This is the most complete and authoritative reference book about the birds of North America -- up to date and in field-guide format.

The Birder's Handbook is the first of its kind: a portable library of fascinating information not included in your identification guide. For each of the 646 species of birds that breed in North America, The Birder's Handbook will tell you at a glance:

* Where the bird nests, and which sex(es) build(s) the nest;
* How many eggs the bird lays, what they look like, which patent incubates and for how long, and how the young are cared for;
* Food preferences and foraging habits.

You will also find information about displays and mating, wintering, conservation status, and much more. In addition, The Birder's Handbook contains some 250 short essays covering all aspects of avian natural history.

In an attempt to standardize elements of the station routine, the book describes the procedures used in passerine and wader ringing stations. It offers a comparative analysis of versatile evaluation techniques such as measurements, orientation experiments and monitoring. The authors meticulously analyze different methods used to track birds, including catching passerines with mist-nets in land and wetland habitat, as well as the use of the Heligoland trap. The monograph, as a successful bid to establish a bird station routine that is favourable to both birds and ringers, will benefit all professional and amateur ringers.

Conservation classic Hawks Aloft chronicles the founding of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, the world's first refuge for birds of prey. This personal account by the Sanctuary, the world's first refuge for birds of prey. This personal account by the sanctuary's first curator, shares the difficulties and discoveries he and his wife encountered during their first years on the Mountain. Filled with information for the flora, fauna, people, and other natural phenomena of the Hawk Mountain region, this is a lively and sometimes funny account of the sanctuary's early years. Published in co-operation with the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association.

Botswana is one of the premier birding destinations in Africa, and hosts over 600 bird species. This easy-to-use, compact guide features more than 360 of the most conspicuous and commonly seen birds in the country.

Features include:

■ An informative introduction to birding in Botswana, including habitat descriptions and a glossary
■ Colour photographs illustrating diagnostic features and plumage differences
■ Concise identifcation text, including key ID pointers, call descriptions and favoured habitat of each species
■ Up-to-date distribution maps.

RSPB Spotlight: Eagles is packed with eye-catching, informative colour photos and features succinct, detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist. Eagles are among the most impressive hunters of the animal world. Their predatory prowess and flying skills have imbued them with a romance and mystique that runs deep in our culture and has elevated them to emblems of freedom and power across the globe. At the same time, however, people have long seen eagles as competitors. Reviled by farmers and gamekeepers as snatchers of livestock, many species have been driven into decline by persecution and disturbance. Two species of eagle occur in Britain - among 60 worldwide - and are the focus of this book. The regal Golden Eagle is the definitive 'true' eagle and occurs in wilderness areas across the northern hemisphere; the even larger White-tailed Eagle, reintroduced to the UK after historic extinction, belongs to the separate 'sea eagles' genus. These two spectacular birds are both very rare - confined largely to the remote Scottish Highlands - and a sighting of either is one of the UK's most exciting and sought-after wildlife experiences. This highly readable study looks separately at both UK eagles, exploring how each is adapted as an apex predator in its own environment, and explores the relationship between the two. Separate chapters cover all aspects of the birds' biology and lifestyle, from defending their vast territories to raising their young. Fascinating secrets are revealed, including the brutal truth behind 'Cain and Abel' syndrome. The book also takes a look at other eagles around the world, placing the two UK species within this broader context. Finally, it examines the complex relationship that humans have enjoyed with eagles since time immemorial, spanning both culture and conservation, and offers expert tips on where and how you can watch these magnificent birds for yourself. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviours of our favourite animals with eye-catching, colour photography and informative expert text.

Originally published in 1972 this important falconry book is probably one of the best of its kind. The author was a respected falconer of many years experience and his sheer pleasure in the sport shines through his writing. Contents Include: The Mews - Weathering Enclosure, Bath, Blocks - Bells, Jesses, Clip Swivels, Lures, Hoods, Whistle - Hack Hut and Hack Ground - Eyasses, Treatment before Hack - Hack, its Advantages and Disadvantages - Eyasses compared with Passgers and Haggards - Food - Hooding and Manning - Taming - Flying to Lure and Use of the Lure - Hawking - Homing - The Moult - Health - Miscellany - The Gyrfalcon

