The Bird Watching Answer Book: Everything You Need to Know to Enjoy Birds in Your Backyard and Beyond

284 Pages·2009·3.31 MB·English

by  Laura Erickson

The Bird Watching Answer Book
The CornellLab of Ornithology
THE Bird Watching ANSWER BOOK
Everything You Need to Know to
Enjoy Birds in Your Backyard and Beyond
LAURA ERICKSON
The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by
publishing practical information that encourages
personal independence in harmony with the environment.
Edited by Deborah Balmuth and Lisa H. Hiley
Art direction and book design by Mary Winkelman Velgos
Text production by Jennifer Jepson Smith Illustrations by © Pedro Fernandes
Indexed by Nancy D. Wood
© 2009 by Cornell University
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written
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10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Erickson, Laura, 1951– The bird watching answer book / Laura Erickson.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-60342-452-3 (flexibind with paper spine: alk. paper) 1. Bird
watching. I. Title. QL677.5.E75 2009
598.072’34—dc22
2009023708
For my children, and for people everywhere
whose minds bubble over with questions.
Acknowledgments
This book would not have been possible without the resources and people at the
Cornell Lab of Ornithology. I’ve been ever amazed at how accessible and willing
to answer my questions the scientists here are. I’d especially like to thank the
many experts who looked over the manuscript and made suggestions; their help
improved the book enormously. Any errors that remain are entirely my fault.
I’d especially like to acknowledge Miyoko Chu, the director of
communications at the Lab. Her eagerness to share the Lab’s many scientific and
educational resources with people everywhere is exceeded only by her
commitment to excellence. She has been one of the most inspiring, dedicated,
and helpful mentors I’ve ever had.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a nonprofit, member-supported organization
that solves critical problems facing birds and other wildlife by using the best
science and technology — and by inspiring people of all ages and backgrounds
to care about and protect the planet. For more information, visit
www.birds.cornell.edu.
Contents
Introduction
PART ONE
For the Birds: Feeding, Watching and Protecting Our Feathered Friends
Chapter 1: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? The Art of Bird Feeding
Feeding Backyard Birds
If You Build It, They Will Come
What’s On the Menu?
Adaptations for Eating
Bird Behavior at the Snack Bar
How to Keep a Hummingbird Happy
Coping with Unwanted Guests
Housekeeping for the Birds
Chapter 2: Birding for Fun and Science: The Sport of Bird-Watching
Using Binoculars Like a Pro
Beyond Binoculars: Do I Need Fancy Equipment?
Learning More about Birds
The Ins and Outs of Bird-Watching
Chapter 3: Living with Our Feathered Friends: Solving Bird Problems
The Birds — Not Just a Movie
Outdoor Hazards
Helping Birds in Trouble
Chapter 4: Looking to the Future: Protecting Bird Populations
Making Way for Plovers
The Effects of the Environment on Birds
Extinction Is Forever
PART TWO
Bird Brains: Avian Behavior and Intelligence
Chapter 5: Actions Speak Louder in Birds: Bird Behavior
How to Think Like a Bird
Parasitic Parenting and the Mysteries of Imprinting
Learning about Food
Birds Do the Strangest Things
Species Specific
Chapter 6: Singin’ in the Rain: Bird Vocalizations
Making Beautiful Music
What Do Birds Sing About, Anyway?
More than Just Melody
Chapter 7: Do You Know the Way to San Jose? Bird Migration
The Mysteries of Migration
Taking the Night Flight
Following Directions
What Birds Do in the Winter
Chapter 8: The Birds and the Bees: How Birds Reproduce
The Mating Ritual
Birds of a Feather
Location, Location, Location: Defending Territory
Building the Best Nest
The Family Life of Birds
All About Eggs
PART THREE
All About Birds, Inside and Out
Chapter 9: The Inside Story: How Birds Work
From the Inside Out
Digestive Issues
Facts about Feet
Coping with the Cold
Chapter 10: Of Eagle Eyes and Ultrasound: How Birds Perceive the World
A Bird’s Eye View
Hear and There
The Nostrils Know
Extra-sensory Perceptions
Chapter 11: On Angels’ Wings: Fascinating Feathers
Fine Feathered Facts
Let’s See Some Identification
Colorful Characters
Health and Beauty Aids
Chapter 12: Those Magnificent Flying Machines: How Birds Fly
How Do They Do That?
The Highs and Lows of Flight
Flocks and Formations
Appendixes
Scientific Bird Names
Glossary
Resources
Index