Best of
Birds

2008

Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America


Roger Tory Peterson - 2008
    This new book combines the Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Birds and Peterson Field Guide to Western Birds into one volume, filled with accessible, concise information and including almost three hours of video podcasts to make bird watching even easier.• 40 new paintings• Digital updates to Peterson’s original paintings, reflecting the latest knowledge of bird identification• All new maps for the most up-to-date range information available• Text rewritten to cover the U.S. and Canada in one guide• Larger trim size accommodates range maps on every spread• Contributors include: Michael DiGiorgio, Jeff Gordon, Paul Lehman, Michael O’Brien, Larry Rosche, and Bill Thompson III• Includes URL to register for access to video podcasts

Charles Harper's Birds and Words


Charley Harper - 2008
    Reissue of the collectible Charley Harper classic, which pairs his beautiful paintings with poetic commentary.

The Backyard Birdsong Guide: Eastern and Central North America, A Guide to Listening


Donald E. Kroodsma - 2008
    Discover seventy-five unique species from Eastern and Central North America as you enjoy their sounds at the touch of a button-reproduced in high quality on the attached digital audio module-while reading vivid descriptions of their songs, calls, and rela

How to Heal a Broken Wing


Bob Graham - 2008
    With the help of his sympathetic mother, he gently wraps the injured bird and takes it home. In classic Bob Graham style, the beauty is in the details: the careful ministrations with an eyedropper, the bedroom filled with animal memorabilia, the saving of the single feather as a good-luck charm for the bird's return to the sky. Wistful and uplifting, here is a tale of possibility -- and of the souls who never doubt its power.

Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence—and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process


Irene M. Pepperberg - 2008
    Pepperberg and Alex, an African Grey parrot who proved scientists and accepted wisdom wrong by demonstrating an astonishing ability to communicate and understand complex ideas. The story is much more than of an incredible scientific breakthrough. It s a poignant love story and an affectionate remembrance of Pepperberg s irascible, unforgettable, and always surprising best friend.

Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl


Stacey O'Brien - 2008
    This is the funny, poignant story of their two decades together.On Valentine's Day 1985, biologist Stacey O'Brien first met a four-day-old baby barn owl -- a fateful encounter that would turn into an astonishing 19-year saga. With nerve damage in one wing, the owlet's ability to fly was forever compromised, and he had no hope of surviving on his own in the wild. O'Brien, a young assistant in the owl laboratory at Caltech, was immediately smitten, promising to care for the helpless owlet and give him a permanent home. Wesley the Owl is the funny, poignant story of their dramatic two decades together. With both a tender heart and a scientist's eye, O'Brien studied Wesley's strange habits intensively and first-hand -- and provided a mice-only diet that required her to buy the rodents in bulk (28,000 over the owl's lifetime). As Wesley grew, she snapped photos of him at every stage like any proud parent, recording his life from a helpless ball of fuzz to a playful, clumsy adolescent to a gorgeous, gold-and-white, macho adult owl with a heart-shaped face and an outsize personality that belied his 18-inch stature. Stacey and Wesley's bond deepened as she discovered Wesley's individual personality, subtle emotions, and playful nature that could also turn fiercely loyal and protective -- though she could have done without Wesley's driving away her would-be human suitors! O'Brien also brings us inside the prestigious research community, a kind of scientific Hogwarts where resident owls sometimes flew freely from office to office and eccentric, brilliant scientists were extraordinarily committed to studying and helping animals; all of them were changed by the animal they loved. As O'Brien gets close to Wesley, she makes important discoveries about owl behavior, intelligence, and communication, coining the term "The Way of the Owl" to describe his inclinations: he did not tolerate lies, held her to her promises, and provided unconditional love, though he was not beyond an occasional sulk. When O'Brien develops her own life-threatening illness, the biologist who saved the life of a helpless baby bird is herself rescued from death by the insistent love and courage of this wild animal. Enhanced by wonderful photos, Wesley the Owl is a thoroughly engaging, heartwarming, often funny story of a complex, emotional, non-human being capable of reason, play, and, most important, love and loyalty. It is sure to be cherished by animal lovers everywhere.

