The Shorebirds of North America: A Natural History and Photographic Celebration
by Pete Dunne and Kevin T. Karlson
From Princeton University Press:
More than half a century has passed since the publication of The Shorebirds of North America, Peter Matthiessen’s masterful natural history of what is arguably the world’s most amazing and specialized bird group. In the intervening decades, our knowledge about these birds has grown significantly, as have the threats to their populations and habitats. Pete Dunne and Kevin Karlson celebrate Matthiessen’s classic book with this updated and expanded natural history of North American shorebirds. This elegantly written book begins by introducing readers to the unrivaled splendor of shorebirds and goes on to cover topics ranging from their biology and habitats to courtship and breeding, flight, the perils of migration, and conservation. Detailed accounts convey the richness and variety of the five family groups, with incisive, fact-filled descriptions of all 52 species of shorebirds known to breed in North America.
Featuring hundreds of breathtaking images by Karlson and other photographers and drawing on the latest science, The Shorebirds of North America is a worthy tribute to Matthiessen’s enduring work and an indispensable reference for bird lovers everywhere.
The original Shorebirds was a landmark in bird book history. Like its predecessor, this iteration is full of interesting information and a pleasure to read (with Dunne’s involvment, how could it be otherwise?). The illustrations are very different, however. Robert Verity Clem’s frame-worthy, full-page plates were glorious. The photographs here don’t have the same visual impact, but they are still great and can show a range of behaviors and aspects that were impossible in the previous format. This is a worthy successor and absolutely recommended.
The Shorebirds of North America: A Natural History and Photographic Celebration
by Pete Dunne and Kevin T. Karlson
Hardcover; 304 pages
Princeton University Press; June 25, 2024
ISBN: 9780691220956
$35.00
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Posted by Grant McCreary on August 13th, 2024.
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