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Full Description
From the discovery of the fossil Archaeopteryx to more than 10,000 different documented species today, birds have become the second most diversified class of vertebrates on Earth. Birds have evolved extensively since they first emerged in prehistoric times--but that diversity could dwindle and even vanish unless we take steps to conserve their habitats, ensuring that they sustain their numbers and their variety.
This natural history of birds starts in the distant past--going back to the Jurassic, Cretaceous and Paleogene periods--in order to get a broader understanding of the birds that we see today. Chapters cover their lives, breeding, flight, migration and more, while also highlighting some especially unique bird fossils, such as the Pelagornis Sandersi, which had a wingspan of more than 20 feet. Also included are chapters on the loss of needed habitats, the current decline of native birds, and what can be done to reverse it.
Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
Part I—Birds in the Distant Past
1. Birds in the Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods
2. Birds in the Paleogene Period
Part II—The Lives of Birds
3. Adaptation and Diversity
4. How Birds Are Different
5. Breeding
6. Flight and Migration
7. Vagrancy and Dispersal
Part III—Extraordinary Birds
8. The Megafauna of the Avian World
9. Hoatzin: A Window Into the Past
10. Unusual Birds
Part IV—An Overview of Birds and Their Habitats
11. The Classification of Birds
12. Perching Birds and Forest Habitats
13. Flycatchers
14. Hawaiian Honeycreepers: Adaptive Radiation
15. Grassland Birds
16. Nectar-Feeding Birds
17. Wetland Birds
18. Seed-and Fruit-Eating Birds
19. Trogons
20. Oceanic Birds
21. Shorebirds
22. Birds of Prey
Part V—Birds in Our World: Today and In the Future
23. The Decline of Native Birds
24. Can We Support Environmental Conservation?
Appendix 1: Index of Latin Bird Names
Appendix 2: Glossary of Terms
References
Index
