The Migration Ecology of Birds

Hardcover  984 pp  ISBN 9780125173674      £42.00

• Hot ecological aspects include: various types of bird movements, including dispersal and nomadism, and how they relate to food supplies and other external conditions
• Contains numerous tables, maps and diagrams, a glossary, and a bibliography of more than 2,700 references
• Written by an active researcher with a distinguished career in avian ecology, including migration research

This book presents an up-to-date, detailed and thorough review of the most fascinating ecological findings of bird migration. It deals with all aspects of this absorbing subject, including the problems of navigation and vagrancy, the timing and physiological control of migration, the factors that limit their populations, and more. Author, Ian Newton, reveals the extraordinary adaptability of birds to the variable and changing conditions across the globe, including current climate change. This adventurous book places emphasis on ecological aspects, which have received only scant attention in previous publications. Overall, the book provides the most thorough and in-depth appraisal of current information available, with abundant tables, maps and diagrams, and many new insights.

Written in a clear and readable style, this book appeals not only to migration researchers in the field and Ornithologists, but to anyone with an interest in this fascinating subject.

Of interest to ornithologists, ecologists, physiologists, biologists interested in animal movements, amateur naturalists, serious bird-watchers and bird-ringers

Contents

Preface
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Methodology

PART 1: THE MIGRATORY PROCESS
Chapter 3 Migratory flight
Chapter 4 Weather effects and other aspects
Chapter 5 Fuelling the flights
Chapter 6 Incredible journeys
Chapter 7 Raptors and other soaring birds
Chapter 8 Speed and duration of journeys
Chapter 9 Finding the way
Chapter 10 Vagrancy

PART 2: THE TIMING AND CONTROL OF MIGRATION
Chapter 11 Annual cycles
Chapter 12 Control mechanisms

PART 3: LARGE SCALE MOVEMENT PATTERNS
Chapter 13 Geographical patterns
Chapter 14 Seasonal occupation of breeding areas
Chapter 15 Sex and age differences in migration
Chapter 16 Variations on a migratory theme
Chapter 17 Site fidelity and dispersal
Chapter 18 Irruptive migrations: boreal seed-eaters
Chapter 19 Irruptive migrations: owls, raptors and waterfowl

PART 4: EVOLUTION OF MOVEMENT PATTERNS
Chapter 20 Evolutionary aspects
Chapter 21 Recent changes in bird migrations
Chapter 22 Biogeographical legacies
Chapter 23 Distribution patterns

PART 5: MIGRATION SYSTEMS AND POPULATION LIMITATION
Chapter 24 The Palaearctic-Afrotropical migration system
Chapter 25 The Nearctic-Neotropical migration system
Chapter 26 Population limitation - breeding and wintering areas
Chapter 27 Population limitation - conditions on stopover
Chapter 28 Mass mortality of migrants

Glossary
Bibliography
Index