Central Kansas Library System

Beyond Audubon: A quirky, "lively and illuminating" account of bird-watching's history, including "rivalries, controversies, [and] bad behavior" (The Washington Post Book World). From the moment Europeans arrived in North America, they were awestruck by a continent awash with birds-great flocks of wild pigeons, prairies teeming with grouse, woodlands alive with brilliantly colored songbirds. Of a Feather traces the colorful origins of American birding:...

From Belize to Brazil, the forests of the American neotropics are home to an astonishing array of birds-over 3,700 different species, or nearly 40 percent of all the birds on earth. Because of this overwhelming abundance, birders come from all over the world to try to catch glimpses of species that can be found nowhere else, such as toucans and antbirds, motmots and manakins, bellbirds and cocks-of-the-rock, and practically all of the planet's hummingbirds....

While birding literature is filled with tales of expert observers spotting rare species in exotic locales, John Yow reminds us that the most fascinating birds can be the ones perched right outside our windows. In thirty-five engaging and sometimes irreverent vignettes, Yow reveals the fascinating lives of the birds we see nearly every day. Following the seasons, he covers forty-two species, discussing the improbable, unusual, and comical aspects of...

This illustrated survey of finch behavior is a thorough, non-technical account of the habits of these birds throughout the world. Greenfinches nest in plantations, large shrubby gardens and churchyards with lots of evergreens, thickets and tall hedges. After breeding, goldfinches forage on waste land, overgrown rubbish dumps, neglected allotments of food, and rough pastures. Bullfinches, in their breeding season, develop in the floor of their mouths...

"A wonderful book that shares rare knowledge in a clear and focused way. I love it." - Tristan Gooley Bird Tracks: A Guide to British Species explores and enhances the ability to identify a diversity of birds using just their tracks and trails. John Rhyder and David Wege approach this subject from the perspective of both the tracker and the birdwatcher. They have examined and described 139 species, each richly illustrated with a mixture of photographs...

In addition to dealing with the general biology and behavior of the birds, Dr. Perrins gives full attention to such things as their social lives, their intelligence and adaptiveness, and their puzzling ability to adjust their population sizes to the future availability of food. Because of their ubiquity and apparent boldness, the tits are among the most easily observed, and the most popular, of all British birds. The Blue Tit, particularly, is an...

Even the most well informed wildlife enthusiast will be entertained by the stories and fascinating facts in this beautifully illustrated book. Our ancestors hunted, tamed, worshipped, depicted birds, and even bestowed magical properties upon them. Why did ancient writers consider the sparrow a lustful creature? Which bird was killed and hung up to predict the weather? And what was an "arse-foot?" Wildlife photographer and history journalist Simon...

Given the underlying topography, the scenery over most of Britain has been created largely by human activities. Over the centuries, landscapes have been continually modified as human needs and desires have changed. Each major change in land use has brought changes to the native plants and animals, continually altering the distribution and abundance of species. This is apparent from the changes in vegetation and animal populations that were documented...

Embrace your love of birdwatching, every day of the year! By nature, bird lovers are naturalists and collectors, and you know how easy it is to devote hours upon hours of time-a lifetime, in fact-to your hobby. Birdwatcher's Daily Companion is a fun, sophisticated way to be newly inspired, every day of the year. Inside is insight into everything from how to identify look alike species to planting a hummingbird garden, planning birding travel, and...

Leslie Brown's account of our 15 resident, 7 vagrant and 2 migrant species of eagles, falcons, hawks and vultures in Britain presents a great mass of scientific information about our birds of prey in a manner as attractive to the general reader as to the dedicated ornithologist. The diurnal raptors are among the most arresting and dramatic of British bird species, from the magnificent and immense golden eagle of the Highlands to the more widespread...