Book Description

Enjoying Birds and Other Wildlife in Hawaii is the new, expanded and updated edition of the popular Enjoying Birds in Hawaii guide.It provides the inside track on where to best see Hawaii's birds, mammals and other wildlife, as well as their unique habitats.Detailed road and trail directions, maps and site photographs enable the reader to explore national and state parks, wildlife refuges and private preserves, along with many hidden sites off the beaten path.Included are 74 sites on Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui, Hawaii, Midway Atoll and in offshore waters.Learn where and when to go, how to get there, what you can expect to see and logistical tips on accomodations, transportation and other services.Whether your main interest is birds, wildlife in general or just the great outdoors, Enjoying Birds and Other Wildlife in Hawaii is your key to Hawaii's exotic natural environment. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent logistics guide
I found this book to be indespensible in identifying where to go and how to get there. A section on each of the major islands, and then regions on a per island basis makes it easy to use. Pratt identifies which birds you can expect to see in each of the birding spots identified. Although color plates of many of the species are included, this is not a species classification guide per-se. You'll need a separate guide for that. But you can't see them if you don't know where to go or how to get there, and that's where this book shines. I shutter to think of the time we would have wasted without it.

Informative, accurate, attractive
Pratt takes the reader island by island, site by site, through all the best spots to find birds in the islands. Illustrated with excellent color photographs, the guide tells you what to expect in terms of species to see, directions on getting there, and possible hazards (mud, rough roads, irritable hunters, etc.). Following the site descriptions, Pratt adds a section on each species to be found in the islands, listing the places it is most likely to be found. The emphasis is on clear information, but Pratt's lucid interesting writing style makes the book a pleasure to read as well. I have used it on Kaua'i and Hawai'i and would not think of birding the other islands without it. Indispensible! ... Read more

Book Description

The hummingbird is a compact wonder of physiology, and has long been a source of fascination for observers of the natural world. This tiny creature is a record breaker on many fronts, from its highly efficient use of food for energy to its staggeringly impressive annual long-distance migrations. The mystery and achievement of the hummingbird has clearly made its mark.

A zoologist by training and a bird lover by nature, author Robert Burton marries a rigorous scientific knowledge about these unique birds with an engaging appreciation for and a delight in his subject.

In lively and informative text, Burton introduces the hummingbird and deftly explores its natural history, its essential relationship with plant life, the miracle of its flight, its elaborate social life as well as its nesting behavior and renowned migratory habits. Also addressed is the hummingbird's rich relationship with humans, including its place in myth and legend. Burton also discusses the post-contact trade in hummingbird feathers, which has significantly depleted its populations, and the current threats to its habitat. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Gorgeous Book
I charged this book out of the Beaverton, Oregon, library and may buy it for a friend who loves hummingbirds. It's beautiful. It contains many interesting facts and was an easy read. Some of the information could be used by school teachers to do a nice lecture for their students with a subsequent homework assignment to learn more about birds.

Packed with both color photos and fascinating facts
There have been many books written on hummingbirds; so why another? Robert Burton's World Of The Hummingbird provides a focus on the science of the hummingbird more than its coffee-table predecessors, considering the bird's survival tactics, daily patterns, and habitats. From feeding to migration patterns, this is packed with both color photos and fascinating facts easily accessible to lay readers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you're looking to add an Andean gull, Dalmatian pelican, Indian skimmer, or Fiji petrel to your life list, you'll want to have this beautifully illustrated photographic guide, with more than 740 plates, close to hand. Each of the 325-odd seabird species is described with a range map indicating principal breeding grounds, along with informative identification notes distinguishing seasonal coloration and commenting on characteristic behavior (such as the white-chinned petrel's penchant for trailing after ships in mid-ocean). The tubenose identification keys at the end of the book are notably well made, and the index contains a handy checklist for the dedicated spotter. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Excellent Plates and distribution maps
I just received my copy of the The Birds of Ecuador and am very
pleased with it. I think the plates are very good with a lot of
detail. I compared plates for the same species in the book: A Guide To The Birds of Costa Rica, an excellent book also, and
found the detail to be better in The Birds of Ecuador. I also
really like the distribution maps for each species. I am
planning to do a birding trip to Ecuador and the maps will help
in making the travelling plans.

Birds of Ecuador - a heavy weight champion?
I just returned from a trip from Ecuador where I used extensively Volume II of Ridgely et als' book. Having already some acqaitance with both the birdlife of the Neotropics and the bird books on the region I found the plates and the text still very useful when identifying the birds I and my travel mates saw. The weight and the size of the book is, however, making its use very difficult out in the field. The paperback editions did not hold very well during the three weeks, and publishing the book in 3 rather than two volumes could have helped that a lot. Even though the plates do not live up to the quality of the standard dictated by Guy Tudor in the, yet, two-volume handbook on South american birds, but I still found the pictures very informative. The text on habitat, altitudinal distribution, call, and the range maps often helped to narrow down the number of look-alike-species to a manageable level, especially when identifying hummingbirds or tyrant flycatchers.
All in all (and getting back to the question in the title) I could not call this book a champion in the league of field guides for being overweight (just try to carry it on the 'D' trail near Bellavista), although it truly deserves the four stars for the text and the plates alike. If you use it as a 'hotel' rather than a field guide or need it as a reference work for your home library (or have the plates and the text of Vol. II rebound separetely, as I did) you will appreciate the amount of information gathered in this book.

