Her reward for the grueling work of rescuing birds—such as feeding baby hummingbirds every twenty minutes all day long—is her empathy with them and the satisfaction of knowing the world is a birdier and more beautiful place. The Bluebird Effect is about the change that's set in motion by one single act, such as saving an injured bluebird—or a hummingbird, swift, or phoebe. Each of the twenty five chapters covers a different species, and many depict an individual bird, each with its own personality, habits, and quirks. And each chapter is illustrated with Zickefoose's stunning watercolor paintings and drawings. Not just individual tales about the trials and triumphs of raising birds, The Bluebird Effect mixes humor, natural history, and memoir to give readers an intimate story of a life lived among wild birds.

    We are only just discovering the reality of our avian adversaries, with their reptilian brains, their appetites for mayhem and the fact that they fly mostly to spite us. To ignore the information found within this volume may be at the peril of your very life.

    This is more than a guide to drawing birds it is also an introduction to the lives, forms, and postures of the birds themselves.An imaginative field instruction book for really seeing and drawing birds by the bestselling author of the innovative field guides on the Sierra and San Francisco Bay.

    Experienced birders use the most easily observed and consistent characteristics--size, shape, behavior, probability, and general color patterns. The book's 101 scenes--including thirty-five double-page layouts--provide a complete picture of how these features are all related. Even the effects of lighting and other real-world conditions are illustrated and explained. Detailed and succinct accounts from two of North America's foremost raptor experts, Jerry Liguori and Brian Sullivan, stress the key identification features. This complete picture allows everyone from beginner to expert to understand and enjoy what he or she sees in the field. The mystique of bird identification is eliminated, allowing even novice birders to identify raptors quickly and simply.Comprehensive and authoritative, the book covers all thirty-four of North America's diurnal raptor species (all species except owls). Each species is featured in stunning color plates that show males and females, in a full spectrum of ages and color variants, depicted near and far, in flight and at rest, and from multiple angles, all caught in their typical habitats. There are also comparative, multispecies scenes and mystery photographs that allow readers to test their identification skills, along with answers and full explanations in the back of the book. In addition, the book features an introduction, and thirty-four color maps accompany the plates.Whether you are a novice or an expert, this one-of-a-kind guide will show you an entirely new way to look at these spectacular birds.The most complete guide to North American raptors, written by some of the foremost experts The first raptor guide using Richard Crossley's acclaimed, innovative composite images that show birds as they actually appear in the field 101 stunning color plates--including thirty-five double-page layouts--composed from thousands of photographs Comparative, multispecies plates and photos of mystery species that allow readers to test their growing identification skills Complete with introduction, 34 color maps, and detailed species accounts

    This brand new edition of the best-selling field guide from the RSPB is compact, informative and beautifully illustrated, and features 215 of the most common birds found in Britain.

    These are the most beautiful photographs of the world’s most beautiful birds. The birds’ behavior, richly described in the text, is as remarkable as their appearance. This is a book like no other book."--Jared Diamond, ornithologist and author of  Guns, Germs, and Steel Eight years. Eighteen expeditions. Fifty-one field sites. Thirty-nine unique species of birds-of-paradise, all photographed in the wild for the first time in history.“We turned our passion for science, photography, and media documentation into a comprehensive vision to share an unparalleled treasure of Earth’s biodiversity with the world,” write biologists and explorers Tim Laman and Edwin Scholes. These treasures are the spectacular birds-of-paradise, native only to the remote New Guinea region but known the world around for their brilliant colors, otherworldly plumes, and elaborate courtship dances. Now, for the first and perhaps only time, all 39 species of these extraordinary birds are showcased together through the revealing words and exclusive photographs in this landmark book.

    Since its first appearance in July 2009, Matt's 'Bird of the Week' feature for the Caught by the River website has quickly become a cult hit. His pop-art watercolours are distinctive and enchanting, as are his innovative descriptions, which see great tits 'bossing the other birds around', the 'playful yet shy buoyancy' of bullfinches and the 'improbable' nature of the waxwing ('like a computer-generated samurai finch').With 52 birds, one for each week of the year, this delightful gift book will appeal to bird watching enthusiasts, children and adults, and art and illustration fans alike.

    And just because birds evolved from a single flying ancestor doesn't mean they are structurally all the same. With over 385 stunning drawings depicting 200 species, The Unfeathered Bird is a richly illustrated book on bird anatomy that offers refreshingly original insights into what goes on beneath the feathered surface. Each exquisite drawing is made from an actual specimen and reproduced in sumptuous large format. The birds are shown in lifelike positions and engaged in behavior typical of the species: an underwater view of the skeleton of a swimming loon, the musculature of a porpoising penguin, and an unfeathered sparrowhawk plucking its prey. Jargon-free and easily accessible to any reader, the lively text relates birds' anatomy to their lifestyle and evolution, examining such questions as why penguins are bigger than auks, whether harrier hawks really have double-jointed legs, and the difference between wing claws and wing spurs. A landmark in popular bird books, The Unfeathered Bird is a must for anyone who appreciates birds or bird art.A unique book that bridges art, science, and historyOver 385 beautiful drawings, artistically arranged in a sumptuous large-format bookAccessible, jargon-free text--the only book on bird anatomy aimed at the general readerDrawings and text all based on actual bird specimensIncludes most anatomically distinct bird groupsMany species never illustrated before

