A guide to birdwatching sites in Portugal and offshore islands: this book shows you where to go and when to visit for the best birding experience. This guide is best used alongside your field guide - it does not include information about identifying birds. Portuguese territory goes well beyond Portugal itself; it also comprises the Atlantic archipelagos of Azores and Madeira. Considered in this light, it is a highly diverse area in ornithological terms, holding endemic bird taxa, large populations of seabirds, most of the rarest and sought-after species of southern Europe and many exciting Nearctic vagrants. Add to these prospects the natural hospitality of the Portuguese people, the mild climate, the modern infrastructure plus the excellent food and wine and it is easy to see why the country is one of the most attractive destinations in Europe for the birdwatcher. This book is a reprint (without changes) of the Prion Birdwatchers' Guide to Portugal, the Azores & Madeira Archipelagos (2nd Edition, 2014, ISBN: 9781871104134). It is a key reference for anyone - from beginner to ornithologist - planning to visit the area with an interest in its birds. This is a site guide, not an identification guide.

After the chicken, the House Sparrow is the most widely distributed bird species in the world, occurring on all continents except Antarctica and on most human-inhabited islands. Although its Latin name is Passer domesticus, it is certainly not domesticated. In fact, it is widely regarded as a pest species and is consequently not protected in most of its extensive range. This combination of ubiquity and minimal legal protection has contributed to its wide use in studies by avian biologists throughout the world.
The purpose of this book is to review and summarize the results of these global studies on House Sparrows, and to provide a springboard for future studies on the species. House Sparrows have been used to study natural selection in introduced species, circadian rhythms, and the neuroendocrine control of the avian annual cycle. One current question of considerable interest concerns the catastrophic House Sparrow population declines in several urban centers in Europe. Is the House Sparrow a contemporary canary in the mine? Other topics of broad interest include the reproductive and flock-foraging strategies of sparrows, and sexual selection and the function of the male badge in the species. Anderson also explores the role of the House Sparrow in disease transmission to humans and their domesticated animals.

Feral pigeons are among the most familiar and abundant birds in the world, urban creatures living in close association with humans yet possessing the characteristics of highly adapted wild birds. However, they are seldom studied, even though the domesticated pigeon has long been one of the major bird models for laboratory research. This definitive monograph focuses on the population, biology, and behavioral ecology of feral pigeons, including a thorough listing of primary references of U.S. and European scholarly literature. Professional and amateur ornithologists, pigeon breeders, and students will find this an invaluable and fascinating study of a species that has evolved from familiar breeds of domesticated birds.

Bobcat: Master of Survival tells the story of the most adaptable and resilient wild feline in the world. While half the wild cat species worldwide are in danger, the bobcat is thriving, even expanding its range in North America. Why are bobcats flourishing when so many other wild felines are advancing towards extinction? The book explains how scientists apply the latest in wildlife research technology to probe this diminutive predator's habits and behavior. The reader is invited inside the bobcat's world to see how they hunt, kill prey, raise their young, coexist with humans, and deftly navigate the endless obstacles to survival.
The bobcat is both the most studied and the most exploited wild feline in the world. Millions have been killed for the fur trade. They were the focus of major controversy in the 1970s that transformed international conservation of wild felines. The book discusses how economics and politics play a far greater role in bobcat management and conservation than does science. Bobcat is the most comprehensive and up-to-date book on the natural history and management of bobcats to appear in 40 years.

A comprehensive review of current knowledge of the deep-water fishes of the North Atlantic and their exploitation. Individual countries and research institutions have carried out their own investigations and surveys in the past, but these results have rarely been coordinated, nor has there been a proper sharing of results and data. But there is a need to assess the total size of the deep-water stocks and the extent to which they can safely be exploited. The book also contains a number of papers describing present and past research and the present exploitation of resources, together with papers on the technical problems encountered in capturing and processing these fishes. An assessment of the requirements for future research is presented.

