Field Guides

The New Crossley Raptor ID Book: You Want It

gregladen — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 09:42:27 +0000

The New Crossley Raptor ID Book: You Want It

A couple of years back, the The Crossley ID Guide for Eastern Birds came out and it caused a huge splash in the birdwatching world. For some time now it has become apparent that bird watching, especially the identification part of it, was changing in its approach. We describe it this way, though I think the reality is more complex: In the old days we used logical links to known reliable field marks to turn carefully made field observations into species identifications of varying degrees of certainty. Now, a new approach has been developed where we look at the whole bird and get an identification using an overall gestalt, and then to the extent possible verify the identification with tried and true field marks.

Old Style: Carefully drawn images or photos showing keys to identification.

This consideration of methodology would be a great way to get into how humans make observations and draw conclusions … how we think and how we know things, in fact … and would not be done well enough without bringing in semiotics and other areas of philosophy. Some day we’ll do that. In the meantime, just consider the difference between a typical field guide and a guide like Crossley.

Well, now, we have a new book to play with: The Crossley ID Guide: Raptors. This new volume follows the same principle as the original Eastern Birds book, but with some important differences. A very large portion of Raptors is not images, but rather, very information rich species accounts along with pretty darn good range maps. The first half or so of the book consists of the usual Crossley style plates. Here, we have gone back to an old style layout: Text and details in one section of the book and plates in the other. Another important difference is that there are more images per species, for the most part, in Raptors, and in some cases, variants are given their own sets of plates.

Crossley Style: Lots of photos of one species as they appear in real life, in an appropriate context.

Also, there are plates showing many individuals of more than one similar looking species, with the key indicating which image is which species located elsewhere in the book so you can’t cheat by just looking at the caption, and get to learn the differences without leaving the comfort of your birding gazebo, or wherever it is you hang out.

Overall, there is far more information about each species than in the Eastern guide, which is of course exactly what we would expect from a more specialized volume such as this. There is also a handy comparison-of-everything graphic in the front cover with page numbers, a nice map in the back, and the other usual amenities found in most bird books these days.

I used some of these images to construct the quiz I put HERE (the winners of that quiz to be announced soon).

I can not do the images justice with inserts into a small format thing like this blog post, but here are a few examples to give you an idea:

This is not a book review, in that I’m giving you the negatives and positives of a particular book so you can decide if you want it or not. This is, rather, a notice that the book you want is available now.

While we are on the subject of raptors, you will probably want to check out this video of a red tailed hawk trying to get at the eggs or chicks of a bald eagle, but instead, becoming the eagle’s lunch. Caution: It is gruesome.

Enjoy your new bird book!

gregladen Fri, 04/05/2013 - 05:42

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I like that it is a different approach. The Roger Tory Peterson field mark method has worked for me for years, but it does have some limitations in individual birds whose plumages don't fit within the confines of the several pictures on each plate.

However, an approach that emphasizes the gestalt of a species, especially in motion, would be very useful for field observations where birds rarely pose in perfect profile with little arrows pointing at field marks.

I'm looking forward to grabbing up the Raptors edition. Is there a Western Birds edition out yet?

Note: Gestalt...a good alternative to the word birders use. I still can't use the other word without snickering.

That's one angry eagle

There is not a Western bird edition at this time. I'm not sure what plans are in the works, maybe I can find out about that.

I would also like to see some other specialized volumes as well, like waterfowl.

It's fall. Time to start hoarding bird books.

gregladen — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:50:49 +0000

It's fall. Time to start hoarding bird books.

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, many of our birds fly away in the fall. Other, very cool birds from even farther north, depending on where you live then arrive. But just about now, where I live, we are at the tail end of the migration out and not quite at the migration in, so this is a good time to take stock of what is important: Which bird books do you want people to give you for Christmas?

Before I make any suggestions, I would like to point out that Princeton, an emerging and major player in the Bird Book world, has a facebook page that, if you "like," will automatically enter you in a contest to get some signed bird books and stuff. Go here to like that page and you may get a free book. Since I already have all or most of the Princeton books, if I win one I'll give away my old copy (and keep the signed copy they are giving away .... bwahahahaha!!!!)

I've reviewed a couple of dozen bird books on this blog (see this) and I have four or five more in a pile next to me right now up for treatment over the next few days. Quite a few excellent books have come out over the last year or so. Here, I'm going to make a suggestions because this is the time of year you may be thinking of what to get your spouse, child, parent, or friend who seems fascinated with birds. First, you may need to search their car and other key spots to find out which field guides or other books they already own. Then consider these items:

The biggest thing to come along in bird identification is the Crossley ID Guide for Eastern Birds.

The Crossley ID Guide is a unique and special bird book. It is not exactly a pocket field guide, unless you are the Jolly Green Giant and have pockets the size of ... well, a big book. Nor is it a coffee table pretty-picture book, though it does have pretty pictures. The Crossley ID Guide is a large format systematic bird identification resource with a number of unique features ...
(cont)

One of the most fun bird books I've ever owned is the Kaufman Field Guide to Advanced Birding. This is NOT a bird identification guide. It is a guide to the fine details of bird anatomy, behavior, and other stuff that is linked to "birding."

The Kaufman Field Guide to Advanced Birding (Kaufman Field Guides)is one way to bring your birding to the next level. Here, look at this conversation:

"Hey, look at that duck. It looks like a mallard but maybe it's a wood duck."

"I think it might be a wood duck because this time of year I think this might be what wood ducks look like."

"Huh"

How boring. And, inconclusive. Now, try this conversation on for size:

"Hey, look at that duck. It looks like a mallard but maybe it's a wood duck."

"Wood ducks that were hatched this year are going through their first molt right about now. What you see here is the plumage pattern of a first year male duck transforming over into the plumage it will have over the winter."

"Cool!"

"That other duck right next to it that looks totally different? That's also a male wood duck in its first molt but a bit farther along."

"Wow! Really cool!"

What a difference!

(cont)

Along the same lines, the not new but still fantastic Birder's Handbook is a must own. It has been around long enough that you can probably pick it up cheap at a used bookstore somewhere.

There are a number of specialized ID guides out there, on waterfowl, warblers, etc. etc. A recent addition to this list that I've made great use of is How To Identify Hawks at a Distance

Hawks at a Distance: Identification of Migrant Raptors, takes raptor identification to a new level, showing multiple photos of hawks, eagles, kites and their kin of North America as they almost always appear: Way the hell over there!

Amazingly, it actually works to have, in a field guide, pictures of the birds where you can hardly see what you are looking at. I know that seems strange, but if you think about it, it makes sense. Unless you're going to shoot the damn thing and then pull out your Detailed Bird Anatomy Book to check it out feather by feather, you need to know what various species look like when they are .... way the hell over there!

Not new, but one that I always recommend for people to give to their middle shool or high school age kid who shows an interest in birds is The Young Birder's Guide: A Bird Book for the Middle Schooler

And for the person you know who loves birds, and evolution, and has all the bird books already, there is always this academic title: Living Dinosaurs; The evolutionary history of modern birds.

Over the next few days I'll be posting reviews of the following bird-related books:

Weiner, Johathan. The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time. This is not new, but if you've not read it, you must.
Arlott, Norman. Birds of North America and Greenland. Birds of North America and Greenland: (Princeton Illustrated Checklists)
van Perlo, Ber. Birds of Hawaii, New Zealand, and the Central and West Pacific: (Princeton Illustrated Checklists)
Unwin, Mike. The Atlas of Birds: Diversity, Behavior, and Conservation
Goodfellow, Peter. Avian Architecture: How Birds Design, Engineer, and Build

gregladen Mon, 10/24/2011 - 06:50

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This one got me started Raptors of New Mexico. Unfortunately the turkey vulture is still the only one I can identify without fail.

Time to watch for kettles of hawks, migrating from up north. ;-)

I keep seeing the Crossley book in the bookstore, leafing through it, and putting it back down again. It just hasn't sold itself to me yet (unlike Kaufman's book on Advanced Birding--1st and 2nd editions are both worth having, and Hawks at a Distance). Given your review, I'll look at it again with your points in mind.

One particular bird book I like is Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion. What a wealth of knowledge on those small details that help in identifying birds. In addition to the details regarding plumage, it provides details regarding behaviour (active, sluggish, flits wings, sits and stares at undersides of leaves before hopping, etc).

There are no pictures, it is just over 700 pages with the Index, and not a pocket book or field guide--it is meant to be read before going bird-watching. I used it extensively for this last fall migration, making notes on warblers and birds coming in from the arctic (longspurs, pipits, shorebirds). I considered it so valuable I brought it along despite weight limitations imposed on our personal gear by the helicopter pilots--I reduced weight by leaving my old tripod at home and buying a light-weight carbon-fiber tripod so I was still under the weight limit.

