Chris Merkord

What did we know about birds a thousand years ago, and how has our understanding developed? ‘A History of Ornithology’ offers a complete history of birdwatching in Britain, a classic for every nature lover's bookshelf. Today there is a huge interest in birdwatching as a hobby, and over the years amateur birdwatchers have contributed enormously to our understanding of the birds around us. At the same time, ornithology has developed as a science – in the field, in the laboratory, and in the universities – and birds have played their part in pushing forward the frontiers of biological knowledge. Peter Bircham looks at the history of British ornithology, spanning a millennium and exploring along the way the first bird book, the earliest British lists, various notable scientists, collectors and artists, the first studies of migration, and the challenges presented by classification. He traces the development of the British Ornithologists' Union and other organisations, and finishes with a review of the current state of ornithology in Britain. ‘A History of Ornithology’ is an authoritative and engrossing account, packed full of fascinating stories – not only about the birds but also about the many colourful characters who have studied them through the ages. This beautifully illustrated book will hold great appeal both for the student of ornithology and for the enthusiastic amateur naturalist.

In an attempt to standardize elements of the station routine, the book describes the procedures used in passerine and wader ringing stations. It offers a comparative analysis of versatile evaluation techniques such as measurements, orientation experiments and monitoring. The authors meticulously analyze different methods used to track birds, including catching passerines with mist-nets in land and wetland habitat, as well as the use of the Heligoland trap. The monograph, as a successful bid to establish a bird station routine that is favourable to both birds and ringers, will benefit all professional and amateur ringers.

Living on the Neuse River in Raleigh, NC affords him the opportunity to photograph many species of birds. Unlike his previous books, including A Guided Tour of Avian Anatomy (2014), this book is not directed primarily toward veterinary students. A Guided Tour of Birds and Their Anatomy is directed toward a more “general public.” There are hundreds of “bird books,” but what sets this book apart is its emphasis on anatomy. It is written from the perspective of a veterinary anatomist. Some of the questions answered in this book include: Do some birds hibernate? Why do some birds migrate? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Which came first, the feather or the bird? Did feathers evolve for flight? What is that “white blob” attached to the egg yolk? Do birds have a cleft palate? How do owls fly so quietly? Do some birds have rocks in their stomach? How can birds breathe without a diaphragm? Can some birds drink seawater? How can birds sing without vocal cords? Why can’t birds lay more than one egg a day? Just why did the chicken cross the road? The 2015 edition consists of 180 pages, and contains some 348 photographs and illustrations. The book is perfect bound and is printed on high quality paper.

A Guided Tour of Avian Anatomy includes introductory chapters on the comparative anatomy of birds and on the evolution of birds, as we currently understand it. Other chapter topics include: Integument; Terminology, Osteology, and Arthrology; Myology; Digestive System; Respiratory System; Urogenital System; and Nervous System. An attempt has been made to emphasize applied anatomy as it relates to physiology, pathology, radiology, medicine, and surgery. The 2014 edition consists of 150 pages, and contains some 249 photographs and illustrations. The book is perfect bound and is printed on high quality paper.

Enduringly popular, Puffins are perhaps our most iconic species of bird, and are the most immediately identifiable of seabirds with their decorative bills and clown-like gait. Yet when they take to the air they wheel and turn with great agility and underwater these stocky little birds use short specially adapted wings to propel themselves through the water in pursuit of small fish. Surprisingly little was known about Puffin ecology until recently thanks to their preferred breeding habitat being underground on remote islands or hard-to-reach coastlines. Now Euan Dunn discloses all we have learnt about them as a result of technological advances, and provides a revealing account of their life cycle, behaviour and breeding, what they eat, how they interact in their busy colonies, and where they migrate to in winter. Euan also exposes the mounting threats Puffins face and offers advice on the best places to see them.

