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This page lists bird related books published by Yale University Press.

Some of these books were first published by Helm or Pica in the UK.

The books are listed by publication date with the most recent at the top.

A Field Guide to Long Island Sound

Patrick J. Lynch

2017

"Long Island Sound consists of a diverse collection of unique marine, estuarine, and terrestrial ecosystems located in one of the most densely populated regions in the United States. The Sound and its coastlines are home not only to myriad species of plants and animals—from shorebirds and turtles to whales, seals, and fish—but also to more than twenty million people. Until now there has been no one-stop reference for those interested in exploring the Sound’s rich natural history. Author, photographer, and scientific illustrator Patrick Lynch has filled this gap. Brimming with maps, photographs, and drawings, Lynch’s guide introduces readers to the full breadth of the Sound’s environs from shorelines to deepest waters. With coastal areas at particular risk from climate change and pollution, his timing couldn’t be better. Whether readers are interested in the area’s geology and meteorology, its history of human intervention, or simply locating nature reserves and bird sanctuaries, they’re sure to find Lynch’s compendium indispensable.

The Enigma of the Owl: An Illustrated Natural History

Mike Unwin

Yale University Press

2017

"This lavishly illustrated book celebrates owls from every corner of the world and offers abundant details on fifty-three of the most striking and interesting species, from the tiny Elf Owl of southwestern American deserts to the formidable Blakiston s Fish Owl, the largest of all owls. Mike Unwin has long studied and admired these remarkable birds from cold northern forests to tropical rivers and beyond. He explains how owls evolved into the supreme feathered predators of the night, and he examines their breeding and hunting behaviors, unusual calls, and the cultural myths and superstitions that surround different species. More than two hundred dramatic color photographs in the wild, taken or selected by David Tipling, capture the wondrous beauty of each owl and the drama of life in its own home region."

This book was originally published as A Parliament Of Owls in Europe in 2016.

Where Song Began: Australia's Birds and How They Changed the World

Tim Low

2016

This book was first published in Australia in 2014.

"This eye-opening book tells the dynamic but little-known story of how Australia provided the world with songbirds and parrots, among other bird groups, why Australian birds wield surprising ecological power, how Australia became a major evolutionary center, and why scientific biases have hindered recognition of these discoveries. From violent, swooping magpies to tool-making cockatoos, Australia's birds are strikingly different from birds of other lands-often more intelligent and aggressive, often larger and longer-lived. Tim Low, a renowned biologist with a rare storytelling gift, here presents the amazing evolutionary history of Australia's birds. The story of the birds, it turns out, is inseparable from the story of the continent itself and also the people who inhabit it."

Birders of Africa: History of a Network

Nancy J. Jacobs

2016

"In this unique and unprecedented study of birding in Africa, historian Nancy Jacobs reconstructs the collaborations between well-known ornithologists and the largely forgotten guides, hunters, and taxidermists who worked with them. Drawing on ethnography, scientific publications, private archives, and interviews, Jacobs asks: How did white ornithologists both depend on and operate distinctively from African birders? What investment did African birders have in collaborating with ornithologists? By distilling the interactions between European science and African vernacular knowledge, this stunningly illustrated work offers a fascinating examination of the colonial and postcolonial politics of expertise about nature."

Spare the Birds!: George Bird Grinnell and the First Audubon Society

Carolyn Merchant

2016

"A year after founding the Audubon Society, explorer and conservationist George Bird Grinnell launched Audubon Magazine. The magazine constituted one of the first efforts to preserve bird species decimated by the women's hat trade, hunting, and loss of habitat. Within two years, however, for practical reasons, Grinnell dissolved both the magazine and the society. Remarkably, Grinnell's mission was soon revived by women and men who believed in it, and the work continues today. In this, the only comprehensive history of the first Audubon Society (1886-1889), Carolyn Merchant presents the exceptional story of George Bird Grinnell and his writings and legacy. The book features Grinnell's biographies of ornithologists John James Audubon and Alexander Wilson and his editorials and descriptions of Audubon's bird paintings."

The Narrow Edge: A Tiny Bird, an Ancient Crab & an Epic Journey

Deborah Cramer

2015

"Each year, red knots, sandpipers weighing no more than a coffee cup, fly a near-miraculous 19,000 miles from the tip of South America to their nesting grounds in the Arctic and back. Along the way, they double their weight by gorging on millions of tiny horseshoe crab eggs. Horseshoe crabs, ancient animals that come ashore but once a year, are vital to humans, too: their blue blood safeguards our health. Now, the rufa red knot, newly listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, will likely face extinction in the foreseeable future across its entire range, 40 states and 27 countries. The first United States bird listed because global warming imperils its existence, it will not be the last: the red knot is the twenty-first century’s 'canary in the coal mine.' Logging thousands of miles following the knots, shivering with the birds out on the snowy tundra, tracking them down in bug-infested marshes, Cramer vividly portrays what’s at stake for millions of shorebirds and hundreds of millions of people living at the sea edge."

