Birds: A Complete Guide to Their Biology and Behavior

Praise for his book The World of Birds

"All chapters are profusely illustrated with beautiful photographs, which complement the text well, and the result is an excellent reference book that will occupy shelves in many libraries. For those needing just one general bird reference, this might be it. Summing up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries." -- Choice

"An outstanding achievement" -- Quarterly Review of Biology

"It's the photographs that will keep readers turning pages" -- Publishers Weekly

The World of Birds focused primarily on the taxonomy of birds with coverage of the 32 orders and 195 families of birds. It included information on avian biology but not comprehensive coverage. Birds: A Complete Guide to their Biology and Behavior does exactly that, in a shorter, more affordable book.

Highly respected ornithologist and wildlife expert Jonathan Elphick begins by defining the distinguishing features of birds before going on to describe their evolution since the age of the dinosaurs. With the aid of fact boxes and clear photographs, he explores in greater detail each of the significant elements of bird life:

• bird biology including anatomy
• walking and swimming
• plumage
• calls and songs
• flight techniques and styles
• food and feeding
• bird lifestyles and social relationships
• breeding, growth and development
• bird geography and habitats
• the mysteries of migration.

He also considers human attitudes towards birds through the ages.

With special photography from award-winning wildlife photographer David Tipling and many other top bird photographers, this book is a unique insight into the world of birds and essential reading for all ornithologists, bird watchers and natural history enthusiasts.

Jonathan Elphick, FZS, FLS, is a wildlife writer, editor, consultant, lecturer and broadcaster, specializing in ornithology. During a career spanning almost 40 years, he has written many books including The World of Birds and the award-winning Birdwatcher's Handbook. He was researcher for Birds and People, the largest survey of cultural attitudes to birds worldwide, and spent five years as researcher on the acclaimed bestseller Birds Britannica. He lives in Exeter, UK.