On Wed, 6 Jan 1999 sanjer at televar.com wrote:

> I watched a program last night about climbing Mt. Everest.The climbers
> set up a camp at 26,000 feet and what do I see come into view--a bird
> soaring above the climbers. I couldn't tell the size with nothing but
> sky around it.
>
> Does any one have any ideas what kind of bird soars at over 26,000
> feet.
>
> Jerry Converse
> Grand Coulee, WA

Alpine choughs (Coracus graculus) has been seen at 27,000 feet on Mt.
Everest. Although there are records of birds migrating at heights up to
nearly 20,000 feet, I've never seen any reports of another species than
the chough at that altitude. Choughs are crow-like birds - black, about
the same size, but with thinner, colored bills. Could you tell anything
about the color or shape of the bird you glimpsed?

Chris Hill
Everett, WA
cehill at u.washington.edu