Best of
Birds

1999

Collins Bird Guide: The Most Complete Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe


Lars Svensson - 1999
    Accompanying every species entry is a distribution map and illustrations showing the species in all the major plumages (male, female, immature, in flight, at rest, feeding: whatever is important).In addition, each group of birds includes an introduction which covers the major problems involved in identifying or observing them: how to organise a sea watching trip, how to separate birds of prey in flight, which duck hybrids can be confused with which main species. These and many other common birdwatching questions are answered.The combination of definitive text, up-to-date distribution maps and superb illustrations, all in a single volume, makes this book the ultimate field guide, essential on every bookshelf and birdwatching trip.

Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds


Scott Weidensaul - 1999
    Bird migration is the world's only true unifying natural phenomenon, stitching the continents together in a way that even the great weather systems fail to do. Scott Weidensaul follows awesome kettles of hawks over the Mexican coastal plains, bar-tailed godwits that hitchhike on gale winds 7,000 miles nonstop across the Pacific from Alaska to New Zealand, and myriad songbirds whose numbers have dwindled so dramatically in recent decades. Migration paths form an elaborate global web that shows serious signs of fraying, and Weidensaul delves into the tragedies of habitat degradation and deforestation with an urgency that brings to life the vast problems these miraculous migrants now face.

Birds of Michigan Field Guide


Stan Tekiela - 1999
    There's no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don't live in Michigan. This book features 112 species of Michigan birds, organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don't know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out. Fact-filled information, a compare feature, range maps and detailed photographs help to ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see.

Birds of Wisconsin Field Guide


Stan Tekiela - 1999
    There's no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don't live in Wisconsin. This book features 111 species of Wisconsin birds, organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don't know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out. Fact-filled information, a compare feature, range maps and detailed photographs help to ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see.

Birds of Ohio Field Guide


Stan Tekiela - 1999
    There's no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don't live in Ohio. This book features 111 species of Ohio birds, organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don't know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out. Fact-filled information, a compare feature, range maps and detailed photographs help to ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see.

Pocket Guide To The Birds Of The Indian Subcontinent


Richard Grimmett - 1999
    The plates face the descriptions for quick at-a glance reference. This guide provides tables, summarising identification features of particularly difficult groups such as nightjars, warblers and rosefinches.

The Emperor's Egg


Martin Jenkins - 1999
    While his mate is off swimming in the ocean and catching loads of fish, he stands around in the freezing cold with an egg on his feet for two whole months, keeping it warm and waiting for it to hatch. This charming, oversize picture book is full of fabulous facts about nature’s most devoted dad.

Birds of Illinois Field Guide


Stan Tekiela - 1999
    There's no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don't live in Illinois. This book features 111 species of Illinois birds, organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don't know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out. Fact-filled information, a compare feature, range maps and detailed photographs help to ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see.

Backyard Birds


Jonathan P. Latimer - 1999
    Comprehensive and authoritative, they are essential additions to any naturalist's bookshelf or backpack.

John James Audubon: Writings and Drawings


John James Audubon - 1999
    This volume provides the most comprehensive selection of Audubon's writings ever published, along with a portfolio of his drawings.

Birds of India: Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives


Richard Grimmett - 1999
    Thoroughly revised, with 73 new plates and many others updated or repainted, the second edition of Birds of India now features all maps and text opposite the plates for quicker and easier reference. Newly identified species have been added, the text has been extensively revised, and all the maps are new. Comprehensive and definitive, this is the indispensable guide for anyone birding in this part of the world.The leading field guide to the birds of the Indian subcontinent--now thoroughly revised and improved1,375 species illustrated and described, including all residents, migrants, and vagrants226 color plates--including 73 new ones--depict every species and many distinct plumages and racesConcise text and accurate distribution maps opposite plates for easy referenceIncludes newly identified species

Guide to Companion Parrot Behavior Guide to Companion Parrot Behavior


Mattie Sue Athan - 1999
    This book offers a wealth of advice on such topics as choosing between a young parrot and an older bird, selecting and training a talking parrot, modifying some of a companion parrot's behavior traits and periodically reinforcing behavior changes, keeping the bird groomed and away from household safety hazards, and virtually all other aspects of care. The author, a respected parrot expert, discusses ways of coping with occasional problems that include excessive screaming and feather chewing, and describes general differences in behavior among various companion birds - budgies, lovebirds, cockatiels, macaws, conures, lories and others.