Bats have long been the focus of fascination, and sometimes fear: they move faultlessly through the darkness and spend the day hanging upside down in gloomy caverns and cracks – most at home where humans are least comfortable. Bats also represent a hugely important, numerous and varied group, accounting for 20% of all mammal species worldwide. Covering their biodiversity, ecology and natural history, A Miscellany of Bats offers a hoard of insights into the lives of these creatures. For over a quarter of a century Brock Fenton and the late Jens Rydell collaborated on projects involving bats. Here they bring together a collection of stories and anecdotes about bat research, brought to life by stunning photographs of these animals in action. Key topics include flight and echolocation, diet and roosting habits, and the complex social lives of bats. Jens and Brock also address issues of conservation and the interactions between bats and people, ranging from matters of disease to bats’ role as symbols, and our fixation with vampire bats. They explore how echolocation and flight shape batkind, from their appearance to where they go and why. Overall, this book is an entertaining and personal vision of bats’ central place in the universe. More than 150 species are covered.

This auto-translation book overviews the fish population and its research methods, help readers in understanding the concept of fish population and population identification. It divides into seven chapters according to the characteristics of the subject and the development results. Based on a systematic introduction to the basic concepts and research contents of the biology of fishery resources, the book focuses on the introduction of fish populations and research methods, life history division and early development identification, age identification and growth research, the division of sexual maturity, the determination of reproductive habits and fecundity, feeding characteristics and research methods of fish, and the mechanism of fish colony and migration. Through the study of this course, we can master the basic theory and methods of fish biology research and lay a solid foundation for future researches on fishery resources. This book can be used as a reference book for undergraduates and postgraduates who study fishery resources, as well as for those who are engaged in fishery and marine research. The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence (machine translation by the service DeepL.com). A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content.

This volume sets out to provide an overview of recent research on all aspects of amphibian ecology and behaviour and to illustrate its application to practical conservation measures for this major group of animals. Its broad scope makes it of relevance to students of general biology, ecology and conservation, but also to professionals in industries and agencies involved with environmental issues and nature conservation.

Reconstructing the paleobiology of fossil non-human primates, this book is intended as an exposition of non-human primate evolution that includes information about evolutionary theory and processes, paleobiology, paleoenvironment, how fossils are formed, how fossils illustrate evolutionary processes, the reconstruction of life from fossils, the formation of the primate fossil record, functional anatomy, and the genetic bases of anatomy. Throughout, the emphasis of the book is on the biology of fossil primates, not their taxonomic classification or systematics, or formal species descriptions. The author draws detailed pictures of the paleoenvironment of fossil primates, including contemporary animals and plants, and ancient primate communities, emphasizing our ability to reconstruct lifeways from fragmentary bones and teeth, using functional anatomy, stable isotopes from enamel and collagen, and high resolution CT-scans of the cranium. Fossil Primates will be essential reading for advanced undergraduates and graduate students in evolutionary anthropology, primatology and vertebrate paleobiology.

Knowledge of bat echolocation and social calls, and identification using ultrasonic 'bat detectors' and sound analysis software, has grown significantly in the last decade. In this practical guide Jon Russ and contributors (Kate Barlow, Philip Briggs & Sandie Sowler) present the latest information in a clear and concise manner. The book covers topics including the properties of sound, how bats use sound, bat detectors and recording devices, analysis software, and call analysis. For each species found in the British Isles, information is given on distribution, emergence times, flight and foraging behaviour, habitat, echolocation calls including parameters for common measurements, and social calls. Calls are described in the context of the different technologies employed to record them (heterodyne, frequency division and time expansion). Various sonograms for each species are displayed in BatSound and AnaLookW. A species echolocation guide is included.

