Life-affirming and lyrical, this beautiful picture book celebrates the awesome power of nature, while gently introducing young children to the concept of life and death. Over the course of a year, a young child and their dog watch kingfishers by the river with Grandpa. As spring turns to summer and autumn to winter, the kingfishers raise a family, while Grandpa teaches his grandchild about the power of nature and the circle of life. Written in memory of her father, whose favourite bird was the kingfisher, Anna Wilson takes readers on a lyrical journey though a year in the life of a kingfisher family. Stunning illustrations by Sarah Massini bring the riverbank to life in all its glory, while the powerful intergenerational bond between grandparent and grandchild shows that just as spring always follows winter, hope will always return if you know where to look for it. A positive story about life, death, and being a part of the natural world.

What's the difference between a swallow and a swift? How many species of ducks, penguins, owls or thrushes are there? Which is the rarest parrot or the most endangered hummingbird? What do toucans eat? Discover all the key facts about the world's orders and families of birds with this ultimate handbook. Expert ornithologist Jonathan Elphick provides a comprehensive survey of every one of the 36 orders and 234 families of birds, revealing their remarkable diversity, appearance, behaviour and lifestyle. With clear, lively text, informative fact boxes that include the latest research and data, and special photography from award-winning wildlife photographers such as David Tipling, The Handbook of Bird Families belongs on the shelf of everyone interested in birds.

"Birds are my almanac. They tune me into the seasons, and into myself." So begins this lively collection of essays by acclaimed filmmaker and novelist Priyanka Kumar. Growing up at the feet of the Himalayas in northern India, Kumar took for granted her immersion in a lush natural world. After moving to North America as a teenager, she found herself increasingly distanced from more than human life, and discouraged by the civilization she saw contributing to its destruction. It was only in her twenties, living in Los Angeles and working on films, that she began to rediscover her place in the landscape -- and in the cosmos -- by way of watching birds. Tracing her movements across the American West, this stirring collection of essays brings the avian world richly to life. Kumar's perspective is not that of a list keeper, counting and cataloguing species. Rather, from the mango-colored western tanager that rescues her from a bout of altitude sickness in Sequoia National Park to ancient sandhill cranes in the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, and from the snowy plovers building shallow nests with bits of shell and grass to the white-breasted nuthatch that regularly visits the apricot tree behind her family's casita in Sante Fe, for Kumar, birds "become a portal to a more vivid, enchanted world." At a time when climate change, habitat loss, and the reckless use of pesticides are causing widespread extinction of species, Kumar's reflections on these messengers from our distant past and harbingers of our future offer luminous evidence of her suggestion that "seeds of transformation lie dormant in all of our hearts. Sometimes it just takes the right bird to awaken us."

Parrots’ colour and charisma, coupled with the fact that they mimic human speech, make them fascinating to many people. They are ancient birds with unique bill and foot structures that enable them to forage on fruits in the canopy of forest trees as well as on seeds in grasslands. Because they depend on fruits and seeds all year round, most species are confi ned to the tropics or sub-tropics, where the world’s biodiversity is at its greatest. There are over three hundred species of parrots, of which more than one hundred are recognised as rare, endangered, vulnerable or threatened with extinction.

Parrots are largely distributed in tropical areas of developing countries where economies are weak and uncertain, and where there is great dependence on the exploitation of natural resources, particularly hard wood evergreen forests, which are preferred parrot habitats. Unfortunately, high levels of corruption are common to these regions, with much illegal trade in animals and little or no law enforcement. Collectors of parrots in the fi rst world pay huge sums for rare parrots. However, research, education and conservation actions are greatly reducing illegal trade in African parrots.

This book provides complete coverage of all aspects of the biology of extant African, Malagasy and Mascarene parrots, and reviews our knowledge of extinct and fossil parrots from the region. Particular themes include the behavioural and ecological characteristics of parrots, their species characteristics and conservation biology. Current concepts in avian and conservation biology are also discussed.

Parrots of Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands is aimed at ornithologists, conservation biologists, avian ecologists, academics, bird watchers and parrot fans alike. It is well illustrated, with high quality original photographs, and includes distribution maps, fi gures and tables.

