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Vultures are large birds of prey that can be found in many parts of the world. They play an important role in the ecosystem, as they help to keep the environment clean by scavenging dead animals. There are several different species of vultures, each with its own unique characteristics. In recent years, vultures have been under threat due to habitat loss, illegal hunting, and the use of poisons. To help protect these magnificent creatures, many conservation groups are working to raise awareness and educate people about the importance of vultures. Here, you can find the latest news, articles, and videos about vultures.
Watching a Red-tailed Hawk nest - 10,000 Birds
Sometimes, patience and determination are rewarded. This is what happened to the hapless pair of Red-tailed Hawks who were nesting on the nearby hospital’s chimney’s catwalk. On 28 April, looking through my spotting scope, I saw a fuzzy, white head rising above the edge of their nest. I call them hapless because it took them four years to have a viable nesting season. I have been watching them each year from our 18th-floor condo in Toronto, Canada. The first year, the female sat on the nest from the beginning of March to the end of May before abandoning the nest. The next year, the catwalk underwent repairs and the nest was removed. The third year, the pair dropped a few sticks on the catwalk but didn’t do anything more. This year was different. At the beginning of April, we returned home from being away to see a big nest sitting on the platform. The female was positioned low and snug on the nest, even through all the month’s wind and rain. I’ve read that both parents will incubate the eggs, but I like to think that the female is more likely to be doing that. I saw her poking around in the nest which made me think she was turning the eggs. The male brought her food which I saw her eating. Also, he defended their territory. On 12 April, I watched him escort a pair of Turkey Vultures away from the nest. On the days before hatching, the male appeared to be bringing more food to the nest. The female was restless and kept looking into the nest. On 3 May, I saw the female feeding two nestlings. This was an exciting surprise because before that I had seen only one head popping up. So far, the pair has taken good care of the nestlings. I don’t always see the male dropping off food, but I see the female feeding the young. She rips off small bits which they take from her and gobble down. Afterward, I see the female fluff herself up before she broods the nestlings. In my next column, I will share more of my observations about the hawk family. Cover photo taken from Pexels. Other photos by Kinrys family.
Closing in on the Magic Double Century - 10,000 Birds
Six months of the year have now slipped by, so time to review the state of my bird lists – my UK list, and my European list. Three months ago the former was on 139, but it’s now grown to 180, while the European list was 173, but has now reached a much more satisfactory 303. My target at the start of the year was 200 species in the UK and 300 in Europe, so I’ve achieved the latter, while the chances of reaching the former are pretty good. An everyday bird, the Woodpigeon. This one was photographed in my garden on a wet day in April. One tends to take woodies for granted Brown but not boring: a Meadow Pipit An everyday bird it might be, but the cock Blackbird’s song is one of the best. Blackbirds sing from February through to July My UK list is, in reality, an English list, as I haven’t wandered into the adjoining countries of Wales, Scotland and Ireland this year, and I have no plans to do so. Until last month it was an East Anglian list, as I hadn’t ventured far from home, but a trip to Northern England last month did add some northern specials, such as Dipper and Puffin. That trip was fun, as it reminded me of the delights of watching birds like Golden Plover and even Meadow Pipit on their breeding grounds. I see lots of Golden Plovers in the winter, but (like so many waders) they are birds transformed when in their breeding finery. Golden Plovers are so much more handsome when in full breeding plumage I’ve seen a mere 21 species of waders in the UK this year, compared with 35 in Europe, and it shouldn’t be difficult to add several of the birds I’ve seen in Europe to my UK list in the next few weeks, as autumn passage gains pace. I haven’t, for example, seen a Greenshank in the UK, nor a Spotted Redshank or Wood Sandpiper, all three of which are relatively easy to see on the Norfolk or Suffolk coasts in July and August. To be honest, this does highlight the slightly ridiculous practice of keeping two lists – why not just one? The answer is because BirdTrack (the bird- recording system I use most) reminds me whenever I log-in on the state of my British list, but I have to scroll down to Explore Data to check on how my overall World list (just Europe this year) is progressing. Wood Sandpiper. This bird was in Cyprus in April; I have yet to see one this year in the UK There are, inevitably, a few birds that I really should have encountered by now but have failed to do so. I have seen only a single species of diver (loon) this year, Red-throated, but if I try hard enough it shouldn’t be too difficult