A simple and colorful introduction to birds and bird behavior, accompanied by beautifully detailed illustrations from noted wildlife illustrator John Sill.

    Copiously illustrated with maps, line drawings, and full-color photographs, this large format paperback book contains the essential information that backyard nature enthusiasts want and need -- to attract bluebirds to their yards.

    Each autumn millions of migrating birds converge here on their annual flight to wintering grounds as far away as Brazil and Peru. Season at the Point, the rich and telling story of the birds and birders of Cape May, evokes the sense of mystery and excitement that pervades the Cape as birders gather to count owls by the hundreds, hawks by the tens of thousands, and shorebirds and songbirds by the hundreds of thousands.

    With no phone or running water, she and her research parmer immerse themselves in the study of a pair of endangered peregrine falcons that return to their ancestral nesting site on Chimney Rock.Coming to know these birds intimately while sharing their home, Houle develops an abiding devotion to them. She observes their breathtaking flight, their indomitable character, and their urgent will to survive.Before me a peregrine falcon emerged from the cliff with a fierce beauty; with utmost ease and perfect control it spun in a dizzying dive to the earth. Talons outstretched, it lightly grazed the object of its attention -- a trespassing prairie falcon who had slipped across the peregrine's invisible territorial line.... Its flight was a gust of pure energy.While conducting her research, Houle learns that Chimney Rock is the site of an Anasazi ruin slated for commercial development. She meets the unexpected resistance and hostility of townspeople who resent the obstacle the endangered birds pose to potential tourist dollars. Houle uncovers the depth and complexity of the issue that leads this community -- and so many others like it in today's growing world -- to an angry impasse. With compassion, insight, and fairness, Houle explores the dilemma between environmentalists and developers, both of whom value the land, but in different ways.Wings for My Flight is the story of one biologist who, through the help of another species, comes to a greater understanding of her own. As a Colorado press, Pruett Publishing is proud to reissue thisaward-winning book that addresses issues vital to Coloradans and Westerners.

    He is destined to be long remembered by whoever reads about his life. His is a great auk.The great auks were the only flightless species of North Atlantic bird. Their tiny wings were not capable of raising their large bodies into the air. Yet these ridiculous flipper-like appendages—pumping in perfect harmony with the vast splayed feet with their tough rubbery webbing—could propel the birds on or beneath the billowing ocean surface faster than six strong men could row a boat. When standing upright, the great auks resembled penguins.These noble birds have been extinct for more than one hundred years, but they live again in this amazing novel that follows them and their last leader from their North Atlantic summer mating grounds on Eldey Island south top the Carolinas. On the island and along three-thousand-mile migration route lurk many perils—storms, killer whales, fishhooks, scientists, and the "terrible tune of swishthump" that marks the onslaught of profiteering hunters with their murderous clubs. Before the story is finished, we witness the growth of the young great auk from the dramatic moment of hatching, into his adventures as a timorous fledgling, until the time when he himself becomes the monarch of hi dwindling flock. As the seven remaining birds begin their return to Eldey Island, the reader fears what he knows is inevitable, that these great auks are the last, that there will be no more. Such is the power of Allan Eckert's novel and its remarkable characters.

    In the Mega Square Audubons Birds, 120 types of birds are presented with a description for each type. The plates chosen are the most well-known, thus people will easily find their favorite bird. The Mega Square's small and practical format is bound to make a perfect gift.

    Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

    A beachcomber's handbook to common birds, crabs, shells, fish and other entities of the coastal environment.

    Describes the characteristics and behavior of terns, compares and contrasts them with humans, and discusses our coexistence with the natural world.

    In this engaging book. Al Martin explains the techniques he developed over more than fifty years to gain the trust of wild birds. Many of Al's visitors, young and old alike, experienced the thrill of birds landing on them to receive the food they had been trained to expect! And readers of this book may look forward to similar experiences.

    While the bulk of the book (over 300 pages) contains listings and illustrations of the plant and animal species that live and grow with the Pine Barrens, Boyd begins his book by explaining and defining what makes this sandy soiled, wooded habitat so diverse and so unusual. But just as the title suggests, the essence of this text is its devotion to identifying, classifying, characterizing and illustrating every living creature, from the whirligig beetle to the large-toothed aspen, that makes its home in the Pine Barrens. Over 700 species, listed first under their common then scientific nomenclatures, are included. Each entry gives a detailed, non-technical description of a Pine Barren plant or animal, indicating when and where it is most likely to appear. Complementing most listings is an original ink drawing that will greatly aid the reader in the field as they search for and try to identify specific flora and fauna.

    The sandhill, most often seen, is within easy reach of bird-watchers in the center of the continent. Less visible is the whooping crane, struggling back from near extinction. Paul Johnsgard follows these elegant birds through a year’s cycle, describing their seasonal migrations, natural habitats, breeding biology, call patterns—angelic to the bird-lover’s ear—and fascinating dancing.The largest and most spectacular migratory concentration of cranes happens each spring when the Platte River valley becomes the staging ground for an amazing gathering of four hundred thousand to five hundred thousand sandhills en route from the South to the Arctic tundra. Johnsgard describes this incredible event as well as memorable personal encounters with the cranes. His knowledge of them transcends natural history, covering their importance in religion and mythology.

    Humans are perhaps most in awe of birds' ability to fly. Flight has enabled them to colonize virtually every habitat. Birds also display a great diversity of color and form. They are united by the possession of feathers-the defining characteristic of birds. Many species are threatened by habitat destruction and extinction, and their survival is dependant on our appreciation and understanding and the preservation of their habitats. This beautifully illustrated book, with more than 200 magnificent color photographs and 150 original paintings, maps, and diagrams, presents an up-to-date and comprehensive survey of the natural history of birds. The authoritative text has been written by the world's leading ornithologists and includes the most recent scientific findings in a stimulating presentation. Features: * Magnificently illustrated in full color * Includes hundreds of color photographs and meticulously researched diagrams and maps * Written by an international team of world recognized authorities

    It is a celebration of the time-honored art of pheasant hunting. If you buy only one book on pheasant hunting, buy Pheasants of the Mind.

    Chubb's black-and-white illustrations of many of these feathered creatures add charm to her funny, sad, incredible but true tales.