Vagrancy In Birds

Shortlisted for the BB/BTO Best Bird Book of the Year 2022. The first comprehensive coverage of a subject that has fascinated natural historians for centuries. Avian vagrancy is a phenomenon that has fascinated natural historians for centuries. From Victorian collectors willing to spend fortunes on a rare specimen, to today's high-octane bird-chasing 'twitchers', the enigma of vagrancy has become a source of obsession for countless birders worldwide. Vagrancy in Birds explores both pattern and process in avian vagrancy, drawing on recent research to answer a suite of fundamental questions concerning the occurrence of rare birds. For each avian family, the book provides an in-depth analysis of recent and historical vagrancy patterns, representing the first comprehensive assessment of vagrancy at a global scale. The accounts are accompanied by hundreds of previously unpublished images featuring many of the most exceptional vagrants on record. The book synthesises for the first time everything we know about the subject, making the case for vagrancy as a biological phenomenon with far-reaching implications for avian ecology and evolution.

The first comprehensive illustrated guide to North America's vagrant birds Rare Birds of North America is the first comprehensive illustrated guide to the vagrant birds that occur throughout the United States and Canada. Featuring 275 stunning color plates, this book covers 262 species originating from three very different regions—the Old World, the New World tropics, and the world's oceans. It explains the causes of avian vagrancy and breaks down patterns of occurrence by region and season, enabling readers to see where, when, and why each species occurs in North America. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, taxonomy, age, sex, distribution, and status. Rare Birds of North America provides unparalleled insights into vagrancy and avian migration, and will enrich the birding experience of anyone interested in finding and observing rare birds. Covers 262 species of vagrant birds found in the United States and Canada Features 275 stunning color plates that depict every species Explains patterns of occurrence by region and season Provides an invaluable overview of vagrancy patterns and migration Includes detailed species accounts and cutting-edge identification tips

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.

The Migration Ecology of Birds, Second Edition covers all aspects of this absorbing subject, including migratory processes, problems of navigation and vagrancy, timing and physiological control of migration, large-scale movement patterns, the effects of recent climate change, the problems that migrants face, and the factors that limit their populations. This book provides a thorough and in-depth review of the state of the science, with the text supplemented by abundant tables, maps and diagrams. Written by a world-renowned avian ecology and migration researcher, this book reveals the extraordinary adaptability of birds to the variable and changing conditions across the globe. This book represents the most updated and detailed review of bird migration, its evolution, ecology and bird physiology. Written in a clear and readable style, it will appeal not only to migration researchers in the field and ornithologists, but to anyone with an interest in this fascinating subject. Features updated and trending ecological aspects, including various types of bird movements, dispersal and nomadism, and how they relate to food supplies and other external conditions Contains numerous tables, maps, diagrams, a glossary, and a bibliography of more than 3,000 up-to-date references Written by an active researcher with a distinguished career in avian ecology, including migration research

The perfect guide to the birds of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, from the #1 birding website AllAboutBirds.org The All About Birds Regional Field-Guide Series brings birding enthusiasts the best information from the renowned Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s website, AllAboutBirds.org, used by more than 21 million people each year. These definitive books provide the most up-to-date resources and expert coverage on bird species throughout North America. This dynamic guide is the perfect companion for anyone interested in the birds of the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. The guide offers fascinating details about the birds around you, useful bird ID tips, and handy bird-watching information. It presents full accounts of the 198 species most commonly seen in these regions; beautiful photographs of male, female, and immature birds, as well as morphs, and breeding and nonbreeding plumage (so you can ID birds all year long); current range maps; and so much more. The northeastern USA and eastern Canada edition of All About Birds is easy to use and easy to share. This volume features the following states, provinces, and territories: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Quebec, Labrador, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, eastern Ontario, and eastern Nunavut. Descriptions of 198 bird species, including four photos for each bird chosen specifically for better ID and sourced from the Macaulay Library (a collection of bird photos from citizen scientists) Quick and easy index with illustrations on cover flaps, with complete index at the back Information on Cornell Lab citizen-science programs and how to participate Bonus content includes identification best practices and tips on photography, birdscaping, food and feeding, and more Free MERLIN Bird ID app (downloaded more than 5 million times) for quick ID in the wild using photos and birdsong

This book is the first comprehensive guide to all the Old World buntings and North American sparrows. It includes 39 plates in full colour depicting all the species and distinct races.

From the award-winning birder and author of Birds of Prey, an authoritative, information-packed guide to distinguishing North American birds. In this book, bursting with more information than any field guide could hold, the well-known author and birder Pete Dunne introduces readers to the “Cape May School of Birding.” It's an approach to identification that gives equal or more weight to a bird's structure and shape and the observer's overall impression (often called GISS, for General Impression of Size and Shape) than to specific field marks. After determining the most likely possibilities by considering such factors as habitat and season, the birder uses characteristics such as size, shape, color, behavior, flight pattern, and vocalizations to identify a bird. The book provides an arsenal of additional hints and helpful clues to guide a birder when, even after a review of a field guide, the identification still hangs in the balance. This supplement to field guides shares the knowledge and skills that expert birders bring to identification challenges. Birding should be an enjoyable pursuit for beginners and experts alike, and Pete Dunne combines a unique playfulness with the work of identification. Readers will delight in his nicknames for birds, from the Grinning Loon and Clearly the Bathtub Duck to Bronx Petrel and Chicken Garnished with a Slice of Mango and a Dollop of Raspberry Sherbet.

The Birds of Turkey is the first avifauna to document this country's amazing ornithological diversity. Turkey - ornithologically one of the most fascinating countries in the Western Palearctic - lies not only at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, but also at the meeting point of a variety of biomes. The extensive semi-deserts of the Middle East reach their northernmost limit in southeastern Turkey, while the Pontic Mountains, which dominate much of the north of the country, support a principally European fauna, along with near-endemics such as Caucasian Grouse, Green Warbler, Caspian Snowcock and Krüper's Nuthatch. In Central Turkey, huge saline lakes hold colonies of flamingos, pelicans and Pygmy Cormorants, while the surrounding semi-steppe supports populations of Montagu's Harrier, Great Bustard and abundant lakes. The book looks in detail at every species ever reported in the country - breeding birds, passage migrants, winter visitors and vagrants - with a review of status and distribution, accurate distribution maps, and discussions of breeding biology and the latest taxonomic revisions. Introductory chapters provide overviews of Turkey's major biomes and the history or ornithology in the country, and a discussion of future research objections. The book also contains stunning colour photography by a number of leading Turkish ornithologists. Indispensable for anyone interested in the Turkish avifauna, The Birds of Turkey will remain the standard work on this key ornithological region for many years to come.