The Wisdom of Birds: An Illustrated History of Ornithology


Tim Birkhead - 2008
    In 2007 bird-watching is one of the most popular pastimes, not just in America, but throughout the world, and the range of interest runs from the specialist to the beginner.In The Wisdom of Birds, Birkhead takes the reader on a journey that not only tells us about the extraordinary lives of birds - from conception and egg, through territory and song, to migration and fully fledged breeder - but also shows how, over centuries, we have overcome superstition and untested 'truths' to know what we know, and how recent some of that knowledge is.Conceived for a general audience, and illustrated throughout with more than 100 exquisitely beautiful illustrations, many of them rarely, if ever, seen before, The Wisdom of Birds is a book full of stories, knowledge and unexpected revelations.

The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw: One Woman's Fight to Save the World's Most Beautiful Bird


Bruce Barcott - 2008
    “What we found just blew me away. Jaguars, pumas, river otters, howler monkeys. The place was like a Noah’s Ark for all the endangered species driven out of the rest of Central America. There was so much life! That expedition was when I first saw the macaws.”As a young woman, Sharon Matola lived many lives. She was a mushroom expert, an Air Force survival specialist, and an Iowa housewife. She hopped freight trains for fun and starred as a tiger tamer in a traveling Mexican circus. Finally she found her one true calling: caring for orphaned animals at her own zoo in the Central American country of Belize.Beloved as “the Zoo Lady” in her adopted land, Matola became one of Central America’s greatest wildlife defenders. And when powerful outside forces conspired with the local government to build a dam that would flood the nesting ground of the last scarlet macaws in Belize, Sharon Matola was drawn into the fight of her life.In The Last Flight of the Scarlet Macaw, award-winning author Bruce Barcott chronicles Sharon Matola’s inspiring crusade to stop a multinational corporation in its tracks. Ferocious in her passion, she and her confederates–a ragtag army of courageous locals and eccentric expatriates–endure slander and reprisals and take the fight to the courtroom and the boardroom, from local village streets to protests around the world.As the dramatic story unfolds, Barcott addresses the realities of economic survival in Third World countries, explores the tension between environmental conservation and human development, and puts a human face on the battle over globalization. In this marvelous and spirited book, Barcott shows us how one unwavering woman risked her life to save the most beautiful bird in the world.

Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America


Ted Floyd - 2008
    It introduces a "whole bird" approach by concisely gathering a collection of information about birds into one portable and well-organized volume.2,000 stunning color photographs of birds in natural habitats show the most important field marks, regional population differences, life stages, and behaviors700-plus detailed and up-to-date color range maps show summer, migration, winter, year-round, and rare but regular occurrences of every major speciesA DVD of birdsongs for 138 major species (587 vocalizations in all for 5½ hours of play); each high-quality MP3 file is embedded with an image of the bird, perfect to view on home computers and portable MP3 playersConcise descriptions of habits and ecology, age-related and seasonal differences, regional forms, vocalization, and informative captions pointing out the most important aspects of the bird46 group essays with information outlining taxonomy, feeding, migration, habitats, behaviors, and conservation statusA thorough and accessible introduction to birds and birding includes sections on parts of a bird, plumage and molt, food and feeding, migration, habitats, conservation, tips on bow to become a better birder, and moreA detailed glossary of terms, species checklist, and quick indexThe Field Guide to the Birds of North America is perfectly designed to give birders the most powerful and user-friendly collection of information to carry into the field or wherever they enjoy learning about birds and nature.

National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America


Jon L. Dunn - 2008
    National Geographic has been meeting their need for clear and accurate information for 25 years with our million-selling Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Now, to better serve the expanding market, we've customized our field-guide format to offer unique coverage for birders east or west of the Rocky Mountains. These new volumes deliver in-depth information on every bird officially recorded in the specified area, with illustrated accounts of the different plumages and life stages, along with hundreds of color-coded range maps.Unique features set these guides apart from the competition and promise to win a new generation of readers: A full-color visual index, printed on the inside covers, makes the content accessible visually -a real boon to beginning and intermediate birders. Annotated artwork highlights birds' key physical features, making identification easier. Thumb-tabs help readers find information fast. Durable covers stand up to outdoor use, with integrated quick-reference flaps that double as place-markers.Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America offers 750 regular species, 600 new range maps, 100 casual and accidental birds, and 55 rarities.

