This is the first comprehensive guide to these closely related families. The book covers all 75 wrens, 34 thrashers and 5 dippers, almost all of which are New World species. The wrens (Troglodytidae) in particular display great diversity, occupying almost every kind of habitat in the Americas. The family probably originates in Central America where the greatest number of species is to be found. The thrashers (Mimidae) include the mockingbirds, catbirds and tremblers. The dippers (Cinclidae) are river specialists although, unusually, they exhibit no obvious features for an aquatic existence.

This is the sixteenth in a series of bulletins of the United States National Museum on the life histories of North American birds, with previous numbers issued as follows: 107, 113, 121, 126, 130, 135, 142, 146, 162, 167, 170, 174, 176, 179, 191. This bulletin deals with the Order Passeriformes, specifically the Families of Sittidae (Nuthatches) ; Certhiidae (Creepers) ; Chamaeidae (Wren-tits) ; Cinclidae (Dippers) ; Troglodytidae (Wrens) ; and Mimidae (Mockingbirds and thrashers) of North America.

'This fascinating biography . . . A perfect Christmas present for any birder' Birdwatching From the BESTSELLING AUTHOR of The Robin: A Biography, STEPHEN MOSS: The wren is a paradox of a bird. They are Britain's most common bird, with 8.5 million breeding pairs and have by far the loudest song in proportion to their size. They also thrive up and down Britain and Ireland: from the smallest city garden to remote offshore islands, blustery moors to chilly mountains.Yet many people are not sure if they have ever seen a wren. Perhaps because the wren is so tiny, weighing just as much as two A4 sheets of paper, and so busy, always on the move, more mouse than bird. However if we cast our eyes back to recent history wrens were a mainstay of literary, cultural and popular history. The wren was on postage stamps and the farthing, it featured in nursery rhymes and greetings cards, poems and rural 'wren hunts', still a recent memory in Ireland particularly. With beautiful illustrations throughout, this captivating year-in-the-life biography reveals the hidden secrets of this fascinating bird that lives right on our doorstep.

This book covers central aspects of behavioral ecology, including sexual selection, social and genetic mating systems, cooperative breeding, brood parasitism, brood reduction, migration, personalities and communication. Over the past several years, Neotropical bird species from temperate to tropical latitudes of South America have been extensively studied, yielding valuable insights into the evolutionary mechanisms that drive their behavioral traits. In this book, international experts provide a general overview of main behavioral aspects. They also present the main findings of their work, including experimental approaches to testing the most accepted behavioral theory in their model systems. In closing, they propose new theoretical frameworks and future research directions. As such, the book provides a comprehensive and updated guide for all researchers, students and professionals whose work involves the study and management of birds across the Neotropical region.

In Wildlife of Nebraska: A Natural History, Paul A. Johnsgard surveys the variety and biology of more than six hundred Nebraska species. Narrative accounts describe the ecology and biology of the state’s birds, its mammals, and its reptiles and amphibians, summarizing the abundance, distributions, and habitats of this wildlife. To provide an introduction to the state’s major ecosystems, climate, and topography, Johnsgard examines major public-access natural areas, including national monuments, wildlife refuges and grasslands, state parks and wildlife management areas, and nature preserves. Including more than thirty-five line drawings by the author along with physiographic, ecological, and historical maps, Wildlife of Nebraska is an essential guide to the wildlife of the Cornhusker State.