The phenomenon of bird migration has fascinated people from time immemorial. The arrivals and departures of different species marked the seasons,heralding spring and autumn,and providing a reliable calendar long before anything better became available.
Migration is shown by many kinds of animals,including butterflies and other insects,mammals,marine turtles and fish,but in none is it as extensively developed as in birds. The collective travel routes of birds span almost the entire globe,with some extreme return journeys covering more than 30,000 km. As a result of migration,bird distributions are continually changing - in regular seasonal patterns,and on local,regional or global scales.
Migration has repeatedly prompted familiar questions,such as where birds go or come from,why do they do it,how do they know when and where to travel,and how do they find their way In this seminal new book,Ian Newton sets out to answer these - and other - questions.
The book is divided into four main sections: the first is introductory,describing the different types of bird movements,methods of study,and the main migration patterns seen around the British Isles; the second part is concerned mainly with the process of migration - with timing,energy needs,weather effects and navigation; the third with evolution and change in migratory behaviour; and the fourth with the geographical and ecological aspects of bird movements.
Publisher: HarperCollins PublishersISBN: 9780008398545Number of pages: 608Weight: 570 gDimensions: 198 x 129 x 49 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
'Bird Migration by Ian Newton is truly outstanding - the product of a lifelong inquiry into the annual travels of birds.'- The Guardian
'The New Naturalist series strikes gold with this insight into ultimate avian journeys.'- BBC Wildlife
'... a work of authority.'- The Daily Telegraph
'The series is an amazing achievement'- The Times Literary Supplement
'The books are glorious to own'- Independent
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