The Owl and the Woodpecker: Encounters With North America's Most Iconic Birds (With Audio CD)


Paul Bannick - 2008
    The diversity of these two families of birds, and the ways in which they define and enrich the ecosystems they inhabit, are the subject of this vivid new book by photographer and naturalist Paul Bannick. The Owl and the Woodpecker showcases a sense of these birds' natural rhythms, as well as the integral spirit of our wild places. Based on hundreds of hours in the field photographing these fascinating and wily birds, Bannick evokes all 41 North American species of owls and woodpeckers, across 11 key habitats. And by revealing the impact of two of our most iconic birds, Bannick has created a wholly unique approach to birding and conservation. * Perfect holiday book for all bird-watchers * An in-depth look at two of our most iconic--and important--bird species * Great for photography lovers, conservationists, and backyard enthusiasts alike * Includes a foreword by award-winning artist and writer Tony Angell

The Backyard Birdsong Guide: Western North America, A Guide to Listening


Donald E. Kroodsma - 2008
    Learn how to pick out the wavering songs of a young Bewick's Wren, or find out why many songbirds have dialects that vary from region to region. Complete with up-to-date range maps and more than 130 sounds provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's world-renowned Macaulay Library, as well as exquisite illustrations of each species, The Backyard Birdsong Guide will resonate with beginners and experts alike. 8.00 inches tall x 0.75 inches long x 5.00 inches wide

National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America


Jon L. Dunn - 2008
    National Geographic has been meeting their need for clear and accurate information for 25 years with our million-selling Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Now, to better serve the expanding market, we’ve customized our field-guide format to offer unique coverage for birders east or west of the Rocky Mountains. These new volumes deliver in-depth information on every bird officially recorded in the specified area, with illustrated accounts of the different plumages and life stages, along with hundreds of color-coded range maps.Unique features set these guides apart from the competition and promise to win a new generation of readers: A full-color visual index, printed on the inside covers, makes the content accessible visually —a real boon to beginning and intermediate birders. Annotated artwork highlights birds’ key physical features, making identification easier. Thumb-tabs help readers find information fast. Durable covers stand up to outdoor use, with integrated quick-reference flaps that double as place-markers.Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America details 619 species and contains 560 new range maps, plus illustrated accounts for 85 casual and accidental birds and an appendix listing 70 rarities.

The Bird: A Natural History of Who Birds Are, Where They Came From & How They Live


Colin Tudge - 2008
    b&w illustrations throughout.

Birdscapes: A Pop-Up Celebration of Bird Songs in Stereo Sound


Miyoko Chu - 2008
    Birdscapes delivers an immersive birding experience never before seenor heardin any book. For the eyes: seven elaborately engineered, full-color pop-ups portraying dozens of bird species in diverse North American habitats, from the Alaskan Tundra to a Southeast swamp. For the ears: extended recordings of the birds' calls and songs in stereo from the collection of the world-renowned Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. For the serious birder: scientifically accurate illustrations of the birds and moving text about their fragile ecosystems. This beautifully crafted volume is a visual and audio delight!

Corvus: A Life with Birds


Esther Woolfson - 2008
    That rook, named Chicken, has lived with the family ever since - along with a talking magpie named Spike and a crow named Ziki. A blend of memoir and natural history, this book brings Chicken and the others vividly to life.

Extreme Birds: The World's Most Extraordinary and Bizarre Birds


Dominic Couzens - 2008
    The species showcased in this book are chosen for their extraordinary characteristics and for behaviors far beyond the typical. They are the biggest, the fastest, the meanest, the smartest. They build the most intricate nests, they have the most peculiar mating rituals, and they dive the deepest or fly the highest. These are the overachievers of the avian world.

Egg & Nest


Rosamond Wolff Purcell - 2008
    Such instances of wonder find fitting expression in the photographs of Rosamond Purcell, whose work captures the intricacy of nests and the aesthetic perfection of bird eggs. Mining the ornithological treasures of the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, Purcell produces pictures as lovely and various as the artifacts she photographs. The dusky blue egg of an emu becomes a planet. A woodpecker s nest bears an uncanny resemblance to a wooden shoe. A resourceful rock dove weaves together scrap metal and spent fireworks. A dreamscape of dancing monkeys emerges from the calligraphic markings of a murre egg.Alongside Purcell s photographs, Linnea Hall and Rene Corado offer an engaging history of egg collecting, the provenance of the specimens in the photographs, and the biology, conservation, and ecology of the birds that produced them. They highlight the scientific value that eggs and nest hold for understanding and conserving birds in the wild, as well as the aesthetic charge they carry for us.How has evolution shaped the egg or directed the design of the nest? How do the photographs convey such infinitesimal and yet momentous happenstance? The objects in "Egg & Nest" are specimens of natural history, and in Purcell s renderings, they are also the most natural art.