The House of Owls

Tony Angell

2015

"For a quarter century, Tony Angell and his family shared the remarkable experience of closely observing pairs of western screech owls that occupied a nesting box outside their forest home. The journals the author recorded his observations in, and the captivating drawings he created, form the heart of this compelling book-a personal account of an artist-naturalist's life with owls. Angell's extensive illustrations show owls engaged in what owls do-hunting, courting, raising families, and exercising their inquisitive natures-and reveal his immeasurable respect for their secret lives and daunting challenges. Angell discusses the unique characteristics that distinguish owls from other bird species and provides a fascinating overview of the impact owls have had on human culture and thought. He also offers detailed scientific descriptions of the nineteen species of owls found in North America, as well as their close relatives elsewhere. Always emphasizing the interaction of humans and owls, the author affirms by his own example the power of these birds both to beguile and to inspire."

Project Puffin: The Improbable Quest to Bring a Beloved Seabird Back to Egg Rock

Stephen W. Kress & Derrick Z. Jackson

2015

"The inspiring story of a young ornithologist who reintroduced puffins where none had been seen for a century Project Puffin is the inspiring story of how a beloved seabird was restored to long-abandoned nesting colonies off the Maine coast. As a young ornithology instructor at the Hog Island Audubon Camp, Dr. Stephen W. Kress learned that puffins had nested on nearby islands until extirpated by hunters in the late 1800s. To right this environmental wrong, he resolved to bring puffins back to one such island-Eastern Egg Rock. Yet bringing the plan to reality meant convincing skeptics, finding resources, and inventing restoration methods at a time when many believed in "letting nature take its course." Today, Project Puffin has restored more than 1,000 puffin pairs to three Maine islands. But even more exciting, techniques developed during the project have helped to restore rare and endangered seabirds worldwide. Further, reestablished puffins now serve as a window into the effects of global warming. The success of Dr. Kress's project offers hope that people can restore lost wildlife populations and the habitats that support them. The need for such inspiration has never been greater."

The Double-Crested Cormorant: Plight of a Feathered Pariah

Linda R. Wires

Yale University Press

2014

"This enormously important book explores the roots of human-cormorant conflicts, dispels myths about the birds, and offers the first comprehensive assessment of the policies that have been developed to manage the double-crested cormorant in the twenty-first century. Conservation biologist Linda Wires provides a unique synthesis of the cultural, historical, scientific, and political elements of the cormorant's story. She discusses the amazing late-twentieth-century population recovery, aided by protection policies and environment conservation, but also the subsequent U.S. federal policies under which hundreds of thousands of the birds have been killed. In a critique of the science, management, and ethics underlying the double-crested cormorant's treatment today, Wires exposes "management" as a euphemism for persecution and shows that the current strategies of aggressive predator control are outdated and unsupported by science."

Welcome to Subirdia: Sharing Our Neighborhoods with Wrens, Robins, Woodpeckers, and Other Wildlife

John M. Marzluff

2014

"Welcome to Subirdia presents a surprising discovery: the suburbs of many large cities support incredible biological diversity. Populations and communities of a great variety of birds, as well as other creatures, are adapting to the conditions of our increasingly developed world. In this fascinating and optimistic book, John Marzluff reveals how our own actions affect the birds and animals that live in our cities and towns, and he provides ten specific strategies everyone can use to make human environments friendlier for our natural neighbors. Over many years of research and fieldwork, Marzluff and student assistants have closely followed the lives of thousands of tagged birds seeking food, mates, and shelter in cities and surrounding areas. From tiny Pacific wrens to grand pileated woodpeckers, diverse species now compatibly share human surroundings. By practicing careful stewardship with the biological riches in our cities and towns, Marzluff explains, we can foster a new relationship between humans and other living creatures-one that honors and enhances our mutual destiny."

Of Green Leaf, Bird, and Flower: Artists' Books and the Natural World

Elisabeth Fairman

2014

"Highlighting an enduring interest in natural history from the 16th century to the present, this gorgeous book explores depictions of the natural world, from centuries-old manuscripts to contemporary artists' books. It examines the scientific pursuits in the 18th and 19th centuries that resulted in the collecting and cataloguing of the natural world. It also investigates the aesthetically oriented activities of self-taught naturalists in the 19th century, who gathered flowers, ferns, seaweed, feathers, and other naturalia into albums. Examples of 20th- and 21st-century artists' books, including those of Eileen Hogan, Mandy Bonnell, and Tracey Bush, broaden the vision of the natural world to incorporate its interaction with consumer culture and with modern technologies."

Birds of New Zealand: A Photographic Guide

Paul Scofield and Brent Stephenson

2013

"New Zealand's birdlife developed extraordinary diversity as a consequence of evolving on isolated islands without mammalian predators. For many years, habitat destruction brought on by humans posed a distinct threat to the wide variety of birdlife, but thanks to recent conservation efforts, many of the country's species of birds are now protected in parks and island sanctuaries. Illustrated with nearly a thousand new photographs from one of New Zealand's top nature photographers and drawing on the latest information from birders and biologists, Birds of New Zealand offers a definitive introduction to the identification and behaviour of the country's extraordinary avian life. The book includes expert and up-to-date information on the 345 bird species found in New Zealand, including species ranging from albatrosses and shearwaters to kiwi and kaka."

