All Posts

Imperial Dreams: Tracking the Imperial Woodpecker Through the Wild Sierra Madre
by Tim Gallagher

From Atria Books:

Explorer and naturalist Tim Gallagher is obsessed with rare birds. A decade ago, Gallagher was one of the rediscoverers of the legendary ivory-billed woodpecker, which most scientists believed had been extinct for more than half a century—an event that caused an international stir. Now, in Imperial Dreams, Gallagher once again hits the trail, journeying deep into Mexico’s savagely beautiful Sierra Madre Occidental, home to rich wildlife, as well as to Mexican drug cartels, in a perilous quest to locate the most elusive bird in the world—the imperial woodpecker, a giant among its clan.

The imperial woodpecker’s trumpetlike calls and distinctive hammering on massive pines once echoed through the high forests. Two feet tall, with deep black plumage, a brilliant snow-white shield on its back, and a crimson crest, the imperial woodpecker had largely disappeared fifty years ago, though reports persist of the bird still flying through remote mountain stands. In an attempt to find and protect the imperial woodpecker in its last habitat, Gallagher is guided by a map of sightings of this natural treasure of the Sierra Madre, bestowed on him by a friend on his deathbed. Charged with continuing the quest of a line of distinguished naturalists, including the great Aldo Leopold, Gallagher treks through this mysterious, historically untamed and untamable territory. Here, where an ancient petroglyph of the imperial can still be found, Geronimo led Apaches in their last stand, William Randolph Hearst held a storied million-acre ranch, and Pancho Villa once roamed, today ruthless drug lords terrorize residents and steal and strip the land.

Gallagher’s passionate quest takes a harrowing turn as he encounters armed drug traffickers, burning houses, and fleeing villagers. His mission becomes a life-and-death drama that will keep armchair adventurers enthralled as he chases truth in the most dangerous of habitats.

After his search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (recounted in The Grail Bird), Tim Gallagher sets his sights on its cousin, the Imperial Woodpecker. I’m reading it now and have found it very interesting so far – part natural history, part investigation, and part adventure travel.

Imperial Dreams: Tracking the Imperial Woodpecker Through the Wild Sierra Madre
by Tim Gallagher
Hardcover; 302 pages
Atria Books; April 16, 2013
ISBN: 978-1439191521
$26.00

The World’s Rarest Birds
by Erik Hirschfeld, Andy Swash, and Robert Still

From Princeton University Press:

This beautifully illustrated book vividly depicts the most threatened birds on Earth. It provides up-to-date information from BirdLife International on the threats each species faces, and the measures being taken to save them. Today, 590 bird species are classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered, or now only exist in captivity. This landmark publication features stunning photographs of 515 species-including the results of a prestigious international photographic competition organized specifically for this book. This is the first time that images of many of these birds have been published. It also showcases meticulously accurate illustrations by acclaimed wildlife artist Tomasz Cofta for the 75 species of which no photographs are known to exist.

The World’s Rarest Birds has introductory chapters that explain the threats birds face in a rapidly changing world, how their threat status is assessed, and how this information is used to set conservation priorities. The book is divided into seven regional sections-Europe and the Middle East; Africa and Madagascar; Asia; Australasia; Oceanic Islands; North America, Central America, and the Caribbean; and South America. Each section highlights particular conservation challenges and threatened bird hotspots, and includes a comprehensive illustrated directory of the most endangered birds, giving a concise description of their distribution, status, population, key threats, and conservation needs. This one-of-a-kind book also covers the 60 Data Deficient species. QR codes are included for every species, linked directly to the relevant species factsheet on BirdLife International’s website, where detailed, up-to-date information is freely available.

Wow. I was, and continue to be, blown away by how good this book looks (check out some samples). The photographs and overall design are amazing. But it’s the content that really makes this book worthwhile. Do yourself a favor and just get it. I can’t recommend it enough.