Seawatching can present identification difficulties to even the most experienced birdwatcher, and demands a specialised set of skills and strategies to deal with the challenges of bad weather and poor visibility. The rewards can be great; many species of seabird live exclusively at sea outside their breeding seasons, while many others undertake regular coastal migrations. At established 'watchpoints' around European coastlines, patient observation may reveal spectacular numbers of passing seabirds, while today the growing popularity of whale-watching and 'pelagic' boat excursions makes it possible to get closer to many offshore species. This unique field guide is indispensable to all birdwatchers who seawatch, whether from land or at sea, and will greatly enhance their experience.

Birdwatching in Britain has grown increasingly dependent on burning fossil fuels. Regularly driving long distances to birding hotspots and frequent flying to see exotic species are seen as perfectly normal. In the face of the climate crisis, however, a growing number of birders are reassessing the way they enjoy and study birds. In this timely book, 30 contributors—from young birdwatchers to professional ornithologists—explain why and how they are shifting to climate-friendlier approaches. Low-carbon birding, they argue, is a legitimate and valuable way of enjoying birds. Furthermore, in itself this can bring many joys, some of them unexpected. From first encounters with hawfinches to focusing in on birdsong, from the Kalahari to the Hebrides, the stories told here are not about heroic efforts to save the planet. They are simply accounts of everyday humanity in unprecedented times—ordinary people with doubts and concerns about how to live a decent life and act responsibly in a rapidly warming world. The authenticity of their voices is a testament to the moment of awakening to the climate crisis in British ornithology. Above all, Low-Carbon Birding is an urgent call for birders to leave a better legacy in the skies and across the living world.

One of the New York Times Book Review's 10 Best Books of the Year One of Slate's 50 Best Nonfiction Books of the Last 25 Years ON MORE THAN 25 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR LISTS: including TIME (#1 Nonfiction Book), NPR, O, The Oprah Magazine (10 Favorite Books), Vogue (Top 10), Vanity Fair, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Seattle Times, San Francisco Chronicle (Top 10), Miami Herald, St. Louis Post Dispatch, Minneapolis Star Tribune (Top 10), Library Journal (Top 10), Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Slate, Shelf Awareness, Book Riot, Amazon (Top 20) The instant New York Times bestseller and award-winning sensation, Helen Macdonald's story of adopting and raising one of nature's most vicious predators has soared into the hearts of millions of readers worldwide. Fierce and feral, her goshawk Mabel's temperament mirrors Helen's own state of grief after her father's death, and together raptor and human "discover the pain and beauty of being alive" (People). H Is for Hawk is a genre-defying debut from one of our most unique and transcendent voices.

This edition of Newman's birds of Southern Africa at once updates a classic and pays tribute to one of the region's birding authors, the late Kenneth Newman. With the support of Faansie Peacock, the author's daughter, Vanessa Newman, has thoroughly revised, updated and expanded this new edition to reflect the latest research, both in terms of text and illustrations.

Covering all the birds recorded from the Antarctic to the Zambezi River, its range includes the birds from the southern seas as well as those of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and Mozambique. The format of Newman's birds has been preserved and subtly modernized.

Colour coding of major bird groups and the characteristically bold cross-referencing between text and images have been retained. As always, large, accurate paintings of each species reflect the bird as it is seen in the field, and are now labeled with diagnostic features, in line with top guides round the world.

A revised introductory section takes readers step-by-step through how to use this latest edition of Newman's Birds of Southern Africa in the field.

The Bird explores the fascinating world of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century ornithological illustration. This was a period of scientific, artistic and geographic discovery, when people began to fully appreciate the immense variety of form and colour within the natural world. This book celebrates this beauty through the lavish illustrations produced at that time. Each chapter focuses on a category of birds, from shorebirds to birds of prey. Feature sections on key ornithological artists such as John James Audubon, Elizabeth Gould and Edward Lear demonstrated how technology, travel and ambition shaped these amazing images, and how their work transformed our understanding of the wonderful world of birds.

