Now he shares that information, integrating an explanation for the identification process with many painted and drawn images of details (such as a feather) or concepts.

    Carl Safina's guide and inspiration is an albatross he calls Amelia, whose life and far-flung flights he describes in fascinating detail. Interwoven with recollections of whalers and famous explorers, Eye of the Albatross probes the unmistakable environmental impact of the encounters between man and marine life. Safina's perceptive and authoritative portrait results in a transforming ride to the ends of the Earth for the reader, as well as an eye-opening look at the health of our oceans.

    . . By turns harrowing and elegiac, thrilling and informative." —Michiko Kakutani, The New York TimesThree or four times an hour, eighty or more times a day, a unique species of plant or animal vanishes forever. And yet, every so often one of these lost species resurfaces. "Having adventures most of us can only dream about" (The Times-Picayune), Scott Weidensaul pursues stories of loss and recovery, of endurance against the odds, and of surprising resurrections.

    The encounter was providential for both of them. B and Chester spent hours together playing games like bottle-cap fetch or hide-and-seek. They learned “words” in each other’s vocabularies. B developed a fetish for nostrils and a dislike of the color yellow. He grew anxious if Chester came home late from work. At bedtime he would rub his sleepy eyes on Chester’s thumb and settle to sleep in his palm. Chester ended up turning part of his house into an aviary and adjusting his social life to meet B’s demands. This was a small price to pay, though, for the trust and comfort of a twenty-five-gram friend who brought joy and wonder back into his life.

    Its pages contain 1,200 colour illustrations, plus seven comparison spreads, with comprehensive text on identification, habitats, food, breeding and conservation, and accurate range maps. In addition, the epub edition features songs, calls and other sounds from each species, making this the ultimate one-stop resources for anyone interested in identifying and learning more about the birds they see.This collection of images and sounds represents a step change in the way birdwatchers operate. No more carrying heavy books into the field; no more trying to remember sounds days later, while all other methods for taking sounds into the field are consigned to the dustbin.The RSPB Handbook of British Birds e-book provides a complete field-based ID solution – no birdwatcher will want to be without it.(Note: Audio may not play on all devices. Please check your user manual for details).

    Illustrated throughout, this handbook of birds covers the most common British and European birds in detail.

    As the bird recovers, Mole's mother explains that soon the bird will fly. But Mole wants to keep the bird, so he builds it a cage. Then, one beautifully clear day, Grandad takes Mole for a walk to the top of a high hill where Mole can feel the wind whipping around him. "I'm flying!" he says. When Mole returns home, he looks at the caged baby bird, finally understands that birds are meant to fly, and sets his baby bird free.The extraordinary team of author Marjorie Newman and illustrator Patrick Benson has created a book that speaks to the delicate nature of love and freedom. This is a book for the ages, and one to treasure for a lifetime.

    There's no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don't live in Georgia. This book features 140 species of Georgia 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.

    This impressive collection highlights birds from all regions of the United States including localized areas such as the Mid-Atlantic, the Pacific Northwest and New England. Whether birding in the foothills of New England, the prairies of the Midwest, or the beaches of Florida, Smithsonian Handbooks are the most comprehensive field guides to North American birds on the market. Looking for the Great Blue Heron or the Piping Plover while visiting the Great Lakes? Desperate to find the rare Long Billed Curlew or the Marbled Godwit during a hike in the Cascade Mountains? There's no need to look any further! Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, these amazing guides are an absolute staple for any birder or amateur ornithologist. Each local species receives its own profile, along with descriptions of habitats and annotated photographs that highlight specific characteristics and other points of interest. Take bird watching to new heights!

