Handbook of the Birds of the World : Barn Owls to Hummingbirds

Awarded the prestigious Outstanding Academic Title, 2000 by ‘CHOICE: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries’. Choice publishes a list of Outstanding Academic Titles that were reviewed during the previous calendar year. This prestigious list reflects the best in scholarly titles reviewed by Choice and brings with it the extraordinary recognition of the academic library community. Handbook of the Birds of the World, Volume 5 is a remarkable volume in the series, distinguished by the largest team of contributing experts to date―38 authors. This volume covers 10 bird families across three orders, ranging from nocturnal birds like owls and nightjars to the swift and energetic swifts and hummingbirds. The detailed and richly illustrated accounts are complemented by a foreword from Nigel J. Collar, which discusses risk indicators and the global status assessments of birds, a timely and important topic for conservationists. This volume is essential for those interested in nocturnal species, with detailed sections on barn-owls, typical owls, and the fascinating nightjars and potoos. The swift and tree-swift families offer a glimpse into some of the most aerodynamically specialized birds, while the final family covered in this volume, the Trochilidae (hummingbirds), represents one of the most species-rich bird families, with 328 species, known for their vibrant colors and high-speed agility. This volume spans from well-known species such as the globally distributed Barn Owl (Tyto alba) to rarities like the Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti), rediscovered in 1997 in India after being believed extinct. Other highlights include the Edible-nest Swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus), whose nests made entirely of saliva are highly prized, and the Bee Hummingbird (helenae), the smallest bird in the world at just 5 cm long.

Thomas Züchner: Alexander Koenig Research Institute and Zoological Museum, Bonn, Germany K. L. Wood: Owl Research Institute, Missoula, Montana, USA. David R. Wells: Research affiliate, University Museum of Zoology, Cambridge, England formerly University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia. A. A. Weller: Department of Ornithology, Alexander König Research Institute and Museum of Zoology, Bonn, Germany. B. T. Thomas: Formerly Independent Researcher, Venezuela, late of Virginia, USA. F. G. Stiles: Professor and Curator of Ornithology, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia. K. P. Segars: Owl Research Institute, Missoula, Montana, USA. P. E. Scott: Assistant Professor of Life Science, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA. K. L. Schuchmann: Curator and Lecturer, Department of Ornithology, Alexander König Research Institute and Museum of Zoology, and University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany. M. S. Roy: Lecturer and Research Scientist in Evolutionary and Conservation Genetics, University of Otago, Department of Zoology, Dunedin, New Zealand.

J. H. Rappole: Research Scientist, Conservation and Research Center, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, Front Royal, Virginia, USA. José Luis Rángel Salazar : D. R. Powers: Professor, Biology Department, George Fox University, Newberg, Oregon, USA. A. T. Peterson: Associate Professor and Curator, University of Kansas Natural History Museum, Lawrence, Kansas, USA. J. L. Petersen: Owl Research Institute, Missoula, Montana, USA. P. D. Olsen: Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. H. Mikkola: Department of Applied Zoology and Veterinary Medicine, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland. J. S. Marks: Assistant Professor, Division of Biological Sciences and Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA. D. T. Holyoak: Consultant, Cornwall, England. D. W. Holt: Owl Research Institute, Missoula, Montana, USA. C. Hinkelmann: Bardowick, Germany. I. Heynen: Wuppertal, Germany. M. Heindl: Munich, Germany. Jon Fjeldså: Zoologisk Museum, Københavns Universitet, Denmark. P. L. Enríquez Rocha: El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. C. Deppe: N. J. Collar: Research Fellow, BirdLife International, Cambridge, England.

Mario Cohn-Haft, Nigel Cleere, P. Chantler: Freelance Ornithologist, Kent Ornithological Society, England. P. Chai: Department of Zoology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA. R. J. Cannings: Freelance Biologist and Consultant, Naramata, British Columbia, Canada. W. A. Calder: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA. R. Bündgen: Department of Ornithology, Alexander König Research Institute and Museum of Zoology, Bonn, Germany. Murray D. Bruce: Biocon Research Group, Turramurra, Australia. R. Berkley, D. L. Altshuler: Graduate Research Fellow, Department of Zoology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, USA. ARTISTS: Richard Allen, Norman Arlott, Eustace Barnes, Hilary Burn, Clive Byers, John Cox, Mark Hulme, Francesc Jutglar, Àngels Jutglar, Ian Lewington, Toni Llobet, Hector C. Miranda, jr., Dave Nurney, Douglas Pratt, Lluís Sanz, Etel Vilaró, Jan Wilczur, Ian Willis, Tim Worfolk.