Learn the how's and why's of bird behavior, from flirtatious mating practices and gorgeous birdsong to flying south for the winter. In this lively reference book, Laura Erickson addresses hundreds of real-life questions sent in to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the world's foremost authority on birds. With expert advice on bird watching techniques and equipment, feeding and housing birds, protecting habitats, and much more, Erickson guides you through the intricacies of the avian world with a contagious passion for our feathered friends. Laura Erickson is the author of The Love Lives of Birds and The Bird Watching Answer Book, and is coauthor of Into the Nest. A recipient of the American Birding Association's prestigious Roger Tory Peterson award, she has served as science editor at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, an editor of Bird Scope magazine, and a columnist and contributing editor for Birdwatching magazine. She produces For the Birds, a long-running public radio program and podcast, and lives in Duluth, Minnesota. Part One For the Birds: Feeding, Watching, and Protecting Our Feathered Friends
1. Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? The Art of Bird Feeding
2. Birding for Fun and Science: The Sport of Bird-Watching
3. Living with Our Feathered Friends: Solving Bird Problems
4. Looking to the Future: Protecting Bird Populations
Part Two Bird Brains: Avian Behavior and Intelligence
5. Actions Speak Louder in Birds: Bird Behavior
6. Singin' in the Rain: Bird Vocalizations
7. Do You Know the Way to San Jose? Bird Migration
8. The Birds and the Bees: How Birds Reproduce
Part Three All About Birds, Inside and Out
9. The Inside Story: How Birds Work
10. Of Eagle Eyes and Ultrasound: How Birds Perceive the World
11. On Angels' Wings: Fascinating Feathers
12. Those Magnificent Flying Machines: How Birds Fly.