The Spit is a long, narrow peninsula between the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon in Lithuania, 100 km long and only 0,4 to 3,5 km wide. It is one of the best migrant bird high-ways in Northern Europe but due to Soviet occupation until 1991 it is poorly known abroad. This is the first English language birding guide to this area, and fills a gap by providing valuable information on numbers of migrants, breeding species, abundance and migration times of the birds met on the Spit. It is not only a book of records, but serves as a birder's or nature lover's guide to the Spit as well, containing many photographs taken in the area. Also included are a number of maps to help find locations of valuable bird areas or places from which to observe migrating birds. Suggestions are given for the best birding excursions for each season, with statistics against which birders may compare and evaluate their own records. A full list of bird species recorded up to the year 2011 with information about their appearance and status, numbers, and top migrations is included. The book also reminds its readers of the importance of protecting this unique coastal area, which recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This is the 31st annual report of the Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS), produced in conjunction with an online report at www.bto.org/webs-reporting. WeBS is the principal scheme for monitoring the populations of the UK’s wintering waterbirds, providing an important indicator of the status of waterbird populations and the health of wetlands.

This book describes 296 species birds from Dalinuoer National Nature Reserve, located in Inner Mongolia, Northern China. 达里诺尔野鸟》是一本由内蒙古达里诺尔国家级自然保护区组织编写、内蒙古大学教授邢莲莲老师主编的鸟类学专著，集结了保护区本地调查及多年研究成果，全面记述了保护区的自然环境以及鸟类多样性，为今后开展更深层次的研究和保护工作打下了很好的基础，对其他保护区的工作也具有重要的参考价值。

In The Eagle’s Way, renowned nature writer Jim Crumley uses his many years of observing golden eagles and his fascination for their evolving interaction with sea eagles to paint an intimate portrait of these spectacular birds. Featuring breathtaking new photographs by Laurie Campbell. Eagles, more than any other bird, spark our imaginations. These magnificent creatures encapsulate the majesty and wildness of nature. But change is afoot for the eagles of Scotland: the golden eagles are now sharing the skies with sea eagles after a successful reintroduction programme. Combining passion, beautifully descriptive prose and the writer’s twenty-five years of living, breathing and writing the landscape, The Eagle’s Way explores the controversies surrounding these birds. What now for the eagles? And how will they transform our skies?

Plus de 650 espèces d’oiseaux observées en France sont ici présentées en 1 500 photographies. Nicheurs, hivernants, migrateurs communs, espèces rares, exceptionnelles et potentielles sont précisément décrits. Des informations sur la voix, l’habitat et la distribution hexagonale permettent d’affiner la reconnaissance. Les principaux risques de confusion sont également notifiés. Cette approche complète permet aux ornithologues amateurs et confirmés de se concentrer sur les points essentiels pour l’identification de chaque espèce d’oiseau susceptible d’être rencontrée en France. La qualité remarquable des photos et leur caractère souvent inédit enrichissent cet exceptionnel guide de terrain, le plus complet à ce jour. - Plus de 650 espèces décrites. - Un système de pointage efficace pour repérer immédiatement les critères d’identification essentiels. - Le premier guide tout en photos présentant la totalité des espèces d’oiseaux vues en France. - Des photos prises sur le terrain, loin du nid pour éviter les dérangements.

The first guide covering exclusively the birds of this area. All species are illustrated, including recently established exotics. Completely new and updated texts and maps. New features of the updated second edition Revised status, distribution and population data for all species, incorporating the most up-to-date information. A large amount of the data is taken from two important ICO projects (Atles dels ocells de Catalunya a l'Hivern 2006-2009 and the online wildlife database Ornitho.cat) New maps for 100 species that show significant changes. Includes 39 new illustrations of 19 species which were not previously fully covered (barn Swallow, larks, immature gulls), as well as 8 new species which, due to the number of observations made in recent years, are no longer considered exceptional (Lesser Spotted Eagle, Caspian Gull and some introduced exotics) Updated nomenclature for all species, based on the latest recommended taxonomy.

