The Behavior of Texas Birds

Whether itaEURO(t)s the sudden, plunging dives of Brown Pelicans, the singing and aerial displays of Northern Mockingbirds, or the communal nesting of Purple Martins, innate and learned behaviours are some of the most fascinating things to observe in Texas birds. Even casual birdwatchers eventually ask, "why do they do that?" while serious birders and ornithologists seek to understand all the behaviours involved in feeding, flying, mating, and rearing young. But until now, it has been hard to find this information in one handy source. In this comprehensive, yet easy-to-use book, Kent Rylander distils data from many sources to provide an authoritative guide to the behaviour of Texas birds. He begins by explaining the principles of animal behaviour and illustrating how they can be applied to interpreting bird behaviours in the field. The majority of the book is devoted to accounts of more than 400 species of birds that are most likely to be encountered by Texas birdwatchers. Each account describes such behaviours as feeding, courtship, parenting, and other behaviours that are significant for that species.
References to interesting and important articles from scientific journals are incorporated in the species accounts where appropriate, and line drawings illustrate some of the behaviours described. Kent Rylander is Professor of Biological Sciences at Texas Tech University in Lubbock.