ABA Blog

ABA Blog: Top 10 Posts of 2012

 

As we draw ever closer to the end of 2012, many of us begin to reminisce on the year that was and look forward to 2013.  Personally, I'm most looking forward to my annual tradition of staying up till midnight and counting down until my eBird year lists turn over to zero, but we all have our end/beginning of the year birding traditions running the gamut from owling on December 31st for the year's last bird or looking forward to the first bird of the new year (I'm betting House Finch for me this year. Just a hunch). 

It's been a really fun year for those of us at the ABA, and it's so rewarding to see the organization continue to grow and change into something more relevant and lasting for the years ahead.  The ABA has always endeavored to be a membership-driven organization, from the pages of Birding magazine to the camaraderie birders feel in the field.  The blog, and the conversations and arguments and stories shared therein, has played a huge role in building that new ABA in the 21st Century.

That is, in part, because of our fantastic stable of contributors - both regular and as guests - and the community that comes to read and discuss their work in the comments section and in various other social media outlets.  I'm just thankful to be a part of it.  

So we've had a good time, and as a way of looking back here's a quick run-down at the 10 most popular posts from 2012.  Internet "popularity" is a difficult thing to measure, and has something to do with raw traffic data, comments, virality, and a whole host of other metrics.  I'm using the rather crude metric of traffic, but it's not surprising that many of the posts mentioned here are heavily commented upon and shared too. In some cases the discussion is ongoing so feel free to jump back in there if you have something to add.  New perspectives and voices are always appreciated.

Without further ado, here are the 10 most popular posts for 2012, in reverse order:

10. A Black Swift Secret Revealed: Easily one of the most remarkable ornithological announcements of the year, the revelation that this most enigmatic of North American breeding birds winters in the western Amazon was a mystery over 100 years in the finding out.  Not only is the answer (and their migratory route) fantastic, but every bit the equal was how researchers with the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory cracked the case.  Cool bird science in action.  

9. Announcing the 2012 Bird of the Year!: The ABA's Bird of the Year initiative has turned into one of the most anticipated (ar least among staff) things we do all year, an opportunity not only to spotlight one of North America's birds but to do a little bit of community building with stickers, special contests, and fantastic artwork up for auction too.  We managed a very prescient choice in 2012 with the Evening Grosbeak, as the species made history staging an irruption into places where they hadn't been seen for decades.  But this is the post that started it all, a video that folks are still talking about (for better or for worse).  Look for the announcement for 2013 Bird of the Year coming very soon!

8. #ABArare - Citrine Wagtail - British Columbia: In 2012, John Puschock came on board with the official title of Rare Birds Guru.  John keeps his ear to the ground, seeking out reports of the rarest birds in the ABA-Area (a beat the expanded to include first state/provincial records, too), and few were rarer than the Citrine Wagtail that turned up in British Columbia this fall.  The Central Asian species has a short and strange history in the ABA-Area, with a single individual turning up for two days in Starkville, Mississippi (of all places), in 1992, and so there was great excitement in the wake of this bird's discovery.  Not only was this bird well-covered initially (thanks to the work of John and others), but this individual has been remarkable reliable since it's discovery in mid-November.  In fact, as of the writing of this post, it's still there. 

7. #ABArare - Hurricane Sandy report 1 - Northern Lapwing, Ross's Gull, and more: Interconnectively in rarity finding was the name of the game this fall as Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall near New Jersey in late October, was probably the most well-followed storm in history from a birding perspective.  At the ABA Blog, John Puschock was on red-alert, posting reports of notable birds almost as soon as they were reported.  The first of what ended up being three Hurricane waif reports included such unexpected species as Ross's Gull and Northern Lapwings.  

6. First Look: Swarovski's New ATX Scopes & Digiscoping Accessories At Hungary's Hortobágy:  Swarovski Optik is synonomous with quality in the birding world, and Jeff Gordon had the good-fortune to travel to Hungary with a select group of birding media representatives to try out Swaro's newest scope, the ATX.  Pretty cool stuff, and good birding too. 

