The Australian butcherbirds are a genus (Cracticus) of striking and aggressive passerine predators, so it is hardly surprising that when they were first discovered they were placed with the shrikes familiar to Europeans. The genus includes six medium sized butcherbirds and the much larger and terrestrial Australian Magpie (formerly assigned its own genus), and are found across [...]

The bird came first, just in case you were wondering.  Sure, the official name, and associated behavioral verb, refer mostly to the Old World Kites, which look more harrier-ish than most of ours in the New World.  The name has always seemed to apply to a rather motley group of birds, from the exquisite Scissor-tailed [...]

Ok so I missed posting in Bird Love Week because I came down with a horrible flu. No wait, that was the excuse I used last time. This time it was because I had to attend to a “family emergency”. Mike and Corey (the guys that keep us all in line here at 10,000 Birds) are probably reading this and saying, “Yeah right”. I would respond by saying it doesn’t matter what my excuse is because what I’m about to share is freakin owlsome! Even if it is several weeks late and all the animal love voyeurs have stopped visiting the site.

Well, what is odd about this picture? It was taken in Paramus, New Jersey, at Van Saun Park earlier today. Spotted Sandpiper Actitus macularia Figured it out? No? Scroll on down to learn the answer. … … … … … … … … … Keep On Scrolling! … … … … … … … Here [...]

Carrie wrote a thought-provoking post on the perils of being named after Georg Steller, but noted that his Jays were still doing very well thank you. Though Steller’s Jay is usually associated with western coniferous forests, it can be found in many different habitats as well as town parks and gardens were they will take advantage of [...]

Continuing the celebration of commonplace birds we now hail the ubiquitous Great Blue Heron. There are too many images to share so I’ll keep the captions brief and let the pictures do the squawking, er, I mean talking. Their beautiful blue-gray can really pop in the right light. They share our world without too much [...]

“If I sees you I will seize you and I’ll squeeze you ’til you squirt.” -Every Warbling Vireo to every caterpillar ever Warbling Vireos are not much to see. They are bland little birds hidden in the trees, only given away by their loud song, most easily remembered by deploying the phrase that caterpillars dread. [...]

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 smallest of the North American hummingbirds at just 3 1/4 inches, and with wings extending beyond its [...]

Africa has more than its fair share of storks, with 8 of the world’s 19 species gracing the continent. Furthermore we have another very special stork-like bird, the regal Shoebill, previously known as the Whale-headed Stork but now placed in its own family. Storks are typically viewed as wetland species and whilst some storks are [...]

An iPhone 4S is an amazing tool for birders, as Sharon Stiteler has already let readers of 10,000 Birds know. And while using the iPhone in conjunction with optics is pretty cool, I have discovered that sometimes you don’t even need to use anything but the phone itself. Still pictures are fine but using the [...]

Queens, New York, Spring 2010 This blog post has one purpose and one purpose only; to showcase the amazing array of wood-warblers that made their way to the Forest Park waterhole during spring migration in 2010.  There are a couple of species of which I wish I had gotten better pictures (especially Cape May Warbler), [...]

Queens, New York, May 2009 May is the month of migration in North America.  Sure, some species move earlier and, of course, in the fall everything turns around and goes the other way, but May stands out as the month when birds that haven’t been seen since the previous fall come back in natty new [...]

This story comes from Emily Johnson, who is a sub-permittee for a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in Helena, Montana. Emily lives in Big Sky, three hours southwest of Helena, which shows you the distance you have to travel out there to find a rehabber (I was going to say “which shows you how spaced-out rehabbers are,” [...]

“Sweet-sweet-sweet I’m so sweet!” “Sweet-sweet-sweet I’m so sweet!” “Sweet-sweet-sweet I’m so sweet” When you are walking through habitat suitable for Yellow Warblers in late April and throughout May you can be forgiven for thinking that the little yellow birds want you to lick them like a lollipop. They sing hidden behind thick tangles and perched [...]

Wait. What? What did Walter come across? Do people walk their birds? And does this law apply to wild birds? Or is this all the work of vandals, in real life or in photoshop? So confusing… …

One of the most exciting aspects of bird migration in a coastal location is the potential for large numbers of birds to find themselves over the ocean when dawn breaks. They get to land as quickly as they can and sometimes can be found concentrated in large numbers. This isn’t fallout in the strictest sense, [...]

A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.         – Chinese proverb attributed to both Maya Angelou and Lou Holtz   While spring in New York City is great for birders because of the wide variety of colorful migrant birds moving through it is [...]

It’s been a heck of a week, hasn’t it? The amount of bird love that was on this blog was absurd and the fear is that 10,000 Birds will now be considered some kind of sick fetish porn site. Which, if you think about it, we kind of are already if only in a very [...]

It’s that time of year again and birds are flying north in anticipation of summer romance. Not everybody will find love this season so 10,000 Birds have started a special initiative to help birds to shape up and become the best that they can be. We all get a kick from seeing a fine example of a [...]

Birds make other birds.  This is a simple fact of life.  Birders watch birds.  This too is a simple fact.  Sometimes birders watch birds making other birds.  This is kind of cool, kind of creepy.  Sometimes birders take pictures of birds making other birds.  This is kind of weird.  Sometimes birders share the pictures of [...]