to add Great Northern and Black-throated to the list by the end of the year. Nor have I see a skua (jaeger) of any species. Both Great and Arctic Skuas are not difficult to find in Norfolk in September, as they are attracted by the tern colonies as they migrate south. Pomarine and Long-tailed Skuas are also possibilities, and the former occasionally winter in the North Sea, off the Suffolk/Norfolk coast. Though I have seen Red-throated Diver this year, I have yet to find either a Black-throated or Great Northern anywhere There are a number of birds that I’ve encountered just the once, but they were memorable encounters. One of the best was the Long-eared Owl which floated past me one evening when I was out looking for Nightjars on my local heath. It was too dark for photography, but great to see. Equally memorable was the Corncrake, rasping away at dusk on the Welney Washes in late June. Two centuries ago Corncrakes were common birds in Britain, but we now only have a small remnant population that survives on the islands of the Hebrides. The Corncrake I heard was part of a reintroduction project. For some people this devalues the bird, but it doesn’t for me, while this was the first time that I’d ever heard a Corncrake singing in England, with all my recent encounters in Eastern Europe. Crakes are among the most elusive of birds, and none are easy to see in the UK. In Cyprus in April I delighted in watching several Little Crakes plus a splendid Baillon’s Crake, all of which proved easy to see, if not photograph. Spring migration is the best time to see these secretive birds, as once on the breeding grounds they tend to stay in cover and rarely show themselves. Crakes are difficult to see on their breeding grounds. This Little Crake was on migration in Cyprus Raptors are always exciting to encounter, and I was delighted earlier in the year to enjoy a couple of sightings of wandering White-tailed Eagles in Norfolk. I haven’t done well with Golden Eagles, with just a single bird, seen briefly, in Greece, in May. For the first time in many visits I failed to see Griffon Vultures on Cyprus, where they are seriously endangered, but I have seen many in Spain this year in Andalucia and both Cantabria and Castile y León. Northern Spain also produced my best views of Honey Buzzards (I did see one briefly in Greece in May). Two years ago three summered in Norfolk, and I saw them several times, but there have been no reports this year, so this is one bird that seems unlikely to be added to my 2024 UK list. A wandering White-tailed Eagle in Norfolk in April. This was an unexpected encounter Griffon Vulture: common in Spain, but seriously endangered in Cyprus Shrikes are one of my favourite families of birds. My first shrike of the year was a Great Grey in the Brecks in March, not too far from home, while Kerkini in Greece gave me the opportunity...
Bird Guides of the World: Rene Rossouw, South Africa - 10,000 Birds
What is your favorite bird species? Gorgeous Bushshrike What is your name, and where do you live? René Rossouw, I live in Nelspruit, South Africa. What are the main regions or locations you cover as a bird guide? North-eastern South Africa including the Kruger National Park and the Western Cape How long have you been a bird guide? 5 years How did you get into bird guiding? From being an avid birder for over 20 years, I slowly started getting interested in guiding myself as there was a gap in the industry in the area where I live. Saddle-billed Stork What are the aspects of being a bird guide that you like best? Which aspects do you dislike most? I like being able to show guests birds that they have wanted to see and never had the opportunity. I also do birding walks for young children and it gives me great satisfaction to see their faces when they see a new bird. I don’t think there is anything I dislike about it. What are the top 5-10 birds in your region that you think are the most interesting for visiting birders? Hamerkop, Martial Eagle, Southern Ground Hornbill, Saddle-billed Stork, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Secretarybird, African Fish Eagle, Lilac-breasted Roller and Lappet-faced Vulture Lilac-breasted Roller Can you outline at least one typical birdwatching trip in your area? Please briefly describe the locations, the key birds, and the approximate duration of such a trip Our 16-day birding tour offers an extraordinary birding experience in some of the most exciting birding destinations of the eastern parts of South Africa, including the Kruger National Park, Wakkerstroom, the forests of Magoebaskloof and northern Kwazulu-Natal, as well as some smaller gems like Zaagkuildrift and Mount Sheba. Expect to see many of South Africa’s endemic and special species, and a total trip list well in excess of 400 species! Kruger National Park – One of the planet’s top wildlife parks Magoebaskloof – Stunning forest beauty and special birds Wakkerstroom – Grassland and wetland birding, with many specials Mkuze – Very special park with the Big Five and over 500 bird species St Lucia – A wetland wonderworld where the ocean and land meet spectacularly Mtunzini – Beautiful coastal village with incredible wildlife-rich forests Top Birds:• Martial Eagle• Tawny and African Fish Eagle• White-bellied Bustard• Southern Bald