Capturing the Essence: Techniques for Bird Artists

William T. Cooper

2011

"Capturing the Essence is a step-by-step personal guide – by one of Australia's greatest living bird artists – to observing, retaining the essential information and then painting birds from field notes and sketches, photographs and other field observations. The author takes the reader through the processes involved in oil painting, watercolour and acrylic techniques, and a piece of art is built up in stages to demonstrate the skills required in each of these media. While the book covers some of the general basics relevant to various kinds of painting of natural history subjects, the concentration is very much on birds. Painting or drawing any subject well, gives great satisfaction. In this book the author hopes to help the reader become competent at drawing and painting birds, or at least to enjoy trying!"

The Feathery Tribe: Robert Ridgway and the Modern Study of Birds

Daniel Lewis

2012

"Daniel Lewis here explores the professionalization of ornithology through one of its key figures: Robert Ridgway, the Smithsonian Institution's first curator of birds and one of North America's most important natural scientists. Exploring a world in which the uses of language, classification and accountability between amateurs and professionals played essential roles, Lewis offers a vivid introduction to Ridgway and shows how his work fundamentally influenced the direction of American and international ornithology. He explores the inner workings of the Smithsonian and the role of collectors working in the field and reveals previously unknown details of the ornithological journal The Auk and the untold story of the color dictionaries for which Ridgway is known."

Riddle of the Feathered Dragons: Hidden Birds of China

Alan Feduccia

2012

"Examining and interpreting recent spectacular fossil discoveries in China, paleontologists have arrived at a prevailing view: there is now incontrovertible evidence that birds represent the last living dinosaur. But is this conclusion beyond dispute? In this book, evolutionary biologist Alan Feduccia provides the most comprehensive discussion yet of the avian and associated evidence found in China, then exposes the massive, unfounded speculation that has accompanied these discoveries and been published in the pages of prestigious scientific journals. Advocates of the current orthodoxy on bird origins have ignored contrary data, misinterpreted fossils and used faulty reasoning, the author argues. He considers why and how the debate has become so polemical and makes a plea to refocus the discussion by 'breaking away from methodological straitjackets and viewing the world of origins anew'. Drawing on a lifetime of study, he offers his own current understanding of the origin of birds and avian flight."

Capturing the Essence: Techniques for Bird Artists

William T. Cooper

2011

"In this stunningly beautiful book, bird artist William T. Cooper explores and demonstrates all aspects of drawing and painting birds. Renowned for his gorgeous and accurate wildlife renderings, Cooper here explains in detail how to create a true impression of a bird's appearance. The author describes his own experiences among birds in the wild, discusses bird anatomy, and lays out the essential principles of realistic painting. He guides both seasoned artists and enthusiastic beginners through all the techniques and processes involved in depicting birds anywhere in the world. In the first part of the book, Cooper covers materials, bird anatomy, methods of working from captive birds (in zoos, for example), and methods for working in the field. He places special emphasis on the artist's understanding of the subject and how this knowledge can be transformed into drawings and paintings. The second part of the book deals with watercolours, acrylics, and oil paints, explaining for each medium the step-by-step processes leading from beginning sketches to finished work."

A Field Guide to the Southeast Coast & Gulf of Mexico: Coastal Habitats, Seabirds, Marine Mammals, Fish, & Other Wildlife

Noble S. Proctor & Patrick J. Lynch

2011

"This superb book, with its unique focus on the entire marine coastal environment, is the most comprehensive and up-to-date field guide available on the southeastern Atlantic Coast and the Gulf Coast. 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 include: entries on 619 coastal and ocean species; more than 1,100 color illustrations; 450 up-to-date range maps; and overviews of key ecological communities, including mangroves, salt marshes, beaches, sand dunes, and coral reefs; special attention to threatened and endangered species; and discussions of environmental issues, including such catastrophic events as Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon blowout."

Dog Days, Raven Nights

John Marzluff and Colleen Marzluff

2011

"Twenty years ago, fresh out of graduate school and recently married, John and Colleen Marzluff left Arizona for a small cabin in the mountains of western Maine. Their mission: to conduct the first-ever extensive study of the winter ecology of the Common Raven under the tutelage of biologist Bernd Heinrich. Drawing on field notes and personal diaries, they vividly and eloquently chronicle their three-year endeavour to research a mysterious and often misunderstood bird - assembling a gigantic aviary, climbing sentry trees, building bird blinds in the forest, capturing and sustaining 300 ravens as study subjects, and enduring harsh Maine winters in pursuit of their goal. They also share the unique challenges and joys of raising, training, and racing the sled dogs that assisted them in their work. Accompanied by Evon Zerbetz's lovely linocut illustrations, "Dog Days, Raven Nights" is a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the adventures of field science and an insightful exploration of the nature of relationships, both animal and human."

