Did you know that there are almost 10,000 different bird species on this planet? This kind of fact amazes me. When it comes to humans, we have only a few colors, and the sizes come and go, but in reality, we’re all basically the same. A limited and unvaried species. If you are looking for true diversity, birds got it.
Birds come in every shape, size, color, and odd ball behavior. They can be found in almost every ecosystem and climate on this planet. Birds like penguins have adapted to the most extreme cold temperatures, places where most animals fear to tread. Some birds eat fish, some eat seeds, others eat each other. And then there are birds, like the vulture, which will eat just about anything that isn’t moving.
Birds provide no end of fascination with naturalists and nature lovers. A flash of color in a bush can send my husband into the bird dog position, standing absolutely still, eyes focused on the spot, examining every leaf and branch for the tell tale shape, then zooming in visually to inspect colors, feathers, beaks, and feet. What is it? “I must know!”
He will race home and pour over the many, many books we haul around with us in our travels to find out what it was, and then look up, the grin his mother would remember well from his days as a two year old having just figured out a puzzle or challenge, and announce that he’s seen a purple finch, roufus-sided toehee, or babbling-brook-whatcahmacall it. Yes, the last is my name for some of these things.
As we examine the many wonders of the natural world around us, I think about the task it would be to wake up one day and say “Hey, I want to see every bird species on the planet.” With a list of almost 10,000 bird species to check off, that’s an amazing amount of effort.
Well, a group has decided to do that. Called the 10,000 Birds, they have set for themselves to see every bird species on the planet. Their website is dedicated to chronicling their efforts to see “every one of them.”
We are new to birding and have a great deal to learn.
Join us on our (near) daily exploration of this fascinating activity.
We do our best to make the journey interesting for experts and novices alike!
They share their new fascination with birding with other birders from across the country and around the world, visiting them and in turn, inviting them to visit and go out bird watching. The site is filled with excellent resource information on various birds, birding, and bird facts.
We wish them well with their endeavors, and I’m thinking about investing in some of their “I Brake for Birds” bumperstickers. Too cute!