The World’s Rarest Birds
by Erik Hirschfeld, Andy Swash, and Robert Still
Hardcover; 360 pages
Princeton University Press; April 14, 2013
ISBN: 978-0691155968
$45.00

I wish I could review every bird book that I get. But, unfortunately, that doesn’t seem like it will happen. Here are some recent books that I haven’t gotten to yet. I may eventually post a full review for some of these, but I wanted to go ahead and give some brief thoughts on them. And if there’s one or more of these that you’d like to know more about, please let me know by leaving a comment.

• Owls
  by Marianne Taylor

  The first half of this book covers owls in general – their biology, behavior, conservation, etc. The second part consists of species accounts for all the owls of the U.S., Canada, and Eurasia. This type of book has been done several times before (see Owls of North America for example). But if you don’t already have anything similar, this would be a good general owl book to get due to the especially exceptional photography.

• The Mating Lives of Birds
  by James Parry

  This book covers everything from courtship through fledging young. That includes an awful lot of a bird’s life, including singing, courtship displays, building nests, eggs, and nestlings. Filled with some very nice photos, this makes a good introduction to these subjects.

• Cuckoos of the World
  by Johannes Erritzøe, Clive F. Mann, Frederik Brammer, and Richard A. Fuller

  I can only hope that the format used here (and in Cotingas and Manakins before it) becomes the norm for family identification guides. The basic plan, with plates in the front separated from the species accounts is pretty common. But the accounts here also include a decent selection of photographs. When you factor in the very attractive artwork, nice maps, and overall eye-catching design it all adds up to a very nice family guide. Honestly, living in a relatively cuckoo-deprived area, I’ve never given these birds much thought. But just looking through this guide has convinced me I need to change that.

• The Atlas of Birds: Diversity, Behavior, and Conservation
  by Mike Unwin

  Given the title, I’m sure you won’t be surprised that this book contains lots of maps! They’re used to give an overview of where birds live, the different orders of birds, how birds live, birds and people, threats, and conservation. Topics are covered very briefly, usually in a two page spread. But it’s got some fantastic illustrations – both the maps and many bird photographs. I think this makes an excellent introduction to many topics concerning birds.

• Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans
  by John Marzluff and Tony Angell

  The authors take a close look at crows and jays, widely acknowledged as the most intelligent birds. They include some amazing stories and anecdotes, but go beyond that to explaining how and why these birds engage in the behavior that they do. The scientific explanations can get a little on the heavy side (this is neurobiology, after all!), but overall everything is explained very clearly. I’d recommend this book to birders interested in learning more about the amazing things birds are capable of doing.

• Neotropical Birds of Prey: Biology and Ecology of a Forest Raptor Community
  by David F. Whitacre

  This is not an identification guide, but rather is intended to gather together a summary of all that is known about the lives of the neotropical raptors of the Mayan forest community. As such, you can think of these accounts as similar to those of the Birds of North America project. There are some nice color photographs, but they aren’t the main draw. This book will be of much use to ornithologists studying these birds, but not nearly as much to birders. So I wouldn’t recommend a purchase unless you have a great affinity for the raptors of this region.

National Geographic Pocket Guide to the Birds of North America
by Laura Erickson and Jonathan Alderfer

From National Geographic:

This fun, affordable, beautifully illustrated introduction to birding is like taking a walk with National Geographic’s birding experts. Of this book’s 192 pages, 160 are devoted to North America’s top species, one per page, from the lowly House Wren to the majestic Bald Eagle. Carefully chosen illustrations and photographs capture the key details and typical behavior of each bird, paired with a short list of essential facts and a fun, fascinating, colloquially written “bird-ography” of each bird. (The latter feature is unique to this beginning field guide). Pictures plus facts plus story: a winning combination. With a small trim size and colorful illustrations, this pocket guide is easy on the eyes and easy to stash. A useful color index aids identification; tips throughout show how to observe, track, and identify birds in nature.

A great book for someone with a new or casual interest in birds, and even older children.

