The Amazing World of Flyingfish
by Steve N. G. Howell
From Princeton University Press:
If you travel the open ocean anywhere in the tropics, you are very likely to see flyingfish. These beautifully colored “ocean butterflies” shoot out of the water and sail on majestic, winglike pectoral fins to escape from predators such as dolphins, swordfish, and tuna. Some can travel for more than six hundred feet per flight. Yet despite their prevalence in warm ocean waters and their vital role in the tropical food chain, surprisingly little is known about flyingfish–more than 60 species are said to exist, but nobody is sure of the number. This beautifully illustrated book presents flyingfish as you’ve never seen them before. It features more than 90 stunning color photos by renowned naturalist Steve Howell, as well as a concise and accessible text that explores the natural history of flyingfish, where they can be found, how and why they fly, what colors they are, what they eat and what eats them, and more.
The ideal gift for fish lovers, seasoned travelers, and armchair naturalists alike, this first-of-its-kind book provides a rare and incomparable look at these spectacular marine creatures.
- Presents flyingfish like you’ve never seen them before
- Features more than 90 stunning color images
- Explores the natural history of flyingfish, where to see them, how they fly, and more
- The ideal gift book for fish lovers, ecotravelers, birders, and armchair naturalists
No, this isn’t a bird book, but it is about some flying creatures that birders can often see! Watching flyingfish is one of my favorite things about pelagic trips. If you’d like to find out more about these strange fish, this tiny, but attractive, book is for you.
The Amazing World of Flyingfish
by Steve N. G. Howell
Hardcover; 64 pages
Princeton University Press; July 13, 2014
ISBN: 978-0691160115
$12.95
Buy from NHBS
(based in the U.K.)
by Paul F. Donald, Nigel J. Collar, Stuart J. Marsden, and Deborah J. Pain
This introduction to rarity in birds is highly recommended to anyone who cares about birds.
Read the full review »
Bird Songs of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East
$79.99
From Edition AMPLE:
This is the professional App to the renowned reference work of Schulze and Dingler covering all 819 European species including all 2,817 songs and calls from the CDs and MP3-Discs. All species can be browsed according to their taxonomical classification and can thus be easily compared. Spectrograms to all sounds as well as high quality photographs and descriptions to each species are also included. As a novelty and practical advantage, multiple songs and calls of one species are arranged consecutively on separate tracks. Each track consists of several calls, which can independently be chosen and played immediately without the need to fast-forward. Explanations to all recordings and bird names are given in English.
Special features:
- 2817 songs & calls
- Includes 802 European species
- Spectrograms to all sounds
- Descriptions to all species
- 1350 photographs
- Create sighting lists and sort by place, date, group, and name
- Make notes for each bird spotted
- Display bird names in 18 languages
If you don’t already have this comprehensive sound collection – and have an Apple device – this looks like a convenient way to always have these songs at your fingertips.
The contents of the entire 17-volume Handbook of the Birds of the World all in one website.
Read the full review »
About Parrots: A Guide for Children
by Cathryn Sill and John Sill (Illustrator)
From Peachtree Publishers:
In this appealing addition to the acclaimed About… series, educator and author Cathryn Sill uses simple, easy-to-understand language to teach children what parrots are, how they look, how they move, what they eat, and where they live. Illustrator John Sill introduces readers to a variety of parrots, from the colorful Blue Lorikeets of the Polynesian Islands to the Rosy-faced Lovebirds of southwestern Africa. An afterword provides details on the parrots featured and inspires readers to learn more.
Not only is the art is gorgeous, but kids (and adults, too) are sure to learn a lot about these charismatic birds. Recommended for ages 3-7.
About Parrots: A Guide for Children
by Cathryn Sill and John Sill (Illustrator)
Hardcover; 48 pages
Peachtree Publishers; August 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1561457953
$16.95
Have you ever wondered what we’ve actually learned from all the decades of bird banding? Or how all the cool, new findings from satellite-tracked birds fit in? I certainly have, which is why I was excited to learn about The Migratory Connectivity Project. You can check out some initial work on the website, but there will also be a book – The Atlas of Migratory Connectivity for the Birds of North America – that will be published by Princeton University Press in 2016. The authors are currently looking for data. If you have anything that could be of use, they are collecting contributions through the end of 2014.
Guide to Troubled Birds
by The Mincing Mockingbird
From Blue Rider Press:
The Mincing Mockingbird Guide to Troubled Birds is an illustrated, pocket field guide that enables anyone to quickly identify psychotic, violent or mentally unstable bird species. Written in non-technical language for the layman, the guide describes where to find—or where to avoid—the most disturbed North American birds.
Throughout the book the reader will discover tales of murder, assault, mental breakdowns, obesity, drug abuse and infidelity among the birds. This guide is used and recommended by law enforcement agencies and ignored by leading ornithologists.
Obviously, this is a humor book. And a pretty funny one, too, if you’re a little on the demented side 🙂
Guide to Troubled Birds
by The Mincing Mockingbird
Hardcover; 64 pages
Blue Rider Press; June 12, 2014
ISBN: 978-0399170911
$15.95
A Sparrowhawk’s Lament: How British Breeding Birds of Prey Are Faring
by David Cobham
From Princeton University Press:
Britain is home to fifteen species of breeding birds of prey, from the hedgerow-hopping Sparrowhawk to the breathtaking White-tailed Eagle. In this handsomely illustrated book, acclaimed British filmmaker and naturalist David Cobham offers unique and deeply personal insights into Britain’s birds of prey and how they are faring today. He delves into the history of these marvelous birds and talks in depth with the scientists and conservationists who are striving to safeguard them. In doing so, he profiles the writers, poets, and filmmakers who have done so much to change the public’s perception of birds of prey. Thanks to popular television programs, the Victorian myth that any bird with a hooked beak is evil has been dispelled. However, although there are success stories–five birds of prey that were extinct have become reestablished with viable populations–persecution is still rife: so much so that one bird of prey, the Hen Harrier, became extinct in England as a breeding bird in 2013.
Featuring drawings by famed wildlife artist Bruce Pearson, this book reveals why we must cherish and celebrate our birds of prey, and why we neglect them at our peril. In A Sparrowhawk’s Lament, you will learn how the perfection of the double-barreled shotgun sounded a death knell for British birds of prey in the nineteenth century, how the conscription of gamekeepers during two world wars gave them a temporary reprieve, how their fortunes changed yet again with the introduction of agricultural pesticides in the 1950s, why birds of prey are vital to Britain’s ecosystems and cultural heritage – and much more.
This looks like a good complement to Conor Mark Jameson’s Looking for the Goshawk.
A Sparrowhawk’s Lament: How British Breeding Birds of Prey Are Faring
by David Cobham
Hardcover; 256 pages
Princeton University Press; July 6, 2014
ISBN: 978-0691157641
$35.00
Buy from Buteo Books
(based in the U.S.)
Buy from NHBS
(based in the U.K.)