Originally published in 1891.Contents Include: The Cardinal Family The Crow Family The Dove Family The Drongo Family The Finch Family The Kingfisher Family The Lark Family The Mannikin Family The Owl Family The Quail Family The Robin Family The Sparrow Family The Starling Family The Tanager Family The Thrush Family The Warbler Family The Waxbill Family The Weaver Family

Learn to attract and feed a variety of hummingbirds with this pocket-sized guide. The glittering throat patch of the male Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a worthy adornment for this princely bird. And what else can captivate a bird watcher as much as a hummingbird's aerial acrobatics? You love these beloved birds, and you want to see them visiting your backyard or garden. Professional naturalist and award-winning author Stan Tekiela teaches you all that you need to know about hummingbirds-including Anna's, black-chinned, broad-tailed, rufous, and other hummingbird species. The handy book is divided into three main sections. First, you'll learn all about hummingbirds: facts, range, habitat, songs, nests, and more. Up next, you'll be introduced to the feeding solution that keeps hummingbirds coming back. In the third section, Stan tells you which feeders hummingbirds prefer and why. You'll also be given information on placing feeders and cleaning feeders. Find out how to make your yard into a habitat that hummingbirds will love. Then enjoy Stan's hummingbird photography, trivia, and quick tips. This is truly your guide to attracting and feeding hummingbirds!

The unlikely stars of Landfill are gulls. No, not seagulls. Gulls. Over the past century gulls have been brought ashore by modernity, living in our slipstream, following trawlers, ploughs and now rubbish trucks. They are more our contemporaries than other birds, living their wild lives in towns and cities, grabbing a bite where they can. Our story is theirs too. In Landfill, Tim Dee follows gulls to rubbish dumps, meets gull-watchers, discovers ancient poets, Victorian novelists and learns how gulls continue to tell us how the wild can share our world, if we'd only listen.

The definitive handbook on Scottish bird species The RSPB Handbook of Scottish Birds is the ideal reference for keen birdwatchers and visitors to Scotland alike, and this fully updated second edition is richer and more comprehensive than ever. Over 250 species are covered in detail with each account including information on identification, voice, habits, habitat, food, breeding, ecology, seasonal movements, population and conservation. More than 1,000 superb colour illustrations by some of the world's leading bird artists are integrated into the text for easy reference. This second edition features newly added Gaelic names, updated distribution maps, and also incorporates the latest information on the conservation status of each species. - Concise text offers a 'biography' of each species in simple, non-technical language - Practical, easy-to-use format - Updated distribution maps show resident species, summer and winter visitors, and passage migrants

Bird-watching is one of life's simple joys. Seeing a colorful friend flit about your backyard brings feelings of excitement, gladness and contentment. Stan Tekiela understands the thrill of bird-watching. The award-winning author and naturalist has been studying and photographing backyard birds for more than 25 years. Here, he guides you through the wonderful lives of the most popular, most beloved species--like the American Goldfinch, the Northern Cardinal and the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. His incomparable photography captures the birds in action and depicts behaviors that are sure to warm and perhaps even surprise you, while the book's headings and small blocks of text make for easy yet informative browsing. Every important aspect of the birds' lives, from first flight and feeding to migration and mating, is portrayed in this gorgeous book. Your coffee table won't be complete without it.

Record and reflect on the beautiful birds that visit your yard with this must-have, easy-to-use birding journal. Make your backyard a birding paradise and record the birds that flock to your yard with this easy-to-use birdwatching journal. The Backyard Birding Journal helps you keep track of the many different species you can spot right from the comfort of your own home. The log pages let you quickly catalog each bird you see and make notes about its visit to your yard--including interactions with feeders or water sources and interesting activities and behaviors. You'll find room to record multiple visits from each species to help you better observe and understand birds' behaviors. You can use your observations to keep your feeders stocked with their favorite foods and discover ways to make your feathered visitors feel even more welcome in your yard. You'll also find a bucket list of fifty of the most common backyard birds so you can see just how many you can attract to your yard. Pull out your binoculars and take your backyard birding to the next level with The Backyard Birding Journal!

