The Behavior of Texas Birds: A Field Companion (Corrie Herring Hooks Series) [Paperback]

Kent Rylander (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 2002 | Series: Corrie Herring Hooks Series (Book 53)

Whether it's the sudden, plunging dives of Brown Pelicans, the singing and aerial displays of Northern Mockingbirds, or the communal nesting of Purple Martins, innate and learned behaviors are some of the most fascinating things to observe in Texas birds. Even casual birdwatchers eventually ask, "why do they do that?" while serious birders and ornithologists seek to understand all the behaviors involved in feeding, flying, mating, and rearing young. But until now, it has been hard to find this information in one handy source. In this comprehensive, yet easy-to-use book, Kent Rylander distills data from many sources to provide an authoritative guide to the behavior of Texas birds. He begins by explaining the principles of animal behavior and illustrating how they can be applied to interpreting bird behaviors in the field. The majority of the book is devoted to accounts of more than 400 species of birds that are most likely to be encountered by Texas birdwatchers. Each account describes such behaviors as feeding, courtship, parenting, and other behaviors that are significant for that species. References to interesting and important articles from scientific journals are incorporated in the species accounts where appropriate, and line drawings illustrate some of the behaviors described. Kent Rylander is Professor of Biological Sciences at Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book definitely provides material that is otherwise unavailable in a concise format on Texas birds... For this reason, I think it will be an important resource for professional ornithologists, as well as birders." Mark Lockwood, Secretary of the Texas Birds Records Committee, Texas Ornithological Society

Review

This book definitely provides material that is otherwise unavailable in a concise format on Texas birds. . . . For this reason, I think it will be an important resource for professional ornithologists, as well as birders. (Mark Lockwood, Secretary of the Texas Birds Records Committee, Texas Ornithological Society )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 443 pages
• Publisher: University of Texas Press; 1 edition (August 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0292771207
• ISBN-13: 978-0292771208
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #532,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must own book on bird behavior, January 31, 2003

By 

Jack C. Eitniear (San Antonio, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Behavior of Texas Birds: A Field Companion (Corrie Herring Hooks Series) (Paperback)

Rylander, a student of the famous Austrian animal behaviorist Konrad Lorenz, put forth considerable effort to extract noteworthy examples of innate and learned behavioral traits in Texas birds. All students of Texas birds and bird behavior should add this book to their library.
Jack Eitniear
Editor/Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society
and Occasional Publication Series

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wild and Crazy Stuff, October 7, 2011

By 

Robert C. Deming (Fredericksburg, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Behavior of Texas Birds: A Field Companion (Corrie Herring Hooks Series) (Paperback)

A very readable and entertaining discussion of birds, which live in the same world as humans but a different part of it altogether. The details on their lives is much more interesting than one would think. Not a field guide; it seems to me that knowing the name of a bird you are looking at pales in comparison to understanding its courtship and mating rituals or how it builds its nest and rears its young.