The Great Auk


Errol Fuller - 1999
    It catalogues every known specimen and surviving egg, and chronicles its frequent appearances in art and literature.

Owls of the World


Claus König - 1999
    Even the most zealous birders rarely encounter owls, and attempts to identify them are complicated by the number of species that are almost indistinguishable by plumage alone. This comprehensive guide (a thoroughly updated edition of the authors’ previous volume, Owls: A Guide to Owls of the World), penetrates the mysterious world of owls with full color illustrations, detailed species descriptions, useful information on vocalizations, and much more.An important reference book as well as identification guide, Owls of the World encompasses the 250 known species and many subspecies of owl, including twelve new species that have been discovered over the last decade. Michael Wink, et al. contribute a new section on molecular evolution. The book features sixty-eight full-color plates depicting every species and distinct subspecies, color morphs, and juvenile plumages. Current distribution maps are also provided.All the facts on:·        Identification features, including how to distinguish similar species·        Habitat·        Geographical variation·        Food, breeding, and habits·        Species status and conservation efforts·        The latest owl taxonomy, based on DNA analysis and vocalizationsEvery ornithologist, birder, and wildlife enthusiast will want to own this essential guide—the most comprehensive and advanced book ever published on owls.

The Miracle of Flight


Stephen Dalton - 1999
    Dalton's high-speed photographs of animals in flight, combined with color illustrations, beautifully illuminate the sometimes arcane discussions. Overall, this breathtakingly illustrated and well written book is superb." - Booklist Insects and birds account for three-quarters of all land creatures. For many of them, the ability to fly has allowed them to live in diverse habitats all over the globe. For humans, the mastery of flight is a supreme technical achievement that has revolutionized our world during the last century.The Miracle of Flight shows how animals evolved wings and how humans triumphed over the associated physical challenges of taking to the air. The magic of winged flight is passionately revealed in photography and color illustrations.The main sections cover:Insects and the mechanics of their flight Birds and their wing structure Man's centuries old dream of flight The development of flight from balloons to jets and rockets. Every section of The Miracle of Flight is illustrated by Dalton's stunning wildlife photographs and specially commissioned full color technical drawings.

Companion Parrot Handbook


Sally Blanchard - 1999
    A sampling of topics covered include choosing a parrot, skills to teach a parrot, converting parrots to a healthier diet, what to do if a parrot flies away, and how to travel with a parrot. Ms. Blanchard provides excellent guidance, gained from over 20 years as an avian behavior consultant, regarding basic behavioral concepts and the methods that can be used to live long and happily with a companion parrot. Specifically, her information and techniques serve to build trust between parrots and their owners. Illustrations, done by both Sally Blanchard and Jeff Riebe, serve to help create an exceptionally humorous and insightful publication. This book is written so that it can be read in one of two ways. It can be read from start to finish or used as a reference to look up specific topics, such as "First Aid for Broken Blood Feathers", "Towel Training", or "Excessive Screaming". It is a "must have" for anyone who has a parrot in the home or who may be thinking of adopting a first parrot.

Music of the Birds: A Celebration of Bird Song


Lang Elliott - 1999
    Their songs can soothe the spirit and bring joy to our lives. They can also, like Poe's raven, arouse darker feelings. Listening to their melodic notes, we wonder, are birds really making music? Are they singing only to one another, or do they sing to us too. Poets and musicians have borrowed from and celebrated the songs of birds in their work. Scientists have been inspired by bird song and analyzed it, solving some of its mysteries but leaving many others untouched. MUSIC OF THE BIRDS tells why birds sing and which are the finest singers. It celebrates the many varieties of bird song: flight songs, night songs, and dawn choruses. It explores the messages of poets and shows how to appreciate every bird song we hear, no matter how beautiful or mundane. Music of the Birds will be valuable to anyone interested in birds, from beginner to expert.

Sally Blanchard's Companion Parrot Handbook: Using Nurturing Guidance to Create the Best Companion Parrot Possible: Aka, the Happy Bappy Fun Book


Sally Blanchard - 1999
    A sampling of topics covered include choosing a parrot, skills to teach a parrot, converting parrots to a healthier diet, what to do if a parrot flies away, and how to travel with a parrot. Ms. Blanchard provides excellent guidance, gained from over 20 years as an avian behavior consultant, regarding basic behavioral concepts and the methods that can be used to live long and happily with a companion parrot. Specifically, her information and techniques serve to build trust between parrots and their owners. Illustrations, done by both Sally Blanchard and Jeff Riebe, serve to help create an exceptionally humorous and insightful publication. This book is written so that it can be read in one of two ways. It can be read from start to finish or used as a reference to look up specific topics, such as "First Aid for Broken Blood Feathers", "Towel Training", or "Excessive Screaming". It is a "must have" for anyone who has a parrot in the home or who may be thinking of adopting a first parrot.

