Zoology: birds (ornithology) Books

Book SynopsisIn their second guide to birding in New Mexico, Judy Liddell and Barbara Hussey share their experiences and intimate knowledge of the best places to find birds in and around Santa Fe and other areas in northern New Mexico.Following the same format as their book on the Albuquerque area, the authors describe 32 sites organized by geographic regions. Along with a general description of each area, the authors list target birds; explain where and when to look for them; give driving directions; provide information about public transportation, parking, fees, restrooms, food, and lodging; and give tips on availability of water and picnic facilities and on the presence of hazards such as poison ivy, rattlesnakes, and bears. Maps and photographs provide trail diagrams and images of some of the target birds and their environments.A “helpful information” section covering weather, altitude, safety, transportation, and other local birding resources is included along with an annotated checklist of 276 bird species seen with some regularity in and around Santa Fe.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Gulf of Mexico is one of the most important ecological regions in the world for birds. The mosaic of diverse habitats in the region provides numerous niches for birds. There are productive salt marshes, barrier islands, and sandy beaches for foraging and nesting; a direct pathway between North and Central and South America for migrating; and warm, tropical waters for wintering. Many species are residents all year around, some migrate through, and still others spend the winter along the shores. The Gulf Coast is home to a significant portion of the world’s population of Reddish Egret and Snowy Plover and a significant portion of the US breeding populations of certain birds, including the Sandwich Tern, Black Skimmer, and Laughing Gull. In total, there are more than 400 bird species that rely on the Gulf at some time during the year.Drawing on decades of fieldwork and data research, renowned ornithologist and behavioral ecologist Joanna Burger provides detailed descriptions of birdlife in the Gulf of Mexico. Burger records trends in bird population, behavior, and major threats and stressors affecting birds in the region, including the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. While some of this data exists in journal articles, research papers, and government reports, this is the first volume to weave together a comprehensive overview of the birds and related natural resources found in the Gulf of Mexico.Illustrated with over 900 color photographs, charts, and maps, this landmark reference volume will be immensely important for researchers, conservationists, land managers, birders, and wildlife lovers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisUndertaking a Big Year requires a more extreme version of planning than what is needed to bird in a typical year. In a Big Year a birder is trying to see or hear new birds every day, day after day, throughout the whole year.The first woman to complete a North American Big Year (continental United States and Canada) and identify over 700 species, Lynn E. Barber clocked more than 175,000 miles and ticked off a then record setting 723 species over twelve months in 2008. Yet even as an anomaly - a female birder in the then male-dominated world of competitive birding - she took the initiative to reimagine the whole idea of a Big Year in the two biggest states in the country.At home in both Texas and Alaska, Barber offers an inside look into how to plan, execute, and thoroughly enjoy a year of finding the birds that inhabit two of the nation's most diverse landscapes. The drastic differences between the climate, geography, plant life, and habitat at the far northern and southern edges of the US mainland mean seeing a distinct number of birds in each state that are not found in the other. Yet as states with both coastal and international boundaries, Texas and Alaska provide countless opportunities to see the most seasonally varied, far flying, and specifically adapted birds in the world.As Barber chronicles her travels throughout the Texan and Alaskan landscapes, serious and casual birders alike will appreciate her lively and informative prose and commitment to her distinct approach to the Big Year challenge.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn illustrated flight across the SoutheastBirdlife invites readers into the lives of birds we often meet in the southeastern United States. Writer, scientist, and illustrator Todd Ballantine presents the habits and habitats, colorings, migratory paths, and songs of nearly one hundred birds of the Southeast that he has come to know so well. He wings us across diverse landscapes, along the coasts of states from Virginia to Texas, and in elds and forests in between, providing keen insights and tips for recognizing birds on the branch, on the beach, or in the air.Along the coast and estuaries, you will meet the double-crested cormorant and the herring gull; near marshes and wetlands, the American coot and the great blue heron; in elds and open areas, the killdeer and the savannah sparrow. In the brush and at the wood's edge, you will encounter the dark-eyed junco and the white-eyed vireo, and in the forest—if you are lucky—you might hear the evocative call of the nocturnal Chuckwill's-widow.Birdlife delights with Ballantine's own artistic and precise illustrations, hand-lettered text, easy-to-follow presentations, and memorable descriptions. His black-and-white bird renderings provide easy identi cation of shape and form. A unique book to enjoy in nature's habitats, high and low, Birdlife is a must-have companion for birding enthusiasts and anyone intrigued by the lives of birds.