A useful but bulky field guide
What a set of books, no doubt about that! For the first time, there is a full set of very useful color plates for one of the core South American countries. It is certainly a great accomplishment to have all the species pictured in color and on a more or less consistent standard. However, I do not agree with other reviewers who rave about the plates. Too many of the bird pictures have an overall flat appearance, with the color rendition being too simplistic or too bold. And while a good number of the birds are depicted in good or even unnessessarily large size, others would have benefitted from a larger sized rendition. Just because a species is small does not mean it has to be depicted in a diminutive size, unless there are larger species of the same group on the plate. Thus, while the plates are most useful, it is nevertheless disappointing to see that the overall standard (except for the plates being all in color) is rather lower than what was already published decades ago e.g. in "Birds of Colombia".
The field guide volume has excellent range maps and very helpful comprehensive texts. A somewhat more compact layout would have allowed for a smaller overall size of the book, however. The way to do it is being demonstrated in the book itself. The texts facing the plates use the suggested compact layout most convincingly. Spanish bird names are given in the main text, but, unfortunately, there is no index for them. To conclude, this is by far the more useful field guide for the general area than the also new "Birds of Peru" with its almost non-existing texts, lack of range maps and much less satisfactory plates. (P.S. This is a revised review as I think my first version did not do the book justice.)

Bird Bible for Ecuador arrives. Strengthen your doormats.
There are probably only two ways of approaching this book. Firstly on your knees, bowing low and, secondly, after several weeks of serious weight-training. I have recently come back from a short bird-watching holiday to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. I knew these books were coming out, but they weren't out in time for me. So, like thousands of birdwatchers in the past, I had to make do with Hilty & Brown's "Birds of Colombia" (Princeton University Press) as the next best thing. Hilty & Brown is an EXCELLENT book, but Ecuador has some 500 more bird species than Colombia and is arguably the richest birding country on the planet. A comparison is instructive. Hilty & Brown's paperback covers its remit in 820 pages and weighs 1.3kg. Ridgely & Greenfield consists of two paperback volumes totalling nearly 1600 pages which,in their thick cardboard slipcase, weigh 3.1 kg ! Hence the need for weight-training - even so, these may be more than you can comfortably carry and even the authors suggest you leave one volume at home ! Both Paperbacks are called "The Birds of Ecuador" but one is sub-titled "Vol. I. Status, Abundance & Taxonomy", whilst the other is "Vol. II. Field Guide". They are VERY different. Volume II is the more immediately traditional. It is 740 pages long, has nearly 100 colour plates illustrating the birds of Ecuador and is supported by a text giving details of each bird, habits, voice etc. and a distribution map. Volume I is 850 pages long and only has one illustration. It has an 80-page section on various topics such as ecosystems, migration, conservation, a history of Ecuadorian birdwatching, a gazeteer. The rest is a detailed account for each species of abundance and distribution in different districts and important birding sites in Ecuador. Are there any limitations ? Yes, chiefly geographical ones. The authors have deliberately left out the Galapagos (which belong to Ecuador) and have restricted seabirds to those that can be seen for a few kilometres out to sea. They also omit the large "Disputed Territory" which either belongs to Ecuador or Peru depending on whose map you look at - on balance this is probably a wise precaution. Some of the illustrations look as if they have come from Ridgely's masterwork on the Birds of South America but since this is only appearing at the rate of about one volume every decade this is hardly a criticism. Do you need both volumes - given that you can buy them separately if you want ? The answer is probably YES. I think if you had only bought volume I you would definitely NEED volume II - the Field Guide. If you had only bought Volume II you would WANT Volume I as well. Ecuador should be on the wish list of every travelling birdwatcher and these books should therefore be on the shopping list. Without serious competition, they are the immediate "Bible" for the birds of Ecuador and should be treated with reverence as a labour of love, a work of high scholarship and a delight to birdwatchers everywhere.

A bird lovers dream.
This book is filled with many beautyful pictures and lots of information on the birds of Ecuador. I've been to Ecuador many times for both bussiness and pleasure and let me tell you from experience the birds on that island are extremly rare, exotic, and most importantly beautyful. Full of colors and energy. I may self am a big bird lover. And being used to the dull everyday birds of New England, these birds are quite exciting. So if you are a bird lover or may be thinking about it this a good book to get started with, however long time bird watchers may want to look elsewere. ... Read more

Book Description

"The Birder"s Bible" for more than 60 years, Roger Tory Peterson"s classic Field Guide to Western Birds includes all species found in North America west of the 100th meridian and north of Mexico. Featuring the unique Peterson Identification System, Western Birds contains 165 full-color paintings that show more than 1,000 birds from 700 species. Summer and winter ranges, breeding grounds, and other special range data are shown on easy-to-read range maps. ... Read more

Book Description

With more than 700 color paintings arranged by families for quick comparison of similar species, and with detailed information on range, habitat, size, and voice, this field guide describes and illustrates 1,038 species of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and El Salvador. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Could use some completing.
This Peterson Guide to Mexican Birds is very beautiful in the illustration category. However, it is not the most complete guide on the market. I would solely recommended the Western Guide to Birds, since it is the most complete bird guide yet. Birds of Britain and Europe is also needed to complete Mexican Birds. The authoritative highlight of the guide are the extensive listings of hummingbirds. This book covers at least twenty species. Other families and genus are mentioned, but many are lacking. The Western Guide to Bird Nests may also be needed to better explain and complete this.