National Geographic Pocket Guide to the Birds of North America
by Laura Erickson and Jonathan Alderfer
Paperback; 192 pages
National Geographic; April 2, 2013
ISBN: 978-1426210440
$12.95

A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago: Third Edition
by Richard ffrench and John P. O’Neill

From Cornell University Press:

Members of nearly all the families of South American birds can be found on the two beautiful West Indian islands of Trinidad and Tobago, where the pleasant climate, varied habitat, and avian diversity create a “birder’s paradise.” This easy-to-use book is the third edition of a comprehensive yet compact field guide to all 477 species of the islands’ birds, including 35 new species accounts added to the country’s bird list since the last edition. Richard ffrench’s work has been a “bible” to birders since the appearance of the first edition in 1973. This new edition incorporates five decades of his notes and records of the island’s birds to present in a handy and readable form detailed and comprehensive information about the birds of Trinidad and Tobago.

Showcasing 40 all-new color plates by the very best bird artists working under the direction of John P. O’Neill, the third edition now includes illustrations of not only the islands’ endemic and resident species, but also the many migratory species that visit the islands from both the north and the south. The taxonomic arrangement and treatment of families and species has also been brought in line with the most recent determinations of the A.O.U. Committee on Nomenclature for a thoroughly up-to-date presentation. In his introduction, Richard ffrench offers a full treatment of the history of ornithology in Trinidad and Tobago and sets the scene by describing the islands’ physiography, climate, and vegetation. Individual species accounts, arranged by family, make up the core of this identification guide. The accounts cover habitat and status, range and subspecies, field description and basic measurements, voice, food, nesting, and behavior. Richard ffrench’s summary of the distribution of species and their breeding and migration, as well as local conservation and protection measures, makes this volume much more than a typical field-guide treatment, and invites visitors to this premier ecotourism destination.

This third edition is clearly an improvement over the previous one when it comes to the artwork and number of species illustrated. But the format, unfortunately, hasn’t changed – it’s still the dated format of isolated plates in the middle, segregated from the species accounts. While that impairs its effectiveness as a field guide, it should still prove useful. Sorry to say I don’t have the other field guide to these islands – Field Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago – so I can’t compare them.

A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago: Third Edition
by Richard ffrench and John P. O’Neill
Paperback; 435 pages
Comstock Publishing Associates; December 4, 2012
ISBN: 978-0801473647
$39.95

Deerland: America’s Hunt for Ecological Balance and the Essence of Wildness
by Al Cambronne

From Lyons Press:

In 1942 America fell in love with Bambi. But now, that love-affair has turned sour. Behind the unassuming grace and majesty of America’s whitetail deer is the laundry list of human health, social, and ecological problems that they cause. They destroy crops, threaten motorists, and spread Lyme disease all across the United States. In Deerland, Al Cambronne travels across the country, speaking to everybody from frustrated farmers, to camo-clad hunters, to humble deer-enthusiasts in order to get a better grasp of the whitetail situation. He discovers that the politics surrounding deer run surprisingly deep, with a burgeoning hunting infrastructure supported by state government and community businesses. Cambronne examines our history with the whitetail, pinpoints where our ecological problems began, and outlines the environmental disasters we can expect if our deer population continues to go unchecked.

With over 30 million whitetail in the US, Deerland is a timely and insightful look at the ecological destruction being wrecked by this innocent and adored species. Cambronne asks tough questions about our enviroment’s future and the impact this invasion has on our own backyards.

While not directly about birds, deer are certainly playing a big role in our ecosystems, even at the expense of birds.

Deerland: America’s Hunt for Ecological Balance and the Essence of Wildness
by Al Cambronne
Paperback; 272 pages
Lyons Press; April 2, 2013
ISBN: 978-0762780273
$18.95

Wow, lot’s of bird book reviews last month. Keep ’em coming!

Also, here’s a fun contest to win the new Crossley Raptor Guide! And make sure to like The Birder’s Library Facebook page to stay informed of other giveaways and contests.

I aim to read bird book reviews.