Ten thousand birds Ornithology since Darwin

The ten thousand species of birds in existence today account for only a tiny fraction of Earth's biodiversity. Yet, for a host of reasons, scientists have paid inordinate attention to feathered vertebrates, studying their biology, behavior, distribution, and evolution. Consequently, birds feature prominently in some of the greatest scientific advancements of the last 150 years, from Darwin's finches to Lorenz's geese. Birkhead (Univ. of Sheffield, UK), Wimpenny (formerly, research associate, Univ. of Sheffield), and Montgomerie (Queen's Univ., Canada) have produced an engaging, readable history of ornithology, replete with dozens of color and black-and-white illustrations and vivid, frequently humorous descriptions of the people who advanced ornithology because of, and often in spite of, their personalities. The charming and witty work fills the needs of academic scientists and researchers as well as serious birders. Again and again, the authors describe the fits and starts of ideas, observations, experiments, and theory that are the hallmark of scientific advancement. Readers learn about the individuals who clung to their favorite ideas even as contradictory evidence mounted and about the decades of work and heated debates regarding the number of eggs birds lay. Anyone interested in natural science, birds, and history will enjoy this book immensely. --David Flaspohler, Michigan Technological University

This is the best history of ornithology ever. Most others are dated, focus on a limited period, or concern defined geographical areas. Birkhead (zoology, Univ. of Sheffield; Fellow of the Royal Society; Bird Sense), Jo Wimpenny (postdoctoral research associate, Univ. of Sheffield) and Bob -Montgomerie (biology, Queens Univ., Ont.) explain the often complex, theoretical, or detailed schools of thought and research about birds in entertaining and authoritative ways. Their four-and-a-half-pound monograph is richly illustrated and thoroughly referenced. Chapters deal with evolution, ecology, anatomy, physiology, behavior, breeding, population studies, etc. Colorful full-page time lines have illustrations and citations with images of key scientists in those various fields. An appendix has thumbnail information about 500 ornithologists with photographs of 54. Discussions of personalities, controversies, research methods, and honors make the text a lively read. There are numerous autobiographical sketches, each several pages. Hundreds of these remarkable scientists receive consideration, including Jared Diamond, Konrad Lorenz, Roger Tory Peterson, and E.O. Wilson. What might have been a clunky, laborious catalog of often arcane academic endeavors is instead very readable and comprehensible, as well as comprehensive. -VERDICT Most highly recommended for academic and larger public libraries and for all interested in nature and science.-Henry T. Armistead, formerly with Free Lib. of Philadelphia (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.