Contents Include: Ash, Common - Ash, Mountain - Beech - Blackberry - Blackthorn - Bluebottle - Bramble - Broom - Buckwheat - Burdock - Campions - Canary Seed - Charlock - Chickweed - Chickweed, Mouse Ear - Cleavers - Coltsfoot - Cornflower - Corn Spurrey - Cress - Dandelion - Dewberry - Dock, Broad-Leaved - Dock, Curled - Docken - Elder - Figwort - Flax - Gold of Pleasure - Goose grass - Grass, Annual Meadow - Grass, Canary - Grass, Rye - Groundsel - Hardheads - Hawkbit, Autumnal - Hawksbeard, Smooth - Hawkweed, Mouse-Ear - Haws- Hawthorn - Heather - Hemp - Hips - Holly - Honeysuckle - Inga -Ivy - Knapweed, Black - Knapweed, Greater - Knotgrass - Lettuce - Ling - Linseed - Mawseed - Meadowsweet - Millet - Mistletoe - Mountain Ash - Mouse-Ear - Mustard - Niger - Nipplewort - Persicaria - Plantain, Greater - Plantain, Ribwort - Poppy, Corn - Privet - Queen of the Meadows - Radish - Ragwort - Rape - Rat's Tail - Redshank - Ribwort - Rose - Rowan - Rye Grass - Sesame - Shepherd's Purse - Sloe - Snowberry - Snow thistle - Spurrey, Corn - Sunflower - Teazle, Wild - Thistle, Scotch - Thistle, Spear - Watercress - Way bread - Wintercress

Contents Include: Housing and Feeding The Goldfinch The Bullfinch The Linnet The Greenfinch The Chaffinch The Bramble finch The Siskin The Redpoll The Twite The Hawfinch The Yellow Bunting The Corn Bunting The Cirl Bunting The Reed Bunting Breeding Softbills The Magpie, Jay and Jackdaw The Song Thrush The Blackbird The Starling The Smaller Softbills Hints on Hand-Rearing Ringing Young Birds Standards and Scales of PointsKeywords: Reed Bunting Cirl Bunting Yellow Bunting Song Thrush Magpie Jay Jackdaw Bullfinch Siskin Linnet Goldfinch Bramble Starling Blackbird Finch Scales Birds

Shortlisted for the James Cropper Wainwright Prize 2022 for Nature Writing - Highly Commended Winner for the Richard Jefferies Award 2021 for Best Nature Writing 'A rural, working-class writer in an all too rarefied field, Chester's work is unusual for depicting the countryside as it is lived on the economic margins.' The Guardian 'An important portrait of connection to the land beyond ownership or possession.' Raynor Winn 'It's ever so good. Political, passionate and personal.' Robert Macfarlane 'Evocative and inspiring...environmental protest, family, motherhood and...nature.' Claire Fuller, author of Unsettled Ground, Costa Novel Award Winner 2021 Nature is everything. It is the place I come from and the place I got to. It is family. Wherever I am, it is home and away, an escape, a bolt hole, a reason, a place to fight for, a consolation, and a way home. As a child growing up in rural England, Guardian Country Diarist Nicola Chester was inexorably drawn to the natural landscape surrounding her. Walking, listening and breathing in the nature around her, she followed the call of the cuckoo, the song of the nightingale and watched as red kites, fieldfares and skylarks soared through the endless skies over the chalk hills of the North Wessex Downs: the ancient land of Greenham Common which she called home. Nicola bears witness to, and fights against, the stark political and environmental changes imposed on the land she loves, whilst raising her family to appreciate nature and to feel like they belong - core parts of who Nicola is. From protesting the loss of ancient trees to the rewilding of Greenham Common, to the gibbet on Gallows Down and living in the shadow of Highclere Castle (made famous in Downton Abbey), On Gallows Down shows how one woman made sense of her world - and found her place in it.

Let's face it-all birds are fascinating, wonderful, idiotic jerks-no matter where in the world they reside. Following in the footsteps of the bestselling book The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America, this hilarious sequel ventures beyond to identify the stupidest birds around the world. Featuring birds from North and South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Oceania, author Matt Kracht identifies the dumb birds that manage to live all over the freaking place with snarky, yet accurate, names and humorous, anger-filled drawings. This guide book details exactly how much these morons suck with facts about each bird's (annoying) call, its (stupid) migratory pattern, and its (downright tacky) markings. Complete with a matching game, bird descriptor checklist, tips on how to identify a bird (you can tell a lot by looking into a bird's eyes, for example), this profanity-laden book offers a balance of fact and wit that will appeal to hardcore birders and casual bird lovers (and haters) alike. A MUST-HAVE: A must-have sequel to the bestselling parody book The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America. UNIQUE & LAUGH-OUT-LOUD FUNNY: This is a great coffee table or bar top conversation-starting book. And a bonus, while the content is humorous, it is practical and useful! A GREAT PRESENT: This is the perfect gift for the bird lovers and haters in your life. It also makes a great Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthday, retirement, or gag gift. Perfect for: Birdwatching and nature enthusiasts Armchair birders (or nonbirders) Someone who needs a quirky gift for an animal lover friend People with serious birders in their lives who want something lighthearted

Contents Include: The Cages Considered Perches and other Fitments The Bird Room The Bath First Principles in Mating Building the Home The First Egg Commencement of Incubation Egg Food At Close of Incubation Feeding the Young Canaries Plucking the Young Young about to eave the Nest Preparing for the Second and Third Nests The Young when Weaned The Moult Moulting Cages Training for ShowKeywords: Egg Food Incubation Bird Room First Principles Moulting Eave Perches Canaries Commencement

This field guide takes you to the desert and grassland areas of Arizona, California, and New Mexico where the total number of bird species reaches a staggering 440. Included are 21 desert birding hot spots, in-depth descriptions and behavioral information, 8 bird charts, and much more.