Conservation Biology of Hawaiian Forest Birds: Implications for Island Avifauna

Editor: Thane K. Pratt, Carter T. Atkinson, Paul C. Banko, James D. Jacobi, Bethany L. Woodworth

2009

"Hawaii's forest bird community is the most insular and most endangered in the world and serves as a case study for threatened species globally. Ten have disappeared in the past thirty years, nine are critically endangered, and even common species are currently in decline. Thane K. Pratt, his coeditors, and collaborators, all leaders in their field, describe the research and conservation efforts over the past thirty years to save Hawaii's forest birds. They also offer the most comprehensive look at the reasons for these extinctions and attempts to overcome them in the future. Among the topics covered in this book are trends in bird populations, environmental and genetic factors limiting population size, avian diseases, predators, and competing alien bird species. Colour plates by award-winning local photographer Jack Jeffrey illustrate all living species discussed or described."

Birds of Pakistan

Richard Grimmett, Tom Roberts and Tim Inskipp

Helm Field Guides

Yale University Press / Helm

2009

"This guide is a successor to the much acclaimed Birds of the Indian Subcontinent by two of the same authors. Covering Pakistan, the superb plates are accompanied by a succinct text highlighting identification, voice, habitat, altitudinal range, distribution and status. The text is on facing pages to the plates, for easy reference and there are distribution maps for every species. Like previous guides covering Nepal, Bhutan, Northern India and Southern India, this guide is a perfect size for use in the field and will be an essential companion when visiting this region."

Field Guide to the Birds of Trinidad & Tobago

Martyn Kenefick, Robin Restall and Floyd Hayes

2009

"Trinidad and Tobago, tropical islands on the continental shelf of northeastern South America, enjoy a rich diversity of bird species, including visitors from the nearby mainland and others traveling the migratory flyway from North America. This compact, portable field guide is designed to provide birders and ornithologists with all the up-to-date information they need to identify birds in the field. The book features color illustrations and descriptions of almost 470 different species - every species known to occur naturally in Trinidad or Tobago as well as those successfully introduced there."

Humans, Nature, and Birds: Science Art from Cave Walls to Computer Screens

Darryl Wheye, Donald Kennedy

2008

"This book invites readers to enter a two-floor virtual 'gallery' where 60-plus images of birds reflecting the accomplishments of human pictorial history are on display. These are works in a genre the authors term Science Art - that is, art that says something about the natural world and how it works. Darryl Wheye and Donald Kennedy show how these works of art can advance our understanding of the ways nature has been perceived over time, its current vulnerability, and our responsibility to preserve its wealth. Each room in the gallery is dedicated to a single topic. The rooms on the first floor show birds as icons, birds as resources, birds as teaching tools, and more. On the second floor, the images and their captions clarify what Science Art is and how the intertwining of art and science can change the way we look at each. The authors also provide a timeline linking scientific innovations with the production of images of birds, and they offer a checklist of steps to promote the creation and accessibility of Science Art. Readers who tour this unique and fascinating gallery will never look at art depicting nature in the same way again."

A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Japan and North-east Asia

Tadao Shimba

2008

"Despite its rich avifauna and popularity with tourists, Japan has long been lacking a good English-language field guide. This new photographic guide will be the first book to cover the Japanese avifauna in English for over 25 years, and the first photoguide to the country in English. It will also include the birds of neighbouring mainland regions of eastern Asia, namely Korea, NE China and eastern Siberia. Over 520 species are illustrated with hundreds of stunning colour photographs. The text succinctly describes the key identification features and each species has a distribution map. This guide will be an essential companion for anyone visiting Japan or eastern Asia."

Marshes: The Disappearing Edens

William Burt

2008

"Drawn since boyhood to the beauty and allure of marshes, naturalist William Burt has prowled them by day and night, in every season, from one edge of North America to the other. For thirty years, he has hauled his large-format camera with him, seeking to capture on film the elusive birds, the wildflowers and grasses, and the unique wild beauty of the marshes. In this breathtakingly lovely book, he selects ninety of his most striking photographs. He also offers his reflections on the marshes he has visited, inviting his readers to come with him and become acquainted with this hidden world, its richness, and its vulnerability. Burt explores marshes near and far, from Connecticut to Manitoba, the Gulf of Mexico, California's Central Valley, the Northern Plains, and elsewhere. His photographs explore all aspects and seasons of marsh life, but focus especially on such shy inhabitants as rails, bitterns, grebes, and gallinules. While the photographs tell stories of their own, Burt's narrative invokes the marshes of the past and compares them to today's, with prose as picturesharp as the photography. No book has ever evoked the mystery and beauty of the marshes so compellingly as this by William Burt."

Birds of Northern South America

Volume 1: Species Accounts

Volume 2: Plates And Distribution Maps

Robin Restall, Clemencia Rodner and Miguel Lentino

2007

"The two companion volumes of this extensive and detailed guide make a groundbreaking contribution to bird guide literature: they not only provide detailed accounts of every known bird species in the vast region from Ecuador to French Guiana but also, for the first time, illustrate virtually every plumage variation in full color. The illustrations include adult males and females where different as well as intermediate plumages, juveniles, subspecies, morphs and other variants, and several hypothetical and unconfirmed species. In all, nearly 6,400 birds are depicted. Black-and-white drawings of significant aspects of plumage or behavior are also provided, as are color maps showing river systems, political boundaries and the confirmed distribution of all the species. Volume 1 presents extensive species accounts, including information on habitat, vocalization, nomenclature, and the very latest taxonomy to subspecies level. An up-to-date discography lists all published CDs that contain recordings of birds of northern South America. Volume 2, designed for use in the field, contains complete range maps, Robin Restall's immaculate and jewel-like paintings, and information about specific marks, habitat, and behavior to aid in identification.

