The Raptor Almanac: A Comprehensive Guide to Eagles, Hawks, Falcons, and Vultures [Paperback]

Scott Weidensaul (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2004

A full-color, indispensable, and entertaining guide.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Few people, writes Scott Weidensaul, are apathetic toward raptors. Once you've seen a hawk or a falcon or an eagle in action, you're likely to take an interest in how these great birds of prey make their homes in the world. If that interest has seized you--and well it should--then Weidensaul's encyclopedic guidebook to the world's principal raptor species, well illustrated with photographs, maps, and charts and full of detailed information, is an ideal companion.

Weidensaul addresses a range of questions, including the antiquity of the world's raptor species and their evolutionary history. (In this matter, his text is thoroughly up-to-date and includes the results of recent genetic research by which carrion-feeding New World vultures have been reclassified as relatives of the stork, and not of predatory hawks, eagles, and falcons.) He traces the fortunes of species such as the peregrine falcon, which had all but disappeared in North America by the 1960s owing to hunting, habitat destruction, and the use of deadly pesticides, but which has returned to the wild thanks to a vigorous program of reintroduction. Other success stories await, and Weidensaul offers helpful notes on building nest platforms and boxes, aiding injured birds, contributing to conservation groups, and otherwise seeing to it that raptors flourish. --Gregory McNamee --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

An excellent resource in all respects, this work is rich in illustration and text content as well as in its wealth of interesting sidebars, charts, and other graphics. Weidensaul (Seasonal Guide to the Natural Year, LJ 10/1/93) is one of a dying breed, the well-versed general naturalist. He has a special interest in hawks and their allies. With so many hawk books available, it is refreshing to find one that is not an annotated, species-by-species catalog. Instead, Raptors is divided into four sections: Hunters on the Wind (e.g., evolution, anatomy, senses, flight), Ecology and Natural History (e.g., behavior, diet, nesting, migration), Conservation (e.g., legal protection, challenges, case histories), and Raptors in the Human World (e.g., falconry, hawk-watching, raptors in history). Over 150 excellent color photographs embellish the vital and engaging text. Highly recommended for all levels, from young adults to specialists in the field.?Henry T. Armistead, Free Lib. of Philadelphia
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 392 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press; 1st edition (July 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592283586
• ISBN-13: 978-1592283583
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,353,720 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A clarification from the author, January 1, 2001

By 

Scott (Schuylkill Haven, Panama) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Raptor Almanac: A Comprehensive Guide to Eagles, Hawks, Falcons, and Vultures (Hardcover)

Potential buyers need to be aware that this volume is a reissue of my 1996 book "Raptors: The Birds of Prey," which the publisher has released with a new title and cover art, but with no changes to the content. I am embarrassed to see that they have promoted it as though it was a new book; while I'm pleased the book is again in print, I believe they should have been more forthright in making clear that it is a reissue instead of an entirely new work -- Scott Weidensaul. (Ignore the star rating, please -- the review would not post without it.)

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Packed with fine details any avid birder will relish, March 6, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Raptor Almanac: A Comprehensive Guide to Eagles, Hawks, Falcons, and Vultures (Hardcover)

This exquisite guide will find a home in any public library and many a personal library: it covers over 300 species of raptors, blending the latest natural history facts and scientific research with photos and details of the birds in nature. From population and distribution statistics to accounts of items recovered from nests and nesting habits, Raptor Almanac is packed with fine details any avid birder will relish.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read!, December 24, 2005

By 

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

This review is from: The Raptor Almanac: A Comprehensive Guide to Eagles, Hawks, Falcons, and Vultures (Paperback)

This book is a great book for people who want to learn more about raptors. It is a lot of information that is very useful, and like the title indicates, this book is quite comprehensive. I would recommend this book in addition to Raptors by John Hendrickson.