Featured Books
|
Expand List: Display All Titles on List, including non-GCC titles Sort By: Rank | Title | Year | Call Number | Limits: eBooks Only | No Limits |
40% of our birds are missing
(Librarian Selected)
Restoring North America's Birds: Lessons from Landscape Ecology
by Askins, Robert
The decline of bird species in a wide range of North American habitats-forests, prairies, shrublands, mountain regions, marshes, and deserts-has inspired two decades of intense scientific study of bird ecology and conservation. But for professional scientists and amateur birders alike, interpreting the results of these diverse studies is often complex and bewildering. This accessible book pulls together recent research on bird species and habitats to show how basic ecological principles apply in seemingly different situations. Robert A. Askins provides an engaging introduction to bird ecology and concepts of landscape ecology, focusing on such intriguing species as Bachman's Warbler, Red Crossbill, Mountain Plover, and Marbled Murrelet.Understanding the ancient landscapes of North America and how humans have changed them, Askins says, is essential for devising plans to protect and restore bird populations. In addition to such obvious changes to the landscape as the clearing of forests and plowing of prairies, more subtle changes also dramatically affect birds. Species may disappear when we interrupt natural disturbances by suppressing wildfires or trapping out beaver, or when we disrupt habitat with roads and housing developments. Askins challenges some of the assumptions that underlie current conservation efforts and offers concrete recommendations, based on sound ecological principles, for protecting the rich natural diversity of North America's birds.
| Location/Availability |
Their Fate is Our Fate: How Birds Foretell Threats to Our Health and Our World
by Doherty, P. C
At the heart of this book by Nobel Prize'winning immunologist and professor Peter Doherty is this striking observation: Birds detect danger to our health and the environment before we do. Following a diverse cast of bird species around the world'from tufted puffins in Puget Sound to griffon vultures in India, pigeons in East Asia, and wedge-tailed shearwaters off the islands of Australia's Great Barrier Reef?Doherty illuminates birds? role as an early warning system for threats to the health of our planet and our own well-being.
| Location/Availability |
The Origin and Evolution of Birds
by Feduccia, Alan
This text is a comprehensive and illustrated discussion of the origin of birds and of avian flight. Ornithologist and evolutionary biologist Alan Feduccia, author of Age of Birds, here draws on fossil evidence and studies of the structure and biochemistry of living birds to present knowledge and data on avian evolution and propose a model of this evolutionary process.
| Location/Availability |
Bird: The Definitive Visual Guide
by Frances, Peter; Burnie, David
This visual guide to every bird order and family profiles more than 1,500 species, photographed in their native environment by photographers around the globe. Authoritative, comprehensive, and completely up to date, this reference volume of the world's birds illustrates the full range of birds, bird behavior, and bird-watching locations organized in taxonomic order with detailed introductions to every bird order. Features special double-pages on the most spectacular birds and an audio CD of bird songs and calls.
| Location/Availability |
National Geographic Complete Birds of the World
by Harris, Tim
"Covering every bird family on Earth, this definitive, easy-to-use volume is an authoritative yet concise reference for both novice birders and experts. It's a fascinating colorful guide to all the birds on our planet, their identification, structures and plumages, habitats, behaviors, and ranges. Information is organized taxonomically by family based on the latest official guidelines, with detailed descriptions, worldwide distribution maps, and carefully selected profiles of 500 representative species. Throughout, there is spectacular and informative color photography by the world's leading wildlife photographers and superb artwork birders have come to expect from National Geographic. Illustrated sidebars complement the family accounts, exploring everything from the courtship dance of the Birds of Paradise to the Harpy Eagle's predatory tactics. The text is wrapped up by a useful glossary and a detailed index that puts an astonishing range of information at the reader's fingertips." -- from publisher description.
| Location/Availability |
Owls of the World: A Photographic Guide
by Mikkola, Heimo
Owls of the World is the ultimate photographic resource dedicated to the identification of these charismatic birds of prey. Dozens of the world's finest photographers have contributed 750 spectacular photographs covering all of the world's 268 species of owls. The photos are accompanied by detailed text describing identification codes; population status; food; accurate range maps; habitat; voice; distribution; and similar species. For photographers, birders, naturalists, researchers and any fan of these birds, Owls of the World is the definitive work on species identification.
| Location/Availability |
Ecology and Conservation of Forest Birds
by MikusiDski, Grzegorz; Roberge, Jean-Michel; Fuller, Robert J
Ecology and Conservation of Forest Birds is a unique review of current understanding of the relationships between forest birds and their changing environments. Large ecological changes are being driven by forest management, climate change, introduced pests and pathogens, abiotic disturbances, and overbrowsing. Many forest bird species have suffered population declines, with the situation being particularly severe for birds dependent on attributes such as dead wood, old trees and structurally complex forests. With a focus on the non-tropical parts of the Northern Hemisphere, the text addresses the fundamental evolutionary and ecological aspects of forest birds using original data analyses and synthesising reviews. The characteristics of bird assemblages and their habitats in different European forest types are explored, together with the macroecological patterns of bird diversity and conservation issues. The book provides a valuable reference for ecologists, ornithologists, conservation professionals, forest industry employees, and those interested in birds and nature.
| Location/Availability |
Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Western North America
by Peterson, Roger Tory; DiGiorgio, Michael
Peterson Field Guides are valuable additions to any birder's pocket or day pack. At a trim size of 5 x 8, they are portable and beautifully illustrated. Photographs, while modern looking and colorful, capture just one moment in time. The paintings in these guides, however, show all of a bird's key field marks and use the Peterson Identification System to make bird identification easier for beginning and intermediate bird watchers.The Peterson Field Guide to Western Birds covers nearly 600 species on 176 color plates, with 588 comprehensive range maps, now included with the illustrations. Expert birders have also created 35 entertaining and easy-to-use supplementary video podcasts, which are available to download.
| Location/Availability |
Why Birds Sing: A Journey Through the Mystery of Bird Song
by Rothenberg, David
| Location/Availability |
Birds of Arizona
by Telander, Todd
Each Falcon Field Guide to birds introduces the 180 most common and sought-after species in a state. Conveniently sized to fit in your pocket and featuring full-color, detailed illustrations, these informative guides make it easy to identify birds in a backyard, favorite parks, and wildlife areas. Each bird is accompanied by a detailed listing of its prominent attributes and a color illustration showing its important features. Birds are organized in taxonomic order, keeping families of birds together for easy identification. This is the essential source for the field, both informative and beautiful to peruse.
| Location/Availability |
National Audubon Society First Field Guide: Birds
by Weidensaul, Scott
An informative, visual guide to the natural science of birds as well as a field guide to over 150 species found in North America.
| Location/Availability |