Where to Watch Birds in World Cities

Paul Milne

2007

"This is the first birder's guide to sixty cities of the world. Designed and written for the bird enthusiast who is traveling for reasons other than birding - on business, with family, for academic conferences - the book offers assistance in locating birds, identifying local bird residents, and using public transportation. Where to Watch Birds in World Cities deserves a permanent place in the suitcase or briefcase of anyone who would like to make the most of limited time in an unfamiliar city by learning about the local birds. Entries for each of the sixty cities provide an introduction to the city and detailed information on major bird-watching sites, including lists of typical summer and winter bird residents and migrants and directions for getting to the sites using public transportation. The book is illustrated throughout with maps and attractive line drawings. In no way a replacement for detailed guides to specific cities or regions, this book instead fills an important gap for travelers whose birding, though done on short notice, can nevertheless prove delightful."

Field Guide To The Birds of the Gambia and Senegal

Clive Barlow, Tim Wacher and Tony Disley

2006

"This comprehensive book is the first field guide to the birds of The Gambia and Senegal, an area of West Africa popular with birders for its many tropical African birds. The guide provides full accounts of over 660 bird species and depicts nearly all of these in 48 beautiful color plates."

Vietnam: A Natural History

Eleanor Jane Sterling, Martha Maud Hurley and Le Duc Minh

2006

"A country uncommonly rich in plants, animals, and natural habitats, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam shelters a significant portion of the world's biological diversity, including rare and unique organisms and an unusual mixture of tropical and temperate species. This book is the first comprehensive account of Vietnam's natural history in English. Illustrated with maps, photographs, and thirty-five original watercolour illustrations, the book offers a complete tour of the country's plants and animals along with a full discussion of the factors shaping their evolution and distribution. Separate chapters focus on northern, central, and southern Vietnam, regions that encompass tropics, subtropics, mountains, lowlands, wetland and river regions delta and coastal areas, and offshore islands. The authors provide detailed descriptions of key natural areas to visit, where a traveller might explore limestone caves or glimpse some of the country's twenty-seven monkeys and ape species and more than 850 bird species. The book also explores the long history of humans in the country, including the impact of the Vietnam-American War on plants and animals, and describes current efforts to conserve Vietnam's complex, fragile, and widely threatened biodiversity."

Birds, Mammals and Reptiles of the Galapagos Islands

Andy Swash and Robert Still

2006

"This simple-to-use, pocket-size volume offers a comprehensive guide to the unique wildlife of the Galápagos, encompassing all the birds, mammals, and reptiles a visitor to these extraordinary islands might encounter. The second edition corrects and amends plates and text, as well as adds six new photos of the whales."

How the Earthquake Bird Got its Name and Other Tales of an Unbalanced Nature

H. H. Shugart

2005

"Although people have been altering earth's landscapes to some extent for tens of thousands of years, humankind today is causing massive changes to the planet. Such widespread environmental change is accompanied by accelerating rates of species extinction. In this book, noted ecologist H. H. Shugart presents important ecological concepts through entertaining animal parables. He tells the stories of particular birds and mammals - the packrat, ivory-billed woodpecker, penguin, dingo, European rabbit, and others. Shugart explores past environmental change, discusses the non-existence of a "balance of Nature", and documents how human alterations have affected plants, soils, and animals. He looks with hope toward a future in which thoughtful people learn and use ecological science to protect the landscapes upon which terrestrial creatures depend."

In the Company of Crows and Ravens

John M. Marzluff

Foreword: Tony Angell

Yale University Press

2005

"In this delightful blend of science, art, and anthropology, biologist Marzluff and illustrator Angell, both fascinated by the corvids, demonstrate why the crows and ravens are worthy of study and respect. Crows and ravens are adaptable, intelligent, and able to learn, remember, and use insight to solve problems. They use unique methods to obtain food, such as pulling up the lines of ice fishermen and rolling walnuts under car wheels. Humans have long noted these large, black, brainy birds, and their images have entered human culture (we "eat crow," open things with a "crowbar") and human mythology (the Norse god Odin was guided by two ravens). The text travels easily from science to folklore to literature, which, along with Angell's lively black-and-white illustrations, recommends this book highly"

A Field Guide to North Atlantic Wildlife: Marine Mammals, Seabirds, Fish, and Other Sealife

Noble S. Proctor and Patrick J. Lynch

2005

"This beautifully illustrated guide covers an unprecedented range of species that may be sighted along the coastline or offshore by the whale watcher, bird watcher, fisher, boating enthusiast, or natural history buff. Designed in a handy pocket size, the book provides concise information for identifying the invertebrates, mammals, birds, turtles, fish, sharks and rays, and even floating seaweeds and common algae that live along the Atlantic coast and offshore from North Carolina to the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. With range maps and text on pages directly opposite the full-colour illustrations, the book makes identification of more than two hundred species of offshore wildlife quick and easy. Special features include full-page spreads to compare similar species of seabirds, and inserts to help identify whales by their blowhole patterns, diving, and other behaviours. Those with an interest in ocean life know that surprises often appear at the end of a fishing line, floating beside the boat, washed up on the shore, or flying overhead. This is the ultimate guide for those who are curious about such creatures and the marine environment in which they dwell."

