Note 1 - Interim Financial Statements (Details) - Reconciliation of Earnings/(Loss) and the Weighted Average Number of Shares (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Reconciliation of Earnings/(Loss) and the Weighted Average Number of Shares [Abstract]
Income from continuing operations	$ 280,759		$ 75,596
Gain on sale of operating properties	32,055
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2,397)		(8,860)
Discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interests			6,613
Preferred stock dividends	(14,573)		(14,573)
Income from continuing operations available to the common shareholders	295,844		58,776
Earnings attributable to unvested restricted shares	(1,341)		(422)
Income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders	294,503		58,354
(Loss)/income from discontinued operations attributable to the Company	(75)		13,651
Net income attributable to the Company’s common shareholders for basic earnings per share	294,428		72,005
Weighted average common shares outstanding (in Shares)	410,433		408,367
Effect of dilutive securities (a):
Equity awards (in Shares)	3,393	[1]	1,077	[1]
Assumed conversion of convertible units (in Shares)	1,570
Income from continuing operations (in Dollars per share)	$ 0.72		$ 0.14
Income from discontinued operations (in Dollars per share)			$ 0.04
Net income (in Dollars per share)	$ 0.72		$ 0.18
Computation of Diluted Earnings Per Share:
Income from continuing operations attributable to common shareholders	294,503		58,354
(Loss)/income from discontinued operations attributable to the Company	(75)		13,651
Distributions on convertible units	817
Net income attributable to the Company’s common shareholders for diluted earnings per share	$ 295,245		$ 72,005
Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic (in Shares)	410,433		408,367
Effect of dilutive securities (a):
Equity awards (in Shares)	3,393	[1]	1,077	[1]
Assumed conversion of convertible units (in Shares)	1,570
Shares for diluted earnings per common share (in Shares)	415,396		409,444
Income from continuing operations (in Dollars per share)	$ 0.71		$ 0.14
Income from discontinued operations (in Dollars per share)			$ 0.04
Net income (in Dollars per share)	$ 0.71		$ 0.18

[1] For the three months ended March 31, 2014, the effect of certain convertible units would have an anti-dilutive effect upon the calculation of Income from continuing operations per share. Accordingly, the impact of such conversion has not been included in the determination of diluted earnings per share calculations. Additionally, there were 6,857,810 and 10,905,076 stock options that were not dilutive at March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.