|
The eagerly anticipated Part II: Anatidae to Alcidae of Peter Pyle’s Identification Guide
to North American Birds has just been published by Slate Creek Press (2008). This invaluable
compendium provides detailed information on identifying, ageing, and sexing waterbirds,
diurnal raptors, and gallinaceous birds in the hand. While of primary utility to banders, the
wealth of information is of interest to both birdwatchers and ornithologists, whether engaged
in bird banding or not. Based heavily on field work and specimen examination, much new
information is presented for the first time. Front material describes and illustrates
techniques for identifying, ageing, and sexing birds and 45 pages of Literature Cited round
out this robust paperbound volume of 835 pp.
Illustrations by Siobhan Ruck and Steve N.G. Howell.
Still the definitive guide to identification and ageing of North American birds in the hand,
and although aimed primarily at banders, it is a useful reference for any serious birder.
Excerpt
Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Scope
- Bird topography
- Identification, ageing, and sexing techniques
- Measurements
- Wing length
- Wing morphology
- Taillength
- Tail morphology
- Bill length
- Bill depth and other metrics
- Tarsus
- Weight
- Molt
- Molt and plumage terminology
- Molt cycles and plumages
- Inserted molts and plumages
- Four molt strategies in birds
- Timing, location, and sequence of molts
- Molt limits and wing-feather contrasts
- Molt limits among wing feathers
- Staffelmauser
- Molt limits among rectrices
- Fault bars
- Flight-feather shape and wear
- Plumage aspect by age and sex
- Breeding and cloacal characters
- Brood patch
- Distended cloaca
- Cloacal examination
- Other techniques
- Ageing and sexing juveniles
- Filoplumes
- Skull pneumatization
- Surgical and biochemical techniques
- Hybrids
- Geographic variation
- Directions for use
- Colors
- Months
- Taxonomic summaries
- Species account format
- Headings
- Species
- Geographic variation
- Molt
- Age/Sex
- Hybrids reported
- References
- Bar graphs
- Ageing and age coding
- Sexing and sex coding
- CWS and BBL acceptance criteria
- Specimen collections
- Species Accounts
- Ducks, geese, and swans
- Whistling-ducks
- Geese and swans
- True ducks
- Surface-feeding ducks
- Pochards
- Seaducks and mergansers
- Stiff-tailedducks
- Curassows, guans, and chachalacas
- Partridges, pheasants, grouse, and turkeys
- New World quail
- Loons
- Grebes
- Albatrosses
- Molt and age determination in Procellariiformes
- Shearwaters and petrels
- Storm-petrels
- Tropicbirds
- Boobies and gannets
- Pelicans
- Cormorants
- Darters
- Frigatebirds
- Herons, bitterns, and allies
- Ibises and spoonbills
- Storks
- Flamingos
- New World vultures
- Hawks, kites, eagles, and allies
- Caracaras and falcons
- Rails, gallinules, and coots
- Limpkins
- Cranes
- Shorebirds
- Molts, plumages, and age determination in shorebirds
- Plovers
- Oystercatchers
- Stilts and avocets
- Jacanas
- Sandpipers through phalaropes
- Sandpipers and allies
- Tringine sandpipers
- Curlews
- Godwits
- Turnstones
- Calidridine sandpipers
- Dowitchers
- Snipe
- Woodcocks
- Phalaropes
- Gulls, terns, and skimmers
- Gulls
- Sexing gulls
- Identification and ageing large white-headed gulls
- Terns :
- Molt and age determination in terns
- Skimmers
- Skuas and jaegers
- Molt and age determination in skuas and jaegers
- Auks, murres, and puffins
Literature Cited
Index
Notes
Contact us to order this item.
Ordering information
|