5. 5+2 Bird Species Added to ABA Checklist!: Though at times we may try to disguise it, many of us are, at heart, listers.  So when the ABA Checklist committee releases their annual report it's big news.  This post only published earlier this month so it has shot to number 5 with, as they say, a bullet, and why not?  In addition to the elimination of the dreaded Fea's/Zino's slash (a change I know some birders in my neck of the woods are very excited about), we got two new flashy psitticines to count.  Regardless of how you feel about exotics, that's definitely an interesting thing.  

4 The big Big Year debate: What's the number to beat, anyway?: Unique among the other posts on this list, this discussion between ABA web developer (and Big Year historian) Greg Neise and Birding editor Ted Floyd on the merits of Sandy Komito's current ABA-Area record on the eve of John Vanderpoel's (ultimately unsuccessful) attempt at the top spot, was actually published at the tail end of 2011.  But it has legs, as they say, and its influence stretched into this year inducing one of the most fun comment threads in ABA Blog history.  Who knew we cared so much about listing arcana?  He asks, tongue firmly in cheek...

3. ABA Debuts Birding News!: Certainly one of the most talked about initiatives undertaken by the ABA this year was the transition of Jack Siler's venerable Birdingonthe.net to new digs at Birding News at Jack's behest.  The rollout was bumpy in spots as these things are, but in amazingly short order we had a brand new site with increased functionality and options of which Jack Siler couldn't have dreamed when he started his revolutionary aggragator when the web was still young.  

2. The Cons and Pros of Digital “Photos”: Flyingfish, Jaegers, and Other Thoughts: Steve N.G. Howell is equal parts brilliant and hilarious in this supplement to his Birding interview in the August 2012 issue of the ABA's magazine.  Not only does he attempt to introduce (successfully if my experiences are any indication) the concept of "chimping" into birding vernacular, but his photos of flying fish are simply breathtaking.  A great post all around.  

1. The Saga of the Hooded Crane(s): The Plot Thickens: Was there a more compelling bird in the ABA Area this year than the Hooded Crane that spent much of last winter in eastern Tennessee?  If traffic to the blog is to be considered, the answer may well be no.  The countibility of this bird is the big question, and that's something that can really only tackled by the records committees of the states in which the bird was seen, currently sitting at three.  And of those three, I believe only Indiana has deigned to wrap their hands around that blade so far (correct me if I'm wrong).   In any case, Ned Brinkley and company's fascinating take on the bird, and how we may or may not be able to determine its provenance, was this years top post.  A worthy standard-bearer for what this blog offers, if I do say so myself. 

What a great year!  Thanks for reading, commenting, and supporting the blog and the ABA.  If you are a member, thank you.  It's your support that helps make this site possible.  If you're not?  Why not join?  Your membership is partially tax-deductible so you can still get in under the wire.  

Thanks again!  Onward to 2013! 

THE TOP 10: Cutest Birds in North America

Precisely what makes a bird “cute” is kind of hard to say. You don’t have to ask someone why puppies or kittens are cute. They just are undeniably cute. It is a fact we all accept. Their cuteness requires no explanation, and is not up for debate. Undeniably cute birds exist too, but some are only cute if you know them a little bit. It’s like appreciating the charming tics of an old friend. Seeing a familiar bird’s energy, comportment, and presence stirs affection. Once a Carolina Wren or a House Wren has graced your yard, you cannot observe their fussy, industrious perambulations without fondness. Such birds become cute (or cuter) as you come to know them. They acquire meaning.

            Perhaps wrens aren’t really the best example as I think most folks would agree they are pretty darn cute. And while cuteness in birds is certainly somewhat subjective, it does have several persistent themes. Smallness helps. Small birds are often cute, especially if they have some attitude. Mix 1 part smallness with 2 parts moxie and you have yourself a cute bird. (If you are short on moxie, crankiness is a fine substitute). Large eyes and short tails also help. Plumpness really helps, as does fuzziness. It’s also odd how ugliness is kind of cute. I don’t really understand why, but it’s true. (I recall my sisters musing on the cuteness appeal of Jabba the Hut… Maybe it’s the same thing with birds?). And perhaps for similar reasons, absurd “hairdos” on birds create cuteness as well.