    Unwitting humans create a zone of disturbance that scatters the wildlife. Respectful humans who heed the birds acquire an awareness that radically changes the dynamic. We are welcome in their habitat. The birds don't fly away. The larger animals don't race off. No longer hapless intruders, we now find, see, and engage the deer, the fox, the red-shouldered hawk—even the elusive, whispering wren.Deep bird language is an ancient discipline, perfected by Native peoples the world over. Finally, science is catching up. This groundbreaking book unites the indigenous knowledge, the latest research, and the author's own experience of four decades in the field to lead us toward a deeper connection to the animals and, in the end, a deeper connection to ourselves.

    Dozens of the world's finest photographers have contributed 750 spectacular photographs covering all of the world's 249 species of owls.The photos are accompanied by detailed text describing:Identification notes Habitat Population status Voice Food Distribution Accurate range maps Similar species. Owls are shown as adults from a perspective that clearly shows markings which assist in identification. Photographs of similar-looking species are included where identification is particularly difficult.For photographers, birders, naturalists, researchers and any fan of these birds, Owls of the World is the definitive work on species identification. It is also a comprehensive encyclopedia for reference and leisure reading. No bookshelf should be without it.

    Hearld admires such twentieth-century artists as Edward Bawden, John Piper, Eric Ravilious and Enid Marx, and, like them, he chooses to work in a range of media – paint, print, collage, textiles and ceramics. Workbook is the first collection of Hearld’s beguiling art. The works are grouped into nature-related themes introduced by Hearld, who narrates the story behind some of his creations and discusses his influences. He explains his particular love of collage, which he favours for its graphic quality and potential for strong composition. Art historian Simon Martin contributes an essay on Hearld’s place in the English popular-art tradition, and also meets Hearld in his museum-like home to explore the artist’s passion for collecting objects, his working methods and his startling ability to view the wonders of the natural world as if through a child’s eyes.

    With elegant, graphic illustrations, Birds of a Feather is a feast for the eyes as well as the mind.

    Vernon shows Bird the river and the forest and some of his other favorite things, but Bird says nothing. Vernon introduces Bird to his friends, Skunk and Porcupine, but Bird still says nothing. "Bird is shy," says Vernon, "but also a very good listener." Vernon worries that Bird is silent because he misses his home, so the two set off on a journey to help find a home for Bird. This is a tender tale of a thoughtful friend who is determined to help his quiet companion, by the author of A Sick Day for Amos McGee, winner of the 2011 Caldecott Medal.

    What is going on inside the head of a nightingale as it sings, and how does its brain improvise? How do desert birds detect rain hundreds of kilometers away? How do birds navigate by using an innate magnetic compass?Tracing the history of how our knowledge about birds has grown, particularly through advances in technology over the past fifty years, Bird Sense tells captivating stories about how birds interact with one another and their environment. More advanced testing methods have debunked previously held beliefs, such as female starlings selecting mates based on how symmetrical the male's plumage markings are. (Whereas females can discern the difference between symmetrical and asymmetrical markings, they are not very good at detecting small differences among symmetrically marked males!)Never before has there been a popular book about how intricately bird behavior is shaped by birds' senses. A lifetime spent studying birds has provided Tim Birkhead with a wealth of fieldwork experiences, insights, and a unique understanding of birds, all firmly grounded in science. No one who reads Bird Sense can fail to be dazzled by it.

    In this book, many of them are brought to vivid life by one of the country’s greatest naturalists and nature writers.M. Krishnan’s prose is studded with evocative descriptions of nature, literary allusions, stylistic flourishes, humour, and most rewardingly, precise observations and original insights into over a hundred species of birds in a variety of habitats. This is a work that will delight bird lovers of every stripe.As Zafar Futehally, one of the country’s best known ornithologists, says in his forward, ‘Every piece in this collection has something even for the seasoned naturalist, and even his description of common events holds your interest because of the writing.’

    In Drawn from Paradise, world renowned BBC broadcaster David Attenborough and artist and author Errol Fuller share their passion for these breathtaking creatures, offering bird lovers and nature aficionados an enthralling collection of interesting facts and stunningly beautiful, very rare hand-painted images of some of the most exotic winged creatures in the world.

