Peterson Reference Guides

A fascinating look at what birds do and why they do it.

Both casual and serious birdwatchers can take their skills to the next level with this detailed consideration of bird behaviour. This book makes it possible to move beyond identifying birds to understanding some of the underpinning and meaning to what birds do, how they do it, and why they do it. Written in an easy-to-understand style, with an abundance of photos illustrating the behaviours, the book shows how flight, molt, migration, feeding, predation, social behaviour, courtship, and nesting shape birds' behaviours. Birds are everywhere, and easy to observe; this introduction to elements of bird behaviour will connect readers more intimately with these remarkable and beguilingly perceptive animals.

About the Author

John Kricher is Professor Emeritus of Biology at Wheaton College, Norton, MA, where for 48 years he taught ecology, ornithology, and vertebrate evolution. He is a Fellow in the American Ornithologists Union and is past president of the Association of Field Ornithologists, the Wilson Ornithological Society, and the Nuttall Ornithological Club. He has served on the board of the American Birding Association.