Picked up NG's bird guide, 6th edition. Looked at Crossley again. Undecided still, then saw they include the four letter codes for each bird, and that tipped the balance in their favour as I'm always trying to track down those codes either online or on my portable hard drive for birds when I have to work in new regions.

Birdbooker Report 127

grrlscientist — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 09:59:35 +0000

Birdbooker Report 127

tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, animal books, natural history books, ecology books

Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them.

~ Arnold Lobel [1933-1987] author of many popular children's books.

The Birdbooker Report is a special weekly report of a wide variety of science, nature, environment and behavior books and field guides that currently are, or soon will be available for purchase. This report is written by one of my Seattle birding pals and book collector, Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen, and is edited by me and published here for your information and enjoyment. Below the fold is this week's issue of The Birdbooker Report which lists ecology, environment, natural history and bird books that are (or will soon be) available for purchase.

New and Recent Titles:

Fitter, Julian. Bateman Field Guide to the Wildlife of New Zealand. 2010. David Bateman Ltd. Paperback: 276 pages. Price: about $23.00 U.S. (plus shipping). [Amazon: Â£16.14].
SUMMARY: At last a single field guide that covers New Zealand's plants, birds, insects and animals for visitors and New Zealanders interested in this country's natural history. When author Julian Fitter first visited New Zealand he was amazed at the number of field guides to birds, plants, insects, marine life and to specific locations - alpine, forest, seashore. But for the traveller not wanting to cart around a library-shelf of books there was no single volume that described the major and most interesting species covering all NZ's flora and fauna. As author of a natural history field guide to the Galapagos, he set about compiling such a book for New Zealand. The result is a small format, full colour guidebook packed with information on all the species that either are most important, or most obvious to those touring the country covering birds, insects, reptiles, marine mammals, land mammals, trees and shrubs, vines and epiphytes, herbs, ferns, grasses, mosses and lichens as well as a brief survey of New Zealand's varied habitats and fascinating geological history, including major geothermal areas. Over 600 species are described described in detail, with accompanying information on habitat and a full colour photograph and organised in such as way as to make identification as easy as possible.
RECOMMENDATION: A good introduction to the flora and fauna of New Zealand. I wish it had range maps though! Available from Britain as: Field Guide to the Wildlife of New Zealand.
Gill, Brian. Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand (fourth edition). 2010. Te Papa Press. Paperback: 501 pages. Price: about $73.00 U.S. (plus shipping). [Te Papa Tongarewa (Museum of New Zealand): $ 100.00].
SUMMARY: Greatly revised and expanded, the new edition of this highly respected guide is the must-have reference for birds in the New Zealand region -- including Norfolk and Macquarie Islands, and the Ross Dependency, Antarctica. Checklist of the Birds of New Zealand provides details of the nomenclature, taxonomy, classification, status, and distribution (current, historical, and fossil) of every known living and extinct species of New Zealand bird. For the first time, it also includes complete synonymies. More than fifty birds have been added to the new edition, along with thorough bibliographic references, updated maps, a list of MÄori bird names, and a full index.
RECOMMENDATION: A must have for anyone interested in the birds of New Zealand!
Honkala, Juha and Seppo Niiranen. A Birdwatching Guide to South-East Brazil. 2010. Portal Do Bosque. Paperback: 416 pages. Price: about $44.00 U.S. (plus shipping). [NHBS: Â£28.99].
SUMMARY: The site descriptions include information on some 50 excellent birdwatching sites throughout South-East Brazil with accurate directions on how-to-get-there, details of what to see and expect, plus important information on conditions. In addition, the book includes illustrations of 558 species. The species accounts include all the detail necessary for field identification of the 471 species recorded in the Agulhas Negras area, in the heart of South-East Brazil, plus scientific and common names in English and Portuguese, size, voice descriptions, subspecies, habitat, distribution and status in the area. Each species is illustrated with a high quality, full color photograph. Range maps show the birds' distribution in Brazil. A comprehensive species list of South-East Brazil, bibliography and a list of useful addresses and websites completes the volume.
RECOMMENDATION: A useful photographic guide for the region.
Kirwan, Guy, Arturo Kirkconnell and Mike Flieg. A Birdwatchers' Guide to Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and The Caymans. 2010. Prion Ltd. Paperback: 198 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S. [NHBS: Â£16.99].
SUMMARY: This guide covers the Greater Antilles, which comprises five groups of islands and six countries. From Cuba, with about 360 species, to the Cayman Islands with just over 220 species, the Greater Antilles have recorded just over 550 species and this total contains more than 100 single island endemics and many more restricted range species making these islands a very attractive proposition to the visiting birder. The site accounts have details of location, birding strategy, accommodation and, of course, the birds. More than 80 sites are detailed, many with accompanying maps. A full species lists shows exactly what has been seen in each country, and the selective list helps to target the best places to visit. As well as covering the very best birding sites, the authors have also tried to include some locations close to main holiday centers used by birders with families. Also available from Buteo Books (USA).
RECOMMENDATION: A very useful birding guide to the region.

You can read all the Birdbooker Reports in the archives on this site, and Ian now has his own website, The Birdbooker Report, where you can read his synopses about newly published science, nature and animal books. But Ian assures me that he still loves us here, so he'll still share his weekly Birdbooker Reports with us!

grrlscientist Sun, 07/18/2010 - 05:59

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Birdbooker Report 125-126

grrlscientist — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 09:59:07 +0000

Birdbooker Report 125-126

tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, animal books, natural history books, ecology books

Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them.

~ Arnold Lobel [1933-1987] author of many popular children's books.

FEATURED TITLE:

Cartron, Jean-Luc E. (editor). Raptors of New Mexico. 2010. University of New Mexico Press. Hardbound: 710 pages. Price: $50.00 U.S. [Amazon: $33.75].
SUMMARY: No book has ever before specifically focused on the birds of prey of New Mexico. Both Florence Bailey (1928) and J. Stokley Ligon (1961) published volumes on the birds of New Mexico, but their coverage of raptors was somewhat limited. In the ensuing years a great deal of new information has been collected on these mighty hunters' distribution, ecology, and conservation, including in New Mexico. The book begins with a history of the word "raptor." The order of Raptatores, or Raptores, was first used to classify birds of prey in the early nineteenth century, derived from the Latin word raptor, one who seizes by force. The text then includes the writings of thirty-seven contributing authors who relate their observations on these regal species. Raptors of New Mexico will provide readers with a comprehensive treatment of all hawks, eagles, kites, vultures, falcons, and owls breeding or wintering in New Mexico, or simply migrating through the state. This landmark study is also beautifully illustrated with more than six hundred photographs, including the work of more than one hundred photographers, and more than twenty species distribution maps.
RECOMMENDATION: A must have for birders in New Mexico and for anyone with an interest in North American raptors!

New and Recent Titles:

MacDonald D.W. and A.J. Loveridge (editors). Biology and Conservation of Wild Felids. 2010. Oxford University Press. Paperback: 762 pages. Price: $75.00 U.S. [Amazon: $64.87].
SUMMARY: The editors utilize their 50 years of combined experience in professional engagement with the behavior and ecology of wild felids to draw together a unique network of the world's most respected and knowledgeable experts. For the first time, this inter-disciplinary research program is brought together within a single volume. Beginning with a complete account of all 36 felid species, there follow 8 comprehensive review chapters that span all the topics most relevant to felid conservation science, including evolution and systematics, felid form and function, genetic applications, behavioral ecology, management of species that come into conflict with people and control of international trade in felid species, conservation tools/techniques, ex situ management, and felid diseases. 19 detailed case studies then delve deeply into syntheses of the very best species investigations worldwide, written by all the leading figures in the field. These chapters portray the unique attributes of the wild felids, describe their fascinating (and conflicting) relationship with humans, and create an unparalleled platform for future research and conservation measures. A final chapter analyses the requirements of, and inter-disciplinary approaches to, practical conservation with cutting-edge examples of conservation science and action that go far beyond the cat family.
RECOMMENDATION: For those with a technical interest in wild cats.
Scott, Graham. Essential Ornithology. 2010. Oxford University Press. Paperback: 162 pages. Price: $55.00 U.S. [Amazon: $47.84].
SUMMARY: this book provides the reader with a concise but comprehensive introduction to the biology of birds, one of the most widely studied taxonomic groups. The book starts with the controversial question of the dinosaur origins of birds and their subsequent evolution. Development, anatomy, and physiology are then discussed followed by chapters devoted to avian reproduction, migration, ecology, and conservation. Sections dealing with aspects of bird/human relationships and bird conservation give the book an applied context. Drawing extensively upon the wider scientific literature, this engaging text places the results of classical studies of avian biology alongside the most recent scientific breakthroughs. Useful case studies are presented in a concise and engaging style with the student reader foremost in mind. Key points are highlighted and suggestions for guided reading and key references are included throughout.
RECOMMENDATION: A good but basic introduction to ornithology.
Ward, Peter D. The Flooded Earth: Our Future in a World without Ice Caps. 2010. Basic Books. Hardbound: 261 pages. Price: $25.95 U.S. [Amazon: $17.13].
SUMMARY: Sea level rise will happen no matter what we do. Even if we stopped all carbon dioxide emissions today, the seas would rise one meter by 2050 and three meters by 2100. This -- not drought, species extinction, or excessive heat waves -- will be the most catastrophic effect of global warming. And it won't simply redraw our coastlines -- agriculture, electrical and fiber optic systems, and shipping will be changed forever. As icebound regions melt, new sources of oil, gas, minerals, and arable land will be revealed, as will fierce geopolitical battles over who owns the rights to them. In The Flooded Earth, species extinction expert Peter Ward describes in intricate detail what our world will look like in 2050, 2100, 2300, and beyond -- a blueprint for a foreseeable future. Ward also explains what politicians and policymakers around the world should be doing now to head off the worst consequences of an inevitable transformation.
RECOMMENDATION: An interesting, yet depressing overview on sea level rise that will be caused by global warming.
Weber, John W. A Review of Birds of Washington (Wahl et al. 2005) and Supplement to Birds of Southeastern Washington (Weber and Larrison 1977). 2010. Buteo Books. Paperback: 109 pages. Price: $22.00 U.S.
SUMMARY: A review and critique of Birds of Washington: Status and Distribution edited by Terence R. Wahl, Bill Tweit and Steven G. Mlodinow (Corvallis: Oregon State University Press, 2005). Weber places particular importance on specimen records and is critical of Wahl et als uneven citation of the literature on Washington's avifauna. The Supplement to Weber and Larrison's Birds of Southeastern Washington (1977) reports on fieldwork in the Blue Mountains and updates to the species accounts from 1977 to 1984. The valuable discussion of taxonomic issues includes a critique of Bell's 1996 paper on Glaucous-winged and Western Gulls. Included are reprints of five papers by Weber which originally appeared in Continental Birdlife and the Murrelet. Available from Buteo Books.
RECOMMENDATION: Weber corrects errors of his work, among other things, that appeared in Wahl et al. The reprints and the supplement might be useful to birders in southeastern Washington. (The original Birds of Southeastern Washington can be found in the used book market for $15.00+ U.S.)

grrlscientist Sun, 07/11/2010 - 05:59

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Re Peter Ward's THE FLOODED EARTH. I would also recommend UNDER A GREEN SKY by the same author, and, of course, his THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PLANET EARTH.

Birdbooker Report 124

grrlscientist — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 09:59:19 +0000

Birdbooker Report 124

tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, animal books, natural history books, ecology books

Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them.

~ Arnold Lobel [1933-1987] author of many popular children's books.

FEATURED TITLE:

Fallours, Samuel. Tropical Fishes of the East Indies. 2010. Taschen. Hardbound: 224 page folio with 100 page booklet (by Theodore W. Pietsch). Price: $69.99 U.S. [Amazon: $47.24].
SUMMARY: One of the first depictions of marine fauna comes from Samuel Fallours, who was in the service of the Dutch East India Company. On the island of Ambon, one of the Moluccas, he made drawings of fish and other marine organisms of the Indian Ocean and brought them back to Holland in 1712. His drawings belong to a number of sets of similar drawings, depicting hundreds of animals, mostly fish but also crustaceans, insects, a dugong, and even a mermaid. Some of these became the basis for 18th-century publications, among them Louis Renard's Poissons, Ecrevisses et Crabes (1719) and FranÃ§ois Valentijn's "Verhandeling der Ongemeene Visschen van Amboina", a chapter in his Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indien (1724â1726). These beautiful, elaborately detailed and brilliantly colored drawings bear extraordinary witness to the marine fish fauna of the East Indies and can still be interpreted in light of present-day scientific knowledge.From an artistic and historical viewpoint, these drawings are among the finest natural history illustrations ever made. Samuel Fallours apparently born in Rotterdam, began his career as a common soldier in the service of the Dutch East India Company. On 27 April 1703, he sailed from Goeree, the Netherlands, to Batavia where he stayed until at least the close of 1705. By June 1706, he was serving as a soldier in Ambon, assigned to the main guard-house of Castle Victoria. From September 1706 to June 1712, he held the title of Associate Curate (krankbezoeker), a kind of assistant to the clergy, entrusted with consoling the sick of Ambon. He left the Indies for the Netherlands in November 1712. During his sojourn in Ambon (1706-1712), Fallours executed the illustrations.
RECOMMENDATION: Anyone interested in natural history art will want this book!

New and Recent Titles:

McCune, Bruce and Linda Geiser. Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest (Second Edition). 2009. Oregon State University Press. Paperback: 464 pages. Price: $30.00 U.S. [Amazon: $21.90].
SUMMARY: A key component in healthy ecosystems, lichens can be found in almost any natural habitat in the Pacific Northwest. This comprehensive guide to the region's macrolichens is intended for use by beginners as well as specialists: weekend naturalists will be able to identify specimens and recognize the great diversity of lichens, while lichenologists and mycologists will gain greater knowledge of the distribution and abundance of various species. This revised and expanded edition of Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest includes 116 new species and 176 additional illustrations and incorporates an understanding of macrolichens that has advanced tremendously in the past decade. Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest includes keys to 113 genera and 586 species of Oregon and Washington macrolichens -- all the macrolichens known or expected to occur in the two states. The keys also provide reasonable coverage for lichens of Idaho and Montana, inland to the Continental Divide. Color photographs and detailed descriptions are provided for 246 species, emphasizing lichens prevalent in forested ecosystems. The illustrated glossary and introductory material cover the terminology needed to identify macrolichens and provide information on collection and handling. The biology, ecology, and air-quality sensitivity of lichens are discussed; regional air-quality sensitivities are provided for 184 species. Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest will prove invaluable to anyone seeking to identify lichens or to better understand these organisms and their vital role in the natural world.
RECOMMENDATION: Probably the best book on the subject for the region.
Ohdachi, S.D. et al. (editors). The Wild Mammals of Japan. 2010. Shoukadoh Book Sellers. Hardbound: 544 pages. Price: about $61.73 U.S. (plus shipping).
SUMMARY: This book includes accounts for the 170 species of mammals found in Japan. Descriptions for each species include red list status, distribution, fossil record, morphology, dental and mammal formulae, genetics, reproduction, lifespan, diet, habitat, home range, behavior, natural enemies, parasites and a remarks section if needed.. Full color photos and distribution maps are also included. The book can be ordered here.
RECOMMENDATION: For anyone with an interest in Japanese mammals.
Stanford, Craig B. The Last Tortoise: A Tale of Extinction in Our Lifetime. 2010. Belknap/Harvard. Hardbound: 210 pages. Price: $23.95 U.S. [Amazon: $17.24].
SUMMARY: Tortoises may be the first family of higher animals to become extinct in the coming decades. They are losing the survival race because of what distinguishes them, in particular their slow, steady pace of life and reproduction. The Last Tortoise offers an introduction to these remarkable animals and the extraordinary adaptations that have allowed them to successfully populate a diverse range of habitats -- from deserts to islands to tropical forests. The shields that protect their shoulders and ribs have helped them evade predators. They are also safeguarded by their extreme longevity and long period of fertility. Craig Stanford details how human predation has overcome these evolutionary advantages, extinguishing several species and threatening the remaining forty-five. At the center of this beautifully written work is Stanford's own research in the Mascarene and Galapagos Islands, where the plight of giant tortoise populations illustrates the threat faced by all tortoises. He addresses unique survival problems, from genetic issues to the costs and benefits of different reproductive strategies. Though the picture Stanford draws is bleak, he offers reason for hope in the face of seemingly inevitable tragedy. Like many intractable environmental problems, extinction is not manifest destiny. Focusing on tortoise nurseries and breeding facilities, the substitution of proxy species for extinct tortoises, and the introduction of species to new environments, Stanford's work makes a persuasive case for the future of the tortoise in all its rich diversity.
RECOMMENDATION: For those interested in tortoises and/or the current extinction crisis.
Jacobs, Laura. The Bird Catcher: A Novel. 2010. Picador. Paperback: 294 pages. Price: $15.00 U.S. [Amazon: $10.80].
SUMMARY: Margret Snow is the quintessential New York woman. She dresses the windows of Saks Fifth Avenue by day and mingles in the downtown art world by night. Married to Charles, a professor at Columbia, they live on the Upper West Side, where, carefully camouflaged within their hectic Manhattan lives, they share a mutual passion for bird watching. When Margret's life is violently shaked by tragedy, however, she discovers a means to transform her obsession with birds -- and her own unlocked imagination -- into an ambitious, healing work of art. The Bird Catcher is a witty, poignant story about a remarkable woman who is as distinctive as the birds that fill the skies above her.
RECOMMENDATION: An interesting summertime read that's a hybrid between Sex in the City and John James Audubon.

grrlscientist Sun, 06/27/2010 - 05:59

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Birdbooker Report 123

grrlscientist — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 09:59:10 +0000

Birdbooker Report 123

tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, animal books, natural history books, ecology books

Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them.

