The Bird - A Natural History (gnv64) torrent

The Bird: A Natural History of Who Birds Are, Where They Came From, and How They Live
by Colin Tudge
Crown | October 2009 | ISBN-10: 0307342042 | ePUB/PDF | 480 pages | 6/6.57 mb
http://www.amazon.com/The-Bird-Natural-History-Birds/dp/B007K4GP1W
PDF conversion is mine.

• How are birds so good at flying and navigating?
• Why are birds so like mammals– and yet so very different?
• Did birds descend from dinosaurs, and if so, does that mean birds are dinosaurs?
• How do they court each other and fend off rivals?
• What' s being communicated in birdsong?
• Can we ever know how birds think?

In this fascinating exploration of the avian class, Colin Tudge considers the creatures of the air. From their evolutionary roots to their flying, feeding, fighting, mating, nesting, and communicating, Tudge provocatively ponders what birds actually do–as well as why they do it and how. With the same curiosity, passion, and insight he brought to redwoods, pines, and palm trees in his widely acclaimed book The Tree, Tudge here studies sparrows, parrots, and even the Monkey-eating Eagle to better understand their world–and our own.
There is far more to a bird's existence than gliding gracefully on air currents or chirping sweetly from fence posts–the stakes are life and death. By observing and explaining the complex strