| Description |
1 online resource |
| Series |
RSPB |
|
RSPB
|
| Contents |
Cover; Half-title; Title; Copyright; Contents; Introduction; The power of birds; Birds and qualit y of life; Birds and the arts; Rich in folk history; Birds for food and sport; A hidden world; All about eggs; What is an egg?; Size; Number; Shape; Colour and patterns; Eggs as food; Eggs in research; Feathering the nest; What is a nest?; The shape of a nest; Where to nest?; Building materials; How to make a nest; Nesting associations; Adapting to human neighbours; Defending a territory; What is a territory?; Defend ing a territory; Filling the gaps; Mapping territories; Breeding behaviour |
|
When to breedCourtship displays; Mating systems; Brood parasites; Infanticide; Synchronised hatching; Brood size; Who incubates?; Altricial or precocial?; Nest management; Division of labour; Communal nesting; What is a colony?; The benefits of colonial living; Is it a colony?; Whose baby?; The structure of a colony; Fragile colonies; Flocking; What is a flock?; Why flock?; Synchronised flying -- how do they do it?; Traditional flocking areas; Collective names; Songs and calls; What is song?; The purpose of song; All the world's a stage; Verse and chorus; A season for song?; Night music |
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Song whatever the weatherMechanical sounds; Mimicry; Female song; Sub-song; Communication calls; The study of birdsong; How birds learn to sing; Singing cage birds; Writing down and recording birdsong; The juvenile years; Trials of life; Leaving the nest; Survival and longevity; Average or meanage; Survival factors; Discovering old birds; Age of first breeding; Population regulation; Population regulation; Man-made hazards; The future; Migration; Incredible journeys; What is migration?; Why migrate?; Studying migrants; Direction; Timing; Loop migration; How far to fly; How high to fly |
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Day or night?Flyways across the world; How do birds navigate?; Fuel for the journey; No wings?; Vagrancy; Is it all worth it?; Feeding; Dietary niches; Finding food; When to feed?; What to eat; Techniques for feeding; Tools for the job; Energy requirements; Learning new tricks; Roosting; What is a roost?; When to roost?; Sleep; Where to roost; Who get the best roosts?; Communal roosts; Birds and weather; Weather factors; Weather for migration; Plumage and moult; Beautiful plumage; The value of feathers; What is a feather?; Changing feathers; Preening; Drying; A little powder; Scratching |
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BathingFeather care; Preening; Drying; A little powder; Scratching; Bathing; Flight; Types of flight; How fast can birds fly?; Weight restrictions?; Formation flying; How do they do it?; Largest flying birds; Expert and agile; Starting young; Flying under wat er; Flightlessness; Vision and other senses; Eyes; Good hearing; How do they smell?; Acknowledgements; Index; Image credits |
| Summary |
This lively and attractive new book aims to give readers a broad understanding of 'how birds work' from their physical make-up to courtship and breeding, social activity and their spread and travels |
| Notes |
Includes index |
|
Online resource; title from PDF cover (EBSCO, viewed November 25, 2015) |
| Subject |
Birds -- Ecology -- Europe
|
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Birds -- Ecology -- Great Britain
|
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Birds -- Europe
|
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Birds -- Great Britain
|
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Wildlife: birds & birdwatching.
|
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Educational: Biology.
|
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Birds (ornithology)
|
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NATURE -- Animals -- Birds.
|
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NATURE -- Birdwatching Guides.
|
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SCIENCE -- Life Sciences -- Zoology -- Ornithology.
|
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Birds
|
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Birds -- Ecology
|
|
Europe
|
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Great Britain
|
| Form |
Electronic book
|
| Author |
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
|
| ISBN |
9781472932242 |
|
1472932242 |
|
9781472932235 |
|
1472932234 |
|
