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PraÀical
the
NaturaliÌ
PraÀical
the
NaturaliÌ
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LONDON, NEW YORK, MELBOURNE, Consultant Editor
MUNICH, AND DELHI
Chris Packham developed a fascination with
Senior Art Editor Project Editor wildlife from an early age and studied zoology at
Maxine Pedliham Ruth O’Rourke-Jones Southampton University, England. He has written
several books on wildlife and has hosted many nature-
Designers Editors
Rebecca Tennant, Silke Spingies, Martha Evatt, based TV shows for the BBC including, Springwatch
Simon Murrell, Stephen Knowlden, Laura Palosuo, and Autumnwatch. Chris is involved with many wildlife
Elaine Hewson Cressida Tuson
conservation organizations including The Wildlife Trusts,
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, The Bat Conservation
Production Editor US Editor
Tony Phipps Jill Hamilton Trust, and is a Vice-President of the RSPB.
Creative Technical Support Indexer
Adam Brackenbury, John Goldsmid Hilary Bird Contributors
Jacket Designer Production Steve Backshall (Mountain and hillside) is a naturalist,
Duncan Turner Mandy Inness author, and television presenter, who has traveled to more
than a hundred countries, discovered new species, and
Illustrator Picture Researcher climbed some of the world's highest mountains.
Dan Cole/The Art Agency Laura Barwick
David Chandler (Web of life; Lake, river, and stream) is a
Managing Art Editor Managing Editor
freelance writer and environmental educator. David's books
Michelle Baxter Sarah Larter
include the RSPB Children's Guide to Bird Watching, All About
Bugs, and 100 Birds to See Before You Die.
Art Director Reference Publisher
Phil Ormerod Jonathan Metcalf
Chris Gibson (Coast) is a lifelong naturalist who writes,
First American Edition, 2010 teaches, and broadcasts about the natural world. He is a
senior specialist for Natural England.
Published in the United States by
DK Publishing
375 Hudson Street Robert Henson (Weather) is a meteorologist and science
New York, New York 10014
journalist based in Colorado. He has worked as a tornado
10 11 12 13 14 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 researcher and written extensively on climate change.
Copyright © 2010 Dorling Kindersley Limited
Chapter introductions copyright © Chris Packham
Rob Hume (What a naturalist needs; Forest; Consultant)
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved
above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval worked for the RSPB for 30 years, editing Birds magazine for
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, 15, and has written around 30 books.
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written
permission of the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited. James Parry (Tropical forest; Scrubland and heath;
A catalog record for this book is available from the Grassland; Desert) is a writer and lecturer who has traveled
Library of Congress.
widely to study wildlife and different habitats. He has written
ISBN 978-0-7566-5899-1
several books on natural history.
DK books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk for
sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. For details
contact: DK Publishing Special Markets, 375 Hudson Street, New York, Dr. Katie Parsons (Close to home; Farm and field) has a PhD
New York 10014 or [email protected]. in animal behavior and ecology. She is currently a freelance
Color reproduction by Media Development Printing Ltd, UK. conservation consultant and science writer.
Printed and bound by Tien Wah Press, Singapore.
Discover more at
www.dk.com Elizabeth White (Tundra and ice) is a documentary film-maker
for the BBC Natural History Unit. She has a PhD in animal
DISCLAIMER behavior and has filmed wildlife across the globe, including
Always remember to keep safe and be sensible when exploring an unknown terrain. Antarctic and the high Arctic.
The Publisher has set out some basic guidelines on safety on pages 40–41, but it is
the responsibility of every user of this book to assess the individual circumstances and
potential dangers of any habitat they wish to explore. The Publisher cannot accept any
liability for injury, loss, or damage to any user following suggestions in this book. Steve Kress (Consultant) is a staff biologist for the National
The Publisher would draw the reader’s attention to the following particular points: Audubon Society and a research fellow at Cornell University
• plants may be poisonous or protected by law from picking or uprooting Laboratory of Ornithology. With Audubon, he started Project
• fungi and berries should only be collected for consumption at reader’s own risk since
many fungi and some berries are poisonous Puffin to restore seabirds such as Atlantic puffins and terns
• wild animals may bite and/or sting – take suitable precautions and a first aid kit. to the coast of Maine.
Contents
Foreword Mountain
by Steve Kress 6 and hillside 156
The web of life 8 Lake, river,
and stream 172
Weather and sky 18
Coast 192
What a naturalist
? Beaches 194
needs 34
? Cliffs 214
? Coastal wetlands 222
Close to home 46
? Ocean 230
Farm and field 66
Tundra and ice 232
Forest 80
Desert 240
· Deciduous woodlands 82
· Coniferous forests 106
· Tropical forests 122
Glossary 250
Scrubland
Index 252
and heath 130
About Audubon 255
Grassland 144 Acknowledgments 256
ABOUT THIS BOOK
This book is intended to be an inspirational guide to
exploring, understanding, and observing the natural world,
wherever you may be. The species included are examples of the
type of wildlife that exists in each habitat, wherever they
occur in the world. Not all examples shown for a given habitat
will be found together or in one specific geographical location.
There is something comforting about knowing the name of little-visited places lie vast numbers of life forms yet to be
an animal, plant, or rock—perhaps because names provide described. For example, there are about 350,000 beetles
us with a sense of order. Naturalists of the 18th and 19th with scientific names, but probably several million more
centuries focused on naming plants and animals previously beetle species that haven’t been named yet!
unknown to them, seeking order in new lands, and then Not only are most plant and animal species yet to be
moving on to increasingly remote places in their quest to described, but the lives of even the most familiar animals
discover new species. Nearly all birds, fish, and mammals are little known. Only recently did biologists discover that
now have names—both scientific and common. Large, elephants can communicate with family members many
conspicuous creatures are especially well-described because miles away, and that shorebirds only two months old have
taxonomists—a breed of naturalists with a special fondness the ability to migrate nearly 7,000 miles from their hatching
for order—paid particular attention to the details that make places to their winter homes—without stopping and without
them similar and different from each other. But as Benjamin their parents. The race to discover more species and to
Franklin once said, “What signifies knowing the names, if you understand their behavior has never been more important.
know not the nature of things?” It is deceiving to think that Habitats rich in species are disappearing due to human
naming things offers anything but the simplest actions before their precious life forms have
understanding of life. even been discovered.
Our understanding of the natural world—and even the Today’s naturalists have new tools for exploration, such as
naming of animals and plants—is far from complete. We solar-powered computers, night-vision binoculars, remote-
have only begun to describe the variety of life on Earth, and sensing cameras, geolocators, GPS loggers, and miniature
we know very little about the behavior, interactions, and high-definition video cameras. But the principal tools of
habits of most animals. today’s naturalists are the same ones championed by
The same observation skills that have helped us tag and Charles Darwin, John Muir, and others. Dedicated naturalists
categorize larger life forms are now necessary to discover the are careful, patient observers with an insatiable curiosity and
smaller creatures that live in seldom-explored habitats like a sense of wonder about the world. They know that nature
rainforest canopies, ocean depths, caves, and soils. In these is still far from being well-known and tame.
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