Is that butterfly outside your window a Monarch or a Giant Swallowtail? What's the best kind of feeder for attracting birds to your backyard? This pocket-size, brilliantly colorful, simple-to-use guide is an ideal introduction to the birds of the Eastern United States. It contains dozens of full-color photographs that enable readers of all ages to identify the most common species; range maps; tips on attracting and observing birds; information on habitat needs, life cycle, food preferences; and much more. Special features include:Coverage of 100 speicesUnique organization by birds' plumage colorsUser-friendly color tab index for quick referenceBrilliant full-color photographs of each species, plus separate images of male and female when plumage differsUseful tips for attracting birdsInformation on voice, habitat, nest, eggs, incubation time, population trends, behavior, birdhouse and feeder preferences, and much more

    Children learn to identify a variety of different plant, animal and insect species.-- Helps children identify different species.-- Includes scrapbook pages, for notes or drawings.-- Features detailed true-to-life illustrations.

    You'll find: * All the identification information on a single page-color photographs, range map, and detailed description. No more fumbling to match photos with text! * For fast reference-a compact alphabetical index inside the front and back covers. * More than 900 high-resolution color identification photographs. * An illustrated Quick Guide to the most common backyard and feeder birds. * Convenient colored tabs keyed to each bird group. * Concise and comprehensive text, with information on habitat; plumage variation; feeding, nesting, and mating behavior; bird feeder proclivity; and-for the first time in any guide-population trends and conservation status.

    This is the book that goes beyond the field guides: not a guide for naming the birds, but a reference for understanding them -- a complete, handy, one-volume encyclopedia on the fascinating lives of our birds.* Includes information about more than 900 birds: complete life histories for 680 species that occur regularly in North America and shorter accounts for more than 230 others that visit occasionally, with more than 600 beautiful photographs and more than 600 range maps.* Gives every important detail about the lives of birds: what they eat, where they build their nests, how many eggs they lay, what habitat they choose, when they migrate, what their current conservation status is, and much more.

    With all this, Kenya and northern Tanzania are the ultimate destination for safaris, adventure travel, and ecotourism. They also form one of the world's most spectacular regions for birdwatching, with a variety of species unmatched almost anywhere else--from the tiny Amani Sunbird to the eight-foot-tall Somali Ostrich, from the elegant flamingos of the Rift Valley lakes to carcass-eating vultures and snake-hunting eagles. This book is the definitive field guide for the thousands of birdwatchers and travelers who visit this breathtaking area every year. The guide features 124 color plates, depicting all 1,114 species in the area, including variations by subspecies, age, and sex. It contains over 800 range maps and succinct text that covers identification, voice, and distribution. Specially designed for use in the field, it is a compact version of the widely acclaimed Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania, hailed on its publication in 1996 as the most comprehensive, accurate, and beautiful guide ever produced for the region. With its modest price, small trim size and sturdy, weather-resistant binding, this field guide is the one volume that every adventurous traveler to Kenya and northern Tanzania must have.

    One year after Grandmother's departure, three eggs in one of the nests miraculously begin to hatch and out pops a breed of passenger pigeon long thought to be extinct. When too many visiting scientists threaten the three hatchling' freedom, Grandmother's family take matters into their own hands.

    Arctic terns fly more than 10,000 miles from the South Pole to northern Maine. Tiny little hummingbirds fly nonstop over the ocean for 500 miles. How do they know which way to fly? Why don't they get lost? Read and find out the many ideas scientists have come up with to explain this mystery.

    Following Harold Bloom's introduction, there appears a detailed biography of the author, discussing major events in her life and her important literary works. Then follows a thematic and structural analysis of the works, in which significant themes, patterns, and motifs are traced. An annotated list of characters supplies brief information on the chief characters in the works.A selection of critical extracts, derived from previously published material from leading critics, then follows. The extracts consist of statements by the author on her works, early reviews of the works, and later evaluations down to the present day. The items are arranged chronologically by date of first publication. A bibliography of Angelou's writings (including a complete listing of all books she has written, co-written, edited, and translated), a list of additional books and articles on her and on her autobiographical works, and an index of themes and ideas conclude the volume.

    The text gives detailed descriptions of the summer, winter, and juvenile plumages of each species, as well as comparisons with similar species. The species accounts are illustrated with range maps and superb line drawings showing behavioral postures and, where useful, fine features of tail feather patterns. The 27 color plates splendidly illustrate the various plumages of each species with the emphasis on the distinctive appearance of birds of different sex, age, and geographic regions. This beautiful and authoritative book will be a must for the library of all keen birders living in and visiting North America.Species accounts include discussions of species?IdentificationMeasurementsVoiceHabitatEcologyNesting biologyDistributionTaxonomyGeographic variationsHistorical and present status

    Instructions for identifying 40 species of ducks, geese and swans.

    The guide is organized by habitat, with atmospheric backgrounds and voice-overs discussing how to tell the difference between each species, so the reader can quickly learn all the calls he can hear when visiting his local wood, or marshland RSPB reserve. Over 158 species are covered, the focus being on common birds and birds that are difficult to separate visually, but easy when the calls are heard. The accompanying booklet gives background information on each species, plus an introductory section on bird song, where and when it can be heard, and how to make your own recordings.