Read more less

Book SynopsisExamining globally invasive alien birds, the first part of this book provides an account of 32 global avian invasive species (as listed by the Invasive Species Specialist Group, ISSG). It acts as a one stop reference volume; it assesses current invasive status for each bird species, including details of physical description, diet, introduction and invasion pathways, breeding behaviour, natural habitat. It also looks at the environmental impact of each species, as well as current and future control methods. Full colour photographs assist with species identification and global distribution maps give a visual representation of the current known distributions of these species. The second part of the book discusses the biogeographical aspects of avian invasions, highlighting current and emerging invasive species across different regions of the world. The third section considers the impact of invasive species on native communities, problems associated with invasive bird management and the use of citizen science in the study of invasive birds.Table of Contents1: Introduction Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758) Chapter 3: Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis Linnaeus, 1766) Chapter 4: Jungle Myna (Acridotheres fuscus Wagler, 1827) Chapter 5: Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer Linnaeus, 1766) Chapter 6: Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus Linnaeus, 1758) Chapter 7: Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus Linnaeus, 1766) Chapter 8: Red-billed leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea Scopoli, 1786) Chapter 9: Ring-necked Parakeet (Psittacula krameri Scopoli, 1769) Chapter 10: Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus Boddaert, 1783) 2: Global avian invaders (as listed by ISSG) Chapter 11: House Sparrow (Passer domesticus Linnaeus, 1758) Chapter 12: Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis Gmelin, 1788) Chapter 13: Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater Boddaert, 1783) Chapter 14: Rock Dove (Columba livia Gmelin, 1789) Chapter 15: Eurasian Collared-dove (Streptopelia decaocto Frivaldszy, 1838) Chapter 16: Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar Gray, 1830) Chapter 17: Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis Linnaeus, 1758) Chapter 18: Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus Linnaeus, 1758), Grey Junglefowl (Gallus sonneratii Temmink, 1813) and Green Junglefowl (Gallus varius Shaw, 1798) Chapter 19: House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus Müller, 1776) Chapter 20: Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild Linnaeus, 1758) Chapter 21: Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata Linnaeus 1758) Chapter 22: Northern Red Bishop (Euplectes franciscanus Isert 1789) Chapter 23: Warbling White-eye (Zosterops japonicus Temminck and Schlegel 1845) Chapter 24: House Crow (Corvus splendens Vieillot, 1817) Chapter 25: Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen Latham, 1802) Chapter 26: Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758) Chapter 27: Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis Gmelin, 1789) Chapter 28: Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca Linnaeus, 1766) Chapter 29: Greylag Goose (Anser anser Linnaeus, 1758) Chapter 30: Canada Goose (Branta canadensis canadensis Linnaeus, 1758) Chapter 31: Mute Swan (Cygnus olor, Gmelin, 1789) Chapter 32: Gray-headed Swamphen (Porphyrio poliocephalus Latham, 1801) Chapter 33: African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus Latham, 1790) Chapter 34: Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus Gmelin, 1788) Chapter 35: Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans Peale, 1848) 3: Avian invaders’ biogeography and emerging invasive species Chapter 36: Continental analysis of invasive birds: Australia and New Zealand Chapter 37: Continental analysis of invasive birds: Africa Chapter 38: Continental analysis of invasive birds: North America Chapter 39: Continental analysis of invasive birds: South America Chapter 40: Continental analysis of invasive birds: Europe and the Middle East Chapter 41: Continental analysis of invasive birds: Asia 4: Impacts and management Chapter 42: Competition between invasive and native bird species Chapter 43: Control or eradication: problems in the management of invasive birds Chapter 44: Using citizen science to study exotic and invasive birds 5: Conclusion Chapter 45: Conclusions

Read more less

Book SynopsisAmagama Izinyoni: Zulu Names of Birds lists all the bird species found in KwaZulu-Natal and surrounds, gives the proposed standardised Zulu name for each species, and explains the underlying meaning and how the name came into being. All earlier names for these birds, even if no longer in current use, have been recorded here, making this a historical repository of Zulu bird names as well. This book is the result of the six-year Zulu Bird Name Project. Between 2013 and 2018, annual workshops, organised and facilitated by the three authors, brought together a total of eighteen mother-tongue Zulu-speaking bird experts to research the names of bird species present in the Zulu-speaking area of South Africa. At the start of the project, only approximately 40 per cent of the bird species of this area had species-specific Zulu names; by the end of the project all 550 species had unique names. The comprehensive introduction explains the methodology used in the Zulu bird name workshops, providing a template for linguists and ornithologists who might wish to do similar bird-naming exercises in the other African languages of southern Africa. The introduction also provides some linguistic and onomastic insights into bird naming generally and Zulu bird names in particular.

