100 Birds And How They Got Their Names

Author : Diana Wells
Publisher : Algonquin Books
ISBN 13 : 156512684X
Total Pages : 320 pages
Book Rating : 4.48/5 ( download)

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Download or read book 100 Birds and How They Got Their Names written by Diana Wells and published by Algonquin Books. This book was released on 2001-10-30 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How did cranes come to symbolize matrimonial happiness? Why were magpies the only creatures that would not go inside Noah's Ark? Birds and bird imagery are integral parts of our language and culture. With her remarkable ability to dig up curious and captivating facts, Diana Wells hatches a treat for active birders and armchair enthusiasts alike. Meet the intrepid adventurers and naturalists who risked their lives to describe and name new birds. Learn the mythical stories of the gods and goddess associated with bird names. Explore the avian emblems used by our greatest writers--from Coleridge's albatross in "The Ancient Mariner" to Poe's raven. A sampling of the bird lore you'll find inside: Benjamin Franklin didn't want the bald eagle on our National Seal because of its "bad moral character," (it steals from other birds); he lobbied for the turkey instead. Chaffinches, whose Latin name means "unmarried," are called "bachelor birds" because they congregate in flocks of one gender. Since mockingbirds mimic speech, some Native American tribes fed mockingbird hearts to their children, believing it helped them learn language. A group of starlings is called a murmuration because they chatter so when they roost in the thousands. Organized alphabetically, each of these bird tales is accompanied by a two-color line drawing. Dip into 100 Birds and you'll never look at a sparrow, an ostrich, or a wren in quite the same way.

Author : Diana Wells
Publisher : Algonquin Books
ISBN 13 : 156512281X
Total Pages : 320 pages
Book Rating : 4.19/5 ( download)

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Download or read book 100 Birds and How They Got Their Names written by Diana Wells and published by Algonquin Books. This book was released on 2001-10-30 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How did cranes come to symbolize matrimonial happiness? Why were magpies the only creatures that would not go inside Noah's Ark? Birds and bird imagery are integral parts of our language and culture. With her remarkable ability to dig up curious and captivating facts, Diana Wells hatches a treat for active birders and armchair enthusiasts alike. Meet the intrepid adventurers and naturalists who risked their lives to describe and name new birds. Learn the mythical stories of the gods and goddess associated with bird names. Explore the avian emblems used by our greatest writers--from Coleridge's albatross in "The Ancient Mariner" to Poe's raven. A sampling of the bird lore you'll find inside: Benjamin Franklin didn't want the bald eagle on our National Seal because of its "bad moral character," (it steals from other birds); he lobbied for the turkey instead. Chaffinches, whose Latin name means "unmarried," are called "bachelor birds" because they congregate in flocks of one gender. Since mockingbirds mimic speech, some Native American tribes fed mockingbird hearts to their children, believing it helped them learn language. A group of starlings is called a murmuration because they chatter so when they roost in the thousands. Organized alphabetically, each of these bird tales is accompanied by a two-color line drawing. Dip into 100 Birds and you'll never look at a sparrow, an ostrich, or a wren in quite the same way.

Author : Stephen Moss
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 216 pages
Book Rating : 4.92/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Remarkable Birds written by Stephen Moss and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A celebration of the world's favourite birds, as nominated by birders and conservationists worldwide

Author : Stephen Moss
Publisher : Faber & Faber
ISBN 13 : 178335092X
Total Pages : 256 pages
Book Rating : 4.26/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Mrs Moreau's Warbler written by Stephen Moss and published by Faber & Faber. This book was released on 2018-05-01 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Swallow and starling, puffin and peregrine, blue tit and blackcap. We use these names so often that few of us ever pause to wonder about their origins. What do they mean? Where did they come from? And who created them? The words we use to name birds are some of the most lyrical and evocative in the English language. They also tell incredible stories: of epic expeditions, fierce battles between rival ornithologists, momentous historical events and touching romantic gestures. Through fascinating encounters with birds, and the rich cast of characters who came up with their names, in Mrs Moreau's Warbler Stephen Moss takes us on a remarkable journey through time. From when humans and birds first shared the earth to our fraught present-day coexistence, Moss shows how these names reveal as much about ourselves and our relationship with the natural world as about the creatures they describe.

Author : Peter Barry
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781925546040
Total Pages : 210 pages
Book Rating : 4.47/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Birds What's in a Name? written by Peter Barry and published by . This book was released on 2017-07 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Have you ever looked through the names in a bird book and thought It's all Greek to me! ? This entertaining and informative guide to bird names explains the meanings behind the names, many of which have fascinating origins and stories behind them. The universal system of `scientific' names, based largely on Greek and Latin, is used in all good bird books and assists birdwatchers around the world in figuring out exactly what they are looking at. While some of the names are fairly self explanatory- such as Troglodytes for the wrens, meaning `cave-dweller' - others are more mysterious. For example, did you know that the scientific name for the Ruff compares the bird to a jousting horseman - a reference to its spectacular display in the breeding season. Covering 600 bird species from around the world, Birds: What's In A Name? includes explanations for names for everything.

