Nature : Birds & Birdwatching

A current and authoritative guide, Methods in Avian Embryology presents a combination of classical embryological techniques and modern molecular biological approaches to studying the developing avian embryo. The only one of its kind, this book is specifically devoted to providing a detailed approach to studying avian embryos. It also describes how to use this system to study problems in cell, developmental, and neurobiology. The protocols emphasize microsurgery, histology, and cellular and molecular marking, which are not covered in the usual molecular biology methods manuals. The methods include: embryonic transplantations, cell culture and organ culture, in situ hybridization, classical histological techniques, and retrovirally mediated gene transfer. more...

Price: $150.00

In Mind of the Raven, Bernd Heinrich, award - winning naturalist, finds himself dreaming of ravens and decides he must get to the truth about this animal reputed to be so intelligent. Much like a sleuth, Heinrich involves us in his quest, letting one clue lead to the next. But as animals can only be spied on by getting quite close Heinrich adopts ravens, thereby becoming a ''raven father,'' as well as observing them in their natural habitat, studying their daily routines, and in the process painting a vivid picture of the world as lived by the ravens. At the heart of this book are Heinrich's love and respect for these complex and engaging creatures, and through his keen observation andanalysis, we become their intimates too. Throughout history there has existed an extraordinary relationship between humans and ravens. Ravens, like early humans, are scavengers on the kills of great carnivores. As scavengers, ravens were associated with hunters they found in the north: wolves and, later, men. The trinity of wolf, man, and raven in the hunt is an extremely ancient one. In considering the appeal of the raven, Bernd Heinrich suspects that a meeting of the minds might reside in that hunting trinity. Heinrich's passion for ravens has led him around the world in his research. Mind of the Raven takes you on an exotic journey--from New England to Germany, Montana to Baffin Island in the high Arctic--offering dazzling accounts of how science works in the field, filtered through the eyes of a passionate observer of nature. Heinrich has a true gift; through his stories, his beautiful writing, illustrations, and photography, the ravens come alive. Each new discovery and insight into their behavior is thrilling to read. just as the title promises, the reader is given a rare glimpse into the mind of these wonderful creatures. Following the dictum of Leonardo da Vinci--''It is not enough to believe what you see. YOU Must also understand what you see''--Bernd Heinrich enables us to se more...

Price: $10.95

Although bird flight is as complex as is the variety of the birds using it, the underlying physical principles are the same for anything that flies. In this book author Colin Pennycuick explains his Flight program, and outlines the mechanics of flight as applied to birds and other flying vertebrates. The first half covers the power requirements for flapping flight, and relates the performance limitations of bird, bat and pterosaur wings to their different mechanical structure, and to the characteristics of the sliding-filament muscle engine, which is common to all vertebrates. Each chapter consists of an equation-free text, supplemented by boxes for technical or specialised topics, including the equations used by the program to generate performance curves for flapping and gliding flight of particular species. more...

Price: $79.95

This book meets the demand for a comprehensive introduction to understanding the processes of population limitation. Recognized world-wide as a respected biologist and communicator, Dr. Ian Newton has now written a clear and detailed treatise on local scale population limiting factors in birds. It is based almost entirely on results from field studies, though it is set in a contemporary theoretical framework. The 16 chapters fall under three major section headings: Behavior and Density Regulation; Natural Limiting Factors; and Human Impacts. Population Limitation in Birds serves as a needed resource expanding on Dr. David Lacks research in this area of ornithology in the 1950s. It includes numerous line diagrams and beautiful illustrations by acclaimed wildlife artist Keith Brockie. more...

Price: $95.95

This book is a collection of papers highlighting ways in which Raptors have successfully adapted to man-made landscapes and structures. The coverage of Raptors in Human Landscapes is broad, ranging from the impact of human activity on country-wide scales to the particular conditions associated with urban, cultivated, and industrial landscapes, as well as to the various schemes specifically directed towards the provision of artificial nest sites and platforms. The cases described hail from a wide geographic range including North and South America, Europe, Africa and elsewhere, and from a broad spectrum of species groups such as the falcons, accipiters, eagles, kites, and many others. This is a book of immense value not only to ornithologists and conservation biologists, but also to engineers and managers involved in all kinds of building and environmental work in cities, power and water works, agriculture, and forestry. more...

Price: $89.00