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Forgotten Prairies

10,000 Birds

While we continue to decimate our short and tall grass prairies many species reach their inevitable peril. Here in Colorado many species are affected, but perhaps none more than our beautiful Mountain Plovers and Ferruginous Hawks. The Pawnee National Grasslands continues to be a stronghold for our two species in question.

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The “Birds” in the Brush

10,000 Birds

When you move on to Montana, you discover that there are worse things that one species of tiny screaming mammal tricking you each year as you try to cope with an influx of songbirds and a winterized memory bank that contains only Black-capped Chickadees and Dark-eyed Juncos (and only about half their calls at that.) You sigh and move on.

Chipmunks 224
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The Rusty Squirrel-Hawk AKA Ferruginous Hawk

10,000 Birds

They are often seen on the ground since their prey consists mainly of rabbit, prairie dog and, you guessed it, ground squirrel. Note the long yellow gape, a characteristic field mark of this species. Fish and Wildlife Service and as a Sensitive Species by the Bureau of Land Management 1. This is the light morph.

Squirrels 170
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Cavity Nesting Birds of North America and Their Babies!

10,000 Birds

Bufflehead ( Bucephala albeola ) Female at Cavity Entrance photos by Larry Jordan “Some 85 species of North American birds excavate nesting holes, use cavities resulting from decay (natural cavities), or use holes created by other species in dead or deteriorating trees.

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Winter Wanderland

10,000 Birds

My hosts could confidently tick off the species on their life list. We got at least three sub-species but the highlight was a Wilson’s Snipe we flushed. We also saw Prairie Dogs , Bison , Mule Deer , Abert’s Squirrel and Coyote. We were happy enough for we were getting reasonable views. I ticked off 9 lifers.

Denver 189
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What is the National Bird of Aruba?

10,000 Birds

These owls use the tunnels of other species as their nesting burrows, and so can be found associated with ground squirrels, tortoises, and prairie dogs. Unlike many other owl species, the male and the female are the same size. They hunt both during the day and into the night, making spotting one more likely.

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How to Know the Birds: The Art and Adventure of Birding – A Book Review

10,000 Birds

So, for example, Essay #15, “Individual Variation,” uses Herring Gulls to introduce the concept that one species, even one species at a specific age, can vary widely in appearance. The Checklist is more than a taxonomic listing of species and chapter number and title; it also contains useful notes on each bird family.