Given the underlying topography, the scenery over most of Britain has been created largely by human activities. Over the centuries, landscapes have been continually modified as human needs and desires have changed. Each major change in land use has brought changes to the native plants and animals, continually altering the distribution and abundance of species. This is apparent from the changes in vegetation and animal populations that were documented in historical times, but even more so in those that have occurred since the Second World War. More than seventy per cent of Britain's land surface is currently used for crop or livestock production, and in recent decades farming has experienced a major revolution. Not only has it become more thoroughly mechanised, it has also become heavily dependent on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, and increasingly large-scale in its operation. These changes have brought crop yields and livestock production to levels previously considered unattainable. However, such high yields have been achieved only at huge financial and environmental costs. One of the most conspicuous, and best documented, consequences of modern agriculture has been a massive loss of wildlife, including birds. In this timely addition to the New Naturalist Library, Ian Newton discusses the changes that have occurred in British agriculture over the past seventy years, and the effects they have had on bird populations. He explains how different farming procedures have affected birds and other wildlife, and how an understanding of the processes involved could help in future conservation.

Ian Newton, author of Farming and Birds and Bird Migration returns to the New Naturalist series with a long awaited look at the uplands and its birds. The uplands of Britain are unique landscapes created by grazing animals, primarily livestock. The soils and blanket bogs of the uplands are also the largest stores of carbon in the UK, and 70% of the country's drinking water comes from the uplands. It's a significant region, not least to the multitudes of bird species that hunt, forage and nest there. Once again, Ian Newton demonstrates his mastery of the subject matter at hand, in this beautifully illustrated, authoritative addition to the New Naturalist series.

Ian Newton, author of Farming and Birds and Bird Migration returns to the New Naturalist series with a long awaited look at the uplands and its birds. The uplands of Britain are unique landscapes created by grazing animals, primarily livestock. The soils and blanket bogs of the uplands are also the largest stores of carbon in the UK, and 70% of the country's drinking water comes from the uplands. It's a significant region, not least to the multitudes of bird species that hunt, forage and nest there. Once again, Ian Newton demonstrates his mastery of the subject matter at hand, in this beautifully illustrated, authoritative addition to the New Naturalist series.

The Migration Ecology of Birds, Second Edition covers all aspects of this absorbing subject, including migratory processes, problems of navigation and vagrancy, timing and physiological control of migration, large-scale movement patterns, the effects of recent climate change, the problems that migrants face, and the factors that limit their populations. This book provides a thorough and in-depth review of the state of the science, with the text supplemented by abundant tables, maps and diagrams. Written by a world-renowned avian ecology and migration researcher, this book reveals the extraordinary adaptability of birds to the variable and changing conditions across the globe. This book represents the most updated and detailed review of bird migration, its evolution, ecology and bird physiology. Written in a clear and readable style, it will appeal not only to migration researchers in the field and ornithologists, but to anyone with an interest in this fascinating subject.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

This book covers the discovery and history of the most northern breeding population of Peregrine Falcons in the world, near Thule Air Base in north-west Greenland (75.9-77.6 Degrees 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.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

In this intensely practical handbook, a team of leading ornithologists describe a wide range of standard methods that can be applied to the study of avian ecology and conservation. Topics covered range from surveys and tracking and handling to breeding biology, foraging behavior, and migration. Chapters on conservation techniques describe how to assess species over-exploitation, the methods available for the intensive conservation of endangered species, and the principles involved in the maintenance and restoration of habitats. This comprehensive synthesis will be essential reading for graduate students and researchers as well as a valuable resource for environmental consultants and professional conservationists worldwide.
Bird Ecology and Evolution is the first title in a new series of practical handbooks which include titles focusing on specific taxonomic groups as well as those describing broader themes and subjects. William J. Sutherland is the series editor.