Not Worthy of the Name
I love Peterson's Guides, but the birds of Mexico is severely lacking. The art certainly holds up to the standard set by the guides to North America, but unfortunately, it can only be considered complete if you tag along two other Peterson Guides. Perhaps a good addition if you wish to complete your collection of Peterson Guides, but otherwise, buy Howell's or Edward's Guides, both of which far outshine this guide when considered alone. Howell's is certainly the most complete, but Edward's guide is a bit handier in the field.

dissatisfied
I ordered this book, used, even though there was an unfavorable review. I have a number of Peterson books and like them all. The Mexican book is the exception. The one I received was from a very old edition, had incomplete illustrations of many birds, making identification difficult to impossible, and did not picture many birds found in other Peterson guide books. It is the worst. The reseller did ship the book promptly but I did not pay attention to the edition date and was unaware that there was a later edition of the book.

Buy the Spanish version!
Other reviewers have already indicated the limitations of this book: pictures of many species and Spanish names are missing. I would add that the bibliography is lacking up-to-date references to the most usefull other guides about Mexican birds:

- A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America, by Steve N.G. Howell and Sophie Webb;

- A field guide to the birds of Mexico and Adjacent Areas, by Ernest Preston Edwards. (revised edition, 1998)

Both these books also have their limitations but they are essential complements to Peterson's guide and Howell and Webb's guide is much more comprehensive.

For Spanish-speaking people I would strongly recommend to buy the Spanish version of Peterson's guide:

- Aves de Mexico. Guía de Campo. (Editorial Diana, Mexico).

This Spanish version includes explanations and pictures of all Mexican birds and it even has the English names (no index of English names, however). Amazon is not stocking this title but perhaps they will, if you insist.

One glaring omission
This book describes birds of Mexico in the usual annoying Peterson format - decription on one page, illustration on another. The illustrations and descriptions are good, and for birds of Mexico, there are only a couple other guides to choose from. Two problems:

1. Mexican birds that are covered in Peterson's guides to the birds of North America, or the guide to birds of Texas, are not illustrated. You'll have to bring at least one other book.

2. Really glaring omission: no mention of the Spanish names of the birds! Did Peterson really think we would do all our Mexican birding from the north bank of the Rio Grande, with a really good spotting scope? (The Spanish names of the birds can be found on the website of the Museo de las Aves) ... Read more

Book Description

Chickens are bewitching birds: lush plumage, gleaming feathers, perfect thighs. But few meet the standard of perfection of the American poultry show, the beauty pageant of the barnyard and the true test of poultry pulchritude. In The Fairest Fowl, photographer Tamara Staples celebrates the champions of the chicken world at their best. Dozens of stunning portraits capture the quirky personality and undeniable grace of these noble birds as you've never seen them before. Location photography of the shows, details of the judging process, strategies from poultry farmers, and profiles of each prize breed set the scene and offer insight for the discerning chicken aficionado. And an appreciation of Staples' photography by public radio's Ira Glass of This American Life explores the finer points of chicken portraiture. Finally, chickens receive the respect they're due. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

what lovely chickens
These are lovely chickens, and despite their fine pedigrees, they do not seem to be the least bit snobbish. I'm sure many of them are Republicans, and some may even drive SUV's, but that is no reason not to purchase this book, and revel in these birds' awesome beauty.

Not all chickens can be activists, you know. Some chickens are destined, by their extraordinary plumage, unusually-shaped beaks, and - dare I say it - their discriminating taste in corn and various seeds, to be singled out as simply the loveliest and finest chickens the world has ever seen.

Sure they are pretty, but I have it on good confidence that the chickens depicted herein are also fine, upstanding members of their community. What could be better? You should buy this book today!

All hail the pretty chickens!

A champion book
I was absolutely charmed by this book. The text and beautiful color photos take you into the world of unusual chickens and the people who breed and show them. If you are fond of barnyard animals, you will love this book.

The Fairest Fowl
The Fairest Fowl is a lovely book. It is a delight to see a book which actually presents good birds in good condition to the public. These are not your "run-of-the-mill" chickens, but rather well-bred, high quality birds who are a tribute to "the fancy." As a poultry exhibitor myself, I only wish the book had been more complete in its coverage of all the Classes of poultry (for example, no Langshans or large Cochins) since they are so beautifully presented.

There's Nothing Foul about These Fowl!
This was a book that I purhcased by chance, just because I am beginning my own chicken flock.
The book is mostly beautiful images of various breeds of chicken, from Japanese bantams to silver laced wyandottes. Each photo is accompanied by the breed, gender, and a little information about the breed. Whether you're an amateur chicken owenr like me, someone who shows their birds, or just a fan of beautiful photos, this book should definitely be considered!