Below you will find my take on the "Top 10 Cutest Birds in North America", but check out our SLIDESHOW: (Cute Birds of the Americas) for a more thorough examination of cute birds in North and South America.

10.

Boreal Chickadee ©George L. Armistead

Chickadees are pretty undeniably cute with their podgy bodies, small size, and alert attitudes.

9.

Winter Wren ©George L. Armistead

As mentioned, wrens rock! Winter Wrens have a voice that seems a million times the size they are.

8.

Bufflehead © Dorian Anderson/www.dorianandersonphotography.com

Also known as Little Dippers or Butterballs, when seen in life the small and plump proportions of the Bufflehead are undeniably appealing.

7.

Eastern Screech-Owl ©Bill Schmoker

Owls are universally appealing, but small owls are nearly absurdly so.

6.

American Coot ©Bill Schmoker

Talk about an ugly duckling... Things should get easier for this baby coot. I often quote my father when speaking about coots. He says," I like a coot, because you never see a coot puttin on any airs."

5.

Brown-headed Nuthatch ©George L. Armistead

Small, plump, and emitting fussy sounds, nuthatches are always crowd-pleasers.

4.

Least Auklets ©George L. Armistead

The Alcid family holds some pretty charming birds like puffins, Dovekie and Least Auklets, the smallest of the auks.

3.

Northern Saw-whet Owl ©Bill Schmoker

Few birds are cuter than the Saw-whet Owl. Once seen in life, they are never forgotten.

2.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet ©George L. Armistead

Kinglets are tiny, dainty, and attractive, with a little "fight" in their calls too.

1.

Piping Plover © Dorian Anderson/www.dorianandersonphotography.com

Shorebird babies are pretty ridiculously cute, but plover chicks are best of all. If this doesn't melt your heart, then you better check yourself....

Don't take my word for it though. See the birds for yourself! Check out these ABA Birding Events coming up soon:

1. Winter Birding Rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico February 16-20, 2013. REGISTER NOW!

Join Ashli Gorbet, Jeff & Liz Gordon, Bill Schmoker, George Armistead and others to search for rosy-finches and other southwestern specialties.

2. The Cradle of American Ornithology: An IFO Program in Philadelphia, Mar. 27-31, 2013.

Join Ted Floyd and George to learn about the history of bird study in the birthplace of the nation. Of course there will be plenty of birding too. Secure a spot now!

3. Gulf Stream Tubenoses of North Carolina: An IFO Program in Cape Hatteras, NC June 9-14, 2013.

George and Alvaro Jaramillo will give illustrated talks in a classroom setting to make the time at sea more valuable. We will search for seabirds but also unravel the secrets of these mystical birds through study. Secure a spot now!

 

THE TOP 10: Books Every Birder Should Have

Perhaps the only items we birders love as much as our binoculars are bird books. Happily, there is no shortage of titles. What follows is a suggested list of books that any birder would benefit from owning. Some titles and authors will be familiar, but others may have flown beneath the radar. Some are easy reading, while others require a reader’s actively applied attention. Each has its place.

In composing this list I’ve pretty much neglected the ever-popular question, ”If you had to choose one North American field guide, what would it be?” I’ve thought a lot about the question, yet still have trouble answering it. Each guide has its strengths. I own all of them, using each for different purposes. So, putting aside the field guide question for the time being, the question this list seeks to answer is: “If you were starting a new birding library, which titles would you begin with?” Here are some good choices for ABA Area birders, in no particular order.

 

10.            The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior by D. A. Sibley, C. Elphick, and J. B. Dunning 

                    (2001 Alfred A. Knopf)

 Superbly written and edited, this book makes a lot of complex concepts about birds accessible to the layperson. A fun, informative and easy read.