Owls of North America


Frances Backhouse - 2008
    These distinctive birds populate every continent except Antarctica and survive in everything from arid desert, to arctic tundra, to dense rain forest.From ancient mythology to Harry Potter, owls hold an enduring place in the human imagination. In some cultures they are revered; in others, feared. And for every superstition that associates owls with good fortune, a dozen more link them to death, sickness or evil.Frances Backhouse provides an in-depth yet lively study of these fascinating birds. Topics include anatomy and adaptations, mating behaviors, egg laying and chick rearing, feeding habits, communication displays and location.Superbly designed birds of prey, owls are equipped with highly effective tools for killing and dismembering their prey: strong feet with curved, stiletto-like talons and a sturdy hooked bill with razor-sharp cutting edges. What makes owls unique is that most of them hunt in darkness from dusk to dawn using their keen hearing, enhanced low-light vision and sound-muffling structures on their flight feathers.With detailed profiles of and range maps for all 23 species, along with 70 color photographs illustrating key behavioral characteristics, Owls of North America is a solid reference for birders, naturalists and general readers.

Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City


Janet Schulman - 2008
    Pale Male and his mate built their nest near the top of one of Fifth Avenue’s swankiest apartment buildings. Nine years and 23 chicks later, Pale Male’s fame had grown so large that a CBS newsman named him Father of the Year! But Pale Male was less beloved by the residents of the building, and in 2004 the owners suddenly removed the nest–setting off an international outcry on behalf of the birds.

United Tweets of America: 50 State Birds, Their Stories, Their Glories


Hudson Talbott - 2008
    From Alabama's Yellowhammer to Wyoming's Western Meadowlark, each bird is a winner—and each bird loves to show off the state it calls home. Hudson Talbott has created an inspired introduction to states and their birds. His vibrant, detailed illustrations infuse the birds' interactions with energy and humor, making this a great way to spark kids' interest in United States history, geography, and, of course, wildlife!

A Wildlife Guide to Chile: Continental Chile, Chilean Antarctica, Easter Island, Juan Fern�ndez Archipelago


Sharon R. Chester - 2008
    From bats to butterflies, lizards to llamas, and ferns to flamingos, A Wildlife Guide to Chile covers the country's common plants and animals. The color plates depict species in their natural environments with unmatched vividness and realism. The combination of detailed illustrations and engaging, succinct, and authoritative text make field identification quick, easy, and accurate. Maps, charts, and diagrams provide information about landforms, submarine topography, marine environment, climate, vegetation zones, and the best places to view wildlife. This is an essential guide to Chile's remarkable biodiversity. The only comprehensive English-language guide to Chile's common flora and fauna The first guide to cover Chile and its territories--Chilean Antarctica, Easter Island, Juan Fern�ndez, and San F�lix y San Ambrosio 120 full-color plates allow quick identification of more than 800 species Accompanying text describes species size, shape, color, habitat, and range Descriptions list size, distribution, and English, Spanish, and scientific names Information on the best spots to view wildlife, including major national parks Compact and lightweight--a perfect field guide

Flamingo Sunset


Jonathan London - 2008
    First the female lays an egg at the water’s edge. Then she and her mate take turns sitting on the egg to keep it warm. Eventually, a sticky head peeks out! Then the parents feed the wobbly chick and watch him grow...until he’s ready to fly and start his own life as an adult bird. Jonathan London’s spare, poetic text and Kristina Rodanas’s spectacular pencil and watercolor artwork create a wonderful tribute to this beautiful bird. An author’s note at the end of the book provides more information about the life cycle of the flamingo.

The New Neotropical Companion


John C. Kricher - 2008
    Featuring stunning color photos throughout, it is a sweeping and cutting-edge account of tropical ecology that includes not only tropical rain forests but also other ecosystems such as cloud forests, rivers, savannas, and mountains. This is the only guide to the American tropics that is all-inclusive, encompassing the entire region's ecology and the amazing relationships among species rather than focusing just on species identification.The New Neotropical Companion is a book unlike any other. Here, you will learn how to recognize distinctive ecological patterns of rain forests and other habitats and to interpret how these remarkable ecosystems function—everything is explained in clear and engaging prose free of jargon. You will also be introduced to the region's astonishing plant and animal life.Informative and entertaining, The New Neotropical Companion is a pleasurable escape for armchair naturalists, and visitors to the American tropics will want to refer to this book before, during, and after their trip. Covers all of tropical America Describes the species and habitats most likely to be observed by visitors Includes every major ecosystem, from lowland rain forests to the high Andes Features a wealth of color photos of habitats, plants, and animals