    At the age of twenty-nine, Genevieve Jones, an amateur naturalist/artist and daughter of a country doctor, visited the 1876 Centennial World's Fair in Philadelphia, where she saw Audubon's paintings in Birds of America on display. His artwork inspired her to undertake the production of a book illustrating the birds nests and eggs that Audubon neglected to include in his work. Her parents were reluctant to support the undertaking of such an ambitious and expensive project until Genevieve became despondent over a broken engagement. Concerned over her fragile mental state, they encouraged her to begin the book as a distraction. Her brother collected the nests and eggs, her father paid for the publishing costs, and Genevieve and her girlhood friend learned lithography and began illustrating the specimens. The book was sold by subscription in twenty-three parts. When part one of Genevieve's work was issued, leading ornithologists praised the illustrations, and Rutherford B. Hayes and Theodore Roosevelt added their names to the subscription list. One reviewer wrote: It is one of the most beautiful and desirable works that has ever appeared in the United States upon any branch of natural history and ranks with Audubon's celebrated work on birds. Then, suddenly, Genevieve died of typhoid fever after personally completing only five of the illustrations. Her family took up the completion of the work in her memory. They labored for seven years until the book was completed in 1886; collecting nests and eggs, drawing lithographs on stone, and hand coloring fifty copies of each illustration, and writing the field notes for each species of bird. Both the brother who collected the nests and eggs and wrote the field notes, and the mother who completed the drawings on stone and hand coloring, were stricken with typhoid fever two years after Genevieve's death and nearly died. In spite of serious damage to their health, they never gave up and labored until the book was finished. The father covered the publishing costs, which were higher than had been anticipated and were not covered by the subscription price, and ultimately lost his entire retirement savings completing the task in his daughter's memory. The mother lost her eyesight at the end of her life from the effects of typhoid fever and long hours of straining to draw and color the nests and eggs. But neither parent ever complained and considered their work on the book the most important accomplishment of their lives. When the mother's copy of the volume was exhibited on the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, it was awarded a bronze medal. Only 90 copies of the book were produced and fewer than 20 have been located today in libraries or in private collections. America's Other Audubon includes a foreword by the Curator of Natural-History Rare Books at the Smithsonian, Leslie Overstreet, a prologue and introduction by researcher and writer Joy M. Kiser (with archival photographs of the family and original advertisements and ephemera from the publication and sale of the book), the 68 original color plates of nests and eggs, plus selected field notes, a key to the eggs, and a key to the birds scientific and current common names (which have changed since the book first published in the nineteenth century). Joy Kiser has been friends with the Jones ancestors for fourteen years and has access to family photographs and documents that the general public has never seen. The Joneses story has never been fully told and no other author is better prepared to tell it.

    Featuring more than 300 previously unseen illustrations, "Charley Harper's Animal Kingdom" includes illustrations created during a span of more than sixty years and appeals to a wide range of audiences both young and old.AMMO Books has published four different bestselling formats of "Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life." Charley and his work have been profiled in an array of media, including "CBS Sunday Morning" and dozens of international magazines and newspapers such as Dwell, The New York Times, and many others.

    Then 'yes' again ... and again ... and again.An astonishing 100 paintings later, Extinct Boids was born.Ralph got carried away by the birds, taking Ceri with him ... this book details the discoveries they made on their travels through the savage seas of extinction. After stumbling on the previously hidden Toadstool Island,where the extinct birds of the world live on in secretive harmony, the duo spent nearly a year in close proximityto a host of fantastical avian creatures.Ralph documents them all in this series of remarkable paintings, featuring unique interpretations of well-knownbirds such as the Great Auk, Passenger Pigeon and Dodo, along with less familiar members of the feathersome firmament - Snail-eating Coua, for example, or the Red-moustached Fruit Dove - and a variety of bizarre beasts including the Gob Swallow, the Long-legged Shortwing and the Needless Smut. All are captured in a riot of expression and colour, with a slice of trademark Steadman humour.Based on emails, diary entries and phone conversations, Ceri's accompanying text provides a running commentary, detailing the unfolding madness behind the creation of each piece in Ralph's extraordinary work. Things got tough as the pair discovered just how many amazing birds have been lost from our world forever."But," as Ralph said "it did, after all, make a nice change from drawing politicians".Bloomsbury is proud to publish this unique title.

    Short narrative pieces are interspersed with sidebars, quotes, top-ten lists, and how-to instructions. Illustrated with photographs, contemporary and archival art, maps, and diagrams, the book has lots of cross-references and riches to find on every page.Chapters include:I. The Birds in your WorldA lively introduction featuring the joys of birds and bird-watching, how birds are everywhere you look, why people enjoy and appreciate them, why they are so amazing and so beloved, and why they have been important to every culture throughout history. II. The Anatomy of a BirdA lyrical dissection of the parts of a bird, including digressions on feathers, color, beaks, wings, talons. Size and shape variations and how they respond to environment and evolution. What birds eat and how they eat it.III. Birds Through the AgesBirds in ancient and native cultures. Bird myths, legends, and superstitions. Bird gods and goddesses. Famous birds in history such as Caesar's death foretold, St. Francis's Sermon to the Birds, Poe's Raven, Mao Tse Tung's sparrow campaign. Birds as pets, birds as hunting aids, birds as food.IV. The Life of a BirdThe life cycle of birds, starting with mating behaviors of all sorts of species. Nesting behaviors. Varieties of nests, varieties of eggs. V. Science Discovers the BirdEarly ornithologists. Catesby, Darwin, Audubon, Peterson. Famous bird artists. Famous bird quests. Bird evolution: birds and dinosaurs.VI. Birds on the WingFlight and how it works. Migration -- how, why, when, where. Maps and amazing facts about bird migrations.VII. To Be a BirderBasics including bird-watching, bird taxonomy, how to use a field guide. Simple bird-watching rules of thumb. Where to go, when to go. Equipment needed. Keeping a life list.VIII. Bringing the Birds Back HomeAttraction and conservation. Birdhouses, bird feeders, bird baths, bird seed choices, protecting birds from predator animals in your neighborhood. National and international conservation efforts. The future of birds.