    Unlike the rest of the world's archipelagoes, it still has 95 percent of its prehuman quota of species. Wildlife of the Galapagos is the most superbly illustrated and comprehensive identification guide ever to the natural splendor of these incomparable islands--islands today threatened by alien species and diseases that have diminished but not destroyed what so enchanted Darwin on his arrival there in 1835. Covering over 200 commonly seen birds, mammals, reptiles, invertebrates, and plants, it reveals the archipelago's striking beauty through more than 400 color photographs, maps, and drawings and well-written, informative text. While the Galapagos Giant Tortoise, the Galapagos Sea Lion, and the Flightless Cormorant are recognized the world over, these thirty-three islands--in the Pacific over 600 miles from mainland Ecuador--are home to many more unique but less famous species. Here, reptiles well outnumber mammals, for they were much better at drifting far from a continent the archipelago was never connected with; the largest native land mammals are rice rats. The islands' sixty resident bird species include the only penguin to breed entirely in the tropics and to inhabit the Northern Hemisphere. There is a section offering tips on photography in the Equatorial sunlight, and maps of visitors' sites as well as information on the archipelago's history, climate, geology, and conservation. Wildlife of the Galapagos is the perfect companion for anyone who wants to know what so delighted Darwin. Covers over 200 commonly seen species including birds, mammals, reptiles, invertebrates, plants, and coastal and marine life Illustrated with over 400 color photographs, maps, and drawings; includes maps of visitors' sites Written by wildlife experts with extensive knowledge of the area Includes information on the history, climate, geology, and conservation of the islands The most complete identification guide to the wildlife of the Galapagos

    And a lifetime of observing an extraordinary range of species has given him a wealth of knowledge about bird habitats, behavior, and survival skills. Now, in this unique volume, Robert Bateman's newest paintings are combined with his insightful reflections on bird life in splendid pages that will delight nature and art lovers alike.This personal birding odyssey begins atBateman's easel on an island off Canada's Pacific coast, where herons, kingfishers, and bald eagles pass by his studio windows. From there it proceeds to a variety of North American destinations ranging from a seabird colony on Alaska's Pribil of Islands to the waterways of Florida's Everglades. Bateman has also explored many international wildlife sanctuaries and his unforgetttable experiences there are re-created in evocative color painting and vivid first-person recollections.Lavishly illustrated and informatively written, Birds is an intimate appreciation of some of the planet's most beautiful and fascinating creatures by an artist who has been capturing them on canvas for over forty years.

    Covering all resident, migrant, and vagrant birds of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, this small and compact guide describes and illustrates a remarkable 1,388 species in convenient facing-page layout. Featuring 287 new color plates with 3,400 images painstakingly rendered by three experienced artists, the guide illustrates all the plumages and major races likely to be encountered. Set opposite the plates are range maps and concise accounts describing identification, status, range, habits, and voice for each species. Introductory sections provide notes on how to use the species accounts, the nomenclature adopted, conservation issues, where to send records, and maps of protected and other important bird areas.Between them, Terry Stevenson and John Fanshawe have more than 40 years' experience leading bird tours and conducting conservation work in East Africa. The region shelters a remarkable diversity of birds, including many seriously threatened species with small and vulnerable ranges. The region's birds form a constantly colorful, noisy, and highly extroverted part of the landscape. The book is sure to become an indispensable guide for anyone interested in studying or conserving birds in East Africa, as well as the many visitors who simply want to enjoy the sheer beauty of its birds.First comprehensive field guide to the countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and BurundiCovers 1,388 species, with 3,400 color images on 287 platesConcise species accounts facing the plates describe appearance, status, range, habits, and voiceA color distribution map is given for each speciesInformation on habitats, protected areas, and conservation issuesThe essential guide to the birds of this spectacular region

    Introductory chapters cover the natural history of hummingbirds, ways to attract and feed them, and major hot spots in the United States and Canada for observing these fascinating birds. The 31 color plates illustrate 28 species, 7 hybrid combinations, 3 forms of albinism, and 4 species of sphinx moths often mistaken for hummingbirds. Species accounts provide in-depth information on plumage, molt, songs and calls, wing sounds, similar species, behavior, habitat, distribution, taxonomy, and conservation concerns. Detailed, up-to-date range maps show breeding, non-breeding, and year-round distribution, migration routes, and records outside expected areas of occurrence. For a few widespread migratory species, separate maps illustrate expected spring arrival dates.

