Non-Europeans what European bird would you like to see? (1 Viewer)

[opisska]

You could get all 10 in a single late winter/early spring trip in Germany with Lammergeier being the only one not really consistent.

Depends on you definition of "get" as the German rarity committee, as far as I know, has recently removed Ural Owl from the list because of the reintroductions and doesn't consider it even cat. C. So you have to look at least a meter across the border to the Czech Republic, where they count

 

[Xenospiza]

Just to divert the discussion again; how about the pronunciation of Gerygone?

Maybe start a different thread for those pronunciation questions? Like Pauraque, it's not particularly European...

 

[Dortmundbirder]

Depends on you definition of "get" as the German rarity committee, as far as I know, has recently removed Ural Owl from the list because of the reintroductions and doesn't consider it even cat. C. So you have to look at least a meter across the border to the Czech Republic, where they count

German DO-G list a topic for itself. Several lets call it "intesresting" decisions here. And it is not the rarity committee, which might be part of the problem.
I think they still hold them on BE which is correct.
Our birding community holds them completely countable from the population in "NP Bayrischer Wald" . But of course a short detour to CZ would do the same.

 

[01101001]

Just to divert the discussion again; how about the pronunciation of Gerygone?

Dictionaries only show juh-RI-guh-nee, so I'd get that one wrong.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Many of the birds people name here are present, but difficult in the UK, but easy in other parts of Europe. Tawny Owls are incredibly common in the Czech Republic and Poland (and I presume also in Germany, Austria, etc...) Now is the start of the season to hear their calls everywhere - following the calls, you can often see the owl with some effort. IR can help.

Tawny Owl is very common in the UK too, including in towns etc

 

[THE_FERN]

I wonder why so many people use "key" for "que" in English? If you want to follow Spanish pronunciation, "que" is a short syllable, I do not really know how to transcribe if for English people though, because there maybe just isn't such sound in normal English?

y; it's like a short "kay", somewhat close to "keh"—but pronunciation varies amongst spanish speakers, of course (like oui in French where I think I've heard all possible pronunciations from French speakers—from "we" to "Way")

edit: English speakers use "key" for "que" because that's somewhat like the "kwe" sound "que" often takes in English I suspect

 

[lgonz1008]

You could get all 10 in a single late winter/early spring trip in Germany with Lammergeier being the only one not really consistent.

Germany was a backup option in my eyes, but figured I'd do the other two since there's plenty of birds in both that I can't see elsewhere, such as the Iberian endemics in Spain or some of the big mammals in Sweden (best place to connect with Wolverine).

 

[Mysticete]

An American staying in the UK cited woodpigeon as their favourite native bird. Mostly due to its size.

Wood (and Stock) Pigeons are pretty cool for a lot of US birders. Of course we have Rock Pigeons everywhere, but for most of the country mourning dove is are largest and most common pigeon/dove.

 

[Mysticete]

Okay, after further deliberation, here would be my most wanted list

Wallcreeper (Because I am a family lister)

Western Capercallie (This bird gets in a lot of general animal books here in the states, and so if you are someone with a longtime love of animals you are probably familiar with this bird)

Smew: Because every time I hear that Mariah Carey Christmas song I mentally replace "you" with smew.

Red-breasted Goose: Just a cool-looking goose

European Roller: Coraciiformes are cool

Iberian Magpie: I've seen butt-end views of the Asian sister taxon, and the biogeography here is fascinating.

Eurasian Dotterel: Just a nifty plover

White Stork = Iconic bird

Eurasian Eagle-Owl = Because big owls are cool

Common Nightingale = Another Iconic bird

Corncrake = because I am bitter that one showed less than a hour from my home in NY a few months after I moved to Wisconsin

Some of people's suggestions here are birds I have already seen, either in the UK, South Africa, or Japan. So no European Bee-eater, Ural Owl, Bearded Tit/Reedling, etc. If I had never gone before, I think the tit and Turdus thrush diversity would also be a big plus.

 

[lgonz1008]

Wood (and Stock) Pigeons are pretty cool for a lot of US birders. Of course we have Rock Pigeons everywhere, but for most of the country mourning dove is are largest and most common pigeon/dove.

Not in the Miami and the Keys, we have White-crowned Pigeons fighting Rock Pigeons and Eurasian Collared-Doves off the wires!

 

[dantheman]

I'm slightly intrigued by Ural Owl and Black Woodpecker being the most desirable. Of the owls, from a UK perspective at least not the obvious choice, and whilst Black is the biggest European woodpecker ... you have Pileated (same size or larger??), but maybe related to the Ivory-billed scenario ...

?!?! Interesting!

 

[Sangahyando]

Pileated Woodpecker is slightly smaller than Black, although the difference is probably minimal. Personally I can understand it, since not only is the latter the second largest extant woodpecker, but it's also relatively easy to find and entertaining to watch, unlike many other sought after species which are often cryptic and/or extremely difficult to spot.

 

[Jos Stratford]

I'm slightly intrigued by Ural Owl and Black Woodpecker being the most desirable. Of the owls, from a UK perspective at least not the obvious choice, and whilst Black is the biggest European woodpecker ... you have Pileated (same size or larger??), but maybe related to the Ivory-billed scenario ...

?!?! Interesting!

I guess because some of the owls are equally present in the US or elsewhere... Great Grey has to be one of the most stunning European owls, but also occurs in NA, as does Hawk Owl and, basically, Tengmalm's Owl and others.

 

[lgonz1008]

I'm slightly intrigued by Ural Owl and Black Woodpecker being the most desirable. Of the owls, from a UK perspective at least not the obvious choice, and whilst Black is the biggest European woodpecker ... you have Pileated (same size or larger??), but maybe related to the Ivory-billed scenario ...

?!?! Interesting!

I guess because some of the owls are equally present in the US or elsewhere... Great Grey has to be one of the most stunning European owls, but also occurs in NA, as does Hawk Owl and, basically, Tengmalm's Owl and others.

Jos hit the nail on the head, I'd love to see some of those owls even more, but they are all possible in the US, similar experience would be the Gyrfalcon in Iceland, you can find them in the US, so why consider them your top targets internationally.

As for the Black Woodpecker, it's the combination of size and color that makes it very appealing, Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker is a close second in my eyes, but too similar to the American Three-toed to justify a spot as a newbie.

Plus, when people come around to see our backyard birds, it always amazes me that's their target, such as White Ibis or Red-bellied Woodpecker, and if they come from Europe, words cannot describe how many looks I've gotten from American while guiding an European birder and seeing them so excited for a Blue Jay or Northern Cardinal, one man's trash is another one's treasure.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Joe hit the nail on the head

Who's Joe? 😅

 

[lgonz1008]

Who's Joe? 😅

The horrors of multitasking at work, sorry Jos!

 

[Scott98]

I did some homework - Eurasian Jackdaws have been sighted in Massachusetts! And on the coastline, where I am. So I will begin the vigil People from my club said Massachusetts is a hotspot for sightings of birds from England.

 

[DMW]

Wood (and Stock) Pigeons are pretty cool for a lot of US birders. Of course we have Rock Pigeons everywhere, but for most of the country mourning dove is are largest and most common pigeon/dove.

Stock Dove is quite a surprising choice, but a good one - a very underappreciated bird, and really quite beautiful when seen well in good light.

 

[Mysticete]

All of my UK birding (the only place I have visited in Europe) has been built around conferences and research trips. I'm pretty sure Stock Dove as well as Mistle and Song Thrush were major targets on my second visit!

 

[DMW]

I'm disappointed nobody has mentioned Jack Snipe. If you'd ever seen one doing it's thing, it would be on your list