    Song-like, non-rhyming verse gives clues as to who might hatch. The answer to the repeated refrain, "Who will the babies be?", is found beneath a flap. Besides discovering the animal baby or babies, kids will also pick up a lot of nature terminology and interesting facts about animals, their birthing environments, and habitats.

    She was on Midway when the Japanese Tsunami hit and this is her amazing story of survival of manmade and natural disasters for over 60 years. She has survived the dangers of living wild, plastic pollution, longline fishing, lead poisoning, and the Japanese earthquake. At 60, she’s still laying eggs and hatching chicks. It’s a story of survival and hope amidst the difficulties of life. http://wisdom.darcypattison.com

    The Birds of America is a monumental classic, but it has never been explored like this before. This important new volume presents all the dazzling watercolors that Audubon painted for these monumental engravings. We are familiar with the prints engraved by Robert Havell Jr., but Audubon’s Aviary illuminates the original masterpieces that were created by Audubon himself and tells the story behind their creation with fresh insights and engaging quotes from his writings. These powerful paintings—all newly photographed using state-of-the-art techniques—possess a startling immediacy, vibrancy, and fluidity that link natural history, art, and a respect for the environment.These watercolors transmit Audubon’s devotion to his craft with their inscriptions and layers of media wrought with a miniaturist’s attention to detail and their revolutionary compositions, which for the first time in history depicted all the birds life-size. Audubon is considered America’s first great watercolorist, introducing innovative approaches developed over a lifetime of study. Even judged alongside today’s technology, his dramatic tableaux remain some of the most spectacular natural history documents and visually arresting works of art ever produced.

    Imagine witnessing hummingbird chicks being raised on the nest from front row seats, with every step shown as it unfolds, accompanied by fundamental explanations of the "whys" behind what you're seeing. In Mike Spinak's "Growing Up Humming", you'll see hummingbirds as you've never seen them before.The elder chick has flown from the nest, and now follows her mother while learning how to live like an adult. The younger chick hasn't yet fledged, and life will be easier for her mother when both are flying. What happens when a mother hummingbird wants her chick to leave the nest, but the chick isn't ready? This fact-filled, true story, photo book shows the answers in a heartwarming tale the entire family can enjoy."The photos are so captivating you just want to gaze at them for hours rather than turn the page to continue the story." - Katie H."The story itself is wondrous - Mike simply wrought words from inspiration that the hummingbirds gave him." - Nataliya Field"I gave a copy to my 10 year old niece who enjoyed it so much that she read the whole thing front to back in one setting (and then spent a couple of hours wowing the adults with hummingbird facts)." - James Beswick, Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer"...delightful for persons of any age ... a breathtaking microcosm that few people have witnessed and which somehow makes you feel blessed ... marvelous, awesome story." - P.B. Sharp, Amazon Top 500 Reviewer

    But children have every reason to love the critters that scuttle, slither, buzz, and sting. Through lively, witty rhymes and warm, friendly illustrations, naturalist and author Diane Lang and artist Lauren Gallegos take children on a guided tour of the animals that do so many good things for us, yet don’t get enough love, from skunks to vampire bats. Published fall of 2012, it has proved a big hit at nature centers, children’s museums, and schools.

    Here is a spectacular collection of artwork collected for the first time, chronicling the making of Kathryn Lasky's The Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole.Animal Logic is a studio based in Sydney, Australia.

    A 420-page directory covering America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Polar continents features full illustrated entries for hundreds of birds, as well as detailing many other related species.

    A personal, philosophical and political history of 25 years of bird conservation, this book provides an instructive and amusing read for all those who would like a glimpse into the birds and wildlife conservation world - what the issues are, what must be done, how it can be done, and the challenges, highs and lows involved.

    Today, 571 bird species are classified as critically endangered or endangered, and a further four now exist only in captivity. This landmark book features stunning photographs of 500 of these species--the results of a prestigious international photographic competition organized specifically for this book. It also showcases paintings by acclaimed wildlife artist Tomasz Cofta of the 75 species for which no photos are known to exist.The World's Rarest Birds has introductory chapters that explain the threats to birds, the ways threat categories are applied, and the distinction between threat and rarity. The book is divided into seven regional sections--Europe and the Middle East; Africa and Madagascar; Asia; Australasia; Oceanic Islands; North America, Central America, and the Caribbean; and South America. Each section includes an illustrated directory to the bird species under threat there, and gives a concise description of distribution, status, population, key threats, and conservation needs. This one-of-a-kind book also provides coverage of 62 data-deficient species.

