The evolutionary, ecological and behavioral questions posed by obligate brood parasites are among the most intriguing of all contemporary ornithological topics. Avian brood parasites lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and may be a major contributing factor driving several species of songbirds to near extinction. As one of the first books to present a comprehensive overview of this fascinating phenomenon, this work discusses the comparative biology and co-evolutionary adaptations exhibited by the five families of birds that engage in such behavior. Several chapters dealing with the...
The evolutionary, ecological and behavioral questions posed by obligate brood parasites are among the most intriguing of all contemporary ornithologic...
Is it generally safe to walk by dragon weyrs on sunny days? Do dragons really lay golden eggs? Do dragon teeth have any medicinal value? And what about unicorns: Do some rare ones have two horns, and when aren't unicorns white? What is a unicorn "sneeze call," and what exactly is the best way to capture a unicorn, anyway?
Find the answers to these and other questions in this charming and carefully researched book that presents the first scientific look at two of the earth's most mysterious and elusive creatures. From the evolution and anatomy of dragons and unicorns to their own...
Is it generally safe to walk by dragon weyrs on sunny days? Do dragons really lay golden eggs? Do dragon teeth have any medicinal value? And what a...
For anyone who has ever thrilled to a cloud of blackbirds or a solitary falcon against the prairie sky, Paul Johnsgard has written a book that will both inspire and inform. One of America's preeminent ornithologists, Johnsgard blends science, nature, and personal observations to tell the life histories of thirty-three grassland birds. Writing with precision and passion, he draws from his own observations to convey the magic of prairie birds, taking readers hawk-watching at Scotts Bluff or beside a prairie river on a spring evening with song sparrows in the willow thickets and cranes at...
For anyone who has ever thrilled to a cloud of blackbirds or a solitary falcon against the prairie sky, Paul Johnsgard has written a book that will bo...
Thundering herds of bison. Burrowing prairie dogs. Soaring golden eagles. These are among the wildlife who will always be linked with the Great Plains, and many can still be seen in their natural habitats. Now there is a single-volume resource that provides an instructive and entertaining commentary on their lives. Paul Johnsgard is a leading authority on the ecology of the Great Plains and author of more than forty books in natural history. With Great Wildlife of the Great Plains, he has written the first overview of the region's native fauna, a book geared to amateur naturalists...
Thundering herds of bison. Burrowing prairie dogs. Soaring golden eagles. These are among the wildlife who will always be linked with the Great Plains...
The Great Plains are America's biological melting pot, drawing creatures from surrounding regions to create a rich diversity of wildlife. Here are pronghorn in the shortgrass, rattlesnakes underfoot, and golden eagles soaring skyward. Here, too, pockets of bison can still be found, recalling yesterday's thundering herds. In this spectacular book, Bob Gress--one of the region's preeminent photographers--is joined by the distinguished naturalist Paul Johnsgard to illuminate the enormous variety and uniqueness of prairie wildlife. Gress has selected--from the nearly 600 non-fish vertebrate...
The Great Plains are America's biological melting pot, drawing creatures from surrounding regions to create a rich diversity of wildlife. Here are pro...
Although its history is etched on canyon walls reaching back twenty million years, the Niobrara is very much a river of today. Stretching 535 miles from its headwaters to the Missouri River, it is one of Nebraska's least altered waterways and is designated as a national scenic river. Its waterfalls and wildlife make it a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, but pressures from development still threaten its scenic and ecological wonders. This first book-length study of the Niobrara is a comprehensive look at an ecological treasure. Paul A. Johnsgard reviews the river's history from its geologic past...
Although its history is etched on canyon walls reaching back twenty million years, the Niobrara is very much a river of today. Stretching 535 miles fr...
First published in 1969, Lewis and Clark: Pioneering Naturalists remains the most comprehensive account of the scientific studies carried out by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark during their overland expedition to the Pacific Northwest and back in 1804-6. Summaries of the animals, plants, topographical features, and Indian tribes encountered are included at the end of each chapter devoted to the particular leg of the journey. A distinguished biologist, Paul Russell Cutright will be remembered for this landmark contribution to our understanding of the world that the expedition...
First published in 1969, Lewis and Clark: Pioneering Naturalists remains the most comprehensive account of the scientific studies carried out b...
For centuries the snow goose has signified the passing seasons to the Indians--its white feathers a symbol of the breadth of life and a reminder of the roles the birds played as messengers between heaven and earth. The importance of the geese in these roles is attested by their prominence in Indian lore and myth.
As a boy growing up in North Dakota, Paul A. Johnsgard measured his winters not by conventional time units, but in the days it took for the snow geese to return from their wintering grounds to Lake Traverse. In this book he recounts the story of one year in the life of a pair of...
For centuries the snow goose has signified the passing seasons to the Indians--its white feathers a symbol of the breadth of life and a reminder of th...
Graced with illustrations by the author, Crane Music introduces the two North American crane species. The sandhill, most often seen, is within easy reach of bird-watchers in the center of the continent. Less visible is the whooping crane, struggling back from near extinction. Paul Johnsgard follows these elegant birds through a year s cycle, describing their seasonal migrations, natural habitats, breeding biology, call patterns angelic to the bird-lover s ear and fascinating dancing.The largest and most spectacular migratory concentration of cranes happens each spring when the Platte...
Graced with illustrations by the author, Crane Music introduces the two North American crane species. The sandhill, most often seen, is within ...
Lewis and Clark on the Great Plains is an easy-to-use reference on the wildlife that Meriwether Lewis and William Clark encountered during their 1804-6 Corps of Discovery expedition. More than one hundred animals and plants that were first carefully described and in some cases discovered by Lewis and Clark are identified here. More than accounts of the regional flora and fauna, Lewis and Clark on the Great Plains examines the lasting importance of the expedition's discoveries, the significance of the Plains plants and animals to local Native Americans, and the current status of...
Lewis and Clark on the Great Plains is an easy-to-use reference on the wildlife that Meriwether Lewis and William Clark encountered during thei...
