A vivid, in-depth look at why birds behave as they do
Birds are intelligent, sociable creatures that exhibit a wide array of behaviors--from mobbing and mimicking to mating and joint nesting. Why do they behave as they do? Factoring in sound and flock interactions, as well as seasons and habitat, Understanding Bird Behavior decodes the remarkable actions of birds, using examples from species around the world.
Richly illustrated, this book opens by showing us how birds find food, relying on foraging techniques, tools, and thievery. We learn about the courtship rituals through which birds choose, compete for, woo, and win mates; the familial conflicts that crop up among parents, offspring, and siblings; and the stresses and strains of nesting, including territory defense, nepotism, and relationship sabotage. We discover how birds respond to threats and danger--through such unique practices as murmurations, specific alarm calls, distraction displays, and antipredator nest design. We also read about how birds adapt certain habits--preening, migration, breeding, and huddling--based on climate and climate change.
Investigating avian tactics both familiar and unusual, Understanding Bird Behavior offers a fascinating, close-up look at the many ways birds conduct themselves in the wild.
A comprehensive overview of bird behavior
150 detailed color illustrations and photographs
An in-depth look at food gathering, courtship and mating, family organization, danger avoidance tactics, and climate-driven behavior
A list for further reading is provided
Автор: Tong Wenfei Название: Bird Love: The Family Life of Birds ISBN: 069118884X ISBN-13(EAN): 9780691188843 Издательство: Wiley Рейтинг: Цена: 3960.00 р. Наличие на складе: Есть у поставщика Поставка под заказ.
Описание:
A stunningly illustrated look at the mating and parenting lives of the world's birds
Bird Love looks at the extraordinary range of mating systems in the avian world, exploring all the stages from courtship and nest-building to protecting eggs and raising chicks. It delves into the reasons why some species, such as the wattled jacana, rely on males to do all the childcare, while others, such as cuckoos and honeyguides, dump their eggs in the nests of others to raise. For some birds, reciprocal promiscuity pays off: both male and female dunnocks will rear the most chicks by mating with as many partners as possible. For others, long-term monogamy is the only way to ensure their offspring survive.
The book explores the wide variety of ways birds make sure they find a mate in the first place, including how many male birds employ elaborate tactics to show how sexy they are. Gathering in leks to display to females, they dance, pose, or parade to sell their suitability as a mate. Other birds attract a partner with their building skills: female bowerbirds rate brains above beauty, so males construct elaborate bowers with twig avenues and cleared courtyards to impress them.
Looking at the differing levels of parenting skills across species around the world, we see why a tenth of bird species, including the fairy-wrens of Australia, have helpers at the nest who forgo their own reproduction to assist the breeding pair; how brood parasites and their hosts have engaged in evolutionary arms races; and how monogamous pairs share--or relinquish--their responsibilities.
Illustrated throughout with beautiful photographs, Bird Love is a celebration of the global diversity of avian reproductive strategies.
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