The most beautiful chicken book ever written
This is an amazing book. Anyone who has ever dealt with chickens would be amazed by these pictures. They are portraits (a portrait of a chicken? I would have thought it impossible)of the most amazingly beautiful birds. I just page through the book over and over again, transfixed by the beauty of these little farmyard creatures. ... Read more

Amazon.com

What's more charming than a penguin? A bunch of penguins!Brilliant nature photographer Frans Lanting enters the deep south world of the flightless Antarctic birds to reveal their daily lives, their triumphs and tragedies, and above all, that adorable way they waddle in their little tuxedoes. In his introduction, Lanting writes:

I wanted to create an impression of who these penguins are and what they go through. I hope my work will be seen as an homage to the individual within them all.

Set against the starkly beautiful Antarctic rocks and ice, Lanting's subjects are brilliantly defined, as sure of their purpose in life as they are of krill in the water. Whether going to sea to hunt, or raising their heartbreakingly cute chicks in crowded rookeries, these penguins are sleek, elegant, and funny. Lanting's photos reveal their lives in sparkling, intimate detail. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A Quick Phototrip To See The Penguins
Penguin is a book that contains photographs by Frans Lanting and text and commentary by Christine Eckstrom. Lanting is one of the world's best known nature photographers and a number of his photographs are instantly recognizable. The book contains exquisite photographs of the many varieties of penguins in both Antarctica and lower South America. There are large penguins, small penguins, beautiful penguins, ugly penguins (or at least penguins that only a mother could love), and chicks of quite a few species. Some of the photographs are portraits, others show action. Many of the photographs contained in this book are already rather familiar and popular, especially the cover photo of a mother and father penguin with a small penguin chick. We see in these photographs why Lanting is a master nature photographer and why so many of his photographs are featured in magazines such as National Geographic.

Everyone will enjoy this coffee table book. Nature lovers will enjoy the majesty of these great birds. Photographers will find inspiration. Certainly after viewing the photographs in this book one may want to travel to the remoter areas of the world to see these creatures, but for those of us who would find the trip to be too cold and cost prohibitive, this book will serve us just fine.

PENGUINS - WHAT MORE CAN YOU SAY
I'VE BEEN TO A LOT OF THE PLACES THAT FRANS LANTING MENTIONS IN HIS BOOK . AND TAKEN A LOT OF THE SAME PHOTO'S , ALTHOUGH HIS ARE BY FAR BETTER THAN MINE . THE BOOK WAS GIVEN TO ME AS A GIFT AND IF I'M EVER IN NEED OF A REMINDER OF THE FALKLANDS OR SOUTH GEORGIA AND CAN'T BE BOTHERED TO DIG OUT MY PHOTO'S I READ THIS BOOK . THE QUALITY OF HIS PHOTOGRAPHS IS OUTSTANDING , YOU CAN VIRTUALLY EVOKE THE SIGHTS AND SMELLS OF THE COLONIES OF PENGUINS , ALL IN ALL AN EXCELLENT BOOK .

Penguins Up Close and Personal
Known for his exquisite images and extraordinary fortitude, Frans Lanting will travel to the ends of the Earth, weather the most extreme conditions and still persist in making the most beautiful and creative photographs of his subject imaginable. Over the course of a decade, he traveled to the Falklands, South Georgia, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica, and the Southern Ocean, where his subject was penguins. In "Penguin", Lanting exhibits his photographs from these expeditions, in which he aspires to evoke the personalities of the individual birds and convey some sense of the experiences that their lives entail. "Penguin" features photographs of a wide variety of penguin species, from the diminutive to the imposing: Emperor, King, Gentoo, Galápagos, Rockhopper, Macaroni, Magellanic, Adélie, and Chinstrap, representing all four main clans of penguin species. The book is organized into three large sections: Coming to Land, Going to Sea, and Living on Ice, which each consist of an preface by Lanting introducing us to the featured penguins and explaining a little about their lives, followed by many color photographs of penguins doing what the sections' title implies. There are also several smaller sections containing an introduction, an essay about photographing the penguins, and an image index. Most of the images in this book are at least full page. Many span two pages. Some images are accompanied by captions, but more detailed captions are found, alongside thumbnails of the images, in the image index. This is a little awkward, but it does allow images to be printed full page without having to leave room for captions. The reproduction quality of the photographs in "Penguin" is not on the level of fine art books, but it is very good for a book in this price range. Recommended for penguin lovers and Frans Lanting fans.

great
This book is top-notch and amazing, just like anything else you would expect from Frans Lanting. You can just imagine the hardwork the man goes into just get these photos you see, not to mention the ones you don't see. This book made me feel a connection to penguins I didn't have before. You look at the book and you can see how similar these animals really are to people, their behaviors and family and emotions are so human-like, it is scary and quite emotional sometimes. Amazing book.

Seen many macaroni penquins lately?
No, neither have I but you'll find them in Frans Lanting's beautiful paperback of penguin photos, along with the emperor, gentoo, king, magellanic, chinstrap, adelie and rockhopper, all in dazzling color. As he says in the books short introduction it is not a natural history of these amazing birds but a personal photographic interpretation shot over a ten-year period. The birds are shown in all weather conditions, as huge groups, ten or so and as individuals in very detailed close-ups. Naturally the close-ups of parents with chicks are the most appealing photos in the book.