Feathered Dinosaurs: The Origin of Birds


John A. Long - 2008
    Now in the beautifully designed Feathered Dinosaurs, paleontologist John Long and illustrator Peter Schouten provide a stunning visual record of these extraordinary prehistoric creatures, illuminating the evolutionary march from primitive, feathered dinosaurs through to the first true flying birds. Schouten, an acclaimed natural history artist, has created 80 full-color paintings that capture the striking physical traits of these feathered dinosaurs. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of the lifestyles of modern birds and mammals, plus the extant scientific data regarding how these dinosaurs might have looked and behaved, Schouten has produced not only the most beautiful but also the most accurate visual representations of these animals in print. Equally important, John Long, a noted paleontologist and widely published science author (with some 24 books to his credit), provides an engaging companion text that places these feathered dinosaurs within the larger family of dinosaurs--for instance, outlining their relationship to T. Rex and Velociraptor, species well known to Jurassic Park fans--and discusses the factual information that can be deduced from their fossil remains, in effect providing an insightful natural history of this remarkable group. A true marriage of art and science, Feathered Dinosaurs presents an unprecedented visual record of one of the most significant breakthroughs in the history of vertebrate paleontology--the discovery that many predatory dinosaurs were cloaked with feathers, perhaps just as colorful and fanciful as those of their living relatives.

Flipping Brilliant : A Penguin's Guide to a Happy Life


Jonathan Chester - 2008
    Namely, us. --Flipping BrilliantThink March of the Penguins meets Life's Little Instruction Book by way of National Geographic.Award-winning nature photographer Jonathan Chester captures the essence of the Antarctic's most popular residents to illustrate the similarities between penguins' lives and our own. Patrick Regan's clever narrative offers surprising insights and humorously entertaining life lessons.The appeal of penguins is undeniable and universal. And we can learn a lot from these fat, funny birds. Lessons like:* The meek sleep alone,* It's better to be smart than cute, and* You can be too thin. (After all, the book explains, if the Olsen twins ever get locked in a walk-in cooler for days and are forced to live off their own body fat, they're goners. Penguins? They're good for months.)Flipping Brilliant includes helpful environmental information about the penguin habitat and the effects of global warming, including Web sites that show how you can help.

Birds: Mini Edition: The Art of Ornithology


Jonathan Elphick - 2008
    Included are brilliantly reproduced artworks by the world’s great naturalists and scientists such as Audubon and Humboldt, along with the legion of Victorian explorers who catalogued the world’s avifauna before photography finally prevailed as the primary means of recording the natural world. The lively and informative text tells how ornithological art grew out of the naturalistic tradition of European painting to become a genre of its own where the artist’s focus on aesthetics was married to the scientist’s need for precision and detail. Weaving together science, art history, biography, and travel, it paints a wondrous picture of a bygone world of artist-scientists, exotic birds, and faraway lands, making it truly the perfect gift for anyone who loves vintage prints and drawings or has an interest in nature or birding.

A Field Guide To The Birds Of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, And The Maldives


Krys Kazmierczak - 2008
    

Of Parrots and People: The Sometimes Funny, Always Fascinating, and Often Catastrophic Collision of Two Intelligent Species


