Cornell Lab of Ornithology Handbook of Bird Biology [Hardcover]

Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology (Author)

Available from these sellers.

Product Details

Hardcover: 1248 pages
Publisher: Princeton University Press; 2nd edition (Nov 1 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 093802762X
ISBN-13: 978-0938027621
Product Dimensions: 28 x 23 x 7 cm
Shipping Weight: 3.2 Kg
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #316,343 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

See Complete Table of Contents

Product Description

Review

If you really do want to know everything about birds, turn to the second edition of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Handbook of Bird Biology, which for really keen readers comes in conjunction with a home-study course in the subject.
(Stephen Moss The Guardian )

Product Description

Call it Bird University. This gloriously illustrated volume provides comprehensive college-level information about birds and their environments in a style accessible to nonscientists and teachers the world over.

The Handbook of Bird Biology covers all major topics, from anatomy and physiology to ecology, behavior, and conservation biology. One full chapter addresses vocal communication and is accompanied by a CD of bird vocalizations. Produced by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology's world-renowned Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds, the CD illustrates key elements of bioacoustics.

The book's text was written by 12 leading ornithologists and illustrated by respected photographers and acclaimed artist John Schmitt. It includes an extensive glossary and index, a list of the common and scientific names of all birds mentioned in the text, author profiles, suggested readings following each chapter, and a complete reference section.

The Handbook serves as the backbone of the Lab's popular Home Study Course in Bird Biology, a self-paced course that can be taken from anywhere in the world, by anyone with a serious interest in birds who would like guidance from professional ornithologists.

Comprehensive and readable guide covering all major topics
Free CD of bird vocalizations enclosed
Extensive glossary and index
List of all common and scientific names
Suggested readings
Complete reference section
Companion to the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology's popular Home Study Course in Bird Biology

See all Product Description

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

(What's this?)

Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.

oiseaux(1)

Customer Reviews

There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.ca

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Share your experience with this product with others

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com ^(beta)

Amazon.com: 4.8 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)

109 of 110 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A tour de force, Jan 3 2005

By Eleodes - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Handbook of Bird Biology (Hardcover)

I recently purchased the new "Handbook of Bird Biology" (hereafter, HBB) and would like to share my views of it. Published by Princeton University Press, this massive volume is a tour de force from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. I have taught university classes in ornithology for the past several years using Gill's "Ornithology" and Proctor & Lynch's "Manual of Ornithology" (both outstanding books), so I spent some time comparing HBB to these works. HBB consistently exceeded my expectations. It routinely (although not invariably) provided more details than Gill or Proctor & Lynch, and it also included topics that the other books omit. These topics (e.g. selecting binoculars, FAQs about backyard bird feeders) were typically geared more towards birding than towards classroom-based ornithology. Indeed, this was one of the main objectives of the Cornell Lab in compiling this book, to appeal to birders and not simply to students of ornithology. For example, the book includes a CD of various bird sounds (nothing that will replace proper "birding by ear" song/call guides, but useful for illustrative purposes). However, HBB is not light reading in any sense of the word. Weighing in at nearly seven pounds, it represents the proverbial "too much information" for casual birders. In addition, the book is costly (approximately $95 + tax, but that is still cheaper than purchasing even used copies of both Gill and Proctor & Lynch). It is not without its copy-editing flaws (particularly in figure captions). Its figures are solely in black-and-white (a major disappointment for me--try explaining structural colors without color examples), and many figures are taken directly from Gill or Proctor & Lynch (appropriately credited). The copy I bought (through Amazona) was missing its sound CD (sent to me by Princeton U.P. after I alerted them). The chapters are written by various authors, with little stylistic continuity (e.g. active voice in some chapters, passive in others).

These negatives do not take the luster off of a highly recommended book. If you are interested in birds but do not own an ornithology textbook, you really owe it to yourself to invest in one. I will likely require HBB instead of Gill and Proctor & Lynch in my future ornithology classes. The "Handbook of Bird Biology" will be a single source for valuable and fascinating information for years to come.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Wonderful, Dec 21 2006

By Paul Bridges - Published on Amazon.com

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Handbook of Bird Biology (Hardcover)

The folks at Cornell have done it again. This is a huge book, packed full of information, but it is also a joy to read. Even though it supplies plenty of the "encyclopedic" material, it's a bit reminiscent of David Attenborough's "Life of Birds" DVD, in that it highlight some of the "gee-whiz" aspects of birds, such as egg mimicry, artistic bower construction, lymphatic penises in ducks, and so forth. There was a surprising section on nocturnal birding by ear, which I had never seen addressed. They seem to have covered every topic and then some.

If you have only a casual interest in birds, this book may be overkill, but if you are a birder or ornithology student I'm sure you'll enjoy deepening your appreciation and understanding of birds with the help of this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, great price, speedy shipping, Jun 2 2011

By fritofeet - Published on Amazon.com

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Cornell Lab of Ornithology Handbook of Bird Biology (Hardcover)

When the book arrived I was pleasantly surprised that it looked practically new. It did have a few notations in it, but not a lot, and the audio cd was also included, which was not even mentioned in the description! I have not started it yet as I need it for a course, but it is exactly what I wanted. I would definitely buy from this seller again!

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 6 reviews 4.8 out of 5 stars