    This book reveals their real lives, far beyond our wildest imagination! Meet every one of the 17 different kinds of penguin; discover how they eat, sleep, talk, walk, and swim, and of course, the wonderful stories of how they look after their eggs and chicks. Big and beautiful Antarctic images, especially shot for this book, are combined with up-to-the-minute information from penguin experts, and dramatic modern graphics to entice confident and reluctant readers alike.

    The Kirtland's warbler is the rarest warbler species in North America and will always be rare because of its persnickety nesting preferences. But when the total population fell below 400 birds in the 1970s and 1980s---driven largely by a loss of habitat and the introduction of a parasite---a small group of dedicated biologists, researchers, and volunteers vowed to save the Kirtland's warbler despite long odds. This is the story of the warbler's survival and gradual recovery, the people and policies that kept it from extinction, and the ongoing challenges that may again jeopardize the bird's future.In The Kirtland's Warbler, William Rapai explores the bird's fascinating natural history as well as the complex and evolving relationships between the warbler, its environment, its human protectors, and state and federal policies that today threaten to eradicate decades of work done on the species' behalf. Beginning with an account of the warbler's discovery in the mid-nineteenth century and ornithologists' desperate hunt for information on the elusive new species, the book goes on to examine the dramatic events that quickly led to the warbler's precarious status and its eventual emergence as a lightning rod for controversy.The Kirtland's warbler is often described as a "bird of fire" for its preference for nesting in areas cleared by wildfire. But it also warrants the name for the passion it ignites in humans. Both tragic and uplifting, the story of this intriguing bird is a stirring example of how strong leadership, vision, commitment, sustained effort, and cooperation can come together to protect our natural world.

    Hens have been venerated as cosmic creators and roosters as solar divinities. Many cultures have found the mysteries of birth, healing, death and resurrection encapsulated in the hen’s egg. Yet today, most of us have nothing to do with chickens as living beings, although billions are consumed around the world every year. In Chicken Annie Potts introduces us to the vivid and astonishing world of Gallus gallus. The book traces the evolution of jungle fowl and the domestication of chickens by humans. It describes the ways in which chickens experience the world, form families and friendships, communicate with each other, play, bond, and grieve. Chicken explores cultural practices like egg-rolling, the cockfight, alectromancy, wishbone-pulling and the chicken-swinging ritual of Kapparot; discovers depictions of chickenhood in ancient and modern art, literature and film; and also showcases bizarre supernatural chickens from around the world including the Basilisk, Kikimora and Pollio Maligno. Chicken concludes with a detailed analysis of the place of chickens in the world today, and a tribute to those who educate and advocate on behalf of these birds. Numerous beautiful illustrations show the many faces (and feathers and combs and tails) of Gallus, from wild roosters in the jungles of Southeast Asia to quirky Naked-Necks and majestic Malays. There are chickens painted by Chagall and Magritte, chickens made of hair-rollers, and chickens shaped like mountains. The reader of Chicken will encounter a multitude of intriguing facts and ideas, including why the largest predator ever to walk the earth is considered the ancestor of the modern chicken, how mother hens communicate with their chicks while they're still in the egg, why Charlie Chaplin’s masterpiece required him to play a chicken, whether it’s safe to take eggs on a sea-voyage, and how “chicken therapy” can rejuvenate us all. This book will fascinate those already familiar with and devoted to the Gallus species, and it will open up a whole new gallinaceous world for future admirers of the intelligent and passionate chicken.

    Listening can reveal wondes like how to befriend an elephant, how to talk to a tiger and how to live in the jungle. Many such amazing experiences crowd this volume containing the unpublished writings from the early and last years of the well-known naturalist, the late E.R.C. Davidar, besides his acclaimed book Cheetal Walk. a lawyer by profession and a shikari-turned-photographer, he established maybe the first ever private elephant corridor in India, near his jungle-cottage, and undertook the first census of the Nilgiri tahr along the entire range. Charmingly told, funny and brimming with insights, the book, enriched with photographs from the family album, not only enlightens us about wildlife and conservation in the Nilgiris but becomes a memoir of a jungle lover and his family.

    In these lectures, Professor Kricher expands on such topics as bird anatomy, the mechanics of flight, migration, reproduction, and song. The presentation demonstrates how understanding the traits, life cycle, and evolution of birds is critical for an understanding of the origins and evolution of life on earth, and why conservation plays a vital role in the environment's delicate balance.

