RSPB birds : their hidden world / / Peter Holden ; illustrations by Marc Dando

• Autore: Holden Peter
• Pubblicazione: London, [England] : , : Bloomsbury, , 2012; ©2012
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (258 p.)
• Disciplina: 598.294
• Soggetto topico: Birds - Ecology - Europe; Birds - Ecology - Great Britain
• Soggetto genere / forma: Electronic books.
• Persona (resp. second.): DandoMarc
• Note generali: Includes index.
• Nota di contenuto: Cover; Half-title; Title; Copyright; Contents; Introduction; The power of birds; Birds and qualit y of life; Birds and the arts; Rich in folk history; Birds for food and sport; A hidden world; All about eggs; What is an egg?; Size; Number; Shape; Colour and patterns; Eggs as food; Eggs in research; Feathering the nest; What is a nest ?; The shape of a nest; Where to nest ?; Building materials; How to make a nest; Nesting associations; Adapting to human neighbours; Defending a territory; What is a territory?; Defend ing a territory; Filling the gaps; Mapping territories; Breeding behaviour ; When to breedCourtship displays; Mating systems; Brood parasites; Infanticide; Synchronised hatching; Brood size; Who incubates?; Altricial or precocial?; Nest management; Division of labour; Communal nesting; What is a colony?; The benefits of colonial living; Is it a colony?; Whose baby?; The structure of a colony; Fragile colonies; Flocking; What is a flock?; Why flock?; Synchronised flying - how do they do it ?; Traditional flocking areas; Collective names; Songs and calls; What is song?; The purpose of song; All the world's a stage; Verse and chorus; A season for song?; Night music ; Song whatever the weatherMechanical sounds; Mimicry; Female song; Sub-song; Communication calls; The study of birdsong; How birds learn to sing; Singing cage birds; Writing down and recording birdsong; The juvenile years; Trials of life; Leaving the nest; Survival and longevity; Average or meanage; Survival factors; Discovering old birds; Age of first breeding; Population regulation; Population regulation; Man-made hazards; The future; Migration; Incredible journeys; What is migration?; Why migrate?; Studying migrants; Direction; Timing; Loop migration; How far to fly; How high to fly ; Day or night?Flyways across the world; How do birds navigate?; Fuel for the journey; No wings?; Vagrancy; Is it all worth it ?; Feeding; Dietary niches; Finding food; When to feed?; What to eat; Techniques for feeding; Tools for the job; Energy requirements; Learning new tricks; Roosting; What is a roost ?; When to roost ?; Sleep; Where to roost; Who get the best roosts?; Communal roosts; Birds and weather; Weather factors; Weather for migration; Plumage and moult; Beautiful plumage; The value of feathers; What is a feather?; Changing feathers; Preening; Drying; A little powder; Scratching ; BathingFeather care; Preening; Drying; A little powder; Scratching; Bathing; Flight; Types of flight; How fast can birds fly?; Weight restrictions?; Formation flying; How do they do it?; Largest flying birds; Expert and agile; Starting young; Flying under wat er; Flightlessness; Vision and other senses; Eyes; Good hearing; How do they smell?; Acknowledgements; Index; Image credits
• Sommario/riassunto: This lively and attractive new book aims to give readers a broad understanding of 'how birds work' from their physical make-up to courtship and breeding, social activity and their spread and travels.
• Titolo autorizzato: RSPB birds
• ISBN: 1-4729-3224-2
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Record Nr.: 9910460948903321
• Lo trovi qui: Univ. Federico II
• Serie: RSPB