~ Arnold Lobel [1933-1987] author of many popular children's books.

FEATURED TITLE:

Phillipps, Quentin and Karen Phillipps. Phillipps' Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo. 2009. John Beaufoy Books. Paperback: 368 pages. Price: $34.59 U.S. [Amazon: $30.86].
SUMMARY: Up-to-date and user-friendly field guide to the birds of Borneo, covering Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, and the Indonesian states of Kalimantan. The book gives descriptions of 664 species living or reported on the island, including 51 endemic species. These are superbly illustrated in 141 color plates with more than 2,000 full color bird images, including most of the sexual variants and immature forms of polymorphic species. Each plate is accompanied by species descriptions covering taxonomy, size, call, range, distribution, habits and status. Distribution is shown by detailed thumbnail maps. There are 7 habitat plates, 12 regional maps showing Borneo's top 130 birdwatching sites, fast-find graphic indexes to the birds of Kinabalu, and a full overview of vegetation, climate and ecology.
RECOMMENDATION: Birders to/or from the region will find this book very useful!

New and Recent Titles:

Arlott, Norman. Birds of the West Indies. 2010. Collins UK /Princeton. Paperback: 240 pages. Price: $24.95 U.S. [Amazon: $16.47].
SUMMARY: The West Indies, stretching from Grand Bahama in the north to Grenada in the south, is home to more than 550 bird species. Birds of the West Indies is the complete guide for identifying all of the diverse birds in these island territories. The guide's 80 vivid color plates are accompanied by succinct text focusing on key field-identification characteristics, and distribution maps for all species are conveniently located at the back of the guide for handy reference. Birds of the West Indies is the perfect companion for birders, wildlife enthusiasts, and holiday-seekers interested in this area of the world.
- 80 color plates featuring more than 550 bird species
- Concise text concentrates on field-identification characteristics
- Detailed distribution maps for each species ( in a section separate from the text and plates).
- Easy-to-use and accessible -- the ideal field guide
RECOMMENDATION: For those with an interest in Neotropical birds. The USA version (pictured, top) is due out on 19 August 2010.
Sample, Geoff. Collins Bird Songs & Calls. 2010. Collins UK. Boxed set containing 3 CDs and a 232 page paperback book. Price: $44.95 U.S. [Amazon: $29.67].
SUMMARY: The new Collins Bird Songs and Calls includes re-recorded versions of the original habitat CDs -- ensuring that they are even clearer, but just as atmospheric -- introducing the user to the major bird habitats of Britain and the birds that live in them. The new edition also contains a third CD containing a unique beginner's guide to birdsong in a course of 12 monthly sessions. Covering around 30 of the commonest garden and parkland bird species in the 12 sessions, it also gives an outline of the behavioral context -- when different species sing, why they sing and what is going on in the wider bird community. The group of species featured each month will be chosen for the similarities in their voices and songs; often this will mean birds of the same family. So, for instance, it makes sense to begin with Great Tit and Blue Tit for January -- some of the few birds that can be heard in that month, but also species with songs built around simple repeated patterns. By introducing a group of similar sounding birds each month -- and starting with the easy birds first -- this accessible guide will help you to quickly appreciate the wonderful range of bird voices and to discover just what birdsong is all about. A walk in the park will never be the same again.
RECOMMENDATION: For those wanting to learn British (and European) bird songs and calls.
Warkentin, Ian and Sandy Newton. Birds of Newfoundland: Field Guide. 2009. Boulder Publications. Flexibinding: 237 pages. Price: $34.95 U.S. [Amazon: $34.95].
SUMMARY: The first comprehensive field guide dedicated solely to the birds of Newfoundland. Designed to make identifying birds quick and easy, this new field guide to the birds of Newfoundland gives birdwatchers a one-stop reference to the species most commonly seen on North America's easternmost island. It includes profiles of more than 170 birds, tips on where to look for each species, song, habitat, breeding, and range details, and nesting information. It features 32 full-color plates by Roger Tory Peterson are, with additional images by John A. Crosby and Ralph Jarvis.
RECOMMENDATION: For birders living in or visiting Newfoundland, Canada.
Eiseman, Charley and Noah Charney. Tracks & Sign of Insects and Other Invertebrates: A Guide to North American Species. 2010. Stackpole Books. Paperback: 582 pages. Price: $39.95 U.S. [Amazon: $26.37].
SUMMARY: The first-ever reference to the sign left by insects and other North American invertebrates includes descriptions and almost 1,000 color photos of tracks, egg cases, nests, feeding signs, galls, webs, burrows, and signs of predation. Identification is made to the family level, sometimes to the genus or species. It's an invaluable guide for wildlife professionals, naturalists, students, and insect specialists.
RECOMMENDATION: For anyone interested in North American invertebrates.
Watson-Ferguson, Kami. Guide to Aquatic Insects & Crustaceans: Izaak Walton League of America. 2006. Stackpole Books. Paperback: 74 pages. Price: $8.95 U.S. [Amazon: $8.95].
SUMMARY: From the damselfly to the whirligig beetle, our nation's streams are teeming with critters. This convenient, inexpensive guide allows you to identify any that you find -- whether you're working on your fly tying, researching the local insect life, or just mucking around in the river. Also includes information on the river conservation and management work performed by the Izaak Walton League, making this an especially valuable resource for stream monitors, biologists, and other specialists.
RECOMMENDATION: An introduction to stream macroinvertebrates.
Glick, Thomas F. What about Darwin? All Species of Opinion from Scientists, Sages, Friends, and Enemies Who Met, Read, and Discussed the Naturalist Who Changed the World. 2010. Johns Hopkins University Press. Paperback: 518 pages. Price: $29.95 U.S. [Amazon: $19.77].
SUMMARY: Charles Darwin and his revolutionary ideas inspired pundits the world over to put pen to paper. In this unique dictionary of quotations, Darwin scholar Thomas Glick presents fascinating observations about Darwin and his ideas from such notable figures as P. T. Barnum, Anton Chekhov, Mahatma Gandhi, Carl Jung, Martin Luther King, Mao Tse-tung, Pius IX, Jules Verne, and Virginia Woolf. What was it about Darwin that generated such widespread interest? His Origin of Species changed the world. Naturalists, clerics, politicians, novelists, poets, musicians, economists, and philosophers alike could not help but engage his theory of evolution. Whatever their view of his theory, however, those who met Darwin were unfailingly charmed by his modesty, kindness, honesty, and seriousness of purpose. This diverse collection drawn from essays, letters, novels, short stories, plays, poetry, speeches, and parodies demonstrates how Darwin's ideas permeated all areas of thought. The quotations trace a broad conversation about Darwin across great distances of time and space, revealing his profound influence on the great thinkers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
RECOMMENDATION: For those with an interest in Charles Darwin.

grrlscientist Sun, 06/20/2010 - 05:59

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Birdbooker Report 122

grrlscientist — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 09:59:30 +0000

Birdbooker Report 122

tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, animal books, natural history books, ecology books

Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them.

~ Arnold Lobel [1933-1987] author of many popular children's books.

FEATURED TITLE:

Roper, Timothy J. Badger. 2010. Collins UK. Paperback: 386 pages. Price: $50.00 U.S. [Amazon: $31.50].
SUMMARY: The Eurasian badger (Meles meles) has for many years occupied a unique place in the British consciousness. Despite the fact that most people have never seen one, the badger has become one of Britain's best-loved animals. The number of organisations that use the badger as a logo, the number of websites featuring information about badgers, and the number of voluntary badger protection societies that exist are testament to this popularity. In fact, the attitude of most ordinary people towards badgers is complex and contradictory, involving a combination of familiarity and ignorance, concern and indifference. For an increasing number of people, badgers constitute an important source of interest and pleasure, be it through watching them in their gardens or in the wild, sharing badger-related knowledge and experiences with others via the internet, or defending badgers against threats to their welfare. For others, on the other hand, badgers are a problem species that requires active management. In this highly anticipated new study, Prof Tim Roper explores every aspect of the biology and behavior of these fascinating animals. In doing so, he reveals the complexities of a lifestyle that allows badgers to build communities in an astonishing variety of habitats, ranging from pristine forests to city centers. He also reveals the facts behind the controversy surrounding the badgers' role in transmitting tuberculosis to cattle, shedding new light on an issue that has resulted in one of the most extensive wildlife research programs ever carried out.
RECOMMENDATION: A detailed monograph on the species that will appeal to mammalogists and naturalists.