La Région Pays de la Loire, par sa situation privilégiée aux frontières du Massif armoricain, du Bassin parisien et du Bassin aquitain, traversée par la Loire, possède un patrimoine naturel d’une grande richesse et d’une exceptionnelle diversité. Ainsi, avec 201 espèces d’oiseaux nicheurs, elle abrite plus de la moitié de l’avifaune qui se reproduit sur le territoire national. Cet ouvrage de référence est l’aboutissement d’un remarquable travail collectif animé par la Coordination régionale LPO Pays de la Loire, fédérant un grand nombre d’associations ornithologiques. Il est le fruit de six années de prospection intensive. L’ouvrage regroupe 201 monographies, rédigées par 92 auteurs, qui permettent d’avoir aujourd’hui un bilan précis et actualisé de l’état de l’avifaune nicheuse régionale. Véritable mine d’informations sur la répartition des espèces, leur évolution, les menaces qui pèsent sur elles et les mesures de conservation à mettre en œuvre, cette compilation inédite permettra à chacun de mieux connaître l’avifaune régionale et de mieux agir pour sa protection. En effet, le constat est alarmant : sur les 201 espèces nicheuses en Pays de la Loire, près d’un tiers (57 espèces, soit 32 %) sont menacées de disparition. Notamment des espèces jugées autrefois communes, telles que le Moineau friquet, la Linotte mélodieuse ou encore le Bouvreuil pivoine. Ce livre suscitera également à coup sûr de nouvelles vocations d’ornithologues de terrain, maillons indispensables de la connaissance.

Greifvögel faszinieren den Menschen von jeher - vor allem durch ihren eindrucksvollen Flug! Dieses großartige Handbuch mit rund 800 ausgewählten Fotos und naturgetreuen Zeichnungen beschreibt ausführlich Biologie, Verhaltensweisen, Anpassungen, Lebensraum-Ansprüche und Schutzbemühungen. Alle 45 in der Westpaläarktis als Brutvögel vorkommende Greifvögel werden mit aktuellen Bestandszahlen auf bis zu zwölf Seiten pro Art vorgestellt.

This Atlas provides a comprehensive inventory and distributional analysis of the birds of NSW, the ACT and the waters of the western Tasman Sea. The New South Wales Bird Atlassers Inc. (NSWBA) was formed in late 1981 and its principal aims are to determine the distribution of birds in NSW, monitor their status on a continuing basis and promote better public awareness and understanding of birds. In an exceptional and entirely voluntary expression of concern for the welfare of birds of NSW and the ACT, a great many people willingly and enthusiastically participated in this project, gathering the essential data of many millions of records. This publication is the first of three volumes. Volume 1 presents information on the 183 species resident and migrant birds from the Emu to the Plains-wanderer. Later volumes will cover all remaining species. Details for each bird include current distribution, breeding distribution, seasonal and historical range changes and current status. The findings presented are a baseline against which future changes and the effectiveness of conservation measures can be evaluated and they confirm the need to continue the work of the NSWBA.

Identify bird calls with this handy guide and CD, which together feature 500 distinctive southern African species. The CD gives the best-known song or call of each species; the book provides clear and accessible text, with a brief account for each species, including a description of the song, associated behaviour, similar-sounding species, the bird’s favoured habitat type, and a distribution map. The introduction describes interesting aspects of bird vocalisations, the differences between true songbirds and non-songbirds and why calls often change with the seasons and time of day.

Birds: ID Insights is ideal for birders of all levels. Its unique layout, comparing the plumages of similar pairs and groups of species, makes it perfect for identifying the more difficult birds found in Britain and other parts of north-west Europe. It has more images showing how to age birds than any comparable guide, and its handy compact size makes it practical for taking out into the field. The book is based on a long-running series of identification features in Bird Watching magazine. Author Dominic Couzens and artist David Nurney have spent years compiling the field notes and artworks for this series, and here their efforts are drawn together and made complete in a single volume that is easy to carry in the field and practical for birders to use. In addition they have expanded the species list from the magazine series and added many new birds, including the likes of Subalpine Warbler, Short-toed Lark, and Red-rumped Swallow. in total, the book covers more than 230 species, with easy-to-identify species such as Magpie and Kingfisher given minimal coverage so that the more difficult ID issues can be covered as fully as possible.

