Owls of North America [Hardcover]

Frances Backhouse (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 12, 2008

Mysterious, silent and ferocious birds of prey.

Owls are almost everywhere. These distinctive birds populate every continent except Antarctica and survive in everything from arid desert, to arctic tundra, to dense rain forest.

From ancient mythology to Harry Potter, owls hold an enduring place in the human imagination. In some cultures they are revered; in others, feared. And for every superstition that associates owls with good fortune, a dozen more link them to death, sickness or evil.

Frances Backhouse provides an in-depth yet lively study of these fascinating birds. Topics include anatomy and adaptations, mating behaviors, egg laying and chick rearing, feeding habits, communication displays and location.

Superbly designed birds of prey, owls are equipped with highly effective tools for killing and dismembering their prey: strong feet with curved, stiletto-like talons and a sturdy hooked bill with razor-sharp cutting edges. What makes owls unique is that most of them hunt in darkness from dusk to dawn using their keen hearing, enhanced low-light vision and sound-muffling structures on their flight feathers.

With detailed profiles of and range maps for all 23 species, along with 70 color photographs illustrating key behavioral characteristics, Owls of North America is a solid reference for birders, naturalists and general readers.

(20081113)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Einstein unravels relativity. Schrödinger ponders life. Oppenheimer reflects on nuclear war. These three luminaries here join an impressive constellation of other modern scientists who have brightened the last century through both their research and their writing. Biologist-author Dawkins brings to his anthology-building task a perfect fusion of scientific intelligence and literary discernment, carefully selecting and annotating pieces remarkable both for theoretical acumen and stylistic grace. The range of specialties represented runs very wide—astrophysics and microbiology, anthropology and computer design—but discernible commonalities emerge in four thematic sections devoted to what scientists study, who they are, what they think, and even what they admire. A few selections will appeal chiefly to scholars (such as John Maynard Smith’s examination of how nervous systems evolved in flying creatures); however, the majority of the pieces address topics of deep interest to general readers—in language wonderfully free of jargon. Most of the writers, indeed, seem to have read and taken to heart the insights excerpted from molecular biologist James Watson’s lively autobiography: Avoid Boring People (2007). --Bryce Christensen

Review

Wildlife author Frances Backhouse's well-researched and informative book helps us get closer to these haunting and often misunderstood birds. (William Hageman Chicago Tribune-City 20080928)

If you enjoy owls or learning about wildlife in North America, you will enjoy Owls of North America. (Glenn Perrett Metroland North.com 200809)

Wildlife author Constance Backhouse's well-researched and informative book helps us get closer to these haunting and often misunderstood birds. (William Hageman, Chicago Tribune Dayton Daily News 200904)

Readers with an interest in owls will simply not find a better book. (January magazine 2009)

An in-depth yet lively study of these fascinating birds.... Exceptionally well done. (Lois Cooper Muskoka Today (Gravenhurst ON) 20090601)

There can't be too many books about owls... With her clean and clear text, [Backhouse] illuminates these fascinating birds brightly. (Jim Williams Star Tribune, Minneapolis, MN 20081119)

[starred review] A remarkable amount of information is presented, but in a way that anyone can understand. (The Birder's Library.com 200812)

Large, beautifully produced [and] has fantastic photography... enjoyable and comprehensive.... Recommended. (Grant McCreary Wingbars.com 200901)

Superbly written.... Frances Backhouse clearly has a unique talent for environmental writing. (David H. Johnson Journal of the British Ornithologists' Union 20081207)

The accounts of the various birds are thorough... Excellent photographs accompany the text. (John D. Newman, NIH, Poolesville, MD Science Books and Films 200812)

The text...is definitely readable for younger audiences.... It was hard to keep our 10-year-old from running off with the book. (birdfreak.com 20081213)

A must-have book for your library, if you are a lover of all things outdoors. (Joan Sutter Shelf Life 20081205)

Heavily illustrated with beautiful, clear photographs. (Nancy Bent Booklist )

A thoroughly charming and informative look at these enigmatic creatures of the night. (Jodi DeLong The Chronicle Herald )

Seventy beautiful colour photographs complement Backhouse's informative and interesting text. (N. Glenn Perrett Lake Wah-Wash-Kesh Conservation Association )

Packed with information, going from generalities to species profiles, complete with stunning photographs. (Bill Robertson The Star Phoenix )

These are lavishly illustrated, beautifully designed volumes. (reviewed with Woodpeckers of North America) (Dan Davidson The Whitehorse Star )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 216 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (September 12, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1554073421
• ISBN-13: 978-1554073429
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #118,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #40 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Zoology > Ornithology

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for everyone, November 18, 2008

By 

H. Mayson (PORTLAND, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Owls of North America (Hardcover)

This book is split into two main sections: general information on owls and species profiles. The first section deals with the general information and it is written in a way that is easy to understand and very informative. After the author discusses something generally about owls, it is often followed up with specific examples of which owls that information applies to. There is some information that can be applied more generally to birds of prey, but, of course, everything mentioned is related to owls.

I tend to read a lot about owls and diurnal birds of prey, and when I spotted this book in the store, I kept thinking, do I really need yet another book on owls? Despite that, I could not pass the book up, and I'm glad I did not. And speaking from the point of view of someone who has read extensively on owls/birds of prey, I think this book would be great for anyone, from the person who is new to the subject of owls or for someone who is more of an expert.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN INFORMATIVE DELIGHT., October 14, 2008

By 

D. Blankenship (The Ozarks) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Owls of North America (Hardcover)

This is one of those books that could well be classified as a "coffee table book," but unlike so many works that fall into that category; this one actually imparts some valuable information. It is a pure joy to read and look at. In this book you will find some of the best photographs, over 70 of them, of owls that you will find anywhere. The quality, detail and settings of each photo are rather amazing. The photographic technology is rather amazing. Having photographed birds for years, I can attest to the fact that it is not easy and to get this many shots of this quality is rather remarkable.

But don't take me wrong, this is far more that just a book of pretty pictures of owls. The author has done extensive research and does know her owl stuff. The book includes a brief history of owls in North America, and owls in general and a discussion of the various families. The author discusses the habits and habitat of each separate species along with anatomy and psychology, feeding habits, nesting, breeding habits, visual displays, life cycles, migration and communication. There are also excellent distribution maps shown with each species. (A warning here: Distribution maps are fine and dandy, but must all be use with caution. Birds in general do not read maps and you find different species in places that they have no business being in. Due to various factors, including climate warming, the distribution for birds is rapidly changing at this time and the "owl watcher" needs to be aware of this).

The author gives a good species profile of each of the 23 species found in North America, and as mentioned above, gives us some wonderful photographs of each of these wonderful birds. This book is not intended to be a field guide by any means, but tromping though the woods, desert and plains is just part of the fun. Reading about and learning is another part.

This is an excellent book to have lying around. Even those not particularly interest in birding with find joy in flipping though this one. I have also found that children are fascinated with these creatures. The text is not overly technical and is easy reading.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing photos!, December 24, 2008

By 

K. Schneider "CA Naturalist" (Redwood City, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Owls of North America (Hardcover)

I agree with the other reviewers (so far) that this a beautiful book with informative text and amazing photographs of owls. My only disappointment with the book is that the textual information is often presented as more of a "list of facts" rather than a real synthesis of the available information on owl biology. Thus, the introductory chapters on different aspects of the life cycle of owls often reads as something like ... owl X lays on average a clutch of 5 eggs, while owls Y and Z usually lay 7-8 eggs.... It's hard to get the "big picture" from some of these chapters, and there is redundancy with some of the later species accounts in the book. Overall, though, I would still recommend this book for it's other features.