Whose Bird?: Men and Women Commemorated in the Common Names of Birds

Bo Beolens and Michael Watkins

2004

"Is Bonaparte's Gull named after Napoleon Bonaparte? Is the Pallas' Sandgrouse named for the same individual as the Pallas' Warbler? This entertaining book provides for the first time a mini-biography of every person after whom a bird has been named in the English vernacular - -some 1,400 individuals. Featuring 150 illustrations, Whose Bird? is arranged in the style of an encyclopedia with entries indexed both by relevant individual and by bird. The book concentrates on the people - -heroes, romantics, fanatics, and many others. Entries explain who the people were, when and where they traveled, what else they did and were famous for, with whom they were connected, what they wrote and published, and how birds came to be named after them. Filled with fascinating stories about the lives and times of naturalists over the centuries, this accessible reference volume will intrigue readers at every level of interest in ornithology."

Birds of the Mediterranean: A Photographic Guide

Paul Sterry

2004

"The Mediterranean is remarkably rich with birds, not only because of the great diversity of habitats in the region but also because it provides the main flyway for most migrant breeding species of northern Europe. This stunning new photoguide encompasses all species of birds, including seabirds, found in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and in the adjacent areas with a Mediterranean climate. Featuring nearly 1,000 beautiful color photographs, many of which were taken for this volume, the book presents illustrations and concise accounts of each species. The pocket-sized photoguide is convenient, up-to-date, and accurate. Through the extensive use of digital software to enhance the photographs, the book enables readers to compare similar species easily and to view far more plumage variations than ever before. Armchair travelers, birders in the field, and holiday visitors alike will find this book both delightful and useful."

Stonechats

Ewan Urquhart

Yale University Press

2003

"This book is the first to provide a comprehensive treatment of the fourteen members of the genus Saxicola - the stonechats and bushchats. The group is distributed throughout the Old World and includes some familiar and widespread species as well as island endemics and extreme rarities. These charismatic birds are eye-catching in both appearance and behavior but are often hard to identify. The text details all aspects of identification, including plumages, voice, behavior, seasonal movements, and distribution. There are also discussions about issues of speciation and racial variation within the genus, based on new DNA research to assess taxonomic relationships within the group, as well as explanations of conservation issues affecting the group. The book presents an impressive collection of photographs and line drawings, accompanied by an exceptionally beautiful set of thirteen color plates that show each species in a variety of plumages."

Wrens, Dippers and Thrashers

David Brewer

Yale University Press

2001

"This is the first comprehensive guide to the closely related families of wrens, dippers, and thrashers. The book covers 75 wrens, 34 thrashers, and 5 dippers, almost all of which are New World species. The wrens (Troglodytidae) display great diversity, occupying almost every kind of habitat in the Americas. The family probably originates in Central America where the greatest number of species is to be found. The thrashers (Mimidae) include the mockingbirds, catbirds, and tremblers. The dippers (Cinclidae) are river specialists, although they usually exhibit no obvious features for an aquatic existence. The book describes the various forms within each group, their distribution and breeding biology, as well as their flight, moult, behavior, and ecology. The text is accompanied by maps, diagrams, and color illustrations."

Swifts: A Guide to the Swift and Treeswifts of the World

Phil Chantler

Yale University Press

Second edition

2000

"The second edition of this highly acclaimed book has been extensively revised by the author to take account of recent information, most particularly about the neotropical swifts, and several plates have been revised by the artist.

Restoring North America's Birds: Lessons from Landscape Ecology

Robert A. Askins

2000

"The decline of bird species in a wide range of North American habitats - forests, prairies, shrublands, mountain regions, marshes, and deserts -has inspired two decades of intense scientific study of bird ecology and conservation. But for professional scientists and amateur birders alike, interpreting the results of these diverse studies is often complex and bewildering. This accessible book pulls together recent research on bird species and habitats to show how basic ecological principles apply in seemingly different situations. Robert A. Askins provides an engaging introduction to bird ecology and concepts of landscape ecology, focusing on such intriguing species as Bachman's Warbler, Red Crossbill, Mountain Plover, and Marbled Murrelet. Understanding the ancient landscapes of North America and how humans have changed them, Askins says, is essential for devising plans to protect and restore bird populations. In addition to such obvious changes to the landscape as the clearing of forests and plowing of prairies, more subtle changes also dramatically affect birds. Species may disappear when we interrupt natural disturbances by suppressing wildfires or trapping out beaver, or when we disrupt habitat with roads and housing developments. Askins challenges some of the assumptions that underlie current conservation efforts and offers concrete recommendations, based on sound ecological principles, for protecting the rich natural diversity of North America's birds."