Mira Tweti - 2008
    alone, their numbers surpassed only by dogs and cats, yet these complex creatures are not your typical domesticated animal, and they remain a mystery to many. Most people don’t know that parrots score at the level of 3-to-5 year olds on human intelligence tests. Nor that they can live to 100 years or more. Nor that pound for pound parrots are worth more on the black market than cocaine. Their startling beauty, social sophistication, and uncanny ability to bond with humans have made parrots sought-after pets, but few people realize how fragile and endangered many parrot species have become. In Of Parrots and People, award-winning journalist and parrot expert, Mira Tweti, reveals the world of a family of birds that is far more complex and advanced than we’ve acknowledged. Tweti relates stunning scientific findings on the intelligence, personality, and rich lives of parrots that challenge our most widespread and flawed assumptions about non-primates. And she explores the intense and often humorous emotional connections these birds form not just with their flockmates, but with the “parronts” (as some “parrot parents” call themselves) who keep them as pets, often pampering them as they do children. Of Parrots and People also takes on the much larger, serious issues of animal welfare that are the unfortunate consequences of the “bird boom” of the last few decades. Despite the high demand for them, many parrot species are endangered in the wild from rampant trapping and habitat destruction, while those in captivity are quickly becoming the fastest growing category of unwanted pets, living lives of neglect or abuse. Avian rescuers can’t handle the number of birds that need help, and the Humane Society of the U.S. is advocating euthanasia rather than warehousing birds that will outlive their caretakers. Yet unregulated bird breeders continue to put over a million young birds on the market each year from parrot mills across the country. It’s an untenable situation of cruelty, especially for such an evolved and intelligent species, and it’s just one of the many newsworthy topics that make Of Parrots and People just as hard-hitting as it is soft-hearted. Tweti tirelessly follows the parrot trail around the globe, from the living rooms and pet stores of America, to hotbeds of illegal trade in Mexico. She examines threats of avian flu, and takes a first hand look at encouraging progress in eco-tourism that may be our only way to protect these stunning species from being hunted to extinction. Comprehensive in scope and passionately written, Of Parrots and People is a unique and vivid addition to popular works on animals and their behavior, and an important new voice in the burgeoning environmental and conservation movement.

When in Doubt, Sing: Prayer in Daily Life


Jane Redmont - 2008
    Now in paperback for the first time, Jane Redmont's When in Doubt, Sing is a revitalizing (National Catholic Reporter), wide-ranging and substantive (Spirituality & Practice), and open-minded, generous-hearted (Library Journal) introduction to prayer and the life of prayer from a Christian theologian whose warm, thoughtful, inviting voice will endear her to a diverse audience of believers and spiritual seekers. First published in 1999, and now reissued with a new preface, this book is both a rich, practical compendium of prayer types (such as centering prayer, praying with icons, and lectio divina) and a warmly personal guide to enlivening your spiritual life.

The Complete Book of Hummingbirds


Tony Tilford - 2008
    This ultimate reference guide to hummingbirds features a comprehensive overview of the birds’ biology, evolution, behavior, breeding, and migration patterns. You’ll be awestruck by the amazing collection of full-color photographs depicting hummingbirds in flight and at rest in the Gallery of Hummingbirds. Discover the kinds of plants and flowers hummingbirds love to visit and how to create artificial feeding stations by making your own hummingbird food. From Woodnymphs and Mountain-Gems to Plovercrests and Hillstars, this thorough book describes all of the hummingbirds of the world and also includes a helpful reference section, complete with a glossary, recommended websites, and further reading.

On Feathered Wings: Birds in Flight


Richard Ettlinger - 2008
    On Feathered Wings features the work of seven photographers who have spent their lives camping out, donning waders, and lying in wait for the greatest shots of birds doing what they do best: flying! Selected by birder and photographer Richard Ettlinger, these gorgeous, often thrilling images show hunters, migrators, waterfowl, and songbirds living on the wing: hunting, feeding, fighting, traveling, or just gliding along. An essay by Ettlinger gives an overview of the mechanics and evolution of bird flight. From falcons and eagles to swallows and hummingbirds, On Feathered Wings serves up a rich collection of images that is sure to delight birders both novice and veteran, and anyone who has ever looked to the skies in wonder.

Birds of India: A Literary Anthology


Abdul Jamil Urfi - 2008
    Highlighting the role of birds in human life-from religion to entertainment, mythology to science, superstition to wisdom-the collection brings to light the richness and diversity of the literature available on the subject.From the Panchatantra, The Baburnama, The Jahangirnama, and Abdul Halim Sharar's accounts of bird-keeping in Lucknow, to writings by the inimitable Edward Hamilton Aitken (EHA) and others-the writings speak for themselves. Alongside S�lim Ali, the anthology features pieces by contemporary greatslike S. Theodore Baskaran, R.S. Dharmakumarsinhji, Madhav Gadgil, Edward Pritchard Gee, Peter Jackson, M. Krishnan, and Zai Whitaker and by well-known writers and public figures like Abul Kalam Azad, William Dalrymple, Rudyard Kipling, Jawaharlal Nehru, Khushwant Singh, and Mark Twain. TheIntroduction together with the biographical head-notes to the writings, detailed sources, and further reading add value for readers.

