The Lives of Birds: The Birds of the World and Their Behavior - Softcover

Short, Lester L.

4

17 ratings by Goodreads

9780805035933: The Lives of Birds: The Birds of the World and Their Behavior

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0805035931 ISBN 13: 9780805035933

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co, 1994

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Describes hundreds of bird species from around the world, chronicles their lives, and examines their relations to humans

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From Booklist:

An extraterrestrial seeking intelligent life on this planet would, because most of Earth's surface is water, probably look to the oceans first and contact whales and dolphins, which possess some of the largest brains of any Earth creatures. Had our E.T. read this book, however, it might be dismayed to learn that not all 75 or so cetacean species are all that intelligent. It would enjoy a fascinating read, though, on one of the best known yet misunderstood orders of animals. Most may think of whales and dolphins as all saltwater mammals, yet there are a number of freshwater species, most notably in Brazil and China, where, because of human activities, they face a very uncertain future. Several people, their sympathy engaged by the propaganda that has led to international strictures on whale hunting, may view cetaceans in general as very noble beasts, yet some of them engage in sexual orgies, m{‚}enages {...}a-trois, even homosexuality. But then, some species have complex social arrangements that seem to rival our own. If your only contact with these animals comes from watching reruns of Flipper, flip off the tube and pick up this book. Jon Kartman

From Library Journal:

The first in a planned series of popular works on animal behavior sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History, this study by the Museum's Curator of Birds summarizes current knowledge of bird behavior. Beginning with the hatching of an egg, Short progresses through the rearing of nestlings, learning processes, avian social structure, communication, territoriality, migration, and reproduction, ending with a discussion of bird-human interactions. While a few topics (e.g., feeding, defense mechanisms) could have been treated more fully, overall this is a knowledgeable, up-to-date, and straightforward synthesis for the nonspecialist. Suitable for public and high school libraries.
- Paul B. Cors, Univ. of Wyoming Lib., Laramie
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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