Checklist of the Birds of Northern South America

Clemencia Rodner, Robin Restall and Miguel Lentino

2000

" In recent years, there have been major revisions of the avian taxonomy of South America, and many new species have been added. This important new checklist, which recognizes 2,244 species, is the most up-to-date checklist of the birds of the region. Each species is numbered, and the numbers correspond to those used in the forthcoming Field Guide to the Birds of Northern South America by the same authors. All subspecies occurring in northern South America are listed, together with brief information on range and altitude, and all taxonomic revisions are fully referenced."

The Origin and Evolution of Birds

Alan Feduccia

1999

"From the author of the acclaimed Age of Birds this is an authoritative volume, and profusely illustrated discussion of the origin of birds and of avian flight which draws on fossil evidence and studies of the structure and biochemistry of living birds. Feduccia begins with an overview of bird evolution, giving his opinions about one of the most controversial problems in invertebrate palaeontology - whether birds evolved directly from bipedal, terrestrial dinosaurs or from the precursors of dinosaurs, small arboreal thecodonts perhaps. On the way he provides information about the origin of avian flight and feathers, discusses the most dramatic discoveries in avian palaeontology in the past few decades - the `opposite birds', the dominant landbirds of the Mesozoic - and argues that the evolution of birds followed a similar pattern to that of mammals, an explosive evolution lasting only 5-10 million years. The second half is concerned with the modern evolution of birds, and a comprehensive summary is provided of the evolution of the raptors, the rise of the landbirds, and the evolution of flightlessness."

The Rise of Birds: 225 Million Years of Evolution

Sankar Chatterjee

1999

"This text is a detailed, illustrated review of the fossil record of birds in a modern context. Palaeontologist, Chatterjee, provides a chronology documenting the long odyssey of birds since Protoavis - which may have taken to the air some 75 million years before the widely known "first bird", Archaeopterix. Throughout the text, the author offers details from the history of birds past and present, including: some intelligent theropods such as dromaeosaurs were arboreal and could climb trees with their swivel wrist joint and stiff tail, and glide from tree to ground; the discovery of downy theropod dinosaurs from China indicates that upper jaw mobility, not feathers, is the most distinctive characteristic of birds; and most birds were wiped out 65 million years ago, along with dinosaurs, by large meteoritic impacts. However, a few lineages of birds rebounded from this catastrophe and underwent an explosive evolution. The volume also discussed the significance of the many recently discovered bird and possible bird fossils, from Europe to China to Latin America. Chatterjee outlines varying theories of how animal flight developed and explains, in terms of comparative anatomy, what makes a bird a bird."

Taking Wing: Archaeopteryx and the Evolution of Bird Flight

Pat Shipman

1999

"Examines the scientific implications and continuing controversy over Archaeopteryx, a bird-reptile fossil discovered 130 years ago that many scientists believe offers tangible proof of Darwin's theory of evolution."

Manual of Ornithology: Avian Structure and Function

Noble S. Proctor and Patrick J. Lynch

1998

"This book - a visual guide to the structure and anatomy of birds - is one of the most heavily illustrated ornithology references ever written. A concise atlas of anatomy, it contains more than 200 specially prepared accurate and clear drawings that include material never illustrated before. The text is as informative as the drawings; written at a level appropriate to undergraduate students and to bird lovers in general, it discusses why birds look and act the way they do. Designed to supplement a basic ornithology textbook, the "Manual of Ornithology" covers systematics and evolution, topography, feathers and flight, the skeleton and musculature, and the digestive, circulatory, respiratory, excretory, reproductive, sensory and nervous systems of birds, as well as field techniques for watching and studying birds. Each chapter concludes with a list of key references for the topic covered, with a comprehensive bibliography at the end of the volume."

Nightjars: A Guide to Nightjars and Related Night Birds

Nigel Cleere and Dave Nurney

1998

"Sighting a nightjar or nighthawk is an experience common to many birders, but these insectivorous and crepuscular birds are only a few representatives of an order that comprises 119 species in five families - and that also includes the oilbird, potoos, frogmouths, and owlet-nightjars. This authoritative book is the first to describe in detail every species of the nightjar order. In the course of his research for this book, Nigel Cleere has examined every species except the newly described Bahian Nighthawk. The book begins with discussions on behavior, plumage and molt, structure and mechanics, fossil records, and taxonomy of nightjars. The species accounts that follow cover identification, voice, habitat, habits, food, breeding behavior, description (including geographical variation), distribution and movements, and status. The text is accompanied by 36 superb color plates that capture the enigmatic essence of these wonderful birds. Line drawings are also provided to highlight particular points, and maps illustrate the distribution of each species."

