Atlas of Oregon Wildlife: Distribution, Habitat, and Natural History (Hardcover)

by Blair A. Csuti (Author, Editor), Thomas A. O'Neil (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
From the common deer mouse and the elusive Spotted Owl to the tailed frog and the painted turtle, the comprehensive "Atlas of Oregon Wildlife" has become the standard reference for all who study or have an interest in the state's wildlife. It combines current knowledge on the habitats and life histories of Oregon's wildlife species with a new generation of computer-generated species distribution maps.

The Atlas devotes a full page to each amphibian, reptile, breeding bird, and mammal found in Oregon. Each species account features:

-a drawing of and measurements for the species;

-a map linked to a high-resolution land-cover map that shows where each species is likely to be found within Oregon;

-the taxonomy, habitat, reproduction, food habits, and ecology of each species, as well as its global range and status;

-selected references for additional information.

For this second edition, new and improved distribution maps have been added for all 474 species. The coverage has been expanded to include all introduced vertebrates recognized as established in the state, all species of seals and sea lions found along its coast, and six extirpated species, including the California Condor, the grizzly bear, and the gray wolf, which may someday return to Oregon.

This new edition of the Atlas will provide interested citizens with a basic understanding of Oregon's remarkable wildlife and serve as an invaluable reference for serious naturalists and wildlife professionals. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Oregon State University Press; First Ed. edition (July 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870713957
• ISBN-13: 978-0870713958
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,791,246 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The difference between an atlas and a field guide, January 5, 2001

By	T. Morse (Newport, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

With regard to the above comment, I'd just like to point out that this book is an atlas of Oregon wildlife, not an identification guide. If you've ever tried to scope out the range of a species from the tiny maps in most field guides, you'll appreciate the large size of these maps.

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Big book with too little detail, August 2, 1999

By A Customer

I was disappointed that a book this size had such limited descriptions of the animals. Nearly half of each page was devoted to a map which showed the areas where the animal might be found. The pictures of the animals are black and white sketchs with no color descriptions in the text. Can you imagine trying to identify birds without knowing what color they are? If the map had been scaled down there would be plenty of room to give more detailed descriptions of the creatures. The idea is very good, but the book is a disappointment.

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent range maps; general natural history overview, September 7, 2008

By	Soleglad (Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Atlas of Oregon Wildlife: Distribution, Habitat, and Natural History (Paperback)

Basics: 2001, 2nd edition, softcover, 525 pages, b&w illustrations of 474 species, excellent range maps

This is a good reference and overview of the natural histories of all land vertebrates in Oregon (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians). The focus of the book is to give the reader a general background on each of the species and to provide a range map of the animal's distribution in the state.

For me, the maps are the most valuable component. With outlines of all counties, the shaded distributions are by far the most detailed I've encountered. The ranges do not necessarily show where the species has been documented, but is a predicted range based on vegetation maps. Where the appropriate vegetation maps intersect with the known distribution boundaries of the species, the range is shaded in. This prevents a generic area from being colored in and incorrectly making it appear that a mountain bird is located in the lowlands. This technique produces a unique looking map for river-faithful species. It also creates a great comparison of the Pacific-slope versus Cordilleran Flycatcher ranges.

The text uses the same template of six categories for all animals. These are global range, habitat, reproduction, food habits, ecology, and comments. This information is general in nature. It may not provide anything new to the experienced naturalist, but it does offer a good overview to all the species for anyone who'd like to enhance their initial knowledge about Oregon's wildlife.

Lastly, each animal is illustrated with a black-and-white line drawing. The artistry is decent, but with a few proportion problems on some of the birds, especially the Pelagic Cormorant. The poor bird appears to have had its head shrunk. These illustrations are merely decorative and to give the reader a general image of the animal being discussed. They're not meant to be used for identification. There are many other books for that, but few that do what this book offers in terms of natural history on a state level.

I've listed several related books below...
1) Birds of Oregon by Gabrielson/Jewett
2) Birds Of Washington: Status And Distribution by Wahl et al.
3) Breeding Birds of Wasington State by Smith et al.
4) Birds of Washington State by Jewett et al.
5) The Birds of Washington by Dawson
6) Birds of the Pacific Northwest by Gabrielson/Jewett
7) Birds of Idaho by Burleigh