WHitehawk Birding blog
Welcome to the Whitehawk Birding Blog! Here we share fun birding and nature facts and news in posts that we hope you find of interest. We hope you enjoy!
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2019 Discover India: Birding & Tiger Safari Trip Report Online!
Bengal Tigers and More Well, our long-awaited tiger safari and birding tour came and went, leaving 7 people in complete awe of the spectacular wildlife we saw during the 2-week excursion into the wilds of India. We had great sightings of not one, not two, but rather TWELVE Bengal Tigers in the wild. We observed…
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Central American Hummingbirds – the gems of the region
Hummingbirds are one of the most diverse groups of birds in the New World. There are more than 345 species from Alaska (Rufous Hummingbird) to Tierra del Fuego (Green-backed Firecrown), including the Caribbean islands. It’s no surprise that the greatest number of hummingbirds are in the tropical region, including a large number in Central America. Here,…
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Review of Birds of Central America
On this review of Birds of Central America, we go over the different sections of the book and compare it to other publications that focus on bird identification in the region. The Authors This is an impressive book by Andrew C. Vallely and Dale Dyer. It is the first field guide to encompass the entire Central…
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Ornitherapy in Panama: Birds, Beaches and Yoga
Whitehawk’s first ornitherapy tour is set in the tranquil forests and white sand beaches of Belize. Now we are excited to introduce our second tour in this style, in our home-base country of Panama. Imagine waking up to a spectacular view of Pacific dry forest from the front porch of your private cabin. Imagine being…
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Ornitherapy: Birding for the Soul
Looking back to some of our blog posts from 2013, this one caught our attention and is worth reposting. What is ornitherapy? How can birds help us to mentally, emotionally and physically thrive in today’s busy society? Read on and be inspired: I recently came across a print ad by the US Fish and Wildlife…
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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…