 

9.                Kingbird Highway by Kenn Kaufman

                   (1997, Houghton Mifflin)

 For us, this is our “On the Road”. This is our “Dazed and Confused”. Kingbird Highway was “the big year” before there ever was The Big Year. The latter being indeed a fine piece of writing by a fantastic author, but it’s hard to imagine that story ever existing without Kaufman’s vintage coming-of-age journey paving its way. When Kaufman hit the road at age 16, hitchhiking around the country over the 12 months of 1973, there was no Internet, no GPS, no text alerts, and certainly no smart phones. This was in many ways the golden age of birding. The ABA was just blossoming, Peterson’s guide was the only one really available, and people birded using the Jim Lane bird-finding guides, and also word-of-mouth. Kingbird Highway shall remain forever a classic. A review in The Smithsonian (Jan. 1998) by Richard Wolkomir states that, ”This book is only tangentially about birds”, and it’s true, but it is very much about birders and birding, and because of that it’s a book many non-birders enjoy.

Roger Tory Peterson & ABA board member Kenn Kaufman (right) birding together.

 

8.            Birds Over America by Roger Tory Peterson

                (1948 Dodd, Mead & Co.)

There is an old Chinese proverb that goes something like this: “knowledge begins with putting a name to something”. That was what Peterson’s field guide in 1934 allowed people to do, for the first time really. Accomplished Stanford biologist Paul Ehrlich wrote of Peterson in his Birder’s Handbook (1988) that, ”In this century, no one has done more to promote an interest in living creatures than Roger Tory Peterson, the inventor of the modern field guide.” If Peterson’s field guide allowed people to finally put names to feathered things, then Birds Over America was the book that really conveyed his love of birds, and the thrills he experienced while birding.

 

7.                    Feather Quest by Pete Dunne

                       (1992 Dutton)

 In the same vein as the two previous entries, and this book too is a masterfully written chronicle about a year’s worth of birding. The reader is treated to chapters on Roger Tory Peterson’s take on the future of our most cherished past-time, a recounting of the tale of the “Bird of the Century” (the famous Newburyport Ross’s Gull), and profiles of unforgettable characters, such as Louis Banker. Like Kingbird Highway, and the Peterson entry above, this book is itself a piece of North American birding’s history.

 

A basic-plumage adult Ross's Gull at Barrow Alaska (photo by John Puschock), referred to in The Feather Quest as the "pink pukka of the north". This individual isn't especially pink, but still shows the elegant features associated with this ghost of the arctic.

 

6.               Molt in North American Birds by Steve N.G. Howell

                        (2010 Houghton Mifflin)

Howell’s Molt book is a masterpiece. As arguably the most prolific bird book writer today, Howell dives headlong into a subject seldom tread upon, yet instrumental in birdlife. Molt is a subject that makes many birder’s eyes glaze over, and this book is not always easy reading, but it richly rewards the efforts by the reader to disentangle this interesting subject. Consider that molt is a taxing process, if you are a bird, requiring a lot of energy. This means that for most birds, molt will not overlap with breeding or migration, both of which also require heaps of energy. Most of us know when a bird breeds and when it migrates, and if you learn when and how it replaces its feathers you suddenly have a much more complete picture of a bird’s life. Learning the differences of molt strategies between species and subspecies is yet more illuminating, as these often speak to differences in breeding and migration strategies, allowing one to consider how taxa evolve. The family accounts of this information-rich book are replete with examples of how and why molt strategies evolve, allowing for conclusions to be drawn about “big picture” concepts in bird evolution.  

 

5.                      A Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names by James A. Jobling

                         (1990 Oxford University Press)

                          Dictionary of Birds of the United States by Joel E. Holloway

                          (2003 Timber Press)

Here I submit a dual entry as these two books cover a lot of the same ground, but I think it’s worth having both. Jobling’s title covers most of the scientific bird names for the whole world, while the Holloway title covers both English and Scientific names for the birds of the U.S. The Holloway title also has nice line illustrations by George Miksch Sutton. The two together provide good basic information about bird names, and answer a lot of questions that arise on long car rides that involve discussions about birds.

 

4.                     Birds of North America Online http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/

                        (2012 Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

This reference is a treasure trove of information on all the birds breeding in North America, including Hawaii. A tremendous reference that really flies below the radar of most North American birders, in part because it is meant more for ornithologists. This series is the primary source of information for North American bird species. Parts of the species accounts are easily digestible to the layperson, while others require a handle on some ornithological terminology. (Gill’s book below can help one suss out most unknown terms).

