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Ken Gilliland

Extraordinary
HW3D Exclusive Artist
Yup, I'm not afraid to admit it... I love "little brown birds" and I can never have enough of them. I strongly urge everyone to at least watch the promo video for Cornell's "Be a Better Birder: Sparrow Identification". It will help you to see why sparrows are so magical.

I'll take this moment to thank Hivewire3D again for taking the chance and publishing "Sparrows of the World" despite marketing department claims from others that "nobody wanted any more little brown birds" from me. It turned out that people do, in fact, want more "little brown birds". ;)
 

DanaTA

Distinguished
There are several species that show up in my neighborhood. House Sparrow is the most common in this area. But I also get Song Sparrow, White-Throated Sparrow (both white-striped and tan-striped), Chipping sparrow, American Tree Sparrow. There may be another, I'm not sure. And speaking of little brown birds, I like the Brown-Headed Cowbirds. The female, though some would call plain, is a very nice shade of brown and has a fascinating pattern.

Dana
 

LisaB

HW3D Vice President & Queen Bee
Staff member
Co-Founder
I wonder if the pair of little birds who made a nest in the dryer vent are sparrows. I made a mental note of colors but have not looked them up yet. Little, brown, white chest, slight pink glow on chest, white line on side of head, curious, bold, persistent. We evicted them, they came right back the next day with all of the same sticks, we evicted them again and put a screen over the vent. They kept showing up to scold me for a while. I assume they found another place to nest.
 

DanaTA

Distinguished
I've had some nests in the arborvitaes in front. Once, I saw a blue egg shell on the ground, which I assumed was an American Robin egg. For the past two or three seasons, though, Common Grackle have been nesting in those trees. There were some again early this Spring, in the tree that's just outside the front door. Their babies are as annoying as they are as adults, the noise they make. Very noisy. But, I wouldn't shake them out. And I think they mature fairly fast. I haven't heard them the last few times I've gone outside. There were two nests on the ground when the snow thawed this year, next to the other tree at the other end of the house.

Did you get a look at the beak of that bird? Sounds a little like a Rose-Breasted Grossbeak. (or similar word) I've seen them here once. I don't think they eat much seed, I only saw them at the feeder that one time. It was cool, though.

Dana
 

Miss B

Drawing Life 1 Pixel at a Time
CV-BEE
I believe Lisa will probably announce it in the next day or so. I don't recall what day(s) she sends out the newsletters, because that's when she'll announce it.
 

Ken Gilliland

Extraordinary
HW3D Exclusive Artist
Tomorrow (7/3) at 11am PT/ 2pm ET there will be a live conversation with raptor expert, Dr. Rob Bierregaard, about Ospreys.

The osprey is sometimes known as the sea hawk, fish eagle, river hawk or fish hawk. The osprey differs in several respects from other diurnal birds of prey. Its toes are of equal length, its tarsi are reticulate, and its talons are rounded, rather than grooved. The osprey and owls are the only raptors whose outer toe is reversible, allowing them to grasp their prey with two toes in front and two behind. This is particularly helpful when they grab slippery fish.

Fish make up 99% of the osprey's diet; but occasionally they may prey on rodents, rabbits, hares, amphibians, other birds, and small reptiles.

Osprey are found on all continents except Antarctica. Individuals in the tropics and subtropics are resident, but others migrate to the lower latitudes of the Amazon Basin, South America’s northern coast, or West Africa in the non-breeding season. Migrants begin moving to lower latitudes in August and arrive by October, returning in March and April. Birds are generally solitary and usually migrate alone, but may congregate in small groups at roosts or plentiful food sources. The species migrates on broad fronts and is not dependent on land bridges during migration; birds readily cross bodies of water using flapping flight, but can soar easily over land. It is entirely diurnal.

An Osprey may log more than 160,000 migration miles during its 15-to-20-year lifetime. Scientists track Ospreys by strapping lightweight satellite transmitters to the birds’ backs. The devices pinpoint an Osprey's location to within a few hundred yards and last for 2-3 years. During 13 days in 2008, one Osprey flew 2,700 miles—from Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, to French Guiana, South America.

They inhabit the areas around shallow waters, being sufficiently tolerant of human settlement to persist in suburban and sometimes urban environments.

In Greek mythology, Nisos, a king of Megara became an osprey to attack his daughter after she fell in love with Minos, King of Crete.

The osprey is depicted as a white eagle in heraldry, and more recently has become a symbol of positive responses to nature.
 
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Ken Gilliland

Extraordinary
HW3D Exclusive Artist
The Songbird ReMix version of the Osprey contains all major subspecies.
 

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Klaus Sauer

Admirable
And the "Hawks of Canada" are part of the complete "Hawks of the new World"-pack, so I don't need to buy them seperatly, when I buy the complete one? Just to understand it correct. Thanks for your help.
 

Ken Gilliland

Extraordinary
HW3D Exclusive Artist
And the "Hawks of Canada" are part of the complete "Hawks of the new World"-pack, so I don't need to buy them seperatly, when I buy the complete one? Just to understand it correct. Thanks for your help.

Yes, "Hawks of the New World" is the complete, full set. The 3 mini-sets ("Hawks of Canada", "Hawks of the US" and "Hawks of Central and South America") are simply portions of the full set. They were designed of those who didn't want to purchase the complete set.

I experimented with the mini-set option on the first 4 of my "Birds of Prey" series. I later abandoned that sales tool because it was a little confusing to customers and a lot of work to divide up my full sets into smaller sets.
 

Ken Gilliland

Extraordinary
HW3D Exclusive Artist
If you haven't seen the "Bird of Prey" movie, it really gets you to appreciate the Philippine Eagle and the efforts of the documentarian to save it
 

LisaB

HW3D Vice President & Queen Bee
Staff member
Co-Founder
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LisaB

HW3D Vice President & Queen Bee
Staff member
Co-Founder
November Bird of the Month
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Songbird ReMix Puffins!
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Learn more about How a New Bill Could Help Restore Our Oceans and Lift Seabird Populations
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Also, check out the Audubon Puffin Project

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Ken Gilliland

Extraordinary
HW3D Exclusive Artist
For those wondering... after I finish the Gamebirds v1 update, I will be updating Seabirds v1/v2 and Puffins (and, of course, all my updates are free). All such be done by the end of the year.
 
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