Many of the photos have captions and rather strangely there are twenty-four pages at the back of the book with thumbnails of all the photos and detailed captions, I would have thought it better to use these pages for more photos and have a caption (where needed) on each page. Apart from this I think it is a lovely book of penguin photographs and excellent value too. ... Read more

Book Description

In the summer of 1998, award-winning writer and biologist Bernd Heinrich found himself the unwitting -- but doting -- foster parent of an adorable gosling named Peep. Good-natured, spirited Peep drew Heinrich into her world -- one he found to be filled with as much color and drama as that of her human counterparts.

And so, with a scientist's training and a nature lover's boundless curiosity and enthusiasm, Heinrich set out to observe and understand the travails and triumphs of the Canada geese, or honkers, living in the beaver bog adjacent to his rural Vermont home. His presence in the bog, at all hours, in all weather, became as commonplace as that of the local beavers and birds. The resident geese learned that Heinrich could be trusted, enabling him to watch and record their daily routines from up close.

Heated battles over territory, mysterious nest raids, jealousy over a lover's inattention, all are recounted here in an engaging, anecdotal narrative that sheds light on how geese live and why they behave as they do. Far from staid or predictable, the lives of geese are packed with adventure and full of surprises.

In The Geese of Beaver Bog, Heinrich takes his readers through mud, icy waters, and overgrown sedge hummocks into a seemingly impenetrable world. He does so with deft insight, respectful modesty, and infectious good humor. Illustrated throughout with Heinrich's trademark sketches and featuring beautiful four-color photographs, The Geese of Beaver Bog is part love story, part science experiment, and wholly delightful.

Reviews (1)

A scientist's eye and a writer's eloquence
The serendipitous adoption of a gosling sparked several years' close observation of her species as they nested in the bog near biologist Heinrich's Vermont home.

The bog itself, with its variety of teeming life, provides a rich background community, illuminated by Heinrich's breadth of knowledge, curiosity and eloquence. Heinrich's ever-present sense of wonder ("Winter World," "Mind of the Raven") animates his keen scientific eye, quickening a corresponding fascination in the reader.

His observations of geese, "peripheral to swamp watching," began in 1997 when a pair of Canada geese nested on a hummock in the beaver pond where Heinrich came every dawn, mostly to observe the beavers. Habituating himself to the pair, he expected to be able to enjoy a summer of observing their family life, but the day after the goslings hatched, the whole family disappeared, not to be seen again. The same thing happened the next year, and the next.

Meanwhile, in 1998, Heinrich's toddler son acquired a day-old Canada goose, Peep. In just a few short paragraphs Heinrich conveys the manic difficulties of raising goose and toddler together over a summer, and the regret and relief when Peep disappeared one day, presumably to join one of the migrating flocks overhead. It was two years before he saw her again - standing on his gravel driveway with her mate at dawn, after announcing her presence in a raucous flight around his house.

As Peep and her mate, dubbed Pop, showed signs of trying to nest (although Peep was a year younger than the usual nesting age) at the bog pond, Heinrich's enthusiasm for goose watching reached new heights. Often arriving before dawn, he observed the interactions between the resident pair and Peep and Pop as well as other geese that came to the bog looking to nest.

The fights were noisy, dramatic, and puzzling, since there was plenty of room and food for all. But the resident pair drove off all comers and Peep and Pop finally chose a less desirable area nearby. To Heinrich's delight, Peep laid some eggs and the pair settled in. But Peep was not as attentive as older mothers tend to be and her nest was attacked more than once, its eggs tossed out. Though Heinrich did not catch them in the act, he suspected the resident geese in the adjacent pond, as the eggs were not eaten.

While observing Peep and Pop's trials and tribulations as well as feeding and pair bonding behavior, and the dramas enacted between other geese, Heinrich also notes the inexplicable antics of the red-winged blackbirds, the forest-shaping habits of the beavers, and the baby-sitting behaviors of grackles, among many others. He relates the process of habituating the geese to his presence and how Peep's treatment of him differed from that of the wild geese.

Though none ever went so far as Peep and her reluctant mate who visited his yard daily whenever possible, Jane (the resident goose in the main pond) allowed him to examine her nest, even after the eggs had hatched.

Watching the geese over several years, Heinrich reports a number of curious and anomalous behaviors. The myth of the faithful goose explodes in a drama of faithlessness and opportunism any soap opera could be proud of, a drama that helps to explain some of the other puzzling anomalies he notes.

Like any scientist Heinrich reaches theoretical conclusions, but he saves them until the end, allowing the reader to puzzle things out independently. He also includes four appendices: a chronology of geese at the two beaver ponds; a summary of pioneering ethologist (animal behaviorist) Konrad Lorenz' work with the Greylag geese, which Heinrich read extensively after concluding his own observations; a discussion of the races and populations of Canada Geese, and a list of birds found around Beaver Bog. Naturally he also includes an extensive list of sources by topic.