 

3.                   Collins Bird Guide by L. Svensson, K. Mullarney, and D. Zetterstrom

                      (2009 Harper Collins)

So why would a field guide to the birds of Europe make it on this list? Well, many authorities agree that this is the greatest single regional field guide ever produced. That is reason enough to buy it, but there are others too. This book has sold around 1 million copies (combined sales of both editions (1st ed. 1999)). It covers over 700 species, yet is quite small and portable, and the front half of the book covers a great many species found in North America (waterfowl, loons, grebes, seabirds, herons, shorebirds, etc.). Also, a great many of the most regular vagrants to the ABA Area are treated. The artwork is superb, the text is concise and information-rich, and the layout and design are unsurpassed.

 

2.                   Ornithology by Frank B. Gill

                      (2006 W.H. Freeman & Co.)

 Now in its 3^rd edition, Gill’s classic textbook, provides the perfect foundation for students of birds to build upon their grasp of all things avian.

 

1.               ABA Checklist: Birds of the Continental United States and Canada, 7th ed.

(2009 American Birding Association)

If you are an ABA birder having one of these checklists on hand provides you a quick and easy summary of a bird’s status in the ABA Area. This list has lots of interesting and useful information on vagrants to North America.

 

Other suggestions:

Peter Pyle’s Identification Guide to North American Birds has a lot of information that is not easily found elsewhere. Some readers complain that it is not user friendly, but if you are willing to put a little time in this book is a wealth of information.

The Handbook of the Birds of the World series, edited by Josep del Hoyo and published by Lynx Edicions, is a phenomenal resource, richly illustrated, and provides endless hours of happy perusal. It’s only drawback is that it ain’t cheap and it takes up a lot of shelf space. If money were no object I’d have every volume (as opposed to merely three).

The Singing Life of Birds by Donald Kroodsma, provides birders an excellent introduction and summary to the study of birdsong.

The state breeding bird atlas projects that have cropped up around the country are great resources, where one can easily see the value of amateur ornithologists.

Of course every birders should have an ABA Membership! Having Birding magazine, Winging It and North American Birds arrive on your doorstep is always a treat. They are jam-packed with information, and being an ABA member connects you to thousands of other birders all across North America.

 

So what did I miss…?

Acknowledgements:

Thanks to Dan Lane and Al Jaramillo for chatting about bird books with me and for offering suggestions. Also thanks to Kenn Kaufman for granting permission to use the photo of him and “RTP”.

THE TOP 10: Best Colloquial Bird Names

10.       Chukoloskee Chicken

White Ibis at Kiptopeke State Park, VA; May. (Photo by G. Armistead)

Also known as the Spanish Curlew, the White Ibis with its striking white plumage, pink legs, and pink sickle-bill has earned it a couple of colorful names.

 

9.         40 Quarts of Soup

Known in parts of its range as Ol’ Cranky, the Great Blue Heron is famous not only for having a cantankerous disposition and call, but also for the large volume of “whitewash” it leaves behind on boat docks, and other man-made structures. Despite this, they are surely one of the most well-known and popular birds in North America. They are more widely referred to as blue cranes, a name that connotes a little more affection than the others mentioned above.

 

8.         English Parrot

The 2012 ABA Bird of the year, the Evening Grosbeak, is known among some circles as the English Parrot for its heavy bill, striking plumage, and perhaps due to its frugivorous feeding habits too.

 

7.         Nine-killer

This name and butcherbird are used at times for both of our shrikes, but nine-killer seems more often associated with Northern Shrike. Their gruesome habit of impaling their prey (e.g. songbirds, rodents, and large insects) on thorns and barbed wire led some observers to say that they’d kill nine animals before eating just one.

 

6.         Holstein Pheasant

This alternative for the Black-billed Magpie is surely one of the most fitting colloquial names.

 

5.         Devil Downhead

White-breasted Nuthatch in Linwood, NJ; October. (Photo by G. Armistead)

Known among some circles as the Tree Mouse, the conspicuous movements and behavior of the White-breasted Nuthatch have led it to this colorful name.