This book brings together the latest information on tropical ungulates in different Latin American countries. These animals are not only important from the point of view of their role in different ecosystems, but also have cultural value for people. The book also discusses topics such as habitat transformation and hunting as these species are an important source of food in many places. Addressing ungulate natural communities in diverse ecosystems and countries, the book provides information on specific aspects of each of the most representative species, and highlights topics to help readers better understand these species and develop effective management and conservation strategies. The information presented also reveals the need for more knowledge and will hopefully provide the incentive for continued studies on this important group of animals. This publication serves as a reference for academic research on ungulate ecology, behavior and dynamics, as well as the basis for conservation strategies.

A comprehensive and authoritative illustrated guide to all of Chile's birds With its diverse range of habitats, Chile boasts a remarkable variety of breeding and visiting birds, from penguins to hummingbirds, making the country one of South America's top birding destinations. From the Chilean Tinamou and Juan Fernandez Firecrown to the Magellanic woodpecker, this comprehensive and authoritative field guide covers every one of Chile's 468 recorded species, including vagrants. All are illustrated in superb detail in 89 color plates, which feature every major plumage variation. Concise, facing-page species accounts describe key identification features, status, range, habitat, and voice, and accurate distribution maps are also provided for every species. The result is an essential field guide to the birds of this fascinating and beautiful country. Covers all 468 species recorded in Chile, including vagrants Features 89 color plates illustrating every species, with text and distribution maps on facing pages for quick and easy reference Includes concise species accounts describing key identification features, status, range, habitat, and voice

Heartwarming and Compassionate Stories of Animal Love"This book is a loving tribute to all creatures, great and small." Tippi Hedren Filled with fascinating and heartwarming stories, this book details the power of animal love. Good deeds can be done by more than just humans! True tales of kindness. Random Acts of Kindness by Animals is packed with captivating stories, big and small, from simple acts of kindness, to grand gestures of compassion performed by various animals. Author and known speaker on animal-related issues, Stephanie LaLand has gathered a multitude of stories sure to fill your heart with happiness and hope. From dogs to dolphins, learn true stories of animal love, devotion, and bravery. Proof that human kindness is shared with animals. Anyone who's had a pet knows there is something special about them. We see it in their eyes when they look at us affectionately or play with others or help someone in need. Animal behavior is interesting because in many ways, how they act and the things they do are similar to the way we care for each other. Animals are affectionate and smart creatures, and this book illustrates why kindness matters for us all. Inside, you'll find: Inspiring animal stories of true animal love that will surprise you Examples of kindness and good deeds performed by our beloved animals Animal stories for adults and animal stories for children to teach instinctive behavioral connections between humans and animals If you liked Pawverbs for a Dog Lover's Heart, You've Goat This, or Dogwinks, you'll love Random Acts of Kindness by Animals.

What’s the truth behind the old adage that goldfish have a three-second memory? Do fishes think? Can they recognize the humans who peer back at them from above the surface of the water? Myth-busting biologist and animal behaviour expert Jonathan Balcombe takes us under the sea, through streams and estuaries to the other side of the aquarium glass to answer these questions and more. He upends our assumptions, revealing that fish are far from the unfeeling, dead-eyed feeding machines so many of us assume them to be. They are, in fact, sentient, aware, social and even Machiavellian – in other words, rather like us.

What a Fish Knows draws on the latest science to present a fresh look at these remarkable creatures in all their breathtaking diversity and beauty. Teeming with insights and exciting discoveries, it offers a thoughtful appraisal of our relationships with fish and inspires us to take a more enlightened view of the planet’s increasingly imperilled marine life. What a Fish Knows will forever change how we see our aquatic cousins – the pet goldfish included.

This title focuses on the essence of how to go about identifying birds. Topics covered include size, shape, bill length, and other physical features that provide clues to the birds’ lifestyle and identity. Full colour photographs and simple line drawings support the text.

This title is suitable for beginners of all ages as well as younger birders – in fact, for anyone daunted by the prospect of getting started in the captivating pastime of birding.