New and Recent Titles:

Devenish, Christian et al. (editors). Important Bird Areas Americas: Priority sites for Biodiversity conservation. 2010. Birdlife International. Hardbound: 456 pages. Price: $66.00 U.S. [NHBS Price: Â£44.99].
SUMMARY: This directory provides a concise summary of the 2345 Important Bird Areas described to date in the Americas. The inventory represents a participative consensus on the most important sites for bird and biodiversity conservation in the hemisphere, in what is probably the most comprehensive assessment of its kind to be published. Since the beginning of the IBA program in North America in 1995, sites have now been identified in all 57 countries or territories in the region, totaling more than 3,250,000 km². This book is the culmination of national IBA identification processes involving thousands of people in the Caribbean, North, Central and South America, and at least 150 governmental and non-governmental organizations. The directory is at once a high level awareness-raising publication; a decision-making tool for national and hemispheric biodiversity management and planning; and a portfolio of funding opportunities for potential donors.
RECOMMENDATION: A very useful and well illustrated guide to North and South American bird conservation.
Latta, Steven et al. Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. 2006. Princeton University Press. Paperback: 258 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S. [Amazon: $25.55].
SUMMARY: Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti fills a large void in the literature on birdwatching and the environment in these tropical countries. The first comprehensive field guide devoted to Hispaniola's birds, it provides detailed accounts for more than 300 species, including thirty-one endemic species. Included in the species descriptions are details on key field marks, similar species, voice, habitats, geographic distribution on Hispaniola, status, nesting, range, and local names used in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The authors also comment on ecology, behavior, and taxonomic status. The book provides color illustrations and range maps based on the most recent data available. But the authors' intent is to provide more than just a means of identifying birds. The guide also underscores the importance of promoting the conservation of migratory and resident birds, and building support for environmental measures. Information about an Iphone app where all proceeds go to disaster relief. The Spanish version is available through Buteo Books.
RECOMMENDATION: For birders with an interest in neotropical birds.
Ryan, Michael J., Brenda J. Chinnery-Allgeier, and David A. Eberth (editors). New Perspectives on Horned Dinosaurs. 2010. Indiana University Press. Hardbound: 624 pages. Price: $110.00 U.S. [Amazon: $74.25].
SUMMARY: Easily distinguished by the horns and frills on their skulls, ceratopsids were one of the most successful of all dinosaurs. This volume presents a broad range of cutting-edge research on the functional biology, behavior, systematics, paleoecology, and paleogeography of the horned dinosaurs, and includes descriptions of newly identified species. This title includes 310 black-and-white illustrations and a supplemental CD-ROM.
RECOMMENDATION: For those with a technical interest in ceratopsids.
Voss, Julia. Darwin's Pictures: Views of Evolutionary Theory, 1837-1874. 2010. Yale University Press. Hardbound: 340 pages. Price: $45.00 U.S. [Amazon: $32.40].
SUMMARY: In this first-ever examination of Charles Darwin's sketches, drawings, and illustrations, Julia Voss presents the history of evolutionary theory told in pictures. Darwin had a life-long interest in pictorial representations of nature, sketching out his evolutionary theory and related ideas for over forty years. Voss details the pictorial history of Darwin's theory of evolution, starting with his notebook sketches of 1837 and ending with the illustrations in The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals (1872). These images were profoundly significant for Darwin's long-term argument for evolutionary theory; each characterizes a different aspect of his relationship with the visual information and constitutes what can be called an "icon" of evolution. Voss shows how Darwin "thought with his eyes" and how his pictorial representations and the development and popularization of the theory of evolution were vitally interconnected.Voss explores four of Darwin's images in depth, and weaves about them a story on the development and presentation of Darwin's theory, in which she also addresses the history of Victorian illustration, the role of images in science, the technologies of production, and the relationship between specimen, words, and images.
RECOMMENDATION: For those with an interest in the history of evolution.
Jonaitis, Aldona and Aaron Glass. The Totem Pole: An Intercultural History. 2010. University of Washington Press. Hardbound: 331 pages. Price: $50.00 U.S. [Amazon: $31.50].
SUMMARY: The Northwest Coast totem pole captivates the imagination. From the first descriptions of these tall carved monuments, totem poles have become central icons of the Northwest Coast region and symbols of its Native inhabitants. Although many of those who gaze at these carvings assume that they are ancient artifacts, the so-called totem pole is a relatively recent artistic development, one that has become immensely important to Northwest Coast people and has simultaneously gained a common place in popular culture from fashion to the funny pages. The Totem Pole reconstructs the intercultural history of the art form in its myriad manifestations from the eighteenth century to the present. Aldona Jonaitis and Aaron Glass analyze the totem pole's continual transformation since Europeans first arrived on the scene, investigate its various functions in different contexts, and address the significant influence of colonialism on the proliferation and distribution of carved poles. The authors also describe their theories on the development of the art form: its spread from the Northwest Coast to world's fairs and global theme parks; its integration with the history of tourism and its transformation into a signifier of place; the role of governments, museums, and anthropologists in collecting and restoring poles; and the part that these carvings have continuously played in Native struggles for control of their cultures and their lands.
RECOMMENDATION: For anyone interested in Native American art.

grrlscientist Sun, 06/13/2010 - 05:59

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... each ... constitutes what can be called an "icon" of evolution.

They could only be called that with a written license from Jonathan Wells and the attorneys of the Unification Church, thankyouverymuch.

Birdbooker Report 121

grrlscientist — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 09:59:07 +0000

Birdbooker Report 121

tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, animal books, natural history books, ecology books

Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them.

~ Arnold Lobel [1933-1987] author of many popular children's books.

The Birdbooker Report is a special weekly report of a wide variety of science, nature and behavior books that currently are, or soon will be available for purchase. This report is written by one of my Seattle birding pals and book collector, Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen, and is edited by me and published here for your information and enjoyment. Below the fold is this week's issue of The Birdbooker Report which lists ecology, environment, natural history and bird books that are (or will soon be) available for purchase.

FEATURED TITLE:

Wells, Spencer. Pandora's Seed: The Unforeseen Cost of Civilization. 2010. Random House. Hardbound: 230 pages. Price: $26.00 U.S. [Amazon: $17.16].
SUMMARY: Pandora's Seed takes us on a powerful and provocative globe-trotting tour of human history, back to a seminal event roughly ten thousand years ago, when our species made a radical shift in its way of life: We became farmers rather than hunter-gatherers, setting in motion a momentous chain of events that could not have been foreseen at the time. Although this decision to control our own food supply is what propelled us into the modern world, Wells demonstrates -- using the latest genetic and anthropological data -- that such a dramatic shift in lifestyle had a downside that we're only now beginning to recognize. Growing grain crops ultimately made humans more sedentary and unhealthy and made the planet more crowded. The expanding population and the need to apportion limited resources such as water created hierarchies and inequalities. The desire to control -- and no longer cooperate with -- nature altered the concept of religion, making deities fewer and more influential, foreshadowing today's fanaticisms. The proximity of humans and animals bred diseases that metastasized over time. Freedom of movement and choice were replaced by a pressure to work that is the forebear of the anxiety and depression millions feel today. Wells offers a hopeful prescription for altering a life to which we were always ill suited, recommending that we change our priorities and self-destructive appetites before it's too late. A riveting and accessible scientific detective story, Pandora's Seed is an eye-opening book for anyone fascinated by the past and concerned about the future.
RECOMMENDATION: For those interested in human deep history and our future.

New and Recent Titles:

