Introduction | p. 8 |
How the Book Is Organized | p. 8 |
Bird Names and Classification | p. 9 |
Sources of Information | p. 9 |
Worldwide Family Features | p. 10 |
Conservation | p. 11 |
Acknowledgments | p. 12 |
The World of Birds | |
Flight, Form, and Function | p. 15 |
The Implications of Flight | p. 15 |
Flight Anatomy and Weight Limitations | p. 15 |
Coordination, Balance, and Orientation | p. 15 |
Life Without Forelegs | p. 16 |
Feathers | p. 16 |
Feather Types | p. 17 |
Molts and Plumages | p. 18 |
Basic and Alternate Plumages | p. 19 |
Partial and Complete Molts, and Feather Wear | p. 19 |
Plumage and Age | p. 19 |
Molt Terminology | p. 20 |
Unusual Molt Patterns | p. 21 |
Aerodynamics | p. 21 |
Lift and Drag | p. 21 |
Forms of Flight | p. 22 |
Wing Shape, Wing-loading, and Aspect Ratio | p. 23 |
Feet, Bills, and Digestion | p. 24 |
Feet | p. 24 |
Bills | p. 25 |
Digestion | p. 26 |
Bones and Muscle | p. 27 |
Respiration and Metabolism | p. 30 |
Respiration | p. 30 |
Circulation | p. 30 |
Metabolism | p. 31 |
Heat Management | p. 31 |
Cold Management | p. 32 |
Excretion | p. 32 |
Senses and Vocal Apparatus | p. 33 |
Vision | p. 33 |
Hearing | p. 34 |
Sound Production | p. 35 |
Taste, Smell, and Other Senses | p. 36 |
Bird Intelligence | p. 36 |
Bird Brains | p. 37 |
Problem-solving Ability | p. 37 |
Origins, Evolution, and Classification | p. 39 |
The Origin of Birds | p. 39 |
Birds Are Reptiles | p. 39 |
Origins of Flight, Feathers, and Warm Body Temperatures | p. 40 |
How Bird Species Originate | p. 42 |
Species Diversification | p. 43 |
Classification | p. 44 |
Classification Schemes | p. 44 |
Methods of Classification | p. 45 |
What Information Is Used to Build Classifications? | p. 46 |
DNA--DNA Hybridization | p. 47 |
Species Concepts | p. 49 |
Behavior | p. 51 |
The Study of Bird Behavior | p. 51 |
The Function of Behaviors | p. 52 |
Daily and Seasonal Rhythms | p. 52 |
Daily Activity Patterns | p. 53 |
Seasonal Activity Patterns | p. 53 |
Control and Coordination of Seasonal Activity | p. 54 |
Daily Maintenance Behaviors | p. 55 |
Feeding | p. 55 |
Feather Care | p. 57 |
Locomotion | p. 58 |
Concealment | p. 59 |
Migration | p. 59 |
Why Do Birds Migrate? | p. 60 |
Modes of Migration | p. 60 |
Migratory Behavior | p. 61 |
The Role of Fat | p. 62 |
Flight During Migration | p. 62 |
Orientation and Navigation | p. 63 |
Dispersal | p. 65 |
Communication | p. 66 |
Passive Communication: Plumage Patterns | p. 67 |
Displays Using Physical Movements and Posture | p. 67 |
Displays Using Sound | p. 68 |
Reproductive Behavior | p. 71 |
Monogamy | p. 71 |
Territorial Breeding | p. 73 |
Colonial Breeding | p. 73 |
Cooperative Breeding | p. 74 |
Polygyny | p. 75 |
Polyandry | p. 76 |
Polygynandry | p. 76 |
Brood Parasitism | p. 77 |
Parental Care | p. 77 |
Other Breeding Behaviors | p. 79 |
Understanding Behavior: The Outer Frontier | p. 79 |
Habitats and Distributions | p. 80 |
Range and Habitat | p. 80 |
Variation in Habitat Use | p. 80 |
Habitat Selection | p. 82 |
Changing Distributions | p. 82 |
Habitat Distribution Patterns | p. 83 |
Geography | p. 83 |
Climate | p. 84 |
Habitat Boundaries | p. 84 |
Succession | p. 85 |
Habitat Types | p. 86 |
Forests and Woodlands | p. 86 |
Boreal Forests | p. 87 |
Riparian Woodlands | p. 88 |
Western Forests | p. 88 |
Eastern Forests | p. 90 |
Savannas | p. 91 |
Subtropical Forests | p. 91 |
Grasslands | p. 92 |
Prairie Grasslands | p. 92 |
Desert Grasslands | p. 94 |
Shrublands | p. 94 |
Chaparral | p. 95 |
Other Shrublands | p. 95 |
Deserts | p. 95 |
Great Basin Desert | p. 96 |
Mojave Desert | p. 97 |