    Birds have long memories, he suggests, citing as evidence a garden thrush that came to visit him year after year, even recognizing him when he donned a particularly silly disguise. They can also use tools, feel attachment to other birds and humans, and communicate information of various kinds to one another. Not all that birds do, Skutch writes, speaks to their genius (one chapter is entitled "Apparently Stupid Behavior"), but their actions suggest a surprising depth of knowledge and ability. Birders will treasure his insights. --Gregory McNamee

    Lavish, full-color illustrations and clear, enjoyable descriptions on 125 common and interesting species around the Seattle area. This book includes quick ID tips, songs and calls, notes on habitat, nests and food, similar species listings, birdspotting checklist, bird feeding hints and tips on how to find the best birding spots in the area.

    From the familiar roadrunner and common crow to the exotic quetzal and Andean cock-of-the-rock, this unusual aviary of twenty-one colorful creatures soars with feathery frivolity.

    In Messages from an Owl, Terman not only relates his experiences nursing the starving owlet, Stripey, back to health and teaching it survival skills in his barn, but also describes the anxiety and elation of letting a companion loose into an uncertain world. Once Terman felt that Stripey knew how to dive after prey, he set the owl free. At this point his story could have ended, with no clue as to what the young bird's fate would be--had it not been for Terman's experimentation with radio tags. By strapping the tags to Stripey, he actually managed to follow the owl into the wild and observe for himself the behavior of a hand-reared individual reunited with its natural environment.Through this unique use of telemetry, Terman tracked Stripey for over six years after the bird left the scientist's barn and took up residence in the surrounding countryside on the Kansas prairie. The radio beacon provided Terman with information on the owl's regular patterns of playing, hunting, exploring, and protecting. It enabled him to witness the moments when Stripey was bantered and mobbed by crows, when other owls launched fierce attacks, and when a prospective mate caught Stripey's eye. On occasional returns to the barn, the owl would follow Terman around as he performed chores, usually waiting for a handout.Until now, scientists have generally believed that an owl nurtured by humans becomes ill-adapted for meeting the challenges of life in the wild. Terman's research proves otherwise. Stripey surpassed all expectations by becoming a totally independent wild creature. With Terman, however, Stripey remained tame, allowing the author to explore something one rarely sees in owls: a warm interest in humanity. Terman engagingly re-creates this dimension of Stripey as he describes with humor and compassion the daily challenges of probing the life of a phantom winged tiger.Originally published in 1996.The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

    Detailed illustrations portray the birth and rapid development of the cubs, the cubs learning to catch a frog and eat a fiddler crab, and mother raccoon defending her cubs from a ferocious predator. Also included are facts about the raccoon name and range, raccoon relatives and trivia, tips on helping injured or orphaned raccoon cubs, and handling techniques and recipes for temporary diets approved by the Delaware Wildlife Rehabilitators Association.

    They are barely ten inches long and weigh about twenty ounces. Each spring they breed in the Arctic, but in the year that follows they will migrate to the southern tip of South America and back again in their quest for food. Why and how they travel more than 18,000 miles each year, often as many as 2,500 miles nonstop (and at speeds averaging between thirty and forty miles per hour), is the subject of this engrossing and beautifully illustrated book.Based on a popular NOVA series on migration, The Flight of the Red Knot is the story of an ornithological marvel by one of the world's foremost authorities. Here we learn of the marvelous physical equipment of the long-distance flyers, their extraordinary food storage capacity, and the nature of their ever-moving food supply. The methods of research into the Red Knots' life cycle are also described. Bird lovers especially, but also any one interested in nature will love this book.

    Tour.

    North American birders savor Florida as the place to see species not found elsewhere in the US and Canada, such as Snail Kite, Short-tailed Hawk, Black-hooded Parakeet, Mangrove Cuckoo, Black-whiskered Vireo, or Florida Scrub-Jay. These are but a few of the Florida specialties that make a trip to the Sunshine State such an exciting adventure for all birders.Bill Pranty, with the help of dozens of the state's birders, has now rewritten his acclaimed 4th edition. More than 330 birding sites are described, and more than 400 species accounts are now included.A Birder's Guide to Florida's comprehensive introduction helps birders to understand seasonal bird distribution in Florida's various habitats. Whether you are hoping to see fairly common birds such as White-crowned Pigeon, or are searching for elusive birds such as Black Rail, or wish to be surprised by the discovery of an unconventional bird such as Scaly-headed Parrot, this birdfinding guide and your field guide are the only books you'll need!

    A cycle of dependency has progressed for several million years as birds have effectively planted the trees that sustain them by dispersing the seeds. This book covers a wide range of regions, focusing on the Rocky Mountains and the American Southwest, but also ranging from the Alps to Finland, and from Siberia to China. The book is written from the perspectives of evolution, ecology and animal behaviour.

    Simple, straightforward writing with dazzling illustrations.--Boston Sunday Globe. Concealed spiral binding. Full color.