Read more less

Book SynopsisVocal signals are central for social communication across a wide range of vertebrate species; consequently, it is critical to understand the mechanisms underlying the learning, control, and evolution of vocal communication. Songbirds are at the forefront of research into such neural mechanisms. Indeed, songbirds provide a particularly important model system for this endeavor because of the many parallels between birdsong and human speech. Specifically, (1) songbirds are one of the few vertebrate species that, like humans, learn their vocal signals during development, (2) the processes of song learning and control in songbirds shares many parallels with the process of speech acquisition in humans, and (3) there exist deep homologies between the circuits for the learning, control, and processing of vocal signals across songbirds and humans. In addition, because of the diversity of songbirds and song learning strategies, songbirds offer a powerful model system to use the comparative method to reveal mechanisms underlying the evolution of song learning and production. Taken together, research on songbirds can not only reveal general principles underlying vertebrate vocal communication but can also provide insight into potential mechanisms underlying the learning, control, and processing of speech. This volume will cover a range of topics in birdsong spanning multiple level of analysis. Chapters will be authored by the world’s leading experts on birdsong and will provide comprehensive reviews of the processes underlying song learning, of the neural circuits for song learning and control as well as for the extraction and processing of song information, of the selection pressures underlying song evolution, and of genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the learning and evolution of song. The primary goals of this volume are to provide comprehensive, integrative, and comparative perspectives on birdsong and to underscore the importance of birdsong to biomedical research, evolutionary biology, and behavioral, systems, and computational neuroscience.The target audience of this volume will be graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and established academics and neuroscientists who are interested in mechanisms of communication from an integrative and comparative perspective. The volume is intended to function as a high-profile and contemporary reference on current work related to the learning, control, processing, and evolution of birdsong. This volume will have broad appeal to comparative and sensory biologists, neurophysiologists, and behavioral, systems, and cognitive neuroscientists who attend meetings such as the Society for Neuroscience, the International Society for Neuroethology, and the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. Because of the relevance of birdsong research to understanding human speech, it is likely that the volume will also be of interest to speech researchers and clinicians researching communication, motor, and sensory processing disorders.Table of ContentsPROPOSED CHAPTERS (with proposed senior authors) 1. Approaching birdsong from multiple levels of analysis - Jon T. Sakata and Sarah C. Woolley This chapter will provide a broad overview of birdsong research from multiple levels of analysis. We will adopt Tinbergen’s landmark framework to provide summaries of research into the mechanisms, development, evolutionary history, and adaptive significance of birdsong (e.g., the importance of song performance to reproductive success). This introductory chapter will highlight key concepts to be discussed in greater depth in subsequent chapters and will emphasize the complementarity of birdsong research to broader research on vocal communication in vertebrates. 2. History of birdsong research - Jonathan Prather and Donald Kroodsma This chapter will present a historical overview of the field of birdsong. The authors will review the works of researchers who paved the way for the modern era of birdsong (e.g., Thorpe, Marler, Nottebohm, Konishi), highlight the importance of the comparative approach, outline central questions in birdsong, and discuss novel methodologies to answer classic questions. 375 3. Bridging birdsong and speech - Jon T. Sakata and Patricia Kuhl Songbirds are one of the few vertebrate species that, like humans, are not born with their vocal communication signals but must learn the structure of their species-typical vocalizations during development. Further, the process of song learning in songbird^1200 times). The chapter will discuss such diverse topics such as critical periods, sensory refinement across development, social reinforcement and contingency, learning in a social context, sensorimotor learning, reinforcement models for sensory and sensorimotor learning, species constraints on song learning, and entrainment. 4. Neural mechanisms of vocal learning - Mimi Kao and Michael S. Brainard This chapter will provide a comprehensive review of the neural mechanisms underlying vocal learning, theoretical models of vocal learning, and empirical tests of these models. The authors will provide detailed descriptions of the contributions of neurons in the canonical ‘song system’ and auditory processing circuits to vocal learning and plasticity. In addition, this chapter will review recent advances into our understanding of how neuromodulatory inputs into song and auditory circuits (e.g., from the ventral tegmental area, locus coeruleus, and nucleus basalis) shape the process of vocal learning. This chapter will also review shared and distinct mechanisms underlying sensory vs. sensorimotor learning as well as recent advances into the contribution of brain areas outside the canonical song system to song learning. 5. Neural mechanisms of song control - Michael Long and Tim Gardner This chapter will review the exciting new advances in our understanding of how neurons in the song system control song production. The chapter will provide an overview of theoretical models of song control and empirical support for such models and will discuss sensorimotor integration, efference copy, and feedback signals. The authors will also summarize recent technological advances to probe neural function, including optogenetics, miniaturized Peltier devices, and micro-imaging techniques. 6. Songbirds as models to understanding basal ganglia function - Arthur Leblois and David Perkel Area X is a basal ganglia structure that is critical for song learning and control and that resembles basal ganglia structures in mammals. This chapter will review the microcircuitry within Area X, the homologies between Area X and mammalian basal ganglia circuits, and the function of Area X neuronal circuits to juvenile song learning and to adult song control and plasticity. In addition, the authors will discuss how midbrain circuitry influences Area X function and, relatedly, how songbirds can help us understand the neural processes underlying Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease. 7. Auditory processing for social decision-making - Sarah C. Woolley and Sarah M.N. Woolley Both male and female songbirds heavily rely on auditory information from conspecifics to make important social decisions; for example, female songbirds select their mates based on the quality of his song. This chapter will review the advances in understanding mechanisms of auditory processing for social decision-making. The authors will synthesize neurophysiological, cellular, and neuroimaging data to present an integrative framework for understanding sensory processing for social decision-making. 