    The illustrations have labels highlighting diagnostic features, and many birds are depicted in flight as well as still. Special attention is given to plumage variation by age, sex, and season.The informative text, written by eminent ornithologists, is fully integrated with the color plates to facilitate use in the field. Detailed species accounts emphasize the essential characteristics of each bird, including information on behavior, calls, and habitat preferences.All species names and divisions are in line with the latest recommendations of the International Ornithological Committee, while well-known and local common names are also included. Both beginners and advanced birders will appreciate the regional checklist, quick reference guides, and excellent family summaries. Up-to-date distribution maps feature dual shading to indicate areas of low and high abundance, while cross-referencing is made easy with color coding and a simple numbering system.Absolutely up-to-date and both beautifully and comprehensively illustrated, this field guide is a terrific reference as well as a superb visual record of the rich variety of a region that is home to one-tenth of all bird species.

    There's no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don't live in Virginia. This book features 140 species of Virginia 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.

    This new authoritative reference guide covers the 36 species of gulls that occur in North and South America, contains 1,160 photographs illustrating the many plumages gulls display as they mature, and provides descriptions by two of North America's top gull experts.

    All Complete Pet Owner's Manuals are heavily illustrated with color photos and line art, and are filled with reliable, easy-to-understand information on pet care. The many titles in this series show and tell pet owners how to care for dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, gerbils, hamsters, and virtually every other animal that is kept as a pet. The books give advice on purchasing and otherwise acquiring a pet, maintaining health care, housing, proper feeding, and where applicable, grooming and training. Clear, straightforward text comes with high-quality, full-color photos and anatomically accurate line art, as well as helpful tables and charts.

    Covering Antarctica, the southern ocean, and the subantarctic islands, this unique guide illustrates all of the region's breeding birds and mammals with some 920 color photographs and illustrations, including 300 new photographs. It features 128 color distribution maps and up-to-date species accounts that expertly detail abundance, seasonal status, and conservation prospects. The volume also covers numerous nonbreeding species, migrants, and vagrants, and the sections on albatrosses and petrels have been fully revised to make them current with the latest taxonomic knowledge.Regional chapters describe all of the subantarctic islands, in addition to most of the regularly visited sites in Antarctica, and are accompanied by maps and photographs of each area. These chapters present detailed information on geography, climate, geology, general ecology, and flora. They also address conservation efforts--past, present, and planned. The book concludes with practical information about visiting the area, including details on the best landing sites and notes on seasonal weather conditions.This is an indispensable companion for any trip to the far south, as well as an informative volume for anyone interested in the Antarctic region's remarkable, occasionally strange, and frequently beautiful animals. Features 35 color plates and some 920 color photographs Illustrates and maps the distribution of all of the region's breeding birds and marine mammals Includes information on many nonbreeders, migrants, and vagrants Features expert text reflecting recent advances in taxonomy Covers all of the subantarctic islands as well as Antarctica's regularly visited sites Offers travel tips, including weather considerations and landing sites

    With gorgeous color photographs and informative text, Stephen Green-Armytage turns his attention to the pheasant family, capturing with his camera pheasants of all sizes, shapes, and colors and illuminating gorgeous feather patterns and other decorative details worthy of French fabric designers. The varieties included range from the noble Ringneck pheasant, so popular with hunters, to the gorgeous Congo peacock. Breeders and enthusiasts will find this volume a treasure they must own; for others it will be a revelation, worth having for the sheer enjoyment of the striking photographs and the amazing birds they portray.

    Eggs and chicks is part of an exciting new series of books for children who are beginning to read on their own. The easy-to-read text has been specially written with the help of a reading expert.

    The guide is organized in scientific order, with at least six illustrations of each species. The written text is presented in captions and annotations, explaining how to correctly identify different species. Symbols show at a glance in which habitats each bird can be found and at what time of year each is present - both essential factors for correct identification. This portable field guide is for birdwatchers of every level.

    This impressive collection highlights birds from all regions of the United States including localized areas such as the Mid-Atlantic, the Pacific Northwest and New England. Whether birding in the foothills of New England, the prairies of the Midwest, or the beaches of Florida, Smithsonian Handbooks are the most comprehensive field guides to North American birds on the market. Looking for the Great Blue Heron or the Piping Plover while visiting the Great Lakes? Desperate to find the rare Long Billed Curlew or the Marbled Godwit during a hike in the Cascade Mountains? There's no need to look any further! Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, these amazing guides are an absolute staple for any birder or amateur ornithologist. Each local species receives its own profile, along with descriptions of habitats and annotated photographs that highlight specific characteristics and other points of interest. Take bird watching to new heights!