For sheer diversity of birds, Ecuador cannot be beaten. Nowhere else is it as easy to experience such a range of habitats, from the high Andes to the Amazon and Choco rainforests and those jewels in the ocean, the Galapagos Islands. The avifauna is similarly dazzling - a huge range of species, including 41 endemics, call this country home, making Ecuador the ultimate Neotropical wildlife destination. This book showcases the avian wonders of Ecuador, highlighting more than 320 regularly occurring species that can be seen by most visitors to the country, including the Galapagos. Pocket-sized yet authoritative, this is the perfect companion for any wildlife-friendly visitor to Ecuador.

Changes in farmland management throughout the twentieth century, including agricultural intensification and increasing mechanisation, have resulted in the loss of habitat for many species. The Corncrake is one such species that has faced multiple challenges to its survival. Although it was once a common bird throughout northern Europe, the breeding areas of Corncrakes have been steadily reduced to a fraction of what they once were, and in many areas their continuation as a regularly breeding bird is in serious doubt. In addition, the behaviour of the Corncrake, nesting under the cover of tall grass and undertaking annual long-distance migrations, means that for most of the last hundred years, its detailed ecology has remained mysterious and little understood. Although there have been millions of words written about the Corncrake in scientific papers, until now there has been no full-length book that attempts to capture all the aspects of its ecology, and to present this information to non-specialists. As a result, until very recently, many important facts about its lifestyle and behaviour have not been widely known, even among ornithologists. Although scarcely seen in its natural habitat, the Corncrake is well-known in many rural areas due to its characteristic (and persistent) night-time calling, but new discoveries with the aid of acoustic science have proved surprising, and may offer new ways of improving the location, identification, and management options to protect and enable the population of this iconic species to recover, even to thrive in our countryside. A new appreciation of the requirements of this species and the ways in which our sensitive management of the whole landscape, both in its potential breeding areas across Europe and Asia and in the seasonal quarters in regions of Africa, offer new hope for the future of this fascinating bird.

This book looks at how an animal is organized to carry out a difficult task - that of feeding on plants. The complex adaptations necessary to enable animals to obtain nutrients successfully from a herbivorous diet are many. What structures are needed in the mouth, for example, or in the digestive system? How is behaviour adapted to allow an animal to survive and reproduce on a diet of plant material? For the first time, these problems are examined here purely from the perspective of the reptiles. Individual groups are looked at the structural, physiological and ecological adaptations of the herbivorous members are reviewed. The groups discussed include the modern reptiles, the lizards and the turtles and also extinct reptiles, the dinosaurs and the mammal-like reptiles. Common themes are teased out and arranged chronologically to help gain an understanding of the patterns of diversity change in the group. This book will be of great interest to researchers and students of zoology, palaeontology, evolution, ecology, functional anatomy and morphology.

Widely respected by contemporaries for his work in natural history, Leonard Jenyns (1800 93) combined research with his duties as an Anglican clergyman. He published and lectured extensively on zoology and botany. Having recommended Darwin for the Beagle voyage, he later produced a paper, 'On the Variation of Species', which Darwin personally requested to see. This 1835 work catalogues five classes of vertebrates: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish. Native, introduced and extinct species of the British Isles are included, with binomial and common names given, along with the dimensions and a description. An improvement on previous works which had overly relied on secondary sources, Jenyns's manual also provides information on location, diet and propagation. The catalogue testifies to the diligent work being carried out in natural history in the era prior to Darwin's revolution. Jenyns's Observations in Natural History (1846) and Observations in Meteorology (1858) are also reissued in this series."

Sex Determination, Volume 134, the latest release in the Current Topics in Developmental Biology series, contains current reviews in the field of vertebrate sex determination. It covers molecular pathways of sex determination in genetic and environmental species and encompasses both sex determination of somatic lineages and commitment of germ cells to male or female fate. Chapters in this new release cover, amongst other topics, Mapping the Sox9 Enhancer Elements, Epigenetic Regulation of Sex Determination, Evolution and Management of Sex Chromosomes, Regulation of Germ Cell Sex Identity in Medaka, Control of Sex Determination in Zebrafish, Sexually Dimorphic Germ Cell Identity in Mammals, and more.