8. Regulation and modulation of auditory processing - Luke Remage-Healey and Yoko Yazaki-Sugiyama The processing of ethologically relevant stimuli is modulated by a variety of factors including behavioral state (awake vs. sleeping vs. anesthetized; singing vs. quiescent), developmental history, and species. This chapter will review how such factors influence auditory responses in songbirds and discuss the neural and endocrine mechanisms (e.g., norepinephrine, acetylcholine, sex steroid hormones) that could underlie such modulation of auditory responses. 9. Computational approaches to understanding the processing and production of birdsong - Frederic Theunissen and Kamal Sen Computational approaches have yielded important insights into how the nervous system encodes and decodes information. Such approaches have allowed birdsong researchers to uncover, for example, the complexity of receptive fields in the songbird brain as well as the hierarchical nature of sensory processing. This chapter will provide a comparative and in-depth overview of computational approaches to understanding both the processing and production of birdsong. 10. Genetic architectures underlying vocal learning and control - Sarah London and Constance Scharff Understanding how genes regulate complex behaviors like birdsong is a fundamental pursuit in behavioral neuroscience. Indeed, because of the numerous similarities in vocal learning processes between songbirds and humans, revealing the genes that influence vocal learning in songbirds can provide profound insight into the genes that could underlie variation in vocal learning in humans, including genes underlying developmental and communicative disorders. This chapter will provide a comprehensive review of the genes that have been found to influence song learning in songbirds, in particular in the zebra finch, with a focus on genes that have similarly been implicated in speech acquisition in humans (e.g., foxp2, cntnap2). 11. Cognitive contributions to song perception and production - Tim Gentner The songs of a variety of songbirds, including European starlings and Bengalese finches, have complex acoustic and syntactic structures and live in communities with complex social structures. Consequently, these songbirds offer a powerful opportunity to reveal the cognitive mechanisms underlying the processing and production of complex vocalizations. In addition, cognitive processes such as habituation and individual recognition regulate the processing and production of song in a wide range of songbird species. This chapter will review the exciting advances in our understanding of how avian brains process complex auditory signals. 12. Functional significance of vocal performance - Jeff Podos Because females decide to mate with individual males based, in part, on the the quality of their song, it is critical to understand the features of song that represent “song quality”. This chapter will review the various features of song considered to represent song quality, including repertoire size, complexity, and difficulty of performance, as well as the empirical support for the importance of these features to reproductive success. Further, the chapter will provide an overview of the peripheral and neurobiological control of these features in order to reveal potential substrates that selection acts upon. 13. Comparative studies of songbirds to reveal molecular mechanisms underlying the evolution of song learning - Kazuhiro Wada, Kazuo Okanoya, and Erich Jarvis Vocal learning has evolved independently in three clades of birds – songbirds, parrots, and hummingbirds. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these evolutionary events remain elusive. With the utilization of high-throughput technologies to rapidly sequence genomes and analyze gene expression, we have recently gained deeper insight into the molecular underpinnings of song learning evolution. This chapter will provide an overview of approaches to study the evolution of song learning in birds and a review of the recent literature on candidate genes and molecules for vocal learning. The authors will also provide an outlook on the future of advances in the field, including the integration of evo-devo approaches and behavioral genetics to the study of song evolution.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSynthesises and analyses the masses of data on the behavioural ecology of harriers. This work offers a comparison of breeding systems among harriers in the northern and southern hemispheres, and includes a phylogeny of the harriers, based on DNA findings. It is illustrated with line drawings of these impressive birds.Trade Review... the book is remarkably compact, written in an engaging and easily accessible style, and features many beautiful line drawings by the authors twin brother, John ... We recommend that everyone with even a passing interest in how and why birds do what they do, as well as all those who take study of behaviour, ecology and evolution more seriously, should add this volume to their bookshelves....a book that is full of ideas and insight. * IBIS *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. Introduction: Changing perspectives - from natural history to behavioural ecology ; 2. Evolution and peculiarities of the harriers ; 3. Aerial displays: Mate choice and reverse dimorphism ; 4. Of mice and harriers: Who wins the arms race? ; 5. Mating patterns: Polygyny and deception ; 6. Copulation patterns and sperm depletion ; 7. Sex ratio and egg size manipulation ; 8. Food and reproduction in the tropics ; 9. Clutch size and latitude ; 10. Synthesis ; References ; Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvolutionary biomechanics is the study of evolution through the analysis of biomechanical systems. Its unique advantage is the precision with which physical constraints and performance can be predicted from first principles. Instead of reviewing the entire breadth of the biomechanical literature, a few key examples are explored in depth as vehicles for discussing fundamental concepts, analytical techniques, and evolutionary theory. Each chapter develops a conceptual theme, developing the underlying theory and techniques required for analyses in evolutionary biomechanics. Examples from terrestrial biomechanics, metabolic scaling, and bird flight are used to analyse how physics constrains the design space that natural selection is free to explore, and how adaptive evolution finds solutions to the trade-offs between multiple complex conflicting performance objectives.Evolutionary Biomechanics is suitable for graduate level students and professional researchers in the fields of biomechanicTrade ReviewThis is a scholarly volume that approaches a challenging subject in a straightforward and rigorous manner, which is illuminating without being overpowering...ideal for students who want both depth and a fascinating context. * Ian Carter, The Biologist *This volume provides for all. ... This is a great volume for undergraduates or postdoctoral researchers. * Christian Laurent, Quarterly Review of Biology *Table of Contents1. Themes ; 2. Selection ; 3. Constraint ; 4. Scaling ; 5. Phylogeny ; 6. Form and function in flight ; 7. Adaptation in avian wing design ; 8. Trade-offs: selection, phylogeny and constraint

