Bird migration has long fascinated its human observers. It has been subject to scientific study for more than a century, by hundreds of scientists, using increasingly sophisticated methodology.

This book presents an up-to-date, detailed and thorough review of the accumulated information, taking account of both older and newer findings, but with the emphasis on the most recent developments. It deals with all aspects of this subject, including the problems of navigation and vagrancy, the timing and physiological control of migration, large scale movement patterns and their evolution, the particular problems that migrants face and factors that limit their populations. Author Ian Newton reveals the extraordinary adaptability of birds to the variable and changing conditions across the globe, including current climate change. This adventurous book places emphasis on ecological aspects.

The emphasis throughout is on ecological aspects, which have received only scant attention in previous publications: on the different types of bird movements, including dispersal and nomadism, and how they relate to food supplies and other external conditions.

Written in a clear and readable style, this book appeals not only to migration researchers in the field and Ornithologists, but to anyone with an interest in this fascinating subject.

Overall, the book provides the most thorough and in-depth appraisal of current information available, with abundant tables, maps and diagrams, and many new insights. A glossary and a bibliography of more than 2,700 references round out this collection of the most fascinating ecological findings of bird migration. It is written by an active researcher with a distinguished career in avian ecology, including migration research. The many illustrations were done by Keith Brockie.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Preface
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Methodology

PART 1: THE MIGRATORY PROCESS
Chapter 3 Migratory flight
Chapter 4 Weather effects and other aspects
Chapter 5 Fuelling the flights
Chapter 6 Incredible journeys
Chapter 7 Raptors and other soaring birds
Chapter 8 Speed and duration of journeys
Chapter 9 Finding the way
Chapter 10 Vagrancy

PART 2: THE TIMING AND CONTROL OF MIGRATION
Chapter 11 Annual cycles
Chapter 12 Control mechanisms

PART 3: LARGE SCALE MOVEMENT PATTERNS
Chapter 13 Geographical patterns
Chapter 14 Seasonal occupation of breeding areas
Chapter 15 Sex and age differences in migration
Chapter 16 Variations on a migratory theme
Chapter 17 Site fidelity and dispersal
Chapter 18 Irruptive migrations: boreal seed-eaters
Chapter 19 Irruptive migrations: owls, raptors and waterfowl

PART 4: EVOLUTION OF MOVEMENT PATTERNS
Chapter 20 Evolutionary aspects
Chapter 21 Recent changes in bird migrations
Chapter 22 Biogeographical legacies
Chapter 23 Distribution patterns

PART 5: MIGRATION SYSTEMS AND POPULATION LIMITATION
Chapter 24 The Palaearctic-Afrotropical migration system
Chapter 25 The Nearctic-Neotropical migration system
Chapter 26 Population limitation - breeding and wintering areas
Chapter 27 Population limitation - conditions on stopover
Chapter 28 Mass mortality of migrants Glossary Bibliography Index

The Speciation and Biogeography of Birds.

By Ian Newton.

Published by Academic Press, 2003

Hardcover - $98.95

This book describes how new bird species evolve, and how they come to be distributed in the way they are. It describes how the past history of the earth, including past climatic changes, have influenced the geographical ranges of birds, and the factors that affect their current distributions.

This book provides a fresh synthesis of knowledge of species formation in birds and of the factors that influence their geographical distributions. It draws on information from the earth sciences and palaeo-climatology, as well as from studies on the evolution, ecology, distribution and migration patterns of birds. Full account is taken of the recent findings in molecular (DNA) biology, as they bear upon questions of avian evolution and distributional history. No other book currently available covers this range of subject matter or attempts to combine it into a coherent whole.

It is intended primarily for students and young researchers in avian evolution, biogeography and ecology. However, it is written in simple language throughout, in the hope that it will be easily understood by newcomers to these fields and by interested bird- watchers and other lay readers.

The text describes how bird species are formed, and how they are defined and classified by taxonomists. It describes how the numbers and types of bird species vary from region to region across the world, and how their current patterns of distribution have been influenced by earth history: by the movements of the continents and by the formation and loss of oceanic islands, by glacial and other climatic cycles, and by the influence of human activities. It also describes the role of contemporary ecological factors, such as climate, habitat and food-supplies, in influencing the current geographical ranges and migration patterns of birds worldwide.

The author is well known for his research in various aspects of avian ecology and migration. He has written more than 250 research papers and five books (including Population ecology of raptors (1979) and Population limitation in birds (1998)). He has served as President of the British Ecological Society, and of the British Ornithologists' Union, and is an Honorary Member of the American Ornithologists' Union.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Ian Newton is respected world-wide both as a biologist with a special interest and expertise in this subject and as a communicator. He is a seasoned and popular key note speaker at National and International meetings, and his talks are often the high point of conferences.

He has been interested in birds since boyhood, and as a teenager developed a particular fascination with finches, which later led to doctoral and post-doctoral studies on these birds. Later in life he became known for his penetrating field studies of bird populations, notably on raptors. He is now a senior ecologist with the Natural Environment Research Council, and visiting professor of ornithology at the University of Oxford. Most of his research has been in Scotland, but he has also spent a sabbatical year with the Canadian Wildlife Service, studying waterfowl, and is a frequent visitor to research groups in the United States and elsewhere.

He has published more than 200 scientific papers on birds, and several books, including Finches (1972), Population Ecology of Raptors (1979), The Sparrowhawk (1986), Lifetime Reproduction in Birds (edited, 1989), Population Limitation in Birds (1998), The Speciation and Biogeography of Birds (2003), and Ecology and Conservation of Owls (2002). He has served as President of the British Ecological Society, Vice-president of the British Ornithologists' Union, and is honorary member of the American Ornithologists' Union. He has received several prestigious awards for research and conservation, and was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1993.

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