Sonoran Desert | p. 97 |
Chihuahuan Desert | p. 98 |
Tundra | p. 98 |
Arctic Tundra | p. 98 |
Alpine Tundra | p. 99 |
Wetland and Aquatic Habitats | p. 100 |
Freshwater Marshes | p. 100 |
Saltmarshes and Tidal Flats | p. 101 |
Lakes and Ponds | p. 101 |
Rivers and Streams | p. 102 |
Ocean Habitats | p. 102 |
Water Masses and Currents | p. 102 |
Upwelling | p. 103 |
Fronts | p. 104 |
Predatory Fish and Marine Mammals | p. 105 |
Human-created Habitats | p. 105 |
Agricultural Lands | p. 105 |
Suburbs | p. 106 |
Cities | p. 106 |
Populations and Conservation | p. 107 |
What Determines Bird Population Sizes? | p. 107 |
Habitat Quantity and Quality | p. 108 |
Competition | p. 109 |
Predation | p. 110 |
Disease | p. 110 |
Abiotic Factors | p. 111 |
Population Regulation | p. 112 |
Understanding Population Trends | p. 112 |
Conservation Threats | p. 113 |
Habitat Loss | p. 113 |
Habitat Fragmentation | p. 114 |
Brood Parasites, Predators, and Exotic Species | p. 115 |
Pollution | p. 116 |
Persecution | p. 117 |
Climate Change | p. 118 |
Tracking Bird Populations in North America | p. 119 |
Protecting North American Birds | p. 120 |
Bird Families of North America | |
Loons | p. 123 |
Grebes | p. 127 |
Albatrosses | p. 132 |
Shearwaters and Petrels | p. 136 |
Storm-Petrels | p. 146 |
Tropicbirds | p. 151 |
Boobies and Gannets | p. 154 |
Pelicans | p. 157 |
Cormorants | p. 160 |
Darters (Anhinga) | p. 165 |
Frigatebirds | p. 167 |
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns | p. 170 |
Ibises and Spoonbills | p. 177 |
Storks | p. 180 |
New World Vultures | p. 183 |
Flamingos | p. 187 |
Ducks, Geese, and Swans | p. 190 |
Hawks and Allies | p. 212 |
Falcons and Caracaras | p. 225 |
Chachalacas and Allies | p. 230 |
Grouse, Turkeys, and Allies | p. 233 |
New World Quail | p. 242 |
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots | p. 246 |
Limpkin | p. 251 |
Cranes | p. 253 |
Thick-knees | p. 256 |
Plovers and Lapwings | p. 257 |
Oystercatchers | p. 265 |
Stilts and Avocets | p. 268 |
Jacanas | p. 271 |
Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies | p. 273 |
Coursers and Pratincoles | p. 288 |
Gulls, Terns, and Allies | p. 289 |
Auks | p. 309 |
Pigeons and Doves | p. 319 |
Parrots and Allies | p. 326 |
Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis | p. 332 |
Barn Owls | p. 336 |
Typical Owls | p. 339 |
Nighthawks and Nightjars | p. 348 |
Swifts | p. 353 |
Hummingbirds | p. 357 |
Trogons | p. 366 |
Hoopoe | p. 369 |
Kingfishers | p. 370 |
Woodpeckers and Allies | p. 373 |
Tyrant Flycatchers | p. 384 |
Shrikes | p. 399 |
Vireos | p. 402 |
Crows and Jays | p. 408 |
Larks | p. 416 |
Swallows and Martins | p. 419 |
Chickadees and Titmice | p. 425 |
Penduline Tits (Verdin) | p. 430 |
Long-tailed Tits (Bushtit) | p. 432 |
Nuthatches | p. 434 |
Creepers | p. 438 |
Wrens | p. 440 |
Dippers | p. 445 |
Bulbuls | p. 448 |
Kinglets | p. 450 |
Old World Warblers and Gnatcatchers | p. 453 |
Old World Flycatchers | p. 457 |
Thrushes | p. 458 |
Babblers (Wrentit) | p. 466 |
Mockingbirds and Thrashers | p. 468 |
Starlings and Mynas | p. 475 |
Accentors | p. 478 |
Wagtails and Pipits | p. 479 |
Waxwings | p. 485 |
Silky-flycatchers | p. 488 |
Olive Warbler | p. 490 |
Wood-Warblers | p. 492 |
Bananaquit | p. 510 |
Tanagers | p. 512 |
New World Sparrows | p. 516 |
Cardinals and Allies | p. 536 |
Blackbirds, Orioles, and Allies | p. 542 |
Finches and Allies | p. 552 |
Old World Sparrows | p. 562 |
Appendices | |
Glossary | p. 565 |
Author Biographies | p. 576 |
Species Checklist | p. 581 |
Index | p. 588 |
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