Read more less

Book SynopsisBird flight has always intrigued mankind. This book provides an up to date account of our existing knowledge on the subject, as well as offering new insights and challenging some established views. A brief history of the science of flight introduces the basic physical principles governing aerial locomotion. A treatment of flight-related functional morphology concentrates on the difference in shape of the arm and hand part of the wings, on the structure and function of tails, and on the shape of the body. The anatomy and mechanical properties of feathers receive special attention. Aerodynamic principles used by birds are explained in theory by simply applying Newton''s laws, and in practice by showing the direction and velocity of the attached flow around an arm wing cross section and of the leading edge vortex flow above a hand wing. The Archaeopteryx fossils remain crucial in our understanding of the evolution of bird flight despite the recent discovery of a range of well-preserved anTrade Review...this is an expertly written introduction into all aspects of bird flight. What makes it even better is that Videler's narrative emphasis is not so much on the mechanical minutiae of avian flight, but rather on explaining and describing what makes it all work...His writing style, moreover, is enthusiastic and colourful. * PalArch's Journal of Vetebrate Palaeontology, 2007 *The strength of the book is its comprehensive coverage of the field...Videler tells us about old work that is still enlightening as well as about the newest and most fashionable research. * Ethology, 2006 *Videler is an enthusiast in every sense of the word, and this is a book for enthsiasts...a key achievement of Videler's book, in reviewing the current state of our knowledge, is to reveal how many lacunae remain. * Ibis *Regardless, the book does a splendid job of conveying the reasons for the author's entusiasm for studying avian flight...the book will serve as an excellent foundation for seminars for advanced undergraduates or graduates and as an essential motivational tool for all avian biologists. * JEB, Bret W. Tobalske, University of Portland *...the book is lucidly written, with clear explanations * British Birds, Vol 99 *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. Acquisition of knowledge ; 2. The flight apparatus ; 3. Feathers for flight ; 4. Aerodynamics ; 5. Evolution of bird flight ; 6. Bird flight modes ; 7. The bird flight engine ; 8. Energy required for flight ; 9. Comparing the metabolic costs of flight