Birds of Lake Pond & Marsh: Water and Wetland Birds of Eastern North America


John Eastman - 1999
    Waterfowl, rails, hawks, herons, and more.

National Geographic Birders Journal


National Geographic Society - 1999
    Organized by families of birds, it features: -- More than 800 species known to breed in North America, both regular visitors and those that are sighted on occasion-- An easy-to-use checklist based on the latest classifications of the American Ornithologists Union-- Common and scientific names for each bird entry with accompanying artwork painted by top artists-- A laminated, high-quality durable coverBirders delight in accurate, varied, and frequent sightings, and a recording journal from the Society that publishes the ultimate in field guides will be considered second to none.

Birds for Dummies


Gina Spadafori - 1999
    16-page color insert.

I Can Fly!


Alain Crozon - 1999
    With a peek-a-boo format and irresistible art, toddlers will want to play these simple guessing games over and over again.

The Cockatiel Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks)


Matthew M. Vriends - 1999
    This handbook gives detailed purchase advice, considerations related to caging, proper nutrition, grooming, health care, and keeping the bird safe from household hazards.

A Field Guide to Bird Songs: Eastern and Central North America


Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology - 1999
    It includes the songs and calls of 267 species - all the most common and vocal birds found east of the Rockies. Organized as a companion to Roger Tory Peterson's Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern and Central North America, fifth edition, this is the "birder's bible" of bird song.

The Shrinky Dinks Book


Sherri Haab - 1999
    Draw or trace a design on it, color it, cut it out with ordinary scissors, bake it for mere minutes on a cookie sheet in your oven and, presto, your creation shrinks to a third of its original size. What you do with it from there --jewelry, magnets, frame, decoration - is up to your own creative genius. You get six sheets of Shrinky Dinks(R) plastic in this book, along with a mind-boggling collection of ready-to-trace, ready-to-color, ready-to-shrink artwork. Comes with: 38 page book with more than 30 pages of traceable art, 6 sheets of shrink plastic

Nature's Paintbrush: The Patterns and Colors Around You


Susan Stockdale - 1999
    They provide camouflage, of course, but that's only the beginning....A pinwheel of flower petals draws bees to a flower's center where they can collect sweet nectar and drop off pollen. And a toucan waves its colorful beak like a flag to attract a mate.Clever and eye-opening, "Nature's Paintbrush" will encourage youngsters to examine, think about, and enjoy the colorful world around them.

The Birds of Kaua'i


Jim Denny - 1999
    Let The Birds of Kauai be your guide!Written in an appealing, informal style, The Birds of Kaua'i offers readers an enjoyable look at the avifauna of Hawai'i's oldest island. Two of the most important and impressive sites for birdwatching in the State are located on Kaua'i: Kilauea National Wildlife Refuge and Alaka'i Wilderness Preserve. Kilauea, on the island's windward shore, boasts substantial populations of seabirds, which can be viewed up close; Alaka'i is the most pristine native rain forest in the Islands and until two short decades ago its valleys still echoed with the songs of every native bird historically known to reside there. Today many species continue to thrive in the lush ancient forest.Superbly illustrated with more than 80 color photographs, The Birds of Kauai covers every avian species that can be seen on the Garden Island. The author's knowledge and enthusiasm are evident on each page as he describes native forest birds, seabirds, alien birds, and migratory visitors. One of world's rarest birds is the Kaua'i 'O'o, the victim of predation and extensive changes to its environment. These and other threats to the Island's fragile bird populations are discussed.

Birds of Southern Africa


Ber van Perlo - 1999
    And this is the only guide to illustrate the birds of Angola (including Cabinda), home of the striking White-headed Robin Chat of river basins and the Angolan Cave Chat, a dweller of rocky hillsides.The 84 color plates depict vagrants, ocean wanderers, and many other birds that occur across a huge region characterized by widely varying habitats from woodlands and forests of various types to deserts to swamps. The text opposite the plates concisely describes similar species and subspecies by physical traits, habitat, and voice. All the larks are shown in flight as well as perched, and every swallow is pictured in flight from below. The most distinctive immature and non-breeding plumages are included. This book will be an invaluable resource to any birder contemplating a trip to southern Africa.