 

4.         Callithumpian Duck

Long-tailed Duck at Barrow, AK; June. (Photo by G. Armistead)

Also known as the butterfly coot, South Southerly, Old Wife, and Cockawee, most of us wistfully remember this bird as the Oldsquaw.  It officially became Long-tailed Duck a few years ago; the same name used in Europe for decades. Apparently, it was believed among some Native American groups that when a squaw died her spirit went into a “coot”. Others believe that the name “Oldsquaw" was derived from the “constant chatter” of these loquacious waterfowl. For years, birders half-joked how Oldsquaw was the only ageist, sexist, and racist bird name. While the name-change brought that issue to an end, it also marked the loss of a name many people held dear. The name Callithumpian Duck came about for its noisy manner. A Callithumpian is like a shivaree, or a mock serenade in which noise-makers bang on pots and pans as a discordant band of rabble-rousers that take up during elections, town meetings, or to celebrate a wedding.

 

3.         Thunder-pumper

American Bittern in Dorchester County, MD; November. (Photo by Bill Hubick/www.billhubick.com)

Also known as the bog bull, stake driver, Indian hen, or dunk-a-doo, the distinctive and atmospheric sound produced by a territorial American Bittern has led to a proliferation of cool colloquial names.

 

2.         Whiskey Jack

Gray Jay in Denali National Park, AK; June. (Photo by G. Armistead)

A charismatic species of the north country, the curious and mischievous nature of the Gray Jay, and its palpable intelligence led its being known by a variety of names including camp-robber, venison heron, Grease-bird, meat-bird, and Gorby. The name Whiskey Jack appears a corruption of “Wisakedjak” which was the name of a trickster god of the Algonquin.

 

1.         Labrador Twister

American Woodcock at Cape May, NJ; January. (Photo by Tom Johnson)

Many folks will cry foul here, as this bird is more commonly known as the timberdoodle, but to me Labrador Twister resonates best of all. This species also goes by bogsucker and night partridge.

 

A few honorable mentions:

 

American Coot = Blue Peter, Crow duck

American Dipper = Water Ouzel

American Goldfinch = Thistlebird

Anhinga = snakebird, water turkey

Atlantic Puffin = Sea parrot

 

Black-capped Petrel = Diablotin

Black-necked Stilt = Lawyer

Black Guillemot = Sea pigeon

Black Scoter = Smutty-nosed Coot, Sleigh-bell Duck

Black Skimmer = cutwater, scissorbill

Bobolink = ortolan, reedbird, ricebird

Bohemian Waxwing = silktail

Bufflehead = butterball, little dipper

 

Chuck-wills-widow = hollerin’ boys, twixt-hell-and-the-white-oak

Clapper Rail = mud hen

Common Nighthawk = bullbat

Cory’s Shearwater = tuna duck

cuckoos = rain crows

 

Dark-eyed Junco = Snowbird

Dovekie = Sea Dove, Greenland Dove, Icebird, Nunchie

 

Great Black-backed Gull = saddleback, coffin-carrier

goldeneye = clubhead, whistler

Glaucous Gull = Burgomaster

Great Skua = bonxie, Sea Hen, Grand Goose

Greater White-fronted Goose = specklebelly

Greater Yellowlegs = tell-tale, Aunt Sarah, Twillick

 

Harlequin Duck = Squeaker

Hooded Merganser= French pheasant, Hairy head

Horned Grebe = Spirit-duck

 

Lapland Longspur = glider

Least Sandpiper = oxeye

Least Tern = Little Striker

 

murrelets = foglarks

 

Northern Cardinal = Virginia Redbird

 

orioles = hang-nests

 

Parasitic Jaeger = teaser, dung bird

Phalarope = sea snipe, sea goose

Pied-billed Grebe = waterwitch, hell-diver

 

Razorbill = Tinker

Red-eyed Vireo =The Preacher

Red-throated Loon = Water Witch

Rose-breasted Grosbeak = Throat-cut

Ruddy Duck = Goddamn

Ruddy Turnstone = calico-back, Fat Oxen

 

