The Bird Watching Answer Book Everything You Need to Know to Enjoy Birds in Your Backyard and Beyond

by Erickson, Laura

• ISBN13: 9781603424523
• ISBN10: 1603424520
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-11-04
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC

Summary

There are more than 76 million birdwatchers in America -- from casual backyard observers to seasoned birders. At some point, every birdwatcher has a question not answered in traditional field guides. How many feathers does a bird have? Do birds sleep while in flight? When such questions arise, birders turn to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the world's leading authority on birds and an information clearinghouse for bird-watchers of all levels. Now, the lab's most often-asked questions about bird behavior are answered in a concise, friendly volume, The Bird Watching Answer Book, by the Cornell Lab's science editor Laura Erickson. This handy little reference answers reallife questions that have been sent to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology by birdrs of all levels from across North America. Erickson's expert answers give readers the companionship of a professional ornithologist as they observe their avian companions. The book's tone is friendly and accessible, even as the answers demonstrate a tremendous depth and breadth of knowledge. Many questions help birders keep their feathered friends safe and healthy -- from the baby bird found lying on the sidewalk, to the flocks whose migration patterns can be disrupted by human activity. Some questions address bird quirks and curiosities, while others get to the truth about common myths, like whether throwing rice at weddings is harmfuyl to birds, or whether albatrosses can actually stay airborne for two years. For every question, Erickson provides an answer that is practical, engaging, entertaining, and astute.

Author Biography

Laura Erickson is the author of The Love Lives of Birds and The Bird Watching Answer Book, and is coauthor of Into the Nest. A recipient of the American Birding Association’s prestigious Roger Tory Peterson award, she has served as science editor at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, an editor of Bird Scope magazine, and a columnist and contributing editor for Birdwatching magazine. She produces For the Birds, a long-running public radio program and podcast, and lives in Duluth, Minnesota. 

Table of Contents

Part One     For the Birds: Feeding, Watching, and Protecting Our Feathered Friends
1. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? The Art of Bird Feeding
2. Birding for Fun and Science: The Sport of Bird-Watching
3. Living with Our Feathered Friends: Solving Bird Problems
4. Looking to the Future: Protecting Bird Populations

Part Two     Bird Brains: Avian Behavior and Intelligence
5. Actions Speak Louder in Birds: Bird Behavior
6. Singin' in the Rain: Bird Vocalizations
7. Do You Know the Way to San Jose? Bird Migration
8. The Birds and the Bees: How Birds Reproduce

Part Three     All About Birds, Inside and Out
9. The Inside Story: How Birds Work
10. Of Eagle Eyes and Ultrasound: How Birds Perceive the World
11. On Angels' Wings: Fascinating Feathers
12. Those Magnificent Flying Machines: How Birds Fly