Harman, Oren. The Price of Altruism: George Price and the Search for the Origins of Kindness. 2010. W.W. Norton. Hardbound: 451 pages. Price: $27.95 U.S. [Amazon: $18.45].
SUMMARY: The moving tale of one man's quest to crack the mystery of altruism, an evolutionary enigma that has haunted scientists since Darwin. Survival of the fittest or survival of the nicest? Since the dawn of time man has contemplated the mystery of altruism, but it was Darwin who posed the question most starkly. From the selfless ant to the stinging bee to the man laying down his life for a stranger, evolution has yielded a goodness that in theory should never be. Set against the sweeping tale of 150 years of scientific attempts to explain kindness, The Price of Altruism tells for the first time the moving story of the eccentric American genius George Price (1922-1975), as he strives to answer evolution's greatest riddle. An original and penetrating picture of twentieth century thought, it is also a deeply personal journey. From the heights of the Manhattan Project to the inspired equation that explains altruism to the depths of homelessness and despair, Price's life embodies the paradoxes of Darwin's enigma. His tragic suicide in a squatter's flat, among the vagabonds to whom he gave all his possessions, provides the ultimate contemplation on the possibility of genuine benevolence.
RECOMMENDATION: For those with an interest in human evolutionary biology.
Bicudo, J. Eduardo P.W. et al. Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Birds. 2010. Oxford University Press. Paperback: 317 pages. Price: $65.00 U.S. [Amazon: $56.36].
SUMMARY: This book focuses on our current understanding of the unique physiological characteristics of birds that are of particular interest to ornithologists, but also have a wider biological relevance. An introductory chapter covers the basic avian body plan and their still-enigmatic evolutionary history. The focus then shifts to a consideration of the essential components of that most fundamental of avian attributes: the ability to fly. The emphasis here is on feather evolution and development, flight energetics and aerodynamics, migration, and as a counterpoint, the curious secondary evolution of flightlessness that has occurred in several lineages. This sets the stage for subsequent chapters, which present specific physiological topics within a strongly ecological and environmental framework. These include gas exchange, thermal and osmotic balance, 'classical' life history parameters, feeding and digestive physiology, adaptations to challenging environments, and neural specializations. Throughout the book classical studies are integrated with the latest research findings. Numerous important and intriguing questions await further work, and the book concludes with a discussion of methods (emphasizing cutting-edge technology), approaches, and future research directions.
RECOMMENDATION: For those with a technical interest in avian physiology.
Epps, Susan Allene. Parrots of South Florida. 2007. Pineapple Press. Paperback: 93 pages. Price: $12.95 U.S. [Amazon: $11.01].
SUMMARY: What is that noisy green bird? This full-color guide will help you identify it. Included are Amazons, conures, parakeets, macaws, and other parrots, some of which are rarely seen. You will find detailed information on each bird--its common name, its scientific name, and any other names it may be known by; its size; a description of its colors and markings; and where it can be found. Each bird is illustrated in a painting by renowned bird artist Karl Karalus. Also included is a section on parrots' preferred foods. The index can be used as a checklist so you can keep track of which parrots you have seen.
RECOMMENDATION: For beginning birders in Florida.
Maehr, David S. and Herbert W. Kale II. Florida's Birds: A Field Guide and Reference (second edition). 2005 (2009). Pineapple Press. Flexibinding: 359 pages. Price: $21.95 U.S. [Amazon: $14.93].
SUMMARY: The Second Edition of Florida's Birds by David S. Maehr and Herbert W. Kale II, illustrated by Karl Karalus, is a major event for Florida birders, new and old. Each section of the book is updated, and 30 new species are added. Also added are range maps for certain species and color-coded guides to months when the bird is present and/or breeding in Florida. Now with color throughout, each bird is illustrated three times: with the text about the bird, in the index listing, and on a plate with similar species for help in identification. Thus, Florida's Birds is now an even better field guide. Unlike the other books available on the birds of Florida, Florida's Birds is also a reference that goes beyond its usefulness in the field. Sections on bird study and bird feeding provide practical advice for enjoying Florida's birds; and sections on bird habitats, threatened and endangered species, exotic species, and bird conservation will assist the reader in understanding the ecological and cultural landscapes that have created one of the world's unique avifaunas.
RECOMMENDATION: For beginning and intermediate birders.
Thorbjarnarson, John and Xiaoming Wang. The Chinese Alligator: Ecology, Behavior, Conservation, and Culture. 2010. Johns Hopkins University Press. Hardbound: 265 pages. Price: $85.00 U.S. [Amazon: $76.33 ].
SUMMARY: One of the world's most respected experts on crocodilians, John Thorbjarnarson (1957-2010) was a senior conservation zoologist for the Wildlife Conservation Society during the writing and designing of this book. Dr. Thorbjarnarson was a tireless advocate for conservation, and it was during one of his many conservation--related trips in early 2010 that he contracted a fatal case of malaria. Though more than 10,000 Chinese alligators live in zoos and breeding facilities, just a few hundred still exist in the wild. Much of their natural habitat has been lost to human development, leaving wild Chinese alligators clinging to small areas where the Yangtze River meets the Pacific Ocean. Thorbjarnarson and Wang recount how and why the species declined to the point where it is perhaps the most threatened of all crocodilians, discuss ongoing conservation works, and project what the future is likely to bring for the Chinese alligator. Their scientific synthesis sits in stark contrast to the alligators' unique relationship with Chinese culture, where folklore views it as a water deity related to dragons. Illustrated throughout and featuring the most up-to-date biological information available, this volume is a complete overview of the Chinese alligator, a conservation and cultural icon.
RECOMMENDATION: For anyone with an interest in the crocodilids.
Nothiger, Andreas. World History Chart. 2010. World History Online. Wall Chart and 46 page booklet. Price: $26.00 U.S. [US, Canada: $26.00, overseas $31.50 (includes airmail shipping)].
SUMMARY: This entertaining chart is a most suitable gift for anybody interested in world events and a great opportunity to complement HyperHistory with the best-selling World History Chart. The Wall Chart is folded into the cover of a book with 48 pages of text, including biographical notes for 464 persons. Educational institutions are using the Chart & Book as required textbook reading and many famous people have been using the Chart enthusiastically for many years.The original Chart was created in 1989. It soon became a bestseller with over 38,000 copies being sold worldwide. Re-designed & updated a new edition has been published in 2010.
RECOMMENDATION: A useful reference for teachers, students and the home.

grrlscientist Sun, 06/06/2010 - 05:59

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I love that poem you quote at the beginning... fits me like a glove!

I was wondering if you'd be interesting in participating in an "Oceanic Blog-A-Thon" this Tuesday for World Oceans Day? A bit late I know but I've been swamped so didn't announce it till Friday and then promptly left for a weekend with no internet!

Info here:
http://crazycrishereandthere.blogspot.com/2010/06/coming-soon-world-oce…

cheers!

The World History Chart looks good, but pls note that it complements hyperhistory.com - hyperhistory.net is a fundie 6-day creationist project parasitizing the former site's good name.

Watch a National Geographic Bird Illustrator at Work

grrlscientist — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 03:59:44 +0000

Watch a National Geographic Bird Illustrator at Work

tags: Watch a National Geographic Bird Illustrator at Work, field guides, books, bird art, illustrator, National Geographic, Jonathan Alderfer, streaming video

See harlequin ducks come alive on paper in this time-lapse video featuring National Geographic bird expert and illustrator Jonathan Alderfer.

grrlscientist Mon, 04/19/2010 - 23:59

Beautiful! My one regret in life is that I have absolutely no talent for drawing or painting and I stand in awe of anything like this.

Wonderful! He's a very nice person too.

Introducing a Guide to the Ants of North America

awild — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 10:46:27 +0000

Introducing a Guide to the Ants of North America

No, not really. I'm just kidding. Wouldn't it be great to have an ant field guide, though?

Off and on for the past couple years I've been playing with concepts. A potential format is this (click to download pdf):

The salient features, in my opinion:

Targeted at the general naturalist, so less technical than the excellent Fisher & Cover guide
Organized around genera, as species IDs remain problematic without microscopes
With synopses of the most commonly encountered species
Containing brief chapters on ant ecology, collection, culture, etc

But that's what I'd like in an ant book. The reason I'm posting this little teaser is to learn what you would like in an ant book.

What information should be covered? What do you like and dislike about the sample above? Would you prefer a guide that is more comprehensive and heavy, or more concise and portable? Should we sell it as an iPhone app in addition to, or instead of, a book? What do you think?

[note: Yes, I do know of the other ant guide effort. There is a significant chance that our projects will merge- in which case your feedback here will be useful to an even greater number of people].

awild Sat, 03/27/2010 - 06:46

Tags

I prefer more comprehensive guides as I'm not one to take my books into the field (or even on a plane to leave in the hotel). They stay on the shelf and come out when I'm looking at my photos and/or specimens.

Seems completely reasonable to organize around genera if species can't be determined by the target audience. However, I assume there are at least some easily distinguished species so I'd not make that a hard and fast rule. So maybe following a genus section like the above, include some easily recognized species profiles.

I like the little silhouette of the ant to scale in the upper left. In fact, I like everything and especially the heavy use of images.

Make sure to include a glossary (what's an antennal scrobe?).

Any application should be in addition to the book in my opinion. Available separately, but free/discounted with the book.

I think you've pretty much encapsulated all the main points. One thing that would be really nice (and that might be hard to implement, seeing as how other guides I've seen are all really bad at it), would be some way to organize by region. It is a tremendous distraction for an amateur in, say, the upper Midwest to have to wade through ten guide entries that are only found in the deep south or far west for every one species that might actually be found where he is.

As a birder for many years, range data for species is an invaluable shorthand way to whittle down the possibilities when it comes to fast identification of an animal. A simple map (similar to the genera map) or "Recorded In:" section would be a mighty aid. Whatever the final content, I would definitely be hopping up and down to purchase this.

Cool, I'd love to see something like this.

I'd second all the points above. As a photographer, I'm mainly interested in guides like this to identify animals I've already shot and give me ideas of new ones to look for. I'm also interested in things I can look for in the field, like seasonal behavior, unique anatomy on large-ish scale, predators and prey, things like that rather than fine microscopic details or internal anatomy that's interesting but not really observable.