Author : Matt Kracht
Publisher : Chronicle Books
ISBN 13 : 1452177392
Total Pages : 178 pages
Book Rating : 4.97/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America written by Matt Kracht and published by Chronicle Books. This book was released on 2019-04-02 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: National bestselling book: Featured on Midwest, Mountain Plains, New Atlantic, Northern, Pacific Northwest and Southern Regional Indie Bestseller Lists Perfect book for the birder and anti-birder alike A humorous look at 50 common North American dumb birds: For those who have a disdain for birds or bird lovers with a sense of humor, this snarky, illustrated handbook is equal parts profane, funny, and—let's face it—true. Featuring common North American birds, such as the White-Breasted Butt Nugget and the Goddamned Canada Goose (or White-Breasted Nuthatch and Canada Goose for the layperson), Matt Kracht identifies all the idiots in your backyard and details exactly why they suck with humorous, yet angry, ink drawings. With The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America, you won't need to wonder what all that racket is anymore! • Each entry is accompanied by facts about a bird's (annoying) call, its (dumb) migratory pattern, its (downright tacky) markings, and more. • The essential guide to all things wings with migratory maps, tips for birding, musings on the avian population, and the ethics of birdwatching. • Matt Kracht is an amateur birder, writer, and illustrator who enjoys creating books that celebrate the humor inherent in life's absurdities. Based in Seattle, he enjoys gazing out the window at the beautiful waters of Puget Sound and making fun of birds. "There are loads of books out there for bird lovers, but until now, nothing for those that love to hate birds. The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America fills the void, packed with snarky illustrations that chastise the flying animals in a funny, profane way. " – Uncrate A humorous animal book with 50 common North American birds for people who love birds and also those who love to hate birds • A perfect coffee table or bar top conversation-starting book • Makes a great Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthday, or retirement gift

Author : Diana Harding Cross
Publisher : Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN 13 : 9780517540053
Total Pages : 46 pages
Book Rating : 4.53/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Some Birds Have Funny Names written by Diana Harding Cross and published by Knopf Books for Young Readers. This book was released on 1981 with total page 46 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Briefly describes certain habits or characteristics which account for the popular names of 14 North American birds.

Author : Frank B. Gill
Publisher : Christopher Helm Publishers, Incorporated
ISBN 13 : 9780713679045
Total Pages : 259 pages
Book Rating : 4.42/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Birds of the World written by Frank B. Gill and published by Christopher Helm Publishers, Incorporated. This book was released on 2006 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For many years, the nomenclature of birds has been a divisive issue, with little consistency around the world. This book unifies and standardises the avian nomenclature of the English-speaking regions of the world.

Author : Les Beletsky
Publisher : becker&mayer! Books
ISBN 13 : 0760363269
Total Pages : 371 pages
Book Rating : 4.63/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Bird Songs written by Les Beletsky and published by becker&mayer! Books. This book was released on 2018-10-16 with total page 371 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Bird Songs, ornithologist Les Beletsky profiles 250 birds alongside colorful illustrations, and includes a digital audio player that provides the corresponding song for each of the 250 birds. Drawing from the collection of the world-renowned Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Bird Songs presents the most notable North American birds—including the rediscovered ivory-billed woodpecker—in a stunning format. Renowned ornithologist Les Beletsky provides a succinct description of each of the 250 birds profiled, with an emphasis on their distinctive songs. Lavish full-color illustrations accompany each account, while a sleek, built-in digital audio player holds 250 corresponding songs and calls. In his foreword, North American bird expert and distinguished natural historian Jon L. Dunn shares insights gained from a lifetime of passionate study. Complete with the most up-to-date and scientifically accurate information, Bird Songs is the first book to capture the enchantment of these beautiful birds in words, pictures, and song.

Author : Tom Crawford
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9789781890932
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.32/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Names of Birds written by Tom Crawford and published by . This book was released on 2011-11-07 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A nuthatch walking perpendicular down a tree, "dressed to kill," the hydraulic lift of the sand hill cranes' legs at take-off, the song of the vireo. Perhaps birders are a special species but they also include many of us, who if not trained to binoculars, are still stopped in our tracks at a flickering wing in our peripheral vision.In this latest collection of poems, Tom Crawford lends his keen sense of observation and resonant language to the wonder and evocative nature of birds in all their multiplicity. Here are a hundred pages of remarkable poetry, poems, which, in their accessibility and lyrical celebration, establish man's essential connection with birds and the natural world. As he says in his prologue, "We are spiritual animals. When we forget this essential truth, we invite calamity." These poems are offered like prayers-as if by naming the thing- like Shackleton planting a flag at the north pole -the poet stakes a claim for birds, and by extension the planet. His poems sing an ancient truth: to lose our sense of wonder is to lose ourselves.What makes THE NAMES OF BIRDS unique is the balance the poet strikes between fear and hope, mystery and wonder. This he achieves by telling us a story in poetry of his own beginnings as a boy discovering birds and their magical place in his young life, a story readers of all ages can relate to. Through his evolution to maturity-- his journey from Michigan, to southern California, the Pacific northwest, Manhattan, New Mexico and Asia- China, Korea - his writing becomes infused with Eastern thought and a sense of mysticism. A book for birders and serious readers of poetry alike.