Nature's Ghosts
Nature's Ghosts

Author: Mark V. Barrow

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2011-04-15

Total Pages: 511

ISBN-13: 0226038157

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The rapid growth of the American environmental movement in recent decades obscures the fact that long before the first Earth Day and the passage of the Endangered Species Act, naturalists and concerned citizens recognized—and worried about—the problem of human-caused extinction. As Mark V. Barrow reveals in Nature’s Ghosts, the threat of species loss has haunted Americans since the early days of the republic. From Thomas Jefferson’s day—when the fossil remains of such fantastic lost animals as the mastodon and the woolly mammoth were first reconstructed—through the pioneering conservation efforts of early naturalists like John James Audubon and John Muir, Barrow shows how Americans came to understand that it was not only possible for entire species to die out, but that humans themselves could be responsible for their extinction. With the destruction of the passenger pigeon and the precipitous decline of the bison, professional scientists and wildlife enthusiasts alike began to understand that even very common species were not safe from the juggernaut of modern, industrial society. That realization spawned public education and legislative campaigns that laid the foundation for the modern environmental movement and the preservation of such iconic creatures as the bald eagle, the California condor, and the whooping crane. A sweeping, beautifully illustrated historical narrative that unites the fascinating stories of endangered animals and the dedicated individuals who have studied and struggled to protect them, Nature’s Ghosts offers an unprecedented view of what we’ve lost—and a stark reminder of the hard work of preservation still ahead.

The Audubon Society Master Guide to Birding
The Audubon Society Master Guide to Birding

Author: John Farrand

Publisher: New York : Knopf

Published: 1983

Total Pages: 406

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Volume 3 contains: Old World Warblers and Thrushes, Mimic-Thrushes, Accentors, Wagtails and Pipits, Waxwings, Silky-Flycatchers, Shrikes, Starlings, Vireos, Wood Warblers, Bananaquits, Tanagers, Cardinals and Thier Allies, New World Blackbirds and Orioles, Finches, Old World Sparrows.

The Birds of Nebraska: Revised Edition, 2013
The Birds of Nebraska: Revised Edition, 2013

Author: Paul Johnsgard

Publisher: Lulu.com

Published: 2013-07-03

Total Pages: 154

ISBN-13: 1609620380

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A summary of the birds of Nebraska restricted to those species that have been convincingly reported at least once in Nebraska from historic time to the present.

Birds New to Science
Birds New to Science

Author: David Brewer

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2018-01-26

Total Pages: 418

ISBN-13: 1472945891

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The story of the discovery of nearly 300 bird species new to science since 1960. Amazing as it might sound, ornithologists are still discovering several bird species each year that are completely new to science. These aren't all obscure brown birds on tiny islands – witness the bizarre Bare-faced Bulbul from Laos (2009), spectacular Araripe Manakin from Brazil (1998), or gaudy Bugun Liocichla from north-east India (2006). Birds New to Science documents more than half a century of these remarkable discoveries, covering around 300 species. Each account includes the story of discovery, a brief description of the bird (many with accompanying colour photographs), and details of what is known about its biology, range and conservation status. Written in an engaging style, this is a rich reference to an incredible era of adventure in ornithology.

The Avian Migrant
The Avian Migrant

Author: John H. Rappole

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2013-06-11

Total Pages: 459

ISBN-13: 0231518633

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The purpose of migration, regardless of the distance involved, is to exploit two or more environments suitable for survival or reproduction over time, usually on a seasonal basis. Yet individual organisms can practice the phenomenon differently, and birds deploy unique patterns of movement over particular segments of time. Incorporating the latest research on bird migration, this concise, critical assessment offers contemporary readers a firm grasp of what defines an avian migrant, how the organism came to be, what is known about its behavior, and how we can resolve its enduring mysteries. John H. Rappole's sophisticated survey of field data clarifies key ecological, biological, physiological, navigational, and evolutionary concerns. He begins with the very first migrants, who traded a home environment of greater stability for one of greater seasonality, and uses the structure of the annual cycle to examine the difference between migratory birds and their resident counterparts. He ultimately connects these differences to evolutionary milestones that have shaped a migrant lifestyle through natural selection. Rather than catalogue and describe various aspects of bird migration, Rappole considers how the avian migrant fits within a larger ecological frame, enabling a richer understanding of the phenomenon and its critical role in sustaining a hospitable and productive environment. Rappole concludes with a focus on population biology and conservation across time periods, considering the link between bird migration and the spread of disease among birds and humans, and the effects of global warming on migrant breeding ranges, reaction norms, and macroecology.