It'd also be neat if the guide included common ant mimics and farmed aphids, though I really don't know enough about them to judge whether that's practical or not.

I like having a physical book to flip through, but it seems to me that an iPhone app would be perfect for an interactive identification key. An offline app would be better than web-based, for those of us with iPods or poor reception.

Looks very good. I would be more interested in a more comprehensive volume because taking guide books out into the field is not usually an option when you are a general naturalist or photomacrographer.

I would like to see side by side illustrations comparing the main distinguishing features between the different genera (and perhaps the more common species) within a family.

I also like to see all nature related books refer to evolution in some way, so something like phylogenetic trees and a chapter on ant origins and diversification would be a nice touch.

I'm neither a photographer nor a naturalist, nor someone whose day job regularly deals with ants, just some random guy who's had a longtime interest in ants.

One thing I'd like to see is a very quick blurb on each entry how that genus interacts with humanity - crop damage, building damage, pest control, recycling nutrients, etc. It can be very handy for members of the general public to have such a resource when they see a lot of ants around their home and they want to know what, if anything, could or should be done. (In particular I'm thinking of friends who get worried about "infestations" and I need a quick answer to reassure them that they do not (or do!) need to wipe out the colony or risk, say, thousands of dollars in replacing a wall or windowsill.)

Thanks for stopping in, Troy. I *really* appreciate your feedback on insect identification, as I know you've spent a great deal of time grappling with some of these same decisions with bugguide.

Yeah, that's a tough one- some genera (like Camponotus and Tapinoma) are found everywhere, so a guide organized by region would contain a lot of repetition among the sections. Here's where an interactive app would really shine.

What I may do is include a page for each biome that lists the conspicuous or unique elements in each fauna.

Thanks Michael. Clearly, how best to treat the species-level geographic data will take some thinking over.

Yes! An excellent suggestion, Matt. The thing is, the majority of ant species have relatively little interaction with humans, preferring pristine or cryptic habitats. But if including this information in the book leaves the impression that most ants aren't pests, I'm all for it.

Excellent. I was planning on a phylogeny schematic as well as some bits on social evolution. Perhaps a few fossils, too. I've been kind of itching to cover ant evolution properly after the poor treatment of ant evolution elsewhere.

Thanks, Michael. One thing I'm curious about is how much of the market for this guide is photographers. I don't think this book would have been economically viable prior to the advent of affordable digital photography. Cameras suddenly put ants into the realm where most people can see them- at least enough to pick the genera.

That title (with the image below) made my heart skip a beat. A harsh sort of tease, Alex!

Speaking from the Puget Sound, regionality is very important to me, also. Though I don't envy you the task of compiling range maps.

I would spend the first 3/4 of each entry with the beautiful photographs and descriptions. That's the part that will enchant the readers. Sadly, a lot of it is only accessible if you have good magnifying equipment. I'd save the last half page of the entry for a description of the ant as seen by a naked eye observer. The ant depicted life size, a typical nest, are they fast/slow, shiny/dull, aggressive/shy, solitary/seen in groups, what time of day they are most often observed, etc. That will help the kids without a lot of equipment.

In my bird book, the "Most Often Confused With" field is helpful.

Mating times (dates and times of day) would be really nice.

I recommend taking a look at Bernhard Seifert's Die Ameisen Mittel- und Nordeuropas. It combines identification keys, accounts of each genus and many individual species, and a broad general discussion of ant behavior, reproductive strategies, and environmental impact, all in a reasonably compact book. It also has plenty of photos, including some credited to Alex Wild. Hard to make a North American equivalent because of the greater number of species, but still worth looking at. Perhaps separate Eastern and Western North America books would work better.

There is a field guide called On a Trail with Ants for the ants of India. It played a major role in helping me identify ants. I spent quite sometime online looking for identification of ants of Canada, but did not come across any layman-friendly sources. I'd love to have a comprehensive, detailed book over a pocket-guide. I love the layout on this one! Thanks a lot!

Oh, it would be fabulous if each species came with a picture or drawing labeled with its identifying features - parts/colors/shapes/sizes of things that would help one distinguish.

I love your blog, sir. Please keep it coming!

The suggestions are excellent, so I won't add to that. I think there is a strong need for a iPhone-type resource that deals with arthropods generally. It needs to have spectacular images as well as information dealing with ecology, geographic range, human interactions/impacts and labeled spot characteristics that can be used by the novice in identification. A link to similar organisms with labeled spot characteristics that allow the user to differentiate between closely-related, or morphologically similar, organisms would be ideal.

In addition to taking ideas from people who read this blog (and we are really a pretty homogeneous group when all is said and done) the author of such a work could profit from looking at existing arthropod (not so good) and bird (better) apps. The publicly available feedback regarding where these apps fall short is really valuable at the site where you pirchase each app. These first hand accounts regarding what Joe User was hoping to be able to find/expecting and what he actually got are invaluable.

Marketing such an entity could be fairly easy. The work might be best served by having the author write two (or maybe three) versions of the work. The first edition, focusing on common, economically significant and household associated species should be free. The second version, available for less than $10, should be significantly more comprehensive with the same quality detail for each species. The author might even add sounds (if appropriate) similar to Elliott and Hershberger's The Song of Insects, but obviously on a much smaller scale. Schools, 4H and extension folk, gardeners and homeowners who were sufficiently engaged with the free versions may well purchase the pay-for upgrade edition after seeing the utility and quality of the free version. Marketing broadly to all of those groups would be a simple matter since all have newsletters, and sections of the national publications are devoted to freebies. Educators, no matter the level or organization, love freebies... Apple would be the source for both versions, so authors wouldn't have to deal with that.

Anyway, I just answered a different question than the one you originally posed, but it did get me thinking, and I guess that's what the blogosphere is all about!

The suggestions are excellent, so I wonât add to that. I think there is a strong need for a iPhone-type resource that deals with arthropods generally. It needs to have spectacular images as well as information dealing with ecology, geographic range, human interactions/impacts and labeled spot characteristics that can be used by the novice in identification. A link to similar organisms with labeled spot characteristics that allow the user to differentiate between closely-related, or morphologically similar, organisms would be ideal.

Marketing such an entity could be fairly easy. The work might be best served by having the author write two (or maybe three) versions of the work. The first edition, focusing on common, economically significant and household associated species should be free. The second version, available for less than $10, should be significantly more comprehensive with the same quality detail for each species. The author might even add sounds (if appropriate) similar to Elliott and Hershbergerâs The Song of Insects, but obviously on a much smaller scale. Schools, 4H and extension folk, gardeners and homeowners who were sufficiently engaged with the free versions may well purchase the pay-for upgrade edition after seeing the utility and quality of the free version. Marketing broadly to all of those groups would be a simple matter since all have newsletters, and sections of the national publications are devoted to freebies. Educators, no matter the level or organization, love freebiesâ¦ Apple would be the source for both versions, so authors wouldnât have to deal with that.

Anyway, I just answered a different question than the one you originally posed, but it did get me thinking, and I guess thatâs what the blogosphere is all about!

Yes, skip the book and make it a mobile application. Infinitely expandable and easier to update. Use the built-in GPS to identify the region and narrow the range of species displayed. Allow users to upload data to a citizen science project. A continuous source of revenue instead of a single publishing deal.

I've always been keen on field guides which use some line drawings to supplement photographs. In my opinion a good quality illustration can show more subtle features, and when combined with photographs really can aid identification.

This book is aimed a little more towards those with entomological knowledge, but check out the illustration on page 16 of this preview to get an idea of what I mean:

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=DQLb3eYItl8C&printsec=frontcover&dq…

(The ants of northern Australia: a guide to the monsoonal fauna By Alan Neil Andersen)

Just personally I would sway towards it being published as a book, possibly with supplemental electronic field guide. Books will always be my "go to" reference for a quick ID.

I love collecting ants and love cataloguing them as well, but it is really tricky to identify ants with the available resources. This app/book sounds like a great idea. I think a very pertinent feature would be a dichotomous key to the different genera that included illustrations or pictures at each step. This would also be really good for the app. Rather than a written key, I would like to see an interactive key for the ipod. Here's how I imagine it. When you opened the app, you would get a menu with options like search for a species, browse, identify, etc. If you clicked identify, it would launch the interactive key. Then the screen would be split in half. On one side would be a description and picture and on the other side another. Then, you pick the description that matches your ant by clicking it. Once you make your choice, it would automatically jump you to the next choice, until you narrowed it down to genus. At this point, it would take you to the page of that genus in the guide, and you have your ID. Also, on a lesser note, there should be a way to backtrack in case you get to the end and it's not your ant in which case you could go back until you found your mistake. A key like this would be brilliant.

The layout is excellent. The scale silhouette is in particular fantastic (hopefully when printed it could be 1:1) -- I'd like to see it emphasized / more conspicuous -- perhaps simply with a box outline. I also like the nest pictures / descriptions.

As a non-expert, I would find the glossary suggestion above very useful.

Finally, I'll put my vote in for a physical book, whether or not there is also an app version.

I would also like there to be a book first, and an app if possible

Herewith, I offer to be one of those people thanked for meticulously reading and commenting on the entire text, though not all of whose suggestions will have been followed.

Great idea, and I really like the preview.

I would like to echo some of the comments about organization of taxa by region. I primarily use herp, mammal and plant guides when I travel. The Peterson field guide to western reptiles and amphibians (by Stebbins) provides one way to have a sort of regional organization in book form. In Stebbin's guide, the species descriptions are arranged by family and genus. However the range maps are all in the back of the book, and refer to the page number for the species description. So when I go somewhere new, I will flip through the back of the book to easily skim range maps to get an idea of what I might run into. The Conant and Collins eastern US Reptiles and Amphibians field guide is now organized with the range maps associated with the species description, and I find that annoying.

You could have the range maps for the Ant genera all in the back of the book, with references to page numbers.

Since you are looking for amateur photographer input, have you thought of posting this as a topic in the discussion section of some of the big Flickr 'groups' on insects and macro photography?

Mike

Looks great Alex! All the info you could hope to need in a very aesthetically pleasing package! I pretty well agree with almost all of the previous comments, and with input like this it'll become an amazing resource!

I'm not sure whether you hope to make this a profitable project or whether its more for the betterment of society, but may I suggest considering publishing it in the Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification (I can't seem to post a link, but Google finds it quickly)? CJAI is a totally open-access, web-based, peer-reviewed journal where richly illustrated keys, taxon pages, and any other identification aids that you wish to include are highly encouraged. In fact, the project you're proposing is the main reason that CJAI was created (see Vespidae Atlas of Northeastern Nearctic, or Heptageniidae of the World: Key to Genera for examples) and can allow you to make resources as complicated as you may want (interactive database resources where habitat or range can be inputted to narrow down available taxa are being produced as we speak) and without the need to reinvent the wheel. The journal is freely available no matter where the reader is as long as they have an internet connection (including iPhones, Blackberries, and the upcoming iPad) so they can use the resources anywhere they want, from the field to the lab!

I'd encourage you to contact the editorial board (Steve Marshall or Dave Cheung) for more information, or I'd be more than willing to answer any questions you have. Wherever this project ends up I can't wait to see it, and I expect it'll be a fantastic resource! Good luck!

Call me a Luddite, but I like books! Apps are fine for others if that's what they want, but I couldn't imagine trying to identify every organism I encounter out in the field right then and there - time's a wastin'. I'd rather sit in the luxury of my study and take whatever time is needed to compare my specimens/photographs with all available resources in my well-stocked library.

That said, I prefer more comprehensive works - if I'm interested enough in a group to try to identify things to any level at all, I want to be able to go to the most specific ID that current knowledge will allow. Certainly not all ant genera are so problematic that the included species cannot be identified. Not all species need to be photographed, but for those that are not a brief statement of range and key characters would be desirable.

The layout shown in the pdf is awesome!

Of course, all of the above comments are from the perspective of an avowed taxonomist, so I likely represent a minority opinion for the target audience.

Thanks, Ted. I think this will be a recurring issue in crafting the guide. How comprehensive can it be before becoming impenetrable to the lay audience?

Thanks Morgan. Although I'm enjoying Zookeys- it's really a great open-source taxonomy resource- the level of technical depth for that venue will likely be more than I'm looking for in this project.

I envision the target audience for this effort to be someone who watches a NOVA episode on ants and wants to find out about the ants in their own yard. People who don't own a microscope but might have a good macro camera.

Glad to have your input, Mike. I'll have to think about consolidating some of the geographic information. Submitting this idea to Flickr isn't a bad idea either.

I was going to send you a manuscript whether you offered or not, James. There'll certainly be large chunks of this thing where you'll know a great deal more than I.

I've been playing around with interactive keys for the wasp project I'm working on, and one thing I've acquired is a taste for matrix keys rather than dichotomous ones (that is, you select characters that you can see, rather than follow through a bifurcating path). So it's more likely that the key will look like a Lucid or Delta format.

Excellent! You've given me plenty to chew on, Dave. Thanks. I like the payment-level bit. I've seen that for some of the birding apps.

What might induce an acarologist to buy an ant book; or rather, buy a book on ants and not regret buying it? Well, photos yes, but the more natural history the better, and donât limit it to an ecology chapter â put it on the genus/species pages. Ants are most interesting because of (their mites, but for the sake of argument) what they do.

Iâd also like to see the identifications go to species or species groups in the nasty genera. Generic identification isnât really enough for most people any more, especially not for the people who photograph insects (probably a good part of your potential market). Have you seen any of the digital video microscope toys on the market? They arenât that great yet; but technically, an everyperson microscope is almost within reach. Get ahead of the curve.

Iâm not sure that small screen aps are the way to go for ant identification, but I think you should consider matrix-based computer interactive keys. Anyone who has slogged through dichotomous keys knows their problems. Iâve published a half dozen or so Lucid keys â on the web and as CDs â and used them in teaching. Students, even novices, are more likely to get a correct identification with a matrix key. Matrix keys are much more powerful and easy to use â but take at least 10 times as long to write as a traditional dichotomous key. Maybe less for you, because you have many of the pictures on hand. However, for a matrix key to be maximally effective, you need to code every character for every taxon. This is good in a phylogenetic sense â you will get a better understand of ant morphology overall, because you will need to pay attention to characters that have not been used in all groups. There is a 2007 Annual Review of Entomology (52: 193-208) that compares matrix and dichotomous keys. Also, there are some less expensive, more supportive, alternatives to Lucid on the market now. XIDServices has a great key to North American weeds and a variety to regional wildflowers. Their builder is inexpensive and the support good.

If you are committed to a book, then consider a book bundled with a computer disk. Put a traditional key to genera in the book and a matrix key (preferably to species) on the disk. You could use region as a character, or, a la XID, make regional keys to species. You can also put videos showing ant behaviours on the disk and many more pictures than you are likely to be allowed in the book.

Books do seem to get more use than CDs and once you have gone through all the work it is nice to have a book for the shelves, but by itself, the dead-tree format is limiting. The worst thing is that it is fixed in time â once it is printed you are stuck with all the mistakes and cannot update name changes or advances in knowledge, add pictures, or extend the range of your book. Iâm experimenting with a âliving bookâ â a pdf of a work in progress on the web that Iâve update three times now. If you want to check it out google âAlmanac of Alberta Oribatidaâ (NB - only dichotmous keys here because I had to learn a new fauna and write all the keys myself.) Of course, you already have experience in selling pictures on the web, so you could think about being your own publisher using this approach.

Great comments, macromite. I find your first and third paragraphs particularly compelling.

Wow! ...listen to this man, he knows of what he speaks...

These are excellent suggestions, macromite. Thoroughly appreciated.

But, I can't do it.

Not a full species-level Ants of North America, however useful it may be. The fauna still lacks the basic revisionary work, especially for many of our biggest genera (like Myrmica, Aphaenogaster, and Lasius). To do the book properly at that depth is a ten-year project that would require external funding to cover salary and research expenses. And to be honest, I'm not the guy for it. My expertise is South American ants, and there are at least half a dozen folks (including our own James Trager) more knowledgeable about the Nearctic fauna than myself.

That sort of project needs to be a collaborative venture on the part of the myrmecological community, and as you state, it will be best accomplished in an interactive electronic format.

Rather, what I'm thinking about is a product that will almost intentionally disappoint the professional biologists like yourself. I'd like to aim for the hobby naturalists- the birders, the hikers, the people who like to photograph the bugs in their yard. People who watch a NOVA special on ants and decide they'd like to learn about the ants in the yard. The ideal book would be digestable to someone without a biology background, but (hopefully) might give them enough tools to start using antweb and the more technical literature on their own.

As an undergrad Entomology Lab TA, several students in the class already use iPhones for quick ID reference, so an app sounds like a great tie-in. Maybe it could also have links to BugGuide.net or other resources?

I'm so glad to hear more people tending towards matrix keys, interactive keys, and especially keys with accompanying drawings/photos! For some reason, our professor here still prefers to have students start every identification by slogging through pages and pages of impenetrable text-only order- and family-level dichotomous keys -- even for very common, showy insects that appear in any field guide (like a Polyphemus moth!). For an introductory course, all that does is turn students away from field biology, entomology and systematics.

In terms of formatting visual keys for the print edition, I really like the layout of the keys in Stephen Marshall's 736-page 'Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity' (2006). W. Patrick McCafferty's 'Aquatic Entomology' also has similar flow-chart-style keys that are very easy to use.