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe cognitive abilities of birds are remarkable: hummingbirds integrate spatial and temporal information about food sources, day-old chicks have a sense of numbers, parrots can make and use tools, and ravens have sophisticated insights in social relationships. This volume describes the full range of avian cognitive abilities, the mechanisms behind such abilities and how they relate to the ecology of the species. Synthesising the latest research in avian cognition, a range of experts in the field provide first-hand insights into experimental procedures, outcomes and theoretical advances, including a discussion of how the findings in birds relate to the cognitive abilities of other species, including humans. The authors cover a range of topics such as spatial cognition, social learning, tool use, perceptual categorization and concept learning, providing the broader context for students and researchers interested in the current state of avian cognition research, its key questions and apprTable of ContentsPreface Carel ten Cate and Susan D. Healy; 1. Introduction: avian cognition – why and what? Carel ten Cate and Susan D. Healy; 2. Spatial cognition in birds James F. Reichert, Sebastian Schwarz and Debbie M. Kelly; 3. Spatial cognition and ecology: hummingbirds as a case study Susan D. Healy and T. Andrew Hurly; 4. Food storing and memory David F. Sherry; 5. Avian cognition and the evolution of warning signals Candy Rowe, John Skelhorn, Christina G. Halpin; 6. Social learning and innovation Louis Lefebvre and Lucy M. Aplin; 7. Solving foraging problems: top-down and bottom-up perspectives on the role of cognition Andrea S. Griffin and David Guez; 8. Objects and space in an avian brain Giorgio Vallortigara and Cinzia Chiandetti; 9. Physical cognition and tool use in birds Alice Auersperg, Irmgard Teschke and Sabine Tebbich; 10. Avian numerical cognition: a review and brief comparisons to non-avian species Irene M. Pepperberg; 11. Mechanisms of perceptual categorization in birds Ludwig Huber and Ulrike Aust; 12. Relational concept learning in birds Leyre Castro and Edward A. Wasserman; 13. The linguistic abilities of birds Carel ten Cate; 14. Avian vocal perception: bioacoustics and perceptual mechanisms Neil McMillan, Marc T. Avey, Laurie L. Bloomfield, Lauren M. Guillette, Allison H. Hahn, Marisa Hoeschele and Christopher B. Sturdy; 15. Sing me something: does song signal cognition? Neeltje J. Boogert; 16. Avian social relations, social cognition and cooperation Thomas Bugnyar and Jorg J. M. Massen.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis 1885 work by naturalist Symington Grieve collects together 'a considerable amount of literature bearing upon the 'History, Archaeology, and Remains' of this extinct bird', including articles on the distribution of the great auk, its various names, and information on all the surviving specimens, whether stuffed, skeletal, bones, or eggs.Table of ContentsPreface; 1. Introduction; 2. The distribution of the great auk; 3. The living great auk in its European habitats; 4. The remains of the great auk; 5. The remains of the great auk in Denmark and Iceland; 6. British remains of the great auk; 7. British remains of the great auk (cont.); 8. How was Caisteal-nan-Gillean formed; 9. English remains of the great auk; 10. The habits of the garefowl, and the region it lived in; 11. Information regarding existing remains of the great auk; 12. The uses to which the great auk was put by man; 13. The names by which the great auk has been known; 14. The period during which the great auk lived; Appendices; Index.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisPresents the most current knowledge on each of the eighteen penguin speciesTrade Review"This refreshing approach is forward thinking and has the potential to stimulate more specific interest and research on penguin conservation. Additionally, the figures and photography are beautiful…this valuable resource is a must have for bird enthusiasts and anyone with an interest in conservation biology." * Choice Reviews *"This is an essential book for those who love penguins. Each of the world’s 17 penguin species is beautifully illustrated with full-color photographs of the birds in their natural habitat. Detailed charts, graphs and tables help present interesting and useful information about each species." -- Fritz Brock * Wildlife Activist, No. 74 *Table of ContentsGlobal Penguin Society Introduction I. LARGE PENGUINS GENUS APTENODYTES 1. King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) 2. Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) II. BRUSH-TAILED PENGUINS GENUS PYGOSCELIS 3. Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) 4. Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) 5. Gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua) III. YELLOW-EYED PENGUIN GENUS MEGADYPTES 6. Yellow-Eyed Penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) IV. CRESTED PENGUINS GENUS EUDYPTES 7. Southern Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome) 8. Northern Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes moseleyi) 9. Erect-Crested Penguin (Eudyptes sclateri) 10. Fiordland Penguin (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus) 11. Snares Penguin (Eudyptes robustus) 12. Macaroni Penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) and Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli) V. BANDED PENGUINS GENUS SPHENISCUS 13. African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) 14. Magellanic Penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) 15. Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) 16. Galapagos Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus) VI. LITTLE (OR BLUE) PENGUIN GENUS EUDYPTULA 17. Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) Conclusion Acknowledgments Contributors