    This spring will mark the centennial of Japan’s gift of three thousand cherry trees to Washington, DC, and this sumptuously illustrated catalogue is the companion to a celebratory exhibition at the National Gallery of Art featuring the work of Ito Jakuchu.Jakuchu (1716–1800), a wealthy wholesaler and talented painter, is, in Japan, the most recognized artist of the premodern era. His thirty-scroll set of bird-and-flower paintings titled Colorful Realm of Living Beings is a renowned cultural treasure, one of the most beautiful and skilled examples of how the natural world is depicted and symbolized in Japanese art. Presenting gorgeous flora and fauna in meticulous detail, the scrolls are reunited here with Jakuchu’s triptych of the Buddha Sakyamuni from the Zen monastery Shokokuji in Kyoto. This stunning volume reproduces these masterpieces of Edo-period art and complements them with extensive background material on their significance. Recent conservation of the scrolls has revealed new information about the materials and techniques used by Jakuchu, and those findings are discussed in the volume, offering a multifaceted understanding of the artist’s virtuosity and innovation as a painter.            As the first English-language examination and overseas display of Jakuchu’s Colorful Realm in its entirety, the book and exhibition will offer new audiences a chance to encounter this landmark work— generously lent by the Imperial Household Agency, Tokyo.

    Invader. Lover. Thief. Sparrows are everywhere and wear many guises. Able to live in the Arctic and the desert, from Beijing to San Francisco, the house sparrow is the most ubiquitous wild bird in the world. They are the subject of elegies by Catullus and John Skelton and listed as “pretty things” in Sei Shonagon’s Pillow Book—but they’re also urban vermin with shocking manners that were so reviled that Mao placed them on the list of Four Pests and ordered the Chinese people to kill them on sight. In Sparrow, award-winning science and natural history writer Kim Todd explores the bird's complex history, biology, and literary tradition. Todd describes the difference between Old World sparrows, like the house sparrow, which can nest in a garage or in an airport, and New World sparrows, which often stake their claim to remote islands or meadows in the high Sierra. In addition, she looks at the nineteenth-century Sparrow War in the United States—a battle over the sparrow’s introduction—which set the stage for decades of discussions of invasive species. She examines the ways in which sparrows have taught us about evolution and the shocking recent decline of house sparrows in cities globally—this disappearance of a bird that seemed hardwired for success remains an ornithological mystery. With lush illustrations, ranging from early woodcuts and illuminated manuscripts to contemporary wildlife photography, this is the first book-length exploration of the natural and cultural history of this beloved, reviled, and ubiquitous bird.

    Local bird habitats are described as well as the basics of observing and identifying birds.

    While other field guides might overwhelm kids who are new to birding, The Young Birder’s Guide to Birds of North America was created with help from kids. Bill Thompson’s own son and daughter and their elementary school classes helped select the content. Kid tested, kid approved!

    That's when beautiful birds visit his backyard, and he can paint them to his heart's content--unless those darn squirrels get in the way. Too bad the birds fly south once fall arrives. But where exactly do they go, and what do they do once they get there? The squirrels--and Fookwire--are determined to find out.Once again, those darn squirrels demonstrate their ingenuity and engineering skills in a witty, quirky story that will surprise you, even if you've seen the mischief they can get up to in your own backyard.

    With authoritative and broad coverage, using nontechnical and lively language and more than 2,000 color photographs, this guide is an essential reference for nature lovers living in or visiting New England.

    Interwoven with the personal story are the myths, traditions and meanings behind birds and their names within Zulu and Xhosa culture. The book is divided into 18 chapters, each of which loosely deals with one particular bird or, sometimes, a grouping of birds. The book is beautifully illustrated by Craig Ivor.

    Each species is illustrated in multiple views with size and distinguishing features highlighted. Includes introduction summarizing current research into bird origins and evolution, and what we know (and don't know) about the life appearance and habits of the first birds.

    Over 500 color photographs illustrate the undersides and uppersides of most species and highlight the variations found among them, both seasonally and between males and females. For beginners and experts, Butterflies of Indiana also offers an introduction to the natural history of butterflies. The simple and intuitive design of this guide and its wealth of features make it a faithful companion for butterfly watchers, collectors, gardeners, birders, and naturalists.

    With yummy essential egg recipes from Matthew Evans, and Josh Byrne’s guide to making a basic hen house, this is the ideal book for anyone who has chooks, is planning to get chooks, or simply dreams of owning chooks!

    Next into the frame waddle the humble members of the Anatidae family of birds.Beautiful Ducks plucks 40 of the world's most distinctive duck breeds from the pond and displays them in all their glory.  Stylishly lit and shot against draped backgrounds, these sitting ducks are prize-winning examples that have been primped and preened for their moment in the spotlight.  They reveal not only a surprising diversity of shape and hue, but also a range of mischievous personalities and an uncanny ability to look the viewer in the eye.  The book includes descriptions of each breed, covering their origins, physical attributes, and uses. There's also a history of ducks, an introduction to breed basics, and reportage photography from rare breed shows. So, whether you wish to get abreast of the duck world, admire beautiful photography, or argue endlessly over your favorite portrait, if you're looking for an irresistible gift book then Beautiful Ducks is guaranteed to fit the bill.

