San Antonio College Library

Focuses on the social patterns of twenty-five commonly observable birds.

"In this comprehensive, yet easy-to-use book, Kent Rylander distills data from many sources to provide an authoritative guide to the behavior of Texas birds. He begins by explaining the principles of animal behavior and illustrating how they can be applied to interpreting bird behaviors in the field. The majority of the book is devoted to accounts of more than 400 species of birds that are most likely to be encountered by Texas birdwatchers"--Cover....

"Birds are astonishingly intelligent creatures. In fact, according to revolutionary new research, some birds rival primates and even humans in their remarkable forms of intelligence. Like humans, many birds have enormous brains relative to their size. Although small, bird brains are packed with neurons that allow them to punch well above their weight. In The Genius of Birds, acclaimed author Jennifer Ackerman explores the newly discovered brilliance...

Looks at the adaptive significance of bird behavior. A lifetime spent in ornithological research and old-fashioned bird-watching has convinced the author that "we have consistently underestimated what goes on in a bird's head." He describes how using the latest available tools, neurobiologists have uncovered new aspects of bird perception--e.g., the fact that female birds that see in the ultraviolet range chose mates on the basis of characteristics...

In this second of five episodes, Welsh host and wildlife expert Iolo Williams investigates the breeding and nesting behavior of birds. We watch great crested grebes make a spectacular courtship display at a reservoir near Pontypool; hen harriers perform an impressive sky dance in the dramatic Cambrian Mountains; and nuthatches use mud-like cement to prepare a nest in a woodland near Harlech. Williams then explores why long-tailed tits near Newtown...

"Language, intelligence, long life span, long-term care of young by both parents... these are some of traits [sic] that we recognize as particularly human. But, as ornithologist Antone Martinho-Truswell points out, we see similar traits in many birds-- a group of animals only distantly related to us. How did we come to be so bird-like? Considering the answer to this question leads to an exploration of the animal world that highlights fundamental and...

In this third of five episodes, Welsh host and wildlife expert Iolo Williams discovers the difficulties birds face in order to stay alive. He encounters one dramatic scene in which a sparrow hawk seizes the moment to attack a wood pigeon nest.

"The Thing with Feathers by Noah Strycker is a fun and profound look at the lives of birds, illuminating their surprising world--and deep connection with humanity."--Publisher information

"American Crows, some of our most common birds, have been around human communities for centuries. With depth and perception, Lawrence Kilham has now detailed the habits and behavior of these familiar yet often unknown birds. In intimate, thoughtful prose, Kilham reveals that American Crows are cooperative breeders and describes how they maintain group territories, store food while nesting and at other times as well, attack young or weakened mammals,...