founded in New York City in 1871 dedicated to introducing European flora and fauna into North America for “both economic and cultural reasons. He allegedly proposed to introduce every species of bird mentioned in the plays of William Shakespeare to the United States.

North America 217

North America United States New York City New York 217

10,000 Birds

MAY 9, 2012

Here in Northern California I am fortunate to have at least three of the western hummingbirds of North America visiting my yard. The least common species of hummingbird I see here is the Calliope Hummingbird ( Stellula calliope ). The male is the only hummingbird in North America with a rufous back.

Breeders 240

Breeders North America America California 240

10,000 Birds

APRIL 28, 2017

The latest from his pen is Birds of Prey , a hybrid between an identification guide and an essay collection, a book of lore that provides a comprehensive overview of the raptors of North America. Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and Vultures of North America by Pete Dunne with Kevin T. Fish and Wildlife Service.

North America 107

North America Falcons America Eagles 107

10,000 Birds

MAY 12, 2013

This is called the “Head Immersion Method”, according to Birds of North America (BNA), a feeding process in which the bird dips its head in the water and mud to feast on aquatic invertebrates. (I BNA says that both species share a passion for brine flies, and tend to share habitat. Random House, 2003. Poole, Ed.).

North America 224

North America America 2011 Jordan 224

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 27, 2012

Common Merganser female by John Borg There are six living species of mergansers, three of which are commonly spotted in North America: The Common Merganser ( Mergus merganser ) ranges widely throughout the northern hemisphere. Anyway, the hoodie is the only merganser endemic to North America. Notice the sawbill?

North America 246

North America Thailand Russia Ducks 246

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. Bird communication is a complex and evolving science. How do they know?

North America 279

North America Research Birds America 279

10,000 Birds

MAY 18, 2012

Actitus macularius , as spotties are known to the scientific set, are widespread across North America and winter across Central and South America, even as far south as Chile.

New Jersey 197

New Jersey North America Chile South America 197

10,000 Birds

MAY 8, 2013

The smellier the better, particularly as, unusually for birds, many species can boast a robust sense of smell. In any case, our hang-ups with vultures clearly stem from our own issues rather than any inherently bizarre trait of the species themselves. Vultures famously feed on carrion. Dead things. Here’s the kicker though.

California Condor 209

California Condor Turkey North America Jordan 209

10,000 Birds

MAY 2, 2017

This time the tome that three lucky readers will receive is Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and Vultures of North America by Pete Dunne. The first and easiest way to win a copy of Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and Vultures of North America is to subscribe to the 10,000 Birds email mailing list.

North America 187

North America Falcons Eagles Birds 187

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 12, 2014

And with it the existence of the northernmost species of parrot in the world, the only native parrot in the United States whose provenance is not questioned, and a piece of American natural history that is so bizarre that its existence seems impossible to people living today. It was called Incas. And some I don’t think I want to.

Parrots 255

Parrots Hunters United States North America 255

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 28, 2015

Although it was formerly abundant and geographically widespread, Trumpeter Swan numbers and distribution were greatly reduced during the early fur trade and European settlement of North America (1600’s to 1800’s), when it was prized for its skins and primary feathers 1. www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq1bx7Ic2FY. v=kq1bx7Ic2FY.

North America 178

North America Iowa Wisconsin Michigan 178

10,000 Birds

JULY 21, 2014

These bark-burrowing beetles, which apparently hitched a ride in cargo shipments from their native Asia, have been starving the ash trees of eastern and midwestern North America to death for a dozen years now. … Here at 10,000 Birds 20 July – 26 July is Invasive Species Week. Enter the woodpecker.

Woodpeckers 273

Woodpeckers Illinois Chicago Kentucky 273

10,000 Birds

MARCH 31, 2012

This didn’t detract from the pleasure of finding one of North America’s most strikingly marked wablers. It was almost as if the species had been forgotten. I was thrilled to be seing warblers so early in March, until I remembered that Townsend’s Warblers can be seen along the west coast during the cold months.

San Francisco 240

San Francisco North America Owls America 240

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 18, 2012

And some distinctive-looking species, like Surfbird and Buff-breasted Sandpiper are placed in genera by themselves. Curlews The first branch contains the curlews, plus North America’s the Western Hemisphere’s Upland Sandpiper. But let’s take a look at how things are shaping up for the future.

Family 203

Family North America Netherlands New Zealand 203

10,000 Birds

JULY 2, 2013

Bluebird Man is about Alfred Larson, but you can be one of the film’s heroes by contributing to its production… There is something special about bluebirds, and it isn’t just because the world’s three species are only found in North America. There is something more. Preparing to band 3 Mountain Bluebird chicks.

Idaho 215

Idaho North America America Science 215

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

The Bank Swallow ( Riparia riparia ) is North America’s smallest swallow. The report identifies 33 species that do not meet the Watch List criteria but are declining rapidly in many areas. The main reason for this rapid decline, as in the case of most species, is loss of habitat.

North America 199

North America 2014 California America 199

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2015

Many species that are currently common may stay that way, and some species will likely increase…and hopefully species besides House Sparrows , European Starlings , Rock Pigeons and Eurasian Collared-Doves , which those in North America know as the four avian horsemen of the apocalypse. Whats in it for birds?

North America 246

North America San Francisco Suffering California 246

10,000 Birds

JULY 18, 2013

The group has a worldwide distribution; 28 species living and two additional extinct. Both extinct species were island-dwelling and flightless, suggesting a propensity of the group to disperse over long distances , a characteristic that any birder in late summer is familiar with. Scarlet Ibis , photo by Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela.

North America 240

North America Charlotte Birds Miami 240

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 1, 2011

I think most of us in North America have come to the somewhat disappointing conclusion that fall migration is pretty much finished for the year. The flocks that just a fortnight ago held multiple species in varied, if subdued, hues, now overwhelmingly consist of a single species. You’re done.

North America 225

North America North Carolina Tennessee South America 225

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 6, 2015

Gordon, president of the ABA, an Introduction, Species Accounts, Acknowledgements, Image Credits, a Checklist of the Birds of the state, and a Species Index. Species Accounts in both titles are arranged loosely in ABA Checklist order, with some flipping around of order within each family.

Colorado 261

Colorado Florida New Jersey North America 261

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

The Salvia mexicana is sold in North America with the varietal name “Limelight” But this one was wild, native, and beautiful. This species loves to sing while high up in pine trees. But I was delighted to see a Black-chinned Sparrow near the shore; this is only my eighth sighting of this species.

2020 306

2020 Reptiles South America Birds 306

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 23, 2014

The recent hubbub in the northeastern United States in terms of rare birds has been all about the Whiskered Tern at Cape May, the third record of this species for North America. All three of those records are from Cape May. You can read more about this awesome bird here.

New Jersey 231

New Jersey United States North America America 231

10,000 Birds

JULY 23, 2014

Since its introduction, this dove has spread quickly across the North American continent. The northwestern spread of this non-native species made it to my yard a few years ago. In North America and the Caribbean, they are found mostly in suburban, urban, and agricultural areas where grain, roost, and nest sites are available.

2002 190

2002 Breeders North America Bahamas 190

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2017

This is the first identification guide that I know of that covers Mexico (technically North America but rarely included in North American raptor guides) and Central America. Like Peterson’s Hawks of North America, 2nd edition (Houghton Mifflin, 2001), which Clark co-authored with Brain K.

Mexico 186

Mexico America North America Falcons 186