    This book presents the most complete and up to date guide to the recognition of the diurnal raptors of Europe and the Middle East yet published.

    But few realize that in the spring of 1941, the population of these magnificent birds—pure white with black wingtips, standing five feet tall with a seven-foot wingspan—had reached an all-time low of fifteen. Written off as a species destined for extinction, the whooping crane has made a slow but unbelievable comeback over the last seven decades.          This recovery would have been impossible if not for the efforts of Robert Porter Allen, an ornithologist with the National Audubon Society, whose courageous eight-year crusade to find the only remaining whooping crane nesting site in North America garnered nationwide media coverage. His search and his impassioned lectures about overdevelopment, habitat loss, and unregulated hunting triggered a media blitz that had thousands of citizens on the lookout for the birds during their migratory trips.          Allen’s tireless efforts changed the course of U.S. environmental history and helped lead to the passage of the Endangered Species Act in 1973. Though few people remember him today, his life reads like an Indiana Jones story, full of danger and adventure, failure and success. His amazing story deserves to be told.

    This book is different. It is a species-by-species guide that shows you how to find and watch more than 250 species of birds that can be seen in Britain. Some are common; others are rare migrants or scarce breeding birds, but this book will tell you the best places to see and watch all of them. Readers will be able to see their most coveted species but also enjoy rewarding watching experiences that will enhance their understanding of the species, of bird behaviour and of key fieldcraft techniques.Sections include:- How to find including the best time of day, how to search the habitat and behavioural signs - Watching tips including ways to get close to the bird without disturbing it and how to attract it to your garden. - Super sites includes a short list of some of the best places to see the species.

    The ideal portable companion, the world-renowned Collins Gem series returns with a fresh new look and updated material.This is the perfect pocket guide for keen birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts to identify the most commonly seen species in Britain and Europe.Authoritative text and beautiful photographs show the distinguishing features of each bird, including notes on appearance, colour and distinctive features, and information on juveniles, range and habitat, nests, call and breeding sites.In addition, an extensive introduction covers general information on plumage, habitats and migration, and gives first-time birdwatchers advice on what equipment to buy and where to go to spot the most desirable species.This new edition builds on the strengths of the unrivalled original, covering over 200 species of bird found in Britain and Europe.

    It can be a souvenir, a resource for travel, a wildlife reference, or simply a beautiful coffee-table conversation piece. It captures the country’s great biodiversity through stunning photographs from many different areas. It includes many birds because they are of such great interest and so often sought after, but it also shows butterflies, reptiles, mammals, and scenes of great beauty. It is not a guide book nor is it heavy on biology; its emphasis is on beautiful photography with locations and interesting information provided about each subject.

    Covering both familiarextinct birds and more obscure species, some known from just onespecimen or from traveller's tales, the book also looks at hundreds ofspecies from the subfossil record - birds that disappeared without everbeing recorded. Julian Hume and Michael Walters recreate these lostbirds in stunning detail, bringing together an up to date review of theliterature for every species. From Great Auks, Carolina Parakeets andDodos to the amazing yet completely vanished bird radiations of Hawaiiand New Zealand, via rafts of extinctions in the Pacific and elsewhere, this book is both a sumptuous reference and a terrifying reminder ofhumanity's impact on birds. A direct replacement for Greenway's seminal 1958 title Extinct and Vanishing Birds, this book will be the standard reference on the subject for generations to come.

    The book is full of masterly illustrations that are clear and easy to understand, including black and white working drawings, examples of the artist's field studies and exquisite color illustrations. Every part of the bird's body is outlined in detail with informative text and helpful drawing instructions.

    

     Peregrine falcons are famous for their speed--in excess of 200 miles per hour--and their ability to capture prey in mid-flight. That same speed and a preference for inaccessible roosting locations means they are effectively unseen in the wild. They were not elusive enough, however, to avoid near-extinction.But in 1977, a captive-bred peregrine falcon made history by raising a family in the wild. Since then over 4,000 peregrines have been released so that all of the peregrines now living in eastern North America are captive-bred releases and their descendants. Nevertheless threats persist, including pesticides, premature fledging, and tall buildings. Peregrine Falcon brings the rarely seen raptor into full view. Informative text describes their biology, behavior, reproduction and hunting, and tells the compelling story of how peregrines were rescued from the brink of extinction. The most striking feature of the book, however, is the 80 extraordinary photographs of falcons in their natural habitat. Close-up and rich in color and detail, they will leave readers in awe. For that alone Peregrine Falcon is essential.

    Lively text delves into each bird’s diet, behavior, range, nests, habitat, and calls; the watercolor illustrations are expressive and meticulously detailed. Additionally, readers will learn how to create a bird journal and whip up a batch of bird food.The feeder is generous, shaped like a house, fully open in the front for the birds, and with side windows and a porthole for the viewer. The roof protects the feed, and the bottom lip folds open for easy cleaning. Two suction cups hold the feeder to a window.