Sasol First Field Guide to Frogs of Southern Africa is a fascinating guide to the frogs of the region.

Full-colour photographs, distribution maps and easy-to-read text will help the budding naturalist to identify the more common frog species that occur in southern Africa, discover where they live, and learn about their behaviour and unusual features.

This manuscript discusses the potentials of the approaches as mentioned below to monitor the AIVs in WMW. Molecular diagnostic platforms enable for accurate detection of the AIVs in the feces of infected birds. Similar technologies can be used to determine the bird species through DNA barcoding, enabling non-invasive research on the epidemiology of the disease. Wild migratory waterfowl (WMW) play significant role in the transmission of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) on large distances. Understanding bird migrations may therefore significantly contribute towards understanding of the disease epidemiology, however most conventional approaches to trace WMW migrations are based on capturing, tagging (mostly ringing or GPS devices) and their re-capturing to link the departure and arrival places. Stable isotope ratios in metabolically inert tissues (feathers, beaks, claws) reflect the ratios present at the point of intake (drinking or feeding), thus enabling for tracing bird origins at stopover places. Molecular diagnostic platforms such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) enable for accurate detection of the AIVs in the feces of infected birds. Similar technologies (genetic sequencing) can be used to determine the bird species through DNA barcoding. Simple and easy collection of feather and fecal samples at the stopover places may generate a full information package on which species of WMW carries the AIVs (PCR+DNA barcoding on the feces), as well as the origin of these species (SI+DNA barcoding on the feathers). Therefore, such approaches enable for research on the epidemiology and the ecology of the AIVs in WMW using a non-invasive platform, which does not require capturing of WMW. This manuscript discusses the potentials of these approaches to monitor the AIVs in WMW. p>

Ethical Debates in Orangutan Conservation explores how conservationists decide whether, and how, to undertake rehabilitation and reintroduction (R&R) when rescuing orphaned orangutans. The author demonstrates that exploring ethical dilemmas is crucial for understanding ongoing disagreements about how to help endangered wildlife in an era of anthropogenic extinction. Although R&R might appear an uncontroversial activity, there is considerable debate about how, and why, it ought to be practised. Drawing on in-depth qualitative research with orangutan conservation practitioners, this book examines how ethical trade-offs shape debates about R&R. For example, what if the orphan fails to learn how to be an orangutan again, after years in the company of humans? What if she is sent into the forest only to slowly starve? Would she have been better off in a cage? Could the huge cost of sending a rescued ape back to the wild be better spent on stopping deforestation in the first place? Or do we have a moral obligation to rescue the orphan regardless of cost? This book demonstrates that deconstructing ethical positions is crucial for understanding ongoing disagreements about how to help our endangered great ape kin and other wildlife. Ethical Debates in Orangutan Conservation is essential reading for those interested in conservation and animal welfare, animal studies, primatology, geography, environmental philosophy, and anthropology.

The underlying theme of this book is that a widespread, taxonomically diverse group of animals, important both from ecological and human resource perspectives, remains poorly understood and in delcine, while receiving scant attention from the ecological and conservation community. This volume proposes a comprehensive overview of the world's river turtles' ecology, conservation, and management. It begins with a categorization of taxa which inhabit flowing water habitats followed by information on their evolutionary and physical diversity and biogeography. Within the framework of ecology, the authors discuss the composition of river turtle communities in different types of lotic habitats and regions, population dynamics, movements, reproductive characteristics and behavior, predators, and feeding relationships. In a conservation and management section, the authors identify and evaluate the nature and intensity of factors which threaten river turtle survival--almost all of which involve direct human exploitation or indirect effects of human induced habitat alteration and degradation. They then list and evaluate the various schemes which have been proposed or employed to halt declines and restore populations, and make recommendations for future management plans for specific species and regions. In closing, they state their viewpoint concerning future research directions and priorities, and an evaluation of future prospects for survival of the world's river turtle species.