A Life of Ospreys


Roy Dennis - 2008
    This book tells the story not only of the osprey, but of the osprey watcher, following the bird's fortunes in Scotland, seeing its numbers rise from that single pair in the 1950s to close to 200 pairs today.

Finding Birds on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail: Houston, Galveston, and the Upper Texas Coast


Ted L. Eubanks Jr. - 2008
    For those familiar with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s maps to the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, this book on the Upper Texas Coast offers more—more information, more convenient and detailed maps, more pictures, more finding tips, and more birding advice from one of the trail’s creators, Ted Lee Eubanks Jr., and trail experts Robert A. Behrstock and Seth Davidson. For those new to the trail, the book is the perfect companion for learning where to find and how to bird the very best venues on this part of the Texas coast. In an opening tutorial on habitat and seasonal strategies for birding the Upper Texas Coast, the authors include tips on how to take advantage of the famous (but elusive) fallouts of birds that happen here. They then briefly discuss the basics of birding by ear and the rewards of passive birding before turning to the trail itself and each of more than 120 birding sites from the Louisiana-Texas border, through Galveston and Houston, to just south of Freeport. Advice oninding bird groups While not intended as a field identification guide, the book contains more than 175 color photographs of birds and their coastal habitat, giving readers an excellent feel for the trail’s diversity and abundance. Whether you are making your annual spring pilgrimage to Texas, leisurely traveling with the family along the coast, or wondering what to do during a layover in Houston, using this book as your guide to the trail will greatly enhance your birding experience.

Lars Jonsson's Birds: Paintings from a Near Horizon


Lars Jonsson - 2008
    This magnificently illustrated volume collects Jonsson's most recent paintings and drawings, many published here for the first time, offering a fascinating retrospective of the artist's work from the turn of the new century to today. Lars Jonsson's Birds features 150 full-color, museum-quality reproductions of works that Jonsson painted in the field and that reflect his favorite theme of birds in a wide landscape, such as gulls, waders, ducks, and raptors.This sumptuous book includes essays by the acclaimed sculptor Kent Ullberg and museum curator Adam Harris, as well as commentaries by Jonsson and pages from his sketchbooks that provide rare insights into Jonsson's incomparable artistry.Offers an invaluable retrospective of the artist's most recent work Features 150 full-color bird paintings Includes commentaries by Jonsson, pages from his sketchbooks, and more Provides rare insights into Jonsson's art and methods

Backyard Birds of Pennsylvania: How to Identify and Attract the Top 25 Birds


Bill Fenimore - 2008
    It includes a profiled size scale that allows the reader to quickly identify the correct bird, and each bird entry is accompanied by a stunning color photograph and specific description, including identification marks, behavior, habitat, and nesting style-even the song the bird makes! As an added feature, author Bill Fenimore also provides expert tips for building the ultimate backyard bird sanctuary, from creating birdbaths and planting proper foliage to offering a bird's favorite foods.

For the Birds: A Month-by-Month Guide to Attracting Birds to Your Backyard


Anne Schmauss - 2008
    Authors Anne Schmauss, Mary Schmauss, and Geni Krolick, three sisters who own and manage wild bird specialty stores, draw on combined decades of experience to show you how to make your backyard into a bird oasis. The unique month-by-month format gives you the information you want when you need it, explaining what birds are looking for in terms of food, habitat, water, and nesting every month of the year.  The authors cover every area of bird essentials, from basics such as types of birdseed to more exotic food choices like mealworms; from the correct depth for a birdbath to where to place nesting boxes. For the Birds is like having three bird experts on-call to answer your questions at any moment, sharing their time-tested tips and tricks for attracting the most interesting variety of birds to your backyard.

100 Birds to See Before You Die


David Chandler - 2008
    It’s bird watching! There are currently 51.3 million dedicated birders in the U.S. with their binoculars focused on the skies. Sure to appeal to this growing flock, 100 Birds to See Before You Die is the ultimate birdwatcher’s book.• Selected by two world-renowned birding authors, the top 100 birds include avian species that are endangered, exceptional common species, and others that have achieved legendary status.• You won’t need binoculars to spot the huge and powerful, endangered Philippine Eagle or the brightly plumed Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. Each of the 100 featured species is captured in remarkable full-color photographs in their natural habitat.• This fascinating book combines hard-working detail with more unusual facts and mythological anecdotes, making it much more than a typical bird watching book.• Detailed entries describe the natural history of each bird, including size, distribution, habitat, classification, population and conservation status.