“. . . includes some stunning images of Mexican and less-well-known Texas species . . . the authors have provided a unique and elegant publication that is truly an important contribution to Texas ornithology.” —Great Plains Research “Everyone interested in Texas birds must have the Handbook of Texas Birds, a marvelous book. It is full of up-to-date information about Texas birds that cannot be found in one place anywhere else. [The annotations] are full of good information that anyone interested in birds will sooner or later refer to when trying to better understand their own yard’s birds or species seen in various other locations throughout the state.”—Victoria Advocate “The useful and attractive guide includes 140 color photos and more than 600 maps detailing where each species can be found in Texas.”—Abilene Reporter-News “. . . an attractive handbook that birders, both serious and casual, will find valuable when visiting this state with its very diverse avifauna. . . Given the increasing popularity of birding as a pastime for young and old, this book should be in the natural history section of most public libraries and colleges.”—Choice MARK W. LOCKWOOD, based in Alpine, is a conservation biologist in the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. He is the recipient of the prestigious Ludlow Griscom Award from the American Birding Association and coauthor (with William P. Johnson) of Texas Waterfowl. BRUSH FREEMAN, past vice president of the Texas Ornithological Society and former member of the Texas Bird Records Committee, is also a founding committee member of the Great Texas Birding Classic. He lives near Austin.

Bondrée, élanion, milan, pygargue, vautour, gypaète, circaète, busard, autour, épervier, buse, aigle, balbuzard, faucon… Ce guide de référence, régulièrement mis à jour, décrit 49 espèces communes de rapaces. Leurs principales caractéristiques sont décrites de manière générale : classification, statut évolution des populations, migrations, habitats, voix, reproduction, régime alimentaire, technique de chasse. Accompagné de cartes de répartition d’une grande précision et d’un tableau d’abondance par pays, l’ouvrage détaille ensuite les caractères originaux des rapaces, espèce par espèce. Les nombreux dessins et silhouettes des individus jeunes et adultes, en vol et posés, permettent une reconnaissance efficace de chaque espèce. > 1140 photos et illustrations couleurs pour faciliter l’identification. > Des cartes de répartition et des tableaux d’abondance.

Le premier guide pratique pour collecter et identifier toutes les plumes de nos régions. Un texte très accessible et une présentation claire. Une centaine de photos et plus de 120 schémas. 16 planches synthétiques qui regroupent les plumes par familles d’oiseaux, pour faciliter l’identification jusqu’à l’espèce quand c’est possible.

Vincenzo Penteriani and María del Mar Delgado are both researchers working in animal ecology and behaviour. At present, Vincenzo is a permanent researcher at the Estación Biológica de Doñana, a research centre of the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) and María del Mar is a researcher in the Metapopulation Research Group at the University of Helsinki (Finland). They started their research on eagle owls in the '80s. To date, they have worked on this species in several European countries including Italy, France, Spain and Finland. Their eagle owl research projects are regularly funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, the Excellence Projects of the Junta de Andalusia, the Finnish Academy, as well as several National and Regional Parks in Italy and France.

For the first time ever, the birdlife of Clackmannanshire has been systematically recorded to produce an ornithological atlas for the County. The Birds of Clackmannanshire, published by the Central Scotland Branch of the SOC, is the culmination of several years of dedicated fieldwork by numerous volunteers mapping the breeding and wintering distribution of the ‘Wee County’s’ diverse birdlife. The 236-page landmark book should prove an essential reference tool for council planners and environment bodies; with species mapped at the relatively fine scale of a kilometre square, the results will allow for the precise targeting of conservation action and will act as a baseline for monitoring future changes in bird populations locally. Edited by Neil Bielby, Keith Broomfield and John Grainger, the authors hope the book will inspire and encourage readers to take a greater interest in the county’s birds, most usefully by becoming involved in recording and conservation efforts locally.