    This impressive collection highlights birds from all regions of the United States including localized areas such as the Mid-Atlantic, the Pacific Northwest and New England. Whether birding in the foothills of New England, the prairies of the Midwest, or the beaches of Florida, Smithsonian Handbooks are the most comprehensive field guides to North American birds on the market. Looking for the Great Blue Heron or the Piping Plover while visiting the Great Lakes? Desperate to find the rare Long Billed Curlew or the Marbled Godwit during a hike in the Cascade Mountains? There's no need to look any further! Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, these amazing guides are an absolute staple for any birder or amateur ornithologist. Each local species receives its own profile, along with descriptions of habitats and annotated photographs that highlight specific characteristics and other points of interest. Take bird watching to new heights!

    It was a fauna dominated by birds. In one of the most dramatic extinctions of modern times, half of these species were removed from the planet forever." Among these lost animals were the giant birds known as moa, an evolutionary novelty that included one of the largest birds ever known. In this definitive volume, Trevor H. Worthy and Richard N. Holdaway summarize all that is presently known about these incredible birds. The authors present the various species of moa, describe their skeletons, and reconstruct their life and ecology. Theirs is the most complete account of the moa anywhere. In addition, they describe the only threat to the survival of an adult moa, an eagle of enormous size. Paying particular attention to the more interesting and unique forms known only or largely from the fossil record, Worthy and Holdaway describe the primary herbivores, the top predator, and other species. These are placed in the context of the total fauna, where ducks, gruids, and even bats all followed an evolutionary path to flightlessness. Wonderful as these species were, most were ill-prepared to face new, mammalian predators - first rats brought by human visitors, then permanent human settlers and widespread mammal introductions.

    This popular, full color format is the story of Spirit, a stallion of the American West, and his quest to regain his freedom. Told from Spirit's point of view, this is the perfect book for younger fans of the film and horse lovers everywhere!

    A pocket-size, brilliantly colorful, simple-to-use guide to dragonflies, containing dozens of full-color photographs that enable readers of all ages to identify the most common species; range maps; tips on attracting dragonflies, information on habitat needs, life cycle, food preferences; and much more.

    Fly with amazing birds over deserts, seas, woodlands, and lush rainforests. From pink flamingos to chattering parrots and racing roadrunners, there are lots of feathered friends to meet. A wealth of facts, combined with dramatic photography, ensures that Eye Wonders are the perfect educational start for young children. Eye Wonders is a groundbreaking reference series specially developed for younger children aged five plus. In a stunning style departure for DK, wonderful photography shows subjects within their natural setting, offering a whole new level of information through powerful images. Vocabulary is accessible to children aged five plus, with the meanings of new, subject-related words clearly explained. The series provides an excellent knowledge base on the natural world for children starting to learn. The combination of breathtaking visuals and informative, accurate text will hook even those children who usually avoid books.

    

    This spectacularly illustrated, comprehensive, and up-to-date guide brings together under one cover much of what is known about these species. Its users can identify all the birds in this vast country, from the Caribbean coast in the north to the Amazonian jungles in the south, from the Andes in the west to the Gran Sabana plateau in the east.With a completely new text by Steven Hilty, Birds of Venezuela is a greatly expanded and thoroughly reformatted successor to the pioneering Guide to the Birds of Venezuela (Princeton,1978). It includes sixty-seven beautiful color and black-and-white plates, most by the well-known artists John Gwynne and Guy Tudor, as well as numerous line drawings. The plates and drawings together--almost half of them never before published--depict most of Venezuela's bird species. Introductory chapters cover physical geography, climate, biogeography, vegetation and habitats, conservation, migration, and the history of ornithology in Venezuela. A gallery of forty-four stunning color habitat photos and color habitat and relief maps complete the opening section.Detailed range maps plot collection localities and sight records--a unique feature--for almost all species. Plumage descriptions are provided for each bird, as is extensive information on voice, behavior, and status. More than 800 bibliographic entries accompany the text, making this book an invaluable and broad-based reference to the avifauna of not only Venezuela but much of northern South America. Treating nearly 40 percent of the continent's bird species, Birds of Venezuela is the definitive resource for all birders with an eager eye on this splendorous country and the surrounding region. The most comprehensive, up-to-date, and best illustrated guide to the birds of Venezuela Covers all 1,381 known species and their subspecies from the Caribbean coast to the jungles of the Amazon, from the Andes to the Gran Sabana plateau--nearly 40 percent of all bird species in South America Completely new text accompanied by more than 800 bibliographic entries Strikingly illustrated with 67 color and black & white plates and numerous line drawings 44 stunning color habitat photos and color habitat and relief maps Detailed range maps for each species