Read more less

Book SynopsisLiving Dinosaurs offers a snapshot of our current understanding of the origin and evolution of birds. After slumbering for more than a century, avian palaeontology has been awakened by startling new discoveries on almost every continent. Controversies about whether dinosaurs had real feathers or whether birds were related to dinosaurs have been swept away and replaced by new and more difficult questions: How old is the avian lineage? How did birds learn to fly? Which birds survived the great extinction that ended the Mesozoic Era and how did the avian genome evolve? Answers to these questions may help us understand how the different kinds of living birds are related to one another and how they evolved into their current niches. More importantly, they may help us understand what we need to do to help them survive the dramatic impacts of human activity on the planet.Trade Review“This book is a very useful synopsis of current understanding of avian evolution.” (Open University Geological Society Journal, 1 May 2013) “No student in the field of bird history should be without this work. Additionally, this volume will inform those seriously interested in vertebrate evolution.” (The Quarterly Review of Biology, 1 December 2012) “In short, Living Dinosaurs is a most worthy and well crafted volume. Its strength is in providing a surprising number of really good reviews of many aspects of bird evolution and history, generally written by leading workers in the respective areas. I personally found the book highly useful in my own research and ended up citing many of its chapters in a recently published review of the avialan fossil record (Naish 2012).” (Scientific American, 26 August 2012) “All in all, the book might be useful for those who wish to keep abreast of various aspects of avian evolution, especially specialists in the field and those with specific interests in the topics covered.” (The Auk, 2012) "Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals." (Choice, 1 November 2011) "Living Dinosaurs offers a snapshot of our current understanding of the origin and evolution of birds . . . a must have for those with an interest in avian paleontology and/or systematics". (Guardian, 8 May 2011) "In Living Dinosaurs: The Evolutionary History of Modern Birds, researchers Gareth Dyke and Gary Kaiser set out to unite ornithologists and paleontologists to form a modern understanding of the evolution of birds at the beginning of the 21st century." (Bioscience Technology Online, 5 April 2011)Table of ContentsForeword. List of Contributors. Preface. Part 1 Introduction: the Deep Evolutionary History of Modern Birds. Introduction: Changing the Questions in Avian Paleontology (Gary Kaiser and Gareth Dyke). 1 Theropod Diversity and the Refinement of Avian Characteristics (Peter J. Makovicky and Lindsay E. Zanno). 2 Why Were There Dinosaurs? Why Are There Birds? (Peter Ward and Robert Berner). 3 Pre-modern Birds: Avian Divergences in the Mesozoic (Jingmai O'Connor, Luis M. Chiappe, and Alyssa Bell). Part 2 "The Contribution of Paleontology to Ornithology": the Diversity of Modern Birds: Fossils and the Avian Tree of Life. 4 Progress and Obstacles in the Phylogenetics of Modern Birds (Bradley C. Livezey). 5 The Utility of Fossil Taxa and the Evolution of Modern Birds: Commentary and Analysis (Gareth Dyke and Eoin Gardiner). 6 Penguins Past, Present, and Future: Trends in the Evolution of the Sphenisciformes (Daniel T. Ksepka and Tatsuro Ando). 7 Phorusrhacids: the Terror Birds (Herculano Alvarenga, Luis Chiappe, and Sara Bertelli). 8 The Pseudo-toothed Birds (Aves, Odontopterygiformes) and their Bearing on the Early Evolution of Modern Birds (Estelle Bourdon). 9 Phylogeny and Diversification of Modern Passerines (F. Keith Barker). Part 3 The Evolution of Key Avian Attributes. 10 Morphological and Behavioral Correlates of Flapping Flight (Bret W. Tobalske, Douglas R. Warrick, Brandon E. Jackson, and Kenneth P. Dial). 11 Evolution of the Avian Brain and Senses (Stig Walsh and Angela Milner). 12 Evolving Perceptions on the Antiquity of the Modern Avian Tree (Joseph W. Brown and M. Van Tuinen). 13 Major Events in Avian Genome Evolution (Chris L. Organ and Scott V. Edwards). 14 Bird Evolution Across the K–Pg Boundary and the Basal Neornithine Diversification (Bent E. K. Lindow). 15 Functional and Phylogenetic Diversity in Marine and Aquatic Birds (Gary Kaiser). Part 4 The Future: Conservation and Climate Change. 16 The State of the World’s Birds and the Future of Avian Diversity (Gavin H. Thomas). Glossary. Index. Colour plates.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisNational Geographic Field Guide to Birds: New Jersey provides affordable, portable, reliable, region-specific information—perfect for the novice or experienced birder. The introduction by expert birder Mel Baughman offers guidance on how to look for key birds in the region, where to look for them, and what to focus on when you find them. Each guide features 150 specimens, grouped by family with quick-reference alphabetical and color-coded indexes that provide easy ways to identify a bird quickly.Each entry has a vivid photograph showing the bird in its native habitat. On the facing page, a list of bulleted points confirms at a glance the bird's identity. Special field notes give additional information about what to look for in a bird's behavior, and detailed maps show the range of each bird's habitat. With comprehensive coverage of the region and valuable advice from experts, these user-friendly guides will quickly become favorite companions on the journey to lifel