Ookpik: The Travels of a Snowy Owl


Bruce Hiscock - 2008
    Fed by his parents, Ookpik, which means "snowy owl" in the Inuit language, grows quickly in the short Arctic summer. By autumn he has learned to hunt on his own, but prey is scarce on the tundra that year. The owl's instincts tell him that he must leave this land or starve. Ookpik flies south, over the great forests of Canada, and finally lands in the United States, always searching for food and a winter hunting ground. With vivid watercolor illustrations, Bruce Hiscock depicts the changing landscape, from the treeless Arctic of Baffin Island to the dairy country of eastern New York. There, Ookpik settles for the winter, much to the delight of bird watchers. An author's note offers additional details on the life of the snowy owl.

A Sky Full Of Starlings: A Diary Of A Birding Year


Stephen Moss - 2008
    He writes about what he saw, where he saw it, who he was with, what it made him think and feel - the little story of each birdwatching episode.

Finding Your Wings: A Workbook for Beginning Bird Watchers


Burton S. Guttman - 2008
    This workbook is filled with quizzes and exercises that prepare the reader for birding and help beginners develop a sense of accomplishment and progress.

Penguins (Brick Books)


Lisa Purcell - 2008
    This work collects together many photos of all types of penguins engaging in their Antarctic antics, and combines them with catchy quotations and interesting facts about these feathery non-fliers.

Cranes: A Natural History of a Bird in Crisis


Janice M. Hughes - 2008
    Cranes are found on all continents except South America and Antarctica. They are typically associated with open wetland and grassland habitats, where their bright plumage, graceful proportions and convivial nature are displayed in elaborate dancing and duet calling. Those species that breed in the northern regions of North America and Eurasia undertake long migrations each spring and fall. Cranes choose life-long mates and are devoted parents that raise their young with both tenderness and determination.Cranes traces the history of these fascinating birds from their early origins in the Mesozoic Era to the present day. The book covers anatomy, feeding habits, mating rituals, habitats, caring for the chicks, migration and seasonal movements. A special section is devoted to cranes in myth and folklore. Species profiles are included, along with range maps and conservation status of: Black-crowned crane Red-crowned crane Black-necked crane Sandhill crane Blue crane Sarus crane Brolga Siberian crane Demoiselle crane Wattled crane Eurasian crane White-naped crane Grey crowned crane Whooping crane Hooded crane.Emphasis is given to the whooping crane as a case study of the environmental and human pressures that threaten the existence of all family members. Through the tireless efforts of many dedicated researchers and volunteers, this species is slowly being brought back from the edge of extinction. Operation Migration, the project to establish a migratory population of whooping cranes in the eastern United States, is profiled in a special chapter of Cranes.

Top 100 Birding Sites of the World


Dominic Couzens - 2008
    This gorgeous book describes the one hundred best bird-watching sites on the planet. Introductory sections give an overview of each continent or region, and then each site is listed and ranked on a country-by-country basis. The entries all include a full description, a list of key species, a map, and information on the best time of year to visit. Lavish color photographs capture rare and elusive species as well as some of the world's best avian spectacles, such as the snow goose blizzard at Bosque del Apache and the flocks of lesser flamingos on Africa's Rift Valley lakes. Many birding sites are included for their unique avifauna, endemics, and oddities—the Seychelles, Andasibe in Madagascar, Taveuni in Fiji, and the Alaka`i wilderness in Hawaii, among others. With its truly global coverage—of the huge flocks of wintering geese in Britain and the United States, the cranes in both Japan and France, the "river of raptors" passage at Veracruz in Mexico, and much more—this book will inform and inspire anyone who plans to visit, or who dreams of visiting, these extraordinary locations. Copub: New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd.

Falcons of North America


Kate Davis - 2008
    With an unprecedented collection of some of the most extraordinary falcon photographs ever taken, Falcons of North America allows readers to witness these magnificent, enigmatic birds of prey practicing aerial maneuvers, hunting ducks, or attacking pelicans four times their size. Renowned raptor advocate and environmental educator Kate Davis expertly details the lives of the six North American species of true falcons, along with their subspecies. With contagious enthusiasm, she explores everything from anatomy, hunting, courtship, and migration to influences on human cultures, habitat loss, and restoration efforts. With its stunning color photographs and the results of new research never before published in one volume, Falcons of North America is sure to become a staple of any bird lover's library.