    RAVEN IN THE WINDOW: Jade is convinced the raven is watching her. It will only take a minute to find out for sure, won't it? VOICES ON THE WATER:Drake goes on his first canoe trip, but fishing comes to an end when a summer storm hits. Text length: 3,500 words

    A new generation of illustrated natural history handbooks, produced in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution.The new DK "Nature Guides" form a comprehensive, accessible, and informative series of illustrated reference books that tackle key natural history subjects in DK's inimitable style.From the Arctic Tern and American Woodcock to the Turkey Vulture and Yellow-billed Cuckoo, "Nature Guide: Birds" is packed full of stunning images that reveal bird anatomy, flight, migration patterns, breeding, habitats-all perfect for bird watching and easy identification.Includes: Stunning images revealing intricate details and unique features of specimens Expert writing and research by specialists Clear, concise, and informative text bring the subjects to life Specially commissioned close-up photography and illustrations Carefully structured profiles ensuring it is easy to locate key information Entries organized in intuitive categories or groupings for ease of reference

    In Dirt of Ages, everything meets in "the perfect v" of the valley: where rivers meet in an "exchange between sky and water," where rural runs into urban,"where art and work meet,""the rush and rattle," where fog and smog converge as "foetid fall inversions," and where "two chafe so close together."Wigmore expands both her curiosity and command as a poet from personal observations and relationships with wilderness to a universal, societal energy that flows through time, place and every one of us."Notions of deeper rivers" do not reveal a romanticized "true north" but rather a meth dealer accidentally entreating a mother with child on the streets of a pulp-mill town, and "burnedout buildings that are a calling card of the heart's."Among so many other interstices, human interaction with our natural environment is expressed as "rotten lumber stacked and waiting in the woodlot floodplain" and "our wallets open, hoping wealth / will rain down after winter," while the "the earthen hum of bugs at work" goes on: the dirt of ages.02"Gillian Wigmore's poems are place-literate, fully flexed, often suspenseful. When she writes of the life and death of northern people and northern rivers, you love and grieve." --Fred Stenson 070201http://images.bookonedatabase.com/hpd...040301http://images.bookonedatabase.com/hpd...02ProprietaryNightwNightwood Editions0101Book One Internal CodeB100690141Nightwood Editions042012041601WORLD018.0in025.5in030.3in080.44lb1151231Harbour Publishing0102Y20900102ProprietaryTRD18.95CADCA0102ProprietaryTRD18.95USDUS

    Not just for beachgoers, the book is essential for birders, whale watchers, fishers, boaters, scuba divers and snorkelers, and shoreline visitors.Features of the guide:Entries on 619 coastal and ocean speciesMore than 1,100 color illustrations450 up-to-date range mapsOverviews of key ecological communities, including mangroves, salt marshes, beaches, sand dunes, and coral reefsSpecial attention to threatened and endangered speciesDiscussions of environmental issues, including such catastrophic events as Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon blowoutGlossaryExcellent organizational aids for locating information quickly

    However, with a little insight, patience and luck, you could step into their realm and enjoy some unforgettable close encounters, whether abroad or at home. The chances are high that there are wild owls of one kind or another living not far from your own front door, and your observations could make a difference to their survival.--from the IntroductionFrom tiny Elf and Pygmy Owls through the familiar Tawny and Barn Owls to the giant Eagle and Fish Owls, these fierce hunters of dawn, dusk and night have long held a fascination for people around the world. This informative book, covering all owl species found in the northern hemisphere, looks closely at how owls live their lives, and how best to recognize them.The first part of the book looks in detail at owl biology: how they live, how they breed, and how they feed. The second part includes species accounts for all 47 species of owls that occur in the northern hemisphere, with emphasis on those of Europe and North America. The book is richly illustrated with sensational, full-color photographs of these compelling birds.

    The same old daily routine has a tendency to reduce any inspiration for fun or imagination into tedious cubicles and spreadsheets. This is precisely the situation in which Doug Savage found himself. His creativity waning away under fluorescent lights of his office job, he finally discovered his own personal antidote: doodling some cheeky chickens on yellow sticky notes. He began uploading these drawings to his Savage Chickens blog in 2005, and over 18,000 cartoons later, his chickens are as clever--and absurd--as ever. The "Savage Chickens" must too contend with their mundane office environment, but with a little help from their favorite colleagues and friends, it's not difficult for them to find diversions (read: trouble). From pirates and time-travelers to Middle Earth and M.C. Hammer, from the most sinister Happy Bear you'll ever meet to Marketing Chicken who is always attached to his martini, the Chickens' puns and wordplay will constantly thwart your expectations in surprising and humorous ways. This e-book original collection is not just an assortment of Savage's very best cartoons, but his "very" very best cartoons, composed of the wittiest, most memorable drawings to date. Bring it along on your commute to work, and suddenly the office might not seem like the death of amusement after all.