Birds of Texas has something for anyone with an interest in birds, from the casual backyard observer to the keen naturalist. Full page accounts w. color illustraions and maps for 401 birds Quick Reference Guide and much more

The bald eagle is regal but fearless, a bird you're not inclined to argue with. For centuries, Americans have celebrated it as "majestic" and "noble" yet savaged the living bird behind their national symbol as a malicious predator of livestock and, falsely, a snatcher of babies. Taking us from before the United States' founding through inconceivable resurgences of this enduring all-American species, Jack E. Davis contrasts the age when native peoples lived beside it peacefully with that when others, whether through hunting bounties or DDT pesticides, twice pushed Haliaeetus leucocephalus to the brink of extinction. Filled with spectacular stories of Founding Fathers, rapacious hunters, heroic bird rescuers and the lives of bald eagles themselves-monogamous creatures, considered among the animal world's finest parents-The Bald Eagle is a much-awaited cultural and natural history that demonstrates how this bird's wondrous journey may provide inspiration today, as we grapple with environmental peril on a larger scale.

BANTAMS AND HOW TO KEEP THEM: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE HOUSING, BREEDING, FEEDING, SHOWING AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF BANTAMS. By C.A. House. This most commendable book on Bantams was first published in the early 1920s. The author was an expert poultry keeper with Fancy Bantams being his specialty. He was well known and respected on the show circuit with many important wins to his credit. The book was written as much for the benefit of the backyard poultry keeper as well as assisting the show bantam enthusiast. Although written primarily for the early 20th century reader, virtually all of the book's contents remain relevant today. The information on rarer Bantam breeds will be especially useful to modern breeders. READ COUNTRY BOOKS has now re-published this scarce book using the original text and vintage black and white photos. 128 pages contain 21 informative chapters: - Housing. - Breeding. - Rearing. - General Management. - Exhibiting. - Washing. - Game Bantams. - Breeding Game Bantams. - Old English Game. - Rosecombs. - Sebrights. - Malays. - Indian Game. - Minorcas, Leghorns, Andalusians and Spanish. - Nankins, Burmese, Sultans, Japanese, Rumpless and Polish. - Wyandottes. - Pekins. - Brahmas, Booted, Plymouth Rocks, Scots Greys, Anconas, Hamburghs, Sussex, Barnevelders. - The Rhode Island Red. - Frizzles. This book can be thoroughly recommended for inclusion in the library of all Bantam enthusiasts and fanciers. "There are few who can object to the music of a pen of Bantams."

Raising children, nursing them when ill, and teaching them to respect nature falls right into a parallel category of nursing injured animals that are brought home for a parent to help them recover. Sewing skills, honesty, and creative problem-solving are also a plus when tackling unchartered waters. It also helps to have a tender heart

The Special Birds of Angola is the first field guide dedicated to Angolan birds. It presents general information and photographs of more than 70 of Angola's most special birds, including all endemics and near-endemics.

Distinct subspecies that may deserve specific status are also dealt with. English and Portuguese text are placed in adjacent columns, to serve both Angolan and international birdwatchers, students of ornithology and ornithologists.

Besides the species accounts, other sections include general information on Angolan geography, climate, habitats, conservation issues and ornithological history, a section on top birding sites, and a complete annotated list of all endemic and near-endemic birds.

Whether you are listening to a flock of geese communicate as they fly overhead or watching a group of feeding waders on an estuary, wetland birds are among the UK's most gregarious and charming waterbirds. But do you know a Coot from a Moorhen? And can you tell the difference between a Wigeon and a Pochard? The UK's wildlife-rich freshwater habitats are home to a diverse collection of our most beautiful wild bird species. RSPB ID Spotlight Wetland Birds is a reliable fold-out chart that presents illustrations of 51 of our most widespread and familiar wetland birds by renowned artist Stephen Message. - Species are grouped by family and helpfully labelled to assist with identification - Artworks are shown side by side for quick comparison and easy reference at home or in the field - The reverse of the chart provides information on the habitats, behaviour, life cycles and diets of our wetland birds, as well as the conservation issues they are facing and how the RSPB is working to support them - Practical tips on the most suitable foods to feed ducks and other waterbirds are also included The ID Spotlight charts help wildlife enthusiasts identify and learn more about our most common species using accurate colour illustrations and informative, accessible text.