An involving, engaging and vivid writer, Heinrich reminds us how intricate and amazing a place the world is, while illuminating a bit of its mystery. ... Read more

Book Description

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 avian 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 explains why birds look and act the way they do. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

good source for avian physiology
This book is excellent for ornithology students and backyard birders alike. It has many detailed illustrations of the skeletal, muscular, and other internal systems of birds in general. The text gives general information on each system and then more detail on specific parts. I especially like the sections at the end on binocular use and study skin preparation

Excellent drawings, clear text.
If you have only one textbook about birds on your bookshelf, choose this one. The text is easy to understand, and the illustrations are remarkable. It is now available in a less expensive paperback version, also available at Amazon.com. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The flycatchers are the largest family of birds in the Western Hemisphere, and that passerine ("sparrowlike") family takes in a great variety of species, some 380 in all. Often called tyrants in the older literature, flycatchers, noted ornithologist Alexander Skutch argues, should more properly be thought of as tyrant chasers, for they are not shy of attacking much larger birds in defense of their nests and offspring. (The designation "tyrant," Skutch believes, comes from a taxonomic confusion by which the eastern flycatcher, the first known to European scientists, was identified as a shrike--and shrikes, of course, are "notorious for their predatory habits.") Flycatchers, Skutch writes, have even been observed defending the nests of other birds against invading snakes and raptors. Many flycatchers are remarkably beautiful, such as the streamer-tailed flycatcher of central South America and the vermilion flycatcher of Central America and the American Southwest; others are drab. Less cherished among some birdwatchers than their passerine cousins the songbirds, the largely silent flycatchers have a champion in Skutch, whose fine introduction to the family belongs in the complete birder's library. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An absolutely wonderful source of information!
This book is absolutely wonderful! Last summer I worked for a company that took passengers out of Provincetown and went out to watch whales. As the naturalist, my job was to provide information about the environment and the things we were seeing there. This book was with me on every trip! There were many occasions when I walked around showing pictures out of it or used it for a quick reference. It was enjoyable and easy to read!

A very informative, but easy, read.
An excellent overview of the Fauna of StellWagon Bank. It includes many wonderful photopgraphs. There is also pretty balanced account of some of the significant environmental issues effecting the bank.

Educational and entertaining for scientists young and old
I purchased this book because I am doing a paper about Stellwagen Bank. If you are interested in marine biology, whales, oceanography or know a young budding marine biologist, this book is an excellent and very enjoyable resource. It is easy to read, good photos, yet packed with information about everything from Captain Stellwagen to glacier formation to the numerous forms of sea life that thrive in Stellwagen Bank. It is peppered with lore about the history of local fishermen and the former whaling industry, and very interesting tidbits about the Massachusetts coast. A bright youngster on your gift list would enjoy this book, as would the college student or anyone seeking knowledge about the sea and the life forms that depend on it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Gem
This account of efforts to understand and deal with threatened exotic-caused extinctions on Guam is a gem. The paper back's blurbs focus on Jaffe's "ecological detective thriller." But it's the seamlessness of the book's widely-informed joined elements -- including biographical and political sketches of great pith, accessible population biology, and How Modern Science Works to try to save avian species -- that's most compelling. This deftness in weaving many individually fascinating threads recalled for me Neal Ascherson's astonishing "Black Sea."

The paperback's Index lists only passing references to DDT -- on pages 26, 27 and 72. Because the bad guy is not a chemical, not one of our products. No, he's one of us. And after the paucity and untimeliness of the legislative response to the Guamanian situation had sunk into my consciousness, it was ironic that in the end, an air force base on the island established the 50-acre "environmental reclamation experiment" Jaffe hopes could begin to turn it all around. Like the ending of William Golding's little masterpiece, with the navy warship rescuing the tribe of island-stranded boys from themselves.

silence of the birds
My God! You won't find any birds singing in this masterpiece! Rachel Carson has nothing on this guy! The DDT chapter broke my heart!!! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great how-to guide for any backyard birder
The Stokes have put out several books on birds, and definitely know their stuff. It shows in this book, which has just about everything you could ask for.

One section goes over the different types of feeders, and the various seeds that birds enjoy. Hummingbirds get their own special mention, as do squirrel baffle techniques. There's even a section on bird behavior - what to watch for, what certain things mean.

Then the book goes into the common birds found at backyard feeders. There are lovely photos of each bird, a map showing where they tend to live, how to tell them from other similar birds, how they act, what they eat, and much more.

Great informative bird feeder book!
This book is perfect for anyone who is thinking about putting up a bird feeder or another bird feeder like myself. The first section in this book deals with the different kinds of feeders, how to attract the bird, and troubleshooting problems. Following that section is a part on bird behavior. Finally, their is a long section of birds. For each bird, the Stokes identify what they eat and like. In the back of the book there is a list of resources for bird feeders and supplies. Finally, the last few pages show how to keep a bird feeder journal. I very well rounded informative book. I would recommend it to anyone who's feeding feathered friends.

ADDITIONAL FUN FROM A BIRD FEEDER
I HAVE A BIRD FEEDER OUTSIDE MY OFFICE WINDOW-THIS BOOK IS EASY AND ADDS TO THE NATURAL INTEREST OF THE ACTIVITY OUT THERE- IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY SERIOUS FOR THE BIRDS__LIFE AND DEATH_AND THEY HAVE A SOCIAL ORDER__BUT IT ALL SEEMS TO WORK AND THIS BOOK HELPS TO DEEPEN THE OBSERVATION ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Very Practical and Easy to read for all ages
We bought a couple of parakeets for our 11 year old daughter (a real Southern Belle). The birds and book were a birthday present and knowing absolutely nothing about them, this book has been a great help. Our daughter read it and enjoyed it. Easy to read, for all ages. It helped us buy the cage, the toys, and the birds' nutrition and so on... She still reads it when she has a question (as we do also). It helped us when organizing our home decoration and candles to fit the flights of the birds. Being in a small southern town away from pet stores, we refer to this book often. Gurley Community & Town History http://gurleyalabama.contactez.net

Some dangerous, outdated information
Overall the book is okay.
The playtree idea was very helpful in constructing the massive tree I now have, the pictures are beautiful, and there's a lot of interesting trivia.