Ibis• Rudd’s, Short-clawed and Botha’s Lark• Yellow-breasted Pipit• African Rock Pipit• Cape and Brown-headed Parrot• Knysna and Purple-crested Turaco• Spotted and Orange Ground Thrush• Gorgeous Bushshrike• Black-fronted and Olive Bushshrike• Narina Trogon Southern Ground Hornbill What other suggestions can you give to birders interested in your area? Summer in South Africa is the best time to bird, as all the migrants are in the country. Remember to bring a sunhat and raincoat as it is also the rainy season in some parts of the country. We have some great information on our website on all the countries we offer trips to, with trip reports, pictures, and info about the destination and what to expect. If any reader of 10,000 Birds is interested in birding with you, how can they best contact you? René Rossouw, Nature Travel Birding info@naturetravelbirding.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naturetravelbirding Website: https://naturetravelbirding.com/
What is a birder? - 10,000 Birds
There are two questions I get asked a lot. Do you take pictures of the birds you see? Are you a bird-watcher then? The answer to the first question is a resounding no. Shutting down one’s peripheral vision is not my idea of birding. Now you know why I go out without a camera, take horrible pictures but also make friends to allow me the use of their splendid pictures. I would also never crawl into a hide in the boiling sun. The second question is more interesting and not so easily answered. Let’s go down to a local café so I can explain over a cup of coffee. What is a birder? What is a bird-watcher? How many are there? This has been investigated by this website before, see this link and the links it links to. To me the definition depends on an attribute all birders will recognise: the list! My hypothesis: a birder is a bird-watcher with one or more lists. I have been a bird-watcher most of my life. I wouldn’t keep a record of any sorts, but I was able to recognise and identify many birds. We moved to northern England, I watched birds. We moved to Hong Kong, my wife shopped and I watched birds. We moved to Malaysia, I watched birds and gained 10 kilos eating that gorgeous food. Then, in 2002 I went on my first safari in South Africa’s Kruger park. My friend Bas had brought along binoculars and a guidebook. Sofar, nothing new. And then he did something incredible: the man made notes in his guidebook… On a first trip to Kruger with Elephant, Lion, Cape Buffalo, Kudu, Steenbok, vultures and so much else going on this ended up being nothing more than an oddity, a “huh, look at that” moment. The true Aha-Erlebnis, the conversion from watcher to birder still lay in the future. But the seed now lay dormant in the soil. My true road to Damascus came on the 28th of January 2009, in another African park: Pilanesberg, South Africa. With the same friend and now having my own book I started noting down the “lifers” – a new concept that triggered something deep inside my belly… I first copied across those lifers from the 2002 trip, then compared my total with Bas’, realised I was hundreds of species behind and my competitive-obsessive mind shifted into gear, never to stop since. I am a birder now, not a bird-watcher. That memorable day we saw Black-throated Canary, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Didric Cuckoo, Kalahari Scrub-Robin, Lesser Grey Shrike, Little Bee-eater, Pin-tailed Whydah, Rattling Cisticola, Red-backed Shrike, White-browed Scrub-Robin and many others. Do not blame my friend for my obsession. We can’t judge him. Yes, his own life goal is indeed weird enough to have featured in a Dutch national newspaper (the serious press, no less). His objective is to see all the birds presented in Newman’s Birds of Southern Africa, 1991 revised edition. That includes birds that do no longer count as a species or ever even existed (Cinnamon Reed Warbler), birds that are not in the South African region (Audubon’s Shearwater) and misses birds that are (Angola Cave-chat). Oh, and he has ticked more than 680 birds already. That’s all very strange behaviour. I consider myself normal – I keep a lifer list and while eBird tries to entice me to do regional and local lists I can’t be bothered. I have allowed myself just a bit of eccentricity. Besides keeping a master list of lifers in the HBW checklist “All the Birds of the World” (and in a spreadsheet in case of fire) I do mark each bird in my guidebooks. I use a green colour if I have seen the species in the region of the respective guidebook and yellow if I have seen it elsewhere. That way I can see on my second or nth visit to the region if a bird is a lifer or just new for the region. Green overwrites yellow, hence the logic of the colour scheme. I also scribble the date and location in the margin. I buy a guidebook for every region I visit but you knew that already. My list now stands at 2110 species. I have identified each and everyone myself and surprisingly I only need to look at the entry in the book and memories start flooding in. Whom with, where, the circumstances. That’s why I believe birders are mentally richer than bird-watchers – the list allows you to build a memory palace that reminds you of all those other good things. Bird-watching is good, birding is better and twitchers exaggerate and ruin it all.