The raven : a natural history in Britain and Ireland / / Derek Ratcliffe ; with illustrations by Chris Rose

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910781796803321
• Autore: Ratcliffe Derek A.
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: London : , : T & A D Poyser, , 2010
• ISBN: 1-4725-9749-4; 1-282-98679-1; 9786612986796; 1-4081-4613-4
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (351 p.)
• Collana: Poyser monographs
• Disciplina: 598.864
• Soggetti: Corvus corax - Great Britain; Corvus corax - Ireland
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: First published in 1997 by T. & AD Poyser Ltd.
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• Nota di contenuto: Cover; Contents; Preface; Acknowledgements; Introduction: The Raven: spirit of the wilds; 1. THE RAVEN IN HUMAN HISTORY; Prehistory; The Raven in myth and legend; From scavenger friend to predator-foe; 2. THE RAVEN'S COUNTRY; Cliff coasts of the agricultural districts; Lowland farmland in the west; Foothills and marginal land; Sheepwalks of the higher hills; Grouse-moors of the eastern uplands; Deer forests of western and northern Scotland; Cliff coasts of the northern and western moorlands; 3. DISTRIBUTION AND NUMBERS IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND; South-east England; The Channel Isles; South-west EnglandEast Anglia; Wales; Midlands; Northern England; Southern Scotland; Scottish Highlands; Scottish Islands; Ireland; Grand totals; 4. FOOD AND FEEDING HABITS; Studies of food; The Raven as a predator; Other foods; Feeding habits; 5. SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR; Territorialism; Flocking and communal roosts; Social behaviour in display; 6. RAVEN MOVEMENTS; General movements; Daily movements; 7. ASSOCIATIONS WITH OTHER ANIMALS; Birds; Mammals; 8. BREEDING: NEST AND NEST SITE; Nest construction; Nest sites; 9. BREEDING: THE EGG STAGE; Prelaying behaviour; The egg; Clutch size; Laying; Incubation10. BREEDING: THE YOUNG; Nestling growth; Brood size; ; Breeding performance; Causes of complete breeding failure; Egg-collecting and its effects on breeding performance; Regional variations in productivity; 11. TERRITORIALISM AND POPULATION REGULATION; Surplus non-breeding populations; Rapid remating; The ceiling on numbers; Territorialism and variations in breeding density; Mechanism of territorial spacing; Limitations of unsuitable nesting habitat; Mortality, population turnover and capacity for spread; 12. RAVENS IN THE MODERN SCENE; Gamekeepering; Afforestation; Changes in farming practiceDisturbance; Pesticides; Conclusions; 13. RAVENS ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD; Subspecies of Corvus corax; Other species of Raven; 14. INTELLIGENCE IN RAVENS; Appendices; 1. Distribution of Raven flocks and roosts in Britain and Ireland; 2. Calls of the Raven; 3. Appearance of the Raven; 4. Scientific names of animal and plant species in the text; 5. Names of the Raven; Bibliography; Tables 1-27; Index; A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K; L; M; N; O; P; Q; R; S; T; U; V; W; Y
• Sommario/riassunto: "Well-known throughout the Northern Hemisphere, the raven has a prominent place in myth, legend and history. Focusing on the raven's ecology in the UK, this text presents a summary of the state of knowledge regarding the raven's natural history, describing its present distribution, habitat requirements, call, feeding habits, social behaviour and population centres. An emphasis is placed on the long association of the bird with humans, and useful comparisons of the Northern Hemisphere species are made."--Bloomsbury Publishing.