Author: Whitehawk Birding
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Top 10 Reasons to Love Vultures
We admit it, we are big fans of vultures. And why not?! Long thought of as being dirty, ugly, garbage eaters, they are actually very beautiful birds. More importantly, play a major role in the environment. In the light of International Vulture Awareness Day 2018 which took place on September 1, we thought we would…
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Top 10 Mammals to See in India
India is a very colorful country and its biodiversity stands out as much as the textiles and dyes that highlight the streets and hillsides do. While India has over 1,250 species of birds to admire, some of the mammals of are unique and rare. Large cats, unusual bears, stealthy canids, huge bats, clever primates and…
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Ocellated birds: what they are and why they have that name
While guiding in the humid forest of Colombia, I spotted an Ocellated Tapaculo, a beautiful but elusive bird. Upon hearing this species’ name, one of the birders asked “Where do these names come from? What does that name mean?” At the time, I had no answer to give him. But I wanted to be able to answer…
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New Tour for 2019! Costa Rica: Wild Nature
When one thinks about the tropics and tropical birds and animals, the first place that usually comes to mind is Costa Rica. Costa Rica means “Rich Coast” in Spanish. This refers to the wealth of natural beauty found along its extensive coastlines. This small Central American nation has been on the map as the prime…
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Colombia: New Tour, New Country, New Continent
Colombia: New Tour, New Country, New Continent! It’s so hot right now – Colombia, that is, in terms of birding. For decades, Colombia has been off the radar in terms of general tourism for security reasons. Now, as this celebrated South American nation becomes safer by the day, Colombia has risen to the top of…
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National Birds of Central America
Bird facts are always of interest to any birder. Cool facts about national birds are no exception! Most countries have officially (or at least unofficially) selected a national bird to best represent their local avifauna. Central American countries have done a great job of boasting some of the most beautiful birds the region has to…
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New two-country tour: Honduras & Guatemala
Central America is full of natural beauty and cultural richness, and it is difficult for many to choose a favorite place within this special area of the world. Every country has its own natural marvels, but two countries stand out from the rest: Honduras and Guatemala. In the heart of the Mayan world, these countries…
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The new Madagascar Trip Report is online
Whitehawk completed its first tour to Madagascar in November. Covering the southern and eastern parts of the country, tour participants visited an amazing mix of habitats that adorn this country. We visited the unique spiny forests of Ifaty and traveled to the incredible rock formations of Isalo. We explored the expansive rainforests of Ranomafana National…
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Costa Rica Birding Challenge and some Owls
The Costa Rica Birding Challenge finished last week with an amazing number of birds seen or heard collectively: more than 550 species in over a week’s time. The Tico Tickers, Yeray‘s team, came in first place with 488 species! We want to congratulate all the participants and organizers for an amazing event, which we are…