Scaled Quail = cottontop

Scarlet Tanager = pocketbird

Seaside Sparrow = Meadow Chippy

Sora = Ortolan

Spruce Grouse = fool hen

Summer Tanager = Smooth-headed Redbird

Surf Scoter = skunkhead

Swamp Sparrow = Red Grass-bird

 

Willet = Humility

Wilson’s Storm-Petrel = Mother Carey’s Chicken,

Wood Stork = flinthead, Colorado Turkey

 

Acknowledgements:

My gratitude and thanks to Henry T. Armistead, Louis Bevier, and Ted Floyd for their thoughtful insights and commentary on colloquial bird names. Also thanks to Jeff Gordon and Alvaro Jaramillo for their input, and to photographers Bill Hubick and Tom Johnson for contributing photos.

 

Sources:

 Banks, R. C. 1988. Obsolete English names of North American birds and
their modern equivalents. Resource Publication 174, USFWS.
http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/research/pubs/banks/obsall.htm

Choate, E. A. 1973. The Dictionary of American Bird Names. Harvard Common Press.

McAtee, W. L. 1957. Folk-names of Canadian bird (Bulletin of the
National Museum of Canada #149).

McIlhenny, E.A. 1897. A list of the species of Anseres, Paludicolae, and Limicolae occurring in Louisiana. The Auk 14: 285-289.

THE Top 10: Reasons to make Hawaii part of the ABA Area

A recent poll on the ABA Facebook page posted by ABA member Morgan Churchill showed that a decided majority of those polled thought that Hawaii should be added to the ABA area. This would mean that birds seen in Hawaii could be added to birder’s North American lifelist. A heated discussion ensued. Below are my top 10 (utterly subjective) reasons why the addition of Hawaiʻi seems logical and/or desirable.

 

Red-tailed Tropicbird at Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Kauai (by G. Armistead).

10. The Iʻiwi 

One of the most awesome birds on earth, and a trip to Hawaiʻi provides birders a good chance to see it. Pronounced “ee-ee vee”, the species produces a variety of sounds and one of the most oft-heard calls is that for which it is named; a cartoonish approximation of a car-horn, “be-BEE beep”. How the Hawaiian Goose, the “Nene”, got top billing as the state bird over the Iʻiwi is anybody’s guess.

 

Iʻiwi in Hakalau National Wildlife Refuge, Hawaii (by G. Armistead).

 

 9. Great Trip for SOBs

Those of us with non-birding spouses quickly learn how imperative it is to keep your non-birding half content, if you hope to achieve your birding objectives. Happily, Hawaii is a great place for birders and for spouses-of-birders, a.k.a. “SOBs” (what did you think I meant?). After you’ve gotten in a good day of searching for Anianiau or Omaʻo, you can meet your better half back at the beach for a little snorkeling, a happy hour cocktail, and some fine dining. Your spouse can tell you about their day relaxing on the beach, paddle-boarding, or checking out volcanoes and waterfalls. There’s plenty to do for everyone in Hawaii. It’s a win-win.

 

 8. See the Kauaʻi Birds Before They Are Gone 

The forest in Kauaʻi gets quieter all the time. Even just five years ago birds like Akikiki and Akekeʻe were fairly easily found. Their numbers have declined to the point that finding them now is rather difficult on a short visit. Adding Hawaiʻi to the ABA area might inspire some birders to go and see these unique species before they disappear forever.

 

 7. More Birder Attention = Improved Conservation?

Over 33% of the listed endangered birds in the U.S. are Hawaiian, yet they receive only 4% of the federal funds dedicated to recovery actions (Leonard 2008). The two species that receive the most funding are the Hawaiian Crow and the Palila, yet most of the money they receive is due to lawsuits filed on their behalf, compelling the USFWS to expend resources on their recovery.

If birders knew more about Hawaii’s native birds and the threats facing them, perhaps the dollars might flow a little more freely in their direction. George Wallace of the American Bird Conservancy says that adding Hawaii to the ABA area "has great value in raising awareness about the species and their plight and may attract new supporters for conservation action." Many Hawaiian birds are still easily found, but for how long?