    / Wake up the caterpillar, / he's still snoring." Bright and beautifully stylized full-page illustrations come with pop-ups, pull-tabs, flaps to lift, and a charming set of verses describing the many little things that are constantly happening in the garden. When preschool boys and girls open this book, they'll step into a world of flowers and bees, bluebirds and butterflies, and many other magical things. Open the first page and the morning sun pops up from the spread. Pull a tab on a different page and a mouse jumps out from behind flowers. More flaps, tabs, and pop-ups appear on the other two-page spreads. A visit to the garden at night finds ladybugs sleeping under a rose, crickets chirping, and an owl hooting beneath the stars. Here's a delightful, simply told excursion into nature as it thrives in a pleasant backyard.

    The habits of birds and the information on how their beaks' composition allows them to eat are truly fascinating. The author explains that beaks can also help birds build nests (bowerbirds) or dig (bee-eaters). Some beaks change colors as the bird ages (seagulls) or during different seasons. The clear text is easy to follow, and students will enjoy hearing it read aloud or find it useful for reports. The lively style will facilitate rich discussion, while teaching the students the scientific facts of these feathered friends. Some of the featured species, such as song sparrows, are common, but others are quite exotic. A worthwhile resource for libraries and classrooms.Barbara L. McMullin, Casita Center for Technology, Science & Math, Vista, CA Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

    It's convenient to get to and get around, and its birdlife is wondrously diverse, exotic, and plentiful. With Birds of Thailand, Craig Robson and fourteen leading illustrators give us the most up-to-date, comprehensive, and concise field guide to this magnificent country's rich avifaunal heritage in recent years, covering the more than 950 species recorded as of early in the new millennium.Facing each of the 128 striking, full-color plates are species accounts accompanied by maps for each, illustrating precise distribution within Thailand. The accurate text covers identification, voice, habitat, behavior, range, status, and breeding for all species and subspecies. Illustrations and entries on a number of species recorded only quite recently are also included.The country's varied habitats assure something for every birder, from freshwater marshes to coastal areas, from fields and rice paddies to lush jungles and mangrove forests. In Thailand, one can delight in the brilliantly colored pittas, broadbills, and sunbirds; the deep, dazzling green of barbets, parrots, parakeets, and leafbirds; the aptly named frogmouths; the roosterlike resplendence of the (male) red junglefowl; the ruff, whose breeding male in full plumage sports a truly singular head; and much, much more.Birders and all ecologically minded travelers daydreaming of a voyage to this gem of a country will want the latest source of thorough information on its birdlife--in a highly portable, pithy, and vividly illustrated guide. What they will want is Craig Robson's Birds of Thailand. Comprehensive field guide written specifically for this magnificent, bird-rich country 128 full-color plates by expert artists covering every major plumage variation, with juveniles also illustrated where notably distinct from males and females Over 950 maps for individual species illustrating their precise distribution within Thailand Accurate, up-to-date, and concise text covering identification, voice, habitat and behavior, range, status, and breeding of all species and distinctive subspecies