HOWEVER, some of the advice given in this book is outdated and is now known to be rather dangerous.

1) The offering of grit. Budiges, and other hookbilled parrots, do NOT need grit as part of their diet, as they hull their seeds. If they are on a formulated diet they also do not need grit. Grit offered to these birds can cause crop impactions and death. Given that it's not necessary for digestion, there is no reason to use it.

2) Sandpaper perches. Big NO! Sandpaper perches are very hard on the feet and do not "keep nails trim". Sandpaper perches are one of the big causes of bumblefoot.

3) The use of "bird sand"...see grit.

4) The implication that clipping a bird's wings is cruel. The risks associated with free flight far outweigh the risks associated with clipping. Flighted birds are more likely to become injured by flying into walls, mirrors, windows, doors, etc..true, they may know the house layout, but if something should spook them and they take off in a panic, they are literally flying blind.
Full flight also carries the risk of escape; being nomadic birds, budgies have no homing instinct. Once your budgie flies away, your chances of seeing it alive again are next to zero.
The biggest risk of clipping is the bird being accidentally stepped on, but if you keep your bird off the floor (and you should) this isn't an issue.

5) The advocation of a mainly seed or seed only diet. Seed only diets are dangerous to the point of being lethal in the terms of long term health. Budgies, when well cared for and on a good diet, can easily live 10-15 years. On a poor diet, cut that in half for the average lifespan.

For more information on any of the above:
http://budgies-n-tiels.com

When this book was written in 1994, much of the now erroneous information was thought to be correct. Avian medical science has proven a lot of it very, dangerously wrong since the time this book was published.

This is probably the best guide to parakeet care I've seen.
This is probably the best guide to parakeet care I've seen so far.

When you first open this book, you'll be captivated by the amazing photos. Some of them are truly masterpieces, and show details of the budgie life you've never seen. It includes a budgie mating session, incredible photos of wild Australian budgies, color varieties that may help you identify your bird and much more.

This book is divided in eleven chapters:

1. At Home in Australia. In this first chapter we are introduced in the budgie homeland. Here we learn their habits in the wild and so we can have a better understanding of their behavior. It includes breeding habits, diet in the wild, their history as pets birds and explains in detail why a lonely budgie can easily turn to an unhappy bird.

2. Parakeets as pets for children. A very important chapter that helps a parent to guide a child to be a responsible pet owner/guardian.

3. A bird joins you household. The important chapter for new budgie owners/guardians. It starts with the basics: where to place the cage, what to feed, a recommended shopping list, where to get a budgie, how a healthy budgie looks like and much useful info. In the end of the chapter you'll find two useful guides on the right cage and how to built play gyms and outside perches.

4. Gentle acclimation. The first days in your home and how to help your new friend get used to a new home. It includes useful tips on how to bird-proof the room and how to introduce a new bird to an already existing pet-bird in your home. In the end of the chapter a series of questions concerning free flying are listed.

5. Life with your parakeet. Tips and info on a happier life for your bird and your family. It includes useful tips on taming and talking.

6. The proper diet. No human can live on bread and water alone. Neither can budgies. This chapter will teach you ways to improve your bird's health and life just by feeding it right.

7. If your bird gets sick. The nightmare of every bird owner/guardian. Unfortunately, our feathered friends can hide their illnesses pretty well until it's too late. This chapter will help you identify the first signs of disease, first aid tips, how to set up a hospital cage for a sick bird and how to administer medication prescribed by your avian vet.

8. Parakeet offspring. Do you want to breed your budgies? This is an excellent chapter for new breeders. Here you can learn the budgie mating signs, how to determine fertile eggs, proper nest conditions and many, much more useful info accompanied by incredible photos.

9. Breeding Parakeets. Ok, now that you've got eggs, what do you do? This chapter is here to help you out, especially if you need to take up breeding budgies a bit further.

10. Genetics. Color varieties, how budgie colors originate, and useful info for breeders who want to achieve beautifully colored birds.

11. Watching and understanding Parakeets. Body language, budgie talk, social behavior and much more info, that helps you realize that a budgie is much more than a "bird-brain". It's a very intelligent little creature that can be a true friend and bring joy to your life.

Very Practical
Having been given a couple of parakeets and knowing absolutely nothing about them, this book has been invaluable. It covers everything from what to feed them, space needed, breeding, what to do for sickness, nesting materials, habits, etc. Has good photos throughout and a couple pages of shots with different kinds of parakeet breeds in the rear. Excellent resource, especially for the beginner.

great book!
This book covers everything about budgies.It has wonderfull pictures throught the book that are really helpfull.It talks about budgies in the wild and their behaviors.it talks all about how to take care of your new pet. This is a great book for beginners and experts alike. ... Read more

Book Description

The culmination of more than a decade of work, this is the most complete manual available on the large family of insectivorous passerines, the Old World warblers Sylviidae, native to Israel and other Mediterranean countries.

