1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910814258903321

Autore

Finlayson Clive <1955->

Titolo

Avian survivors : the history and biogeography of Palearctic birds / / Clive Finlayson

Pubbl/distr/stampa

London : , : T. & A.D. Poyser, , 2011

ISBN

1-4725-9751-6

1-283-29421-4

9786613294210

1-4081-3732-1

1-4081-3731-3

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (321 p.)

Collana

Poyser monographs

Disciplina

598.17

Soggetti

Birds - Ecology - Palearctic

Birds - Geographical distribution

Climatic changes - Environmental aspects - Palearctic

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Description based upon print version of record.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (pages 279-288) and index.

Nota di contenuto

Cover; Contents; Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Introducing the Tertiary; 2. The changing ecology of the Palearctic in the Pleistocene; 3. Origins of Palearctic birds; 4. Corvoidea - shrikes, crows and orioles; 5. Sylvioidea - hirundines, warblers and larks; 6. Paroidea - tits; 7. Muscicapoidea - chats, thrushes, flycatchers and allies; 8. Passeroidea - sparrows, finches, pipits and buntings; 9. Falcons; 10. Terrestrial non-passerines; 11. Owls; 12. Raptors; 13. Gulls, terns, auks and waders; 14. Divers, tubenoses, and waterbirds; 15. Cranes, rails, bustards and cuckoos

16. Nightjars and swifts17. Pigeons, sandgrouse, tropicbirds, flamingos and grebes; 18. Geese, swans, ducks and gamebirds; 19. Climate and the history of the birds of the Palearctic; 20. Surviving climate change - characteristics of survivors; 21. The Palearctic avifauna of yesterday, today and tomorrow; Appendix 1. Species covered in this book: bioclimatic and ecological features; Appendix 2. European Pleistocene fossil birds; References; Index

Sommario/riassunto

"Using a fresh approach that classifies birds according to their



bioclimatic characteristics, Clive Finlayson views the history and distribution of Palearctic birds from a radical new angle. History and chance events play a central role in a story that has its origins before the asteroid impact that finished off the dinosaurs. In this book, Finlayson shows that the avifauna of the Palearctic long predates the glaciations of the last two million years, and had established itself gradually during the turbulent times of the Miocene and Pliocene, the lifting of Tibet and the drying of the continents having a major influence on these birds. Those that made it to the start of the glaciations were equipped to deal with whatever the climate could throw at them. They were the avian survivors, and they are still here with us today. Packed with figures and with a rich colour section, Avian Survivors tells the definitive story of the birds of the Palearctic, across space and time."--Bloomsbury Publishing.