cover image Birds: A Complete Guide to Their Biology and Behavior

Birds: A Complete Guide to Their Biology and Behavior

Jonathan Elphick. Firefly, $29.95 trade paper (272p) ISBN 978-1-77085-762-9

Elphick (The World of Birds), a wildlife writer, lecturer, and broadcaster who specializes in ornithology, effectively communicates his lifelong fascination with birds in this detailed guide. He begins by taking readers back to “dinobirds,” birds’ feathered ancestors, describing their evolution and their remarkable anatomy. Then he discusses modern bird anatomy, flight, feeding, breeding, migration, habitats, society, and populations, as well as avian interactions with humans. Elphick is a brilliant storyteller who goes into just enough detail to hold readers’ attention as he describes the amazing intelligence of the striated heron, who drops bait in the water to attract the fish it preys on, or the Oriental Pied Hornbill’s large beak, which is mainly hollow and therefore less of a weighty encumbrance than it looks. The book delves into the disadvantages of flocking, discusses which birds are considered “extreme copulators,” and spends time on hunting and the cage bird trade, both of which have contributed to decreased numbers of birds. The text is complemented by great photographs and other illustrations on every page. This book will delight bird enthusiasts and serve as a useful reference. (Oct.)