Guía de identificación dedicada a las aves del Principado de Asturias, describe e ilustra las 283 especies de presencia regular en el territorio de la comunidad autónoma, tanto residentes como migrantes en paso, estivales reproductoras e invernantes. Las descripciones son claras, concisas y centradas en los caracteres morfológicos, de plumaje (con variaciones geográficas —subespecies—, estacionales, por edad y por sexo) y de conducta que permiten reconocer cada especie y diferenciarla de otras similares; las más parecidas entre sí aparecen en la misma página o en páginas enfrentadas para facilitar la comparación. Casi 750 ilustraciones de gran calidad representan todas las especies tratadas, por lo general en los plumajes de adulto y juvenil, el primero con sus variaciones sexuales y/o estacionales, y en la actitud (posadas o en vuelo) en la que es más frecuente observarlas. Las fichas de especies aportan información actualizada sobre el estatus, la abundancia y la distribución de cada una, reflejada en un mapa, así como sobre sus preferencias de hábitat. Los capítulos introductorios ofrecen una visión de conjunto de la geografía física del territorio, su biodiversidad, los hábitat de interés para las aves, las características de la avifauna de Asturias, los espacios naturales y las especies de aves protegidos en la región y una guía práctica de 16 lugares de interés ornitológico. Dos apéndices relacionan 112 especies y 10 subespecies ocasionales y accidentales, y otras 3 especies desaparecidas.

The Atlas of the birds of Moscow City was published in 2014. The main body of the atlas consists of the distribution maps for each of the 226 species found in Moscow during 2006–2011. These are accompanied by brief species accounts in both Russian and English. The texts should add, not duplicate the information contained in the maps. The map pages contain one larger and two smaller maps. The first of the three maps presents information on the distribution and abundance of the species during the breeding season, colours are used to indicate the level of evidence for breeding. Abundance of breeding pairs is indicated by varying diameters of the black dots inside the tetrads. The upper of the two smaller maps shows the tetrads (marked in blue) in which the species was found at least once during the winter period. The lower map shows the maximum estimates of the number of individuals of a species recorded in a tetrad during the year, regardless of the season. Project participants who had purposefully investigated the city squares and presented their reports for publication: V.P. Avdeev, A.S. Alimova, A.D. Bakumova, Yu.Yu. Blokhin, Yu.A. Buyvolov, O.I. Burtseva, E.Yu. Chekulaeva, M.M. Deev, D.V. Dmitriev, S.L. Eliseev, G.S. Eryomkin, A.S. Gavrikov, M.S. Gavrikova, I.V. Ganitsky, V.I. Grishin, G. Groot Koerkamp, A.P. Ivanov, N.G. Kadetov, A.A. Kadetova, M.V. Kalyakin, N.M. Kalyakina, Yu.N. Kasatkina, N.Yu. Khvoshchevskaya, K.I. Kovalyov, V.V. Kontorshchikov, V.A. Kopotiy, N.V. Kudryavtsev, I.V. Kuzikov, D.Zh. Kulenov, L.R. Kulenova, G.M. Kumanin, G.A. Kuranova, I.A. Lipilina, L.M. Lomonosova, K.A. Lyubimova, L.A. Madrid Khimenes, E.D. Milovidova, M.L. Milyutina, A.A. Morkovin, A.E. Nikiforov, D.M. Ochagov, I.M. Panfilova, E.L. Pevnitskaya, O.A. Pershin, P.G. Polezhankina, E.S. Preobrazhenskaya, Ya.A. Red`kin, A.G. Rezanov, G.A. Rezanov, V.S. Rudovsky, A.V. Sazonov, S.A. Skachkov, I.S. Smetanin, A.V. Tikhomirova, O.O. Tolstenkov, M.S. Shamin, E.V. Shevchenko, V.S. Shlyakhovaya, R.F. Shtaryov, E.S. Shchors, E.M. Valyaeva, A.E. Varlamov, G.M. Vinogradov, V.A. Vishnevsky, O.V. Voltzit, P.M. Voltzit, V.A. Zubakin.

Title in Russian: Орнитология / Ornitologija Volume 39 published in 2015. Published by KMK Scientific Press, on behalf of ?