The vibrant and exciting world of penguins is shown in all its glory in this new book from renowned wildlife photographer David Tipling, who has trekked to remote and beautiful locations to capture birds in their natural habitat going about their daily lives. Moments rarely caught by humans have been preserved on film and reproduced in glorious full-colour images. Penguins: Close Encounters showcases 140 amazing photographs of birds in the wild, and a short description accompanies each image. The book has coverage of all of the world's 17 penguin species - including a comprehensive 'penguin fact file' section at the end - and chapters cover all aspects of their lives and behaviour. This book is a celebration of these birds and a photographic study that is sure to captivate any bird lover or wildlife photography enthusiast.

This special book-format issue of Birds New Zealands journal Notornis is devoted to the birds of the Auckland Islands Maukahuka/Motu Maha, the largest and biologically most diverse island group in the New Zealand subantarctic region. Its 19 chapters, written by leading ornithologists, cover a wide range of topics, including the history of ornithological discovery, biogeography, the impacts of introduced mammals and people, prehistoric bird communities based on bone assemblages, and population, ecological and genetic studies of several of the endemic or otherwise notable birds of the island group including Auckland Island snipe, white-headed petrel, and several albatross species.

This pocket-sized photographic guide to the birds of East Africa features 296 birds likely to be spotted in the region.

- Colourful photographs illustrate diagnostic features and plumage differences between male and female or breeding and non-breeding birds.

- Comparative photographs help differentiate between confusing species.

- Important distinguishing characteristics are highlighted in the text.

- Distribution maps and Swahili common names for all species are included.

- Introduction features a labelled bird diagram, habitat map, glossary and useful advice to birdwatchers.

An invaluable guide for visitors to national parks and the many areas in East Africa that are rich in birdlife.

These intricate illustrations of birds and butterflies are just waiting for you to bring them to life

Die gedenkuitgawe van Newman se Voëls van Suider Afrika is 'n opdatering van 'n klassieke voelboek, asook 'n huldeblyk aan een van die streek se voelkenners, Kenneth Newman. Met die ondersteuning van Faansie Peacock ('n opkomende voelkenner) het Vanessa Newman (die outeur se dogter) die teks en illustrasies vir die nuwe uitgawe volledig hersien, opgedateer en uitgebrei.

Die titel bevat al die voels wat waargeneem is tussen Antarktika en die Zambesirivier, en sluit in voels van die Suidelike Oseaan, Suid-Afrika, Zimbabwe, Namibie, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho en Mosambiek. Die bekende, gebruikersvriendelike formaat van Newman se Voëls van Suider Afrika is behou, maar die boek spog met 'n moderne nuwe voorkoms. Kleurkodes is gebruik vir voelgroepe en kruisverwysings tussen die teks, en illustrasies is behou.

Die bekende groot, akkurate illustrasies van elke spesie wys die voel soos wat hy in die veld voorkom, en byskrifte tot die illustrasies lig nou hoofkenmerke uit.

'n Hersiende inleiding wys lesers stap-vir-stap hoe om die nuutste uitgawe van Newman se Voëls van Suider Afrika te gebruik.

From its long coastline, with cliffs and islands that bustle with breeding seabirds in the summer, to its open moorland that hold some of the most southerly Curlews and Black Grouse, Wales packs a lot of birds into a small area. It is significant for its populations of Chough, Hawfinch and Pied Flycatcher, and its Manx Shearwaters are of global importance. And it has played an important role in the study of migration, as Skokholm was the first bird observatory in Britain. It is almost 30 years since the first avifauna was published for all of Wales and much has changed. Knowledge of the status of many species has increased thanks to improved monitoring and a greater number of birdwatchers, and we have a better understanding of how humans have affected Wales' birds, particularly the twin challenges of land-use and climate change. The Birds of Wales synthesises the new information and sets it in context of each species' history in Wales. It tells the stories of all the birds that have been recorded here, whether common or rare, and looks forward, anticipating what may occur in the coming decades. It will have an essential place on the bookshelf of everyone with an interest in birds in Wales and should be on the desk or in the rucksack of everyone who influences what happens to the nation's land and seas. It is a once-in-a-generation state of Wales' birds.