Pocket Guide to the Birds of Britain and North-West Europe

Chris Kightley, Steve Madge, and Dave Nurney

1998

"This invaluable book is the ultimate pocket guide to the birds of Britain and north-west Europe. Covering birds of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands, Britain, and Ireland, it describes 386 species, including all breeding species and all regular and scarce migrants. The definitive and accurate text highlights the key features that are required to make quick and safe identification. Almost every species is illustrated with a plate and all plumages regularly seen in the region are depicted. Similar species are compared to scale on double-page spreads as an aid to identification."

Central America: A Natural and Cultural History

Editor: Anthony G. Coates

1997

"This text provides a range of information on the cultural and natural history of Central America. Chapters discuss geological origins, differences between the surrounding oceans, the importance of natural corridors, the history of the native people and colonisers, and crucial conservation issues."

Skuas and Jaegers: A Guide to the Skuas and Jaegers of the World

Klaus Malling Olsen & Hans Larsson

1997

"This title examines in detail all the identification problems associated with this difficult group. The taxonomy of the world's seven species of skuas has long been a subject of debate, compounded by the difficulty of distinguishing between the four catharacta species in the field."

A World Checklist of Birds

B.L. Monroe and C.G. Sibley

1997

"In this book, Burt L. Monroe, Jr., and Charles G. Sibley provide a list of 9,702 living avian species based on their 1990 book Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World and its 1993 Supplement. Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World was awarded the title of "Best Bird Book of the Year" for 1991 by the journal British Birds. A World Checklist of Birds gives the Latin and English names for the species recognised in that work and in the Supplement, abbreviated geographic distributions, and spaces for checking species observed in the field and for brief notes."

Phylogeny and Classification of the Birds: A Study in Molecular Evolution

Charles G. Sibley and Jon E. Ahlquist

1991

"This book presents the results of a study of the evolutionary history and classification of living birds based on comparisons of the DNAs (genetic material) of about 1700 species. Sibley and Ahlquist's "DNA-DNA hybridization" technqiue is a biochemical method that measures the degree of genetic similarity between the DNAs of different species of other groups of organisms, but this book includes the largest set of DNA comparisons for any group. Divided into two sections, the book first covers the methodology used and then presents the phylogeny and classification of birds based on this method. The latter section provides a chronological survey of the classification of birds since Linnaeus (1758) and details for each group of birds since that time. The history of the classification of each order and family is reviewed, morphological chracters are noted, and evidence of the phylogeny and genetic relationships of each group is given. With 385 figures of DNA melting curves and phylogenetic trees, plus a bibliography, this book should be a valuable resource for ornithologists and other biologists."

Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World

C.G. Sibley and B.L. Monroe

1990

"In this book, ornithologists Charles G. Sibley and Burt L. Monroe Jr, present descriptions of the geographic distributions, and comments about the species-level taxonomy, of the living birds of the world. The accounts of the 9672 species are arranged according to the classification developed by Sibley, Monroe, and Ahlquist. The authors provide new information on the distribution of each species; an appendix includes 24 maps and a gazetteer of the place names mentioned in the text. This volume also provides a cross-referenced index of scientific and English bird names of species."

Guide to the Birds of Madagascar

Olivier Langrand

Yale University Press

1990

"This book is a guide to the unusual bird life of Madagascar. 40 watercolour illustrations provide clear and easy identification of all the Malagasy birds. Beginning with an overview of the natural habitats of Madagascar, the book then provides a general introduction to the avifauna. The endemic and endangered species are highlighted for each geographical region of the country. 17 prime bird observation sites are described in a section especially helpful to visitors to Madagascar. This section includes information on site accessibility, permit requirements, accommodation, observation facilities, and the species of birds found there. The guide to individual species is the heart of this book. Full information on each bird species is presented - descriptions of adults and immatures, song, habitat and dietary requirements, nesting habits, and distribution and status. The final section includes descriptions of birds not yet reported from Madagascar but likely to occur there, as well as distribution maps of the bird species."

Handbook of North American Birds, Volume 5, Diurnal Raptors (Part 2)

Editor: Ralph S. Palmer

Yale University Press

1988

Handbook of North American Birds, Volume 4, Diurnal Raptors (Part 1)

Editor: Ralph S. Palmer

Yale University Press

1988

Handbook of North American Birds, Volume 3, Wildfowl (Part 2)

Editor: Ralph S. Palmer

1976

560 pages with 4 colour plates.

Covers Eiders. Wood Ducks. Diving Ducks. Mergansers. Stifftails.

Handbook of North American Birds, Volume 2, Waterdfowl (Part 1)

Editor: Ralph S. Palmer

1976

520 pages with 4 colour plates.

Covers Whistling Ducks. Swans. Geese. Sheld-Ducks. Dabbling Ducks.

Handbook of North American Birds, Volume 1, Loons Through Flamingos

Editor: Ralph S. Palmer

1961

567 pages with 6 colour plates and many other illustrations and range maps.

Covers Loons, Grebes, Albatrosses, Shearwaters and allies, Storm Petrels, Tropicbirds, Pelicans, Boobies, Gannet, Cormorants, Anhingas, Frigatebirds, Herons, Bitterns, Wood Stork, Ibises, Spoonbills, & Flamingos.