Read more less

Book SynopsisDesigned to fit in a backpack or pocket for easy access, each of these handy and popular bird field guides comprises 272 pages and features about 175 birds organized by family as approved by the American Ornithological Union. Standard features include: Locator Map at the front listing regional birding hotspots;Introduction by an expert on where to find the state's top birds;How-To-Use Section with general tips on birding and advice on making the most of the guide;125 Easy-Access Individual Entries providing a photograph of the bird in its habitat, recognition clues, specific details on behavior, habitat, and local sites, plus a special 'Field Note' with artwork for extra help in tricky identifications;Alphabetical Index with life list; andColor-coded Index. Pennsylvania offers a winning variety of city and country birds. See the bright-colored, vocal Yellow-billed Cuckoo; the migratory Snow Goose; the stunning Red-Tailed Hawk; the olive Acadian Flyca

Read more less

Book SynopsisBirds of Two Worlds will complete the trilogy and become indispensable for ornithologists, evolutionary biologists, serious birders, and public and academic libraries.Trade ReviewBirds of Two Worlds should be of value to anyone interested in the movement patterns of birds and other animals. -- Ian Newton Trends in Ecology and Evolution 2005 Collections strong in natural history, ecology, and bird behavior and lore will find Birds of Two Worlds an indispensable ornithological reference. The Bookwatch 2005 An important volume that will be of value to anyone interested in migratory birds and migration. -- Jason Jones Ecology 2005 An important resource for professionals and serious birders. Southeastern Naturalist 2006 This book will be of considerable interest to all those studying migrating passerines. -- Gilles Gauthier Ecoscience 2006Table of ContentsContributorsPrefaceAcknowledgments Part I: Evolutions of Migration SystemsChapter 1. The Paleoecology and Fossil History of Migratory LandbirdsChapter 2. Molecular Approaches to the Evolution and Ecology of MigrationChapter 3. Siberian Migratory DividesChapter 4. Inter- and Intrapopulation Migration PatternsChapter 5. Predicting Migratory Behavior in LandbirdsPart II: Adaptations for Two WorldsChapter 6. Migration Takes GutsChapter 7. To Be a MigrantChapter 8. Ecology and Demography of East-West Differences in Molt Scheduling of Neotropical Migrant PasserinesChapter 9. Food Limitation Among Wintering BirdsChapter 10. Behavioral and Cognitive Adaptations to Long-Distance MigrationsPart III: BiogeographyChapter 11. Ecological and Biogeographical Aspects of the Distribution of Migrants Versus Residents in European and North American Forest Bird CommunitiesChapter 12. Influence of Migrants on Temperate Bird CommunitiesChapter 13. Old World Versus New World Long-Distance Migration in Accipiters, Buteos, and FalconsChapter 14. Seasonal Distribution and Ecology of South American Austral Migrant FlycatchersChapter 15. The Temporal and Spatial Structure of the Atmosphere and Its Influence on Bird Migration StrategiesPart IV: ConnectivityChapter 16. The Importance of Understanding Migratory Connectivity and Seasonal InteractionsChapter 17. Migrants and Their ParasitesChapter 18. Molecular Genetic Approaches to Linking Breeding and Overwintering Areas in Five Neotropical Migrant PasserinesChapter 19. Flying FingerprintsPart V: Migration ItselfChapter 20. Stopover Ecology of Intercontinental MigrantsChapter 21. Fuel Storage Rates Before Northward Flights in Red Knots WorldwideChapter 22. Individual Migratory Tactics of New World Catharus Thrushes Chapter 23. Hormones and Variation in Life History Strategies of Migratory and Nonmigratory BirdsPart VI: Behavioral EcologyChapter 24. Sex Roles in MigrantsChapter 25. Spring Molt Constraints Versus Winter Territoriality Chapter 26. Ecological Correlates of Wintering Social Systems in New World and Old World Migratory PasserinesChapter 27. Correlated Evolution of Ecological Differences Among the Old World Lead Warblers in the Breeding and Nonbreeding SeasonsPart VII: Population EcologyChapter 28. Modeling Seasonal Interactions in the Population Dynamics of Migratory BirdsChapter 29. Using Remote Sensing Data to Identify Migration and Wintering Areas and to Analyze Effects of Environmental Conditions on Migratory BirdsChapter 30. How do Migration and Dispersal Interact?Chapter 31. Does Winter Food Limit Populations of Migratory Birds?Chapter 32. Long-Term Demographic Trends, Limiting Factors, and the Strength of Density Dependence in a Breeding Population of a Migratory SongbirdChapter 33. The Renaissance of Migratory Bird BiologyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisExceptionally accurate and beautifully illustrated description of all the species of birds in Kentucky.

Read more less