 

 6. You might get to see a Humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa 

A what!!? You know, a Humuhumunukunukuapuaʻa… or, if you prefer a Reef Triggerfish, the state fish. They are cool, and if you do a little snorkeling while in Hawaiʻi, there’s a good chance you’ll see one. The crazy Hawaiian name means “fish that grunts like a pig”.

 

 5. You’ll get to learn the Hawaiian Alphabet

There’s not too much to it, though it does take a little practice. With just 13 letters it doesn’t take long. The Hawaiian Alphabet consists of the 5 vowels (never “y”), and 8 consonants: h, k, l, m, n, p, w, and the ʻokina. The ʻokina is that backwards-looking apostrophe-like thing, which represents a glottal stop.

 

 4. Some Sweet Seabirds

While the forest birds on Hawaiʻi are indeed awesome, the seabirds sort of steal the show, and many can be seen right from shore. Tapping into these for one’s ABA list would sure be satisfying. White Terns nest right in Waikiki, and a timely visit to Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge should net you stupendous views of two tropicbird species, Great Frigatebird, Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Laysan Albatross, and a sulid or two. There are places on Kauaʻi where one must “brake for albatrosses”; heed those “albatross crossing” signs! (I can’t think of any other spot in the world other than Taiaroa Head in New Zealand where you can find drive-up albatrosses). Pelagic trips off Hawaii yield other goodies too, such as Mottled Petrel, Christmas Shearwater, and Bulwer’s Petrels among others.

 

Wedge-tailed Shearwater over the Kaulakahi Channel (by G. Armistead).

 

 3. Twitch Exotics

Few places in the world have been more befouled by releases of alien bird species than Hawaii. The impacts have been severe, but even in spite of that it is still kind of fun to see free-ranging Kalij Pheasants, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Lavender Waxbills, White-rumped Shamas, or to hear the far carrying calls of the Hwamei. These are just a few of the many introduced bird species that the ABA checklist committee would have to consider adding to the official checklist, should Hawaii be added to the ABA area.

 

 2. The Akiapola’au

One of the state’s most sought-after birds is the strange and charming Akiapolaʻau; often just referred to as the “Aki”. This is a species we want on the ABA list… Have you seen the bill on that thing!? Also, it behaves like a woodpecker, but is sort of more nuthatch-like in GISS. It uses its straight peg-like mandible to hammer away at the branches of the Koa tree, and then uses its absurdly slender, decurved maxilla to extract insect larvae. Few bird species in the world sport a more specialized bill.

 

Akiapola'au on Hawaii (by G. Armistead).

 

 1. It’s a state after all…

Why should the 50^th state be excluded? Sure there are reasons to consider including Greenland, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Puerto Rico in the ABA area, but let’s start by including each of the 50 states. If I were a birder in Hawaii I’d be pretty bummed out that the big national birding organization of my country chose to omit my state from its treatment of “North America”. There are not a ton of birders in Hawaii, but we are talking about some cool folks out on these islands. We could all learn a lot from each other.

Bottom line:

Making people more cognizant of Hawaiian birds and the challenges they face could pay dividends for conservationists. The 50^th state could use a little help, and I say we give it to them. Also, birding in Hawaii is fun. Hawaiian birding veterans will note that I didn’t even mention that Bristle-thighed Curlew is a lot easier to see in Hawaii than in Alaska. And, there are a bunch of endemics, a unique subfamily (Drepanidinae) of finches, some sweet seabirds, and few places offer more beautiful scenery, and have such fantastic food. We are lucky enough to have one little corner of the Polynesian Triangle in our country, so why not take full advantage?

If you would like to support the conservation and protection of Hawaiian birds then consider making contributions to the:

American Bird Conservancy

http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/oceansandislands/hawaii.html

Pacific Rim Conservation

http://pacificrimconservation.com/

 

Acknowledgements:

My thanks to Eric VanderWerf, Peter Pyle and George Wallace for their contributions to this article.

References:

Leonard, D.L. Jr. 2008. Recovery expenditures for birds listed under the US Endangered Species Act: The disparity between mainland and Hawaiian taxa. Biological Conservation 141:2054-2061.