The authors include detailed information on the phylogeny, distribution, ecology, appearance, and behavior of Sylvia warblers. They draw on tremendous experience and expertise to sort out the complex plumage variations of these notoriously stealthy birds, noting coloration changes by distribution, age, and sex. Attention is also given to the wide variation in song among Sylvia. The volume contains an incredible amount of original data, compiled from field studies and meticulous museum research. Importantly, the authors use a novel approach to systematics, resulting in the proposal of four new species splits. One of Europe's finest bird illustrators contributed the beautiful color plates, and a respected pioneer in field bird photography spent countless hours in desert conditions to obtain the 546 remarkable color photographs of these furtive warblers.

No other book has provided such an abundance of detail for one genus of birds, nor the quality and number of illustrations showing individual and geographic variation. All this, combined with DNA information on systematic relationships, makes this book unique among modern identification guides. It is that rare guide that constitutes both a major contribution to ornithology and an excellent reference for birders. It marks a new stage in ornithological literature and will set the standard for future works. ... Read more

Book Description

The Birds of East Africa is the first comprehensive field guide to this spectacular region. Small and compact, the guide covers a remarkable 1388 species, and three experienced artists have painstakingly prepared 287 plates with almost 3400 images illustrating all the plumages and major races likely to be encountered. Set opposite the plates are concise descriptive accounts dealing with identification, status, habits and voice, and range maps. Background sections include notes on how to use the species accounts, nomenclature, conservation, where to send records, and maps of protected and other important bird areas.

Includes:

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An overview of East African birds
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East African environment
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Seasonality
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Plumage
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Species accounts
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Common alternative names
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Conservation and threatened species
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The local scene
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Glossary, references, and an index

Key Features:

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Small and compact
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Comprehensive species
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All distinctive plumages and races illustrated
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Color plates
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Illustrations
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All species ranges mapped
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Key protected and important bird areas mapped

Reviews (4)

a good start - but a thorough review is in order
I used this field guide during my recent trip to Kenya and Uganda. Although it is by all means an excellent fieldguide I do have some remarks. A number of the plates contained errors, suggesting the artists didn't see these birds in the field. I realise it is virtually impossible for artists to see all species featured in a book such as this in the field, so that a lot of plates are drawn from skins. It is important however to use skins from the region itself, this may make a lot of difference. We came to the conclusion that for a number of species skins from west Africa were used. Especially the greenbuls had some misleading plates. For a number of species the Kenyan Zimmerman-book is probably better, although those plates lack in other respects.
In addition a number of the maps were incorrect, especially for Uganda.
Still, if you go to the region for birding, make sure to get this book, because it is definitely the best field guide around.

The perfect field guide!
This book really sets a very high standard and we can only hope other parts of the world's tropics will get similar guides in due time. The plates are just about as superb as one could possibly wish for. When you compare this book with the new field guides that have recently come out for South America, it seems like there are two worlds! Just compare the flamingos, the osprey, or the parrots with the pictures you find in "The Field Guide to the Birds of Peru" and you know what I mean! There is also an excellent lay-out, with helpful concise text and useful range maps all neatly placed together. And the book is still amazingly compact.

Fabulous new East African bird book.
After years of having one of the world's worst bird books, East Africa now has two of the best. The Zimmerman/Turner book on Kenya and Northern Tanzania, the work of 30 years, set a new standard of scholarship and illustration. This book draws on that one, but is even better for the tourist and field birder. It covers all of Uganda and Tanzania, as well as Rwanda and Burundi. It is smaller and lighter to carry. And the illustrations and their placement in related groups on the same page are simply outstanding. This is one of the best bird books in the world and will dominate the market for years to come.

Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa is superb!!
I think I have all the guides to the birds of East Africa in the last 30 years, but this most recent by Terry Stevenson and John Fanshawe is certainly the most comprehensive, artistically excellent and usable. Ber van Perlo's Collins Illustrated Checklist "Birds of Eastern Africa" is smaller and lighterweight but no comparison, nor intended to be, in description or plate detail. This new volume, with a 2002(!) publication date has amongst the best plates and abbreviated descriptions, in my opinion, ever published in a comparable volume on birds. Artists John Gale and Brian Small are fabulous (Norman Arlott lacks their skills, but does his subjects justice as well). It is a exceedingly worthwhile complement to Dale Zimmerman's larger format "Birds of Kenya and northern Tanzania" and includes all of Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi as well. Don't miss this book! ... Read more

Book Description

When seen hunting over a meadow, barn owls have an ethereal grace and beauty that can be matched by no other bird. The barn owl has an almost global distribution and has lived in close proximity to humans since settlement and farming created the forest clearings needed for hunting and places in which to nest. However, in many countries, barn owl numbers are falling rapidly. This book explores the relationships between barn owls and their prey worldwide, and demonstrates how an understanding of such relationships can help in the conservation of the species. In this comprehensive account, Iain Taylor describes the biology and ecology of this species, including the factors affecting breeding success, and causes of mortality affecting the final recruitment of new birds into the population. He concludes by suggesting ways in which we can manage and conserve this beautiful bird for the future. ... Read more