This book covers the discovery and history of the most northern breeding population of Peregrine Falcons in the world, near Thule Air Base in northwest Greenland (75.9–77.6° N). Although the region was explored by scientific expeditions as early as 1818, Peregrines were not documented in the area until the 1930s. By the early 1990s the population had become well established, with a warming climate enabling Peregrines from further south to expand their breeding range northward. Here Burnham and his co-authors present their comprehensive findings on the biology and ecology of this population based on thirteen years of research from 1993 to 2005.
A comprehensive illustrated field guide to the birds of North America, ideal for the travelling birdwatcher. Each species found in the area is illustrated in every plumage in which they can be seen in the wild. The text concentrates on the characteristics and appearance of each species, which aids identification in the field.
"Perhaps beginning near the end of the Pleistocene, Peregrines began to acquire a vast cosmopolitan distribution, and set the stage for fascinating structural, behavioral, and population distinctions related to where they lived. Those divergences were driven by the various demands of landscapes as different as one can find on earth, including Greenland tundra, South Pacific islands, Utah arid scrublands, the cold wind-swept Aleutians, and warm, moist Indonesian forests. Modern Peregrines reveal that geographic isolation may befall even a creature renowned for great speed and mobility. Peregrine Falcons of the World brings together the lifetime experiences of the authors with this splendid falcon in the field and in museums, hundreds of personal accounts by Peregrine observers worldwide, a vast literature on this falcon which is surely among the best-studied birds, scores of superb photographic images so generously supplied, and the matchless art of Andrew Ellis. The goal is to provide a feel for how Peregrines have responded to their varied world, and to earmark the many gaps in what we know. Oddly, Peregrines have not colonized many places, where by any reckoning, they should be. In recent times, roughly twenty subspecies of Peregrines were described. The historical reasons for these designations, and our current analyses are provided here. Some populations are very distinct in form and color, but sometimes they geographically overlap and intergrades appear. Each subspecies account also describes distribution, hunting and nesting habitats, migration and wintering ranges, estimated population sizes, and conservation aspects. In the end, present day Peregrines appear in at least a score of populations experiencing different degrees of isolation and enjoying different rates of divergence. The challenge of understanding their relationships is sometimes made greater by almost complete lack of information or specimens from vast regions where neighboring subspecies apparently come together because no obvious barrier exists. But the Peregrine Falcon will never lack for serious aficionados. Field people around the world add to the growing literature almost weekly so that someday a more complete appreciation is inevitable." --Publisher's description.
This ebook offers a window into the world of the Peregrine Falcon. Reaching speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour, the Peregrine Falcon is famous as the world's fastest bird. However, its penchant for choosing inaccessible places to breed, feed and roost mean that few people are well acquainted with its habits and behaviour. Peregrine Falcon contains a combination of high quality images and beautifully written text, with chapters on subjects such as hunting, raising young and how populations around the world have rallied against the threat of extinction and are now prospering once again. The birds are further brought to life through a series of personal anecdotes from the author and photographers, which are woven into the text. The ebook is part of a series that also includes the titles Barn Owl and Kingfisher.
WINNER OF THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY'S 'BEST SCIENCE BOOK 2006' AWARD This book is the first monograph on one of the most beautiful and admired birds in the world. The Gyrfalcon is the world's largest and most powerful falcon - a truly awe-inspiring bird which inhabits the ferociously inhospitable Arctic taiga, from Greenland and Iceland right across Siberia and northern Canada. Its plumage varies from a dark mottled grey to pure white - the white birds in particular are coveted by birders and falconers. Like other titles in the series, it covers all aspects of the species' biology, taxonomy, distribution, status and historical associations with mankind. The result is an exhaustively researched and enthrallingly readable biography of a spectacular bird, illustrated throughout with photographs and line drawings.
Perhaps the equivalent of polo-playing today, the sport of falconry was the preserve of the wealthy and royalty, regarded as both a suitable and enjoyable leisure activity, and as a source of status and prestige.
The book is intended for a non-scientific audience but does contain previously unpublished information, tables, and graphs plus an extensive literature cited section and a bibliography for Eastern and Midwestern Peregrine restoration publications from 1971-2000.
The Raven presents a summary of knowledge of its natural history, describing its distribution, feeding habits, association with other animals, and breeding. The Raven is one of the most spectacular and romantic of British birds, but relatively neglected in the modern literature of ornithology. Derek Ratcliffe here presents a thorough summary of our knowledge of its natural history, emphasizing the long association of the bird with humankind. The place of the Raven in myth, legend and history is long established, and this book describes the bird's fall from grace as a valued scavenger in medieval cities to a persecuted outcast in the modern wilds. The previous wide occurrence of Ravens is reviewed against the relationships between their present distribution, status and habitat requirements, as both a nesting and a non-breeding resident. The dependence of Ravens on carrion (especially sheep) within an omnivorous diet is the key to the species' ecology, and its social behaviour has evolved in close relation to this lifestyle. The flocking and communal roosting of non-breeders are major features of Raven behaviour, while their nesting habits emphasise the territorial nature of breeding birds and their adaptation to secure but harsh environments. Raven numbers vary in relation to their food supply, local populations adjusting accordingly, although the precise mechanism involved is still obscure. Ravens have a considerable capacity for recolonising old haunts when suitable conditions are restored, as well as exploiting new areas where the habitat becomes favourable, and there are local success stories to tell. Nationwide, however, the species' position is delicately balanced and depends on both sympathetic land management practices and improving attitudes to Ravens as friends not foe. Worldwide, Ravens are one of the most successful of all bird groups, occurring over a large part of the northern hemisphere, and replaced in some southern and tropical regions by other raven species which exploit the familiar raven niche in their own environments. The discussion of the northern hemisphere species is enlivened by reference to other species where useful. Finally, the Raven's age-old reputation for high intelligence is weighed critically against the available evidence. Today, Ravens carry a new omen in the modern world, as a barometer of goodwill to wildlife. Like those in the Tower of London, the continued existence of Ravens in our wild countryside will reveal something about both our current situation and our prospects for the future. The text is brought to life through wonderful illustrations by Chris Rose.