    It not only offers the latest information about the seasonal status and distribution of birds in Vermont but also features a thorough introduction to the art and practice of birdwatching, including optics, ethics, migration, and conservation. Packed into its pages is expert advice on rare species, Christmas bird counts, the Vermont landscape, helpful resources for the birdwatcher, and more. Written for people just starting out or accomplished regional birders, this is the essential companion to traditional birdwatching field guides. The heart of the book is the detailed descriptions and maps to more than 120 Vermont birdwatching areas, from the Champlain Lowlands to the summit of Mt. Mansfield. Drawing upon their extensive knowledge of the habits and habitats of Vermont birds, the authors have divided the state into ten regions, each with a rich diversity of birdwatching destinations. The guide also features informative accounts of the 296 bird species regularly seen in Vermont, including their preferred habitats and an innovative graph illustrating when each is most likely to be encountered. The authors, experienced naturalists and guides, have written the essential guide to discovering the joys of birding in Vermont.

    It's convenient to get to and get around, and its birdlife is wondrously diverse, exotic, and plentiful. With Birds of Thailand, Craig Robson and fourteen leading illustrators give us the most up-to-date, comprehensive, and concise field guide to this magnificent country's rich avifaunal heritage in recent years, covering the more than 950 species recorded as of early in the new millennium. Facing each of the 128 striking, full-color plates are species accounts accompanied by maps for each, illustrating precise distribution within Thailand. The accurate text covers identification, voice, habitat, behavior, range, status, and breeding for all species and subspecies. Illustrations and entries on a number of species recorded only quite recently are also included. The country's varied habitats assure something for every birder, from freshwater marshes to coastal areas, from fields and rice paddies to lush jungles and mangrove forests. In Thailand, one can delight in the brilliantly colored pittas, broadbills, and sunbirds; the deep, dazzling green of barbets, parrots, parakeets, and leafbirds; the aptly named frogmouths; the roosterlike resplendence of the (male) red junglefowl; the ruff, whose breeding male in full plumage sports a truly singular head; and much, much more. Birders and all ecologically minded travelers daydreaming of a voyage to this gem of a country will want the latest source of thorough information on its birdlife--in a highly portable, pithy, and vividly illustrated guide. What they will want is Craig Robson's Birds of Thailand. Comprehensive field guide written specifically for this magnificent, bird-rich country 128 full-color plates by expert artists covering every major plumage variation, with juveniles also illustrated where notably distinct from males and females Over 950 maps for individual species illustrating their precise distribution within Thailand Accurate, up-to-date, and concise text covering identification, voice, habitat and behavior, range, status, and breeding of all species and distinctive subspecies

    His beautiful and inspirational artwork depicting birds and other wildlife has been appearing in print for more than thirty years, and his original paintings are sought after by collectors. This lavishly illustrated and elegantly written book describes his life and work through stunning examples of his art and through his own words.Part autobiography and part exploration of technical method, Birds and Light is an extraordinary and authoritative retrospective of Jonsson's career. It is also a celebration of birds, wildlife, and wild places.Jonsson talks of a life's work studying and capturing the relationship between birds and light. Superbly reproduced artwork appears throughout the book, including pages from Jonsson's earliest sketchbooks, finished plates from his field guides, and some of the artist's majestic full-scale canvases, presented at various stages of development. Jonsson discusses the artistic process, from the importance of sketching from life, to the discipline of painting for field guides and the ability to express subtlety of environment and atmosphere in paint.No other artist captures the feel of a bird so perfectly. Jonsson's exceptionally accurate and expressive style reflects a combination of talent and countless hours in the field. His career as a premier bird artist, and as a globally renowned ornithologist, was first consolidated in the 1970s with his series of enormously popular pocket guides to European birds grouped by habitat, which broke new ground with its remarkable illustrations. His field guide Birds of Europe, published in 1992, exquisitely demonstrated his ability to depict with great accuracy the detail of plumage and posture that enables birders to distinguish between similar species.Jonsson's thoughts on wildlife artistry, and his engaging account of his own career, make Birds and Light a fascinating read for all those interested in birds, birdwatching, and bird art. And the sumptuous illustrations, many published here for the first time, make this magnificent book something to be treasured forever.

    1000 facts are covered by 100 topics, each with 10 key points that provide a simple but memorable handle on the subject. Fascinating information panels as well as extended captions amplify this quick-fire approach.