An exploration of the causes and patterns of avian vagrancy Avian vagrancy—the appearance of birds outside of their expected habitat—is a phenomenon that has fascinated natural historians for centuries, from Victorian collectors willing to spend fortunes on a rare specimen to today’s bird-chasing “twitchers.” Yet despite the obsessions of countless ornithologists, what do we actually know about the enigma of vagrancy? In Vagrancy in Birds, Alexander Lees and James Gilroy explore the causes, patterns, and processes behind the occurrences of these unique birds. Lees and Gilroy draw on recent research to answer fundamental questions: What causes avian vagrancy? Why do some places attract so many vagrant birds? Why are some species more predisposed to long-range vagrancy than others? The authors present readers with everything known about the subject, and bring together different lines of evidence to make the case for vagrancy as a biological phenomenon with important implications for avian ecology and evolution. Filled with a wealth of photographs, Vagrancy in Birds will fascinate avian enthusiasts everywhere.

Easily identify bird species west of the Great Plains with this comprehensive photographic guide. A book for avid bird watchers young and old! These pages feature high-quality photographs and full-pages details of well-known and rare species of Western North American birds, for quick and easy identification in the wild. This informative guide book profiles the extraordinary range of birds found in Western North America. The pages of the book are filled with stunning photographs and artworks of over 367 common bird species and 128 rare species seen west of the Great Plains. This field guide profiles each bird on its own page, highlighting its unique characteristics from the posture of the bird, its coloration to its flight patterns. Inside this vivid field guide, you’ll find: • Species profile features authenticated by the American Museum of Natural History • Crystal clear photos that make birds easy to identify • Full-page profiles, access to bird sound recordings and migration maps Written by expert ornithologists in collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History, you’ll find the most accurate and interesting facts about birds. Explore each species key behaviors such as nesting, feeding, habitat, social groupings, lifespan, and conservation status. Grab Your Field Guide And Binoculars This bird reference book also includes the key characteristics of the sounds that birds make and includes free access to audio recordings of over 150 bird sounds. You will also be able to understand the migratory patterns of the species in the book, with accurate maps that will help you locate different species throughout the year. Complete the Series: Once you’ve mastered Birds of North America - Western Region, learn about these spectacular species in the Eastern and Northern regions found in AMNH Birds of North America and AMNH Birds of North America - Eastern Region.

This definitive field guide is the only guide to use a fully integrated photographic approach to profile the extraordinary range of birds found in eastern North America. The highest-quality photography brings nearly 500 species to life on the page, capturing their beauty and making identification quick and effortless. The 393 species most commonly seen east of the 100th Meridian (in the United States, the region east of the Rocky Mountains) are featured in full-page profiles that emphasize all the information needed to identify them. Diagnostic photographs are silhouetted and clearly annotated, and any plumages, whether female, juvenile, subspecies, and winter or summer, that differ noticeably from the primary image are also included and labeled accordingly. Detailed similar species boxes show the plumage that is most similar-in some cases the female or juvenile rather than the featured adult-and the most significant differences are picked out. Stunning context photographs show the bird at home, in its normal habitat or performing behavior that is typical of that species. Schematic artworks show the shape and posture of the bird in flight as well as its coloration, and a diagram of its flight pattern is also included. The border of Texas and Mexico is a popular destination because of the many species that can be seen nowhere else in eastern North America. The 60 most common of these southern gems are profiled in their own section of quarter-page entries, each with a stunning photograph annotated to point out the most significant field marks. A separate section profiles 44 species that are particularly uncommon or local in their distribution.

Follows the 1998 Big Year competition between Sandy Komito, Al Levantin, and Greg Miller, during which the three rivals risked their lives to set a new North American birding record.

This definitive field guide is the only guide to use a fully integrated photographic approach to profile the extraordinary range of birds found in Western North America. The highest-quality photography brings nearly 575 species to life on the page, capturing their beauty and making identification quick and effortless. The 367 species most commonly seen west of the 100th Meridian (in the United States, the region west of the Great Plains) are featured in full-page profiles that emphasize all the information needed to identify them. Diagnostic photographs are silhouetted and clearly annotated, and any plumages, whether female, juvenile, subspecies, and winter or summer, that differ noticeably from the primary image are also included and labeled accordingly. Detailed similar species boxes show the plumage that is most similar-in some cases the female or juvenile rather than the featured adult-and the most significant differences are picked out. Stunning context photographs show the bird at home, in its normal habitat or performing behavior that is typical of that species. Schematic artworks show the shape and posture of the bird in flight as well as its coloration, and a diagram of its flight pattern is also included. The Southwest, a region characterized by its own region of birds where species common to northern Mexico may cross the border, is a popular destination because of the many species that can be seen nowhere else in eastern North America. The 80 most common of these southern gems are profiled in their own section of quarter-page entries, each with a stunning photograph annotated to point out the most significant field marks. A separate section profiles 128 species that are particularly uncommon or local in their distribution.

The Inner Bluegrass Region of Kentucky is a shining jewel of geography—synonymous in the minds of many with the state of Kentucky. It is unique in many respects: the character of its land, its native vegetation, and its indigenous animal life. The way of life developed by its human inhabitants over the past two hundred years, especially its focus on the Thoroughbred horse, is also unique. The interaction of these two forces—natural and human—is the focus for this important work. The book includes color plates of representative plant and animal species and typical habitats. The annotated lists of 474 animal and nearly 1,200 plant species describe habitat, frequency, and distribution. Bluegrass Land and Life is a book that will delight all who share an interest in the Bluegrass region's past and present and a concern for its future.

A new edition of the classic, best-selling field guide from Peterson Field Guides For decades, the Peterson Field Guide to Birdsof Eastern and Central North America has been a popular and trusted guide for birders of all levels, thanks to its famous system of identification and unparalleled illustrations. Following the Spring 2020 update to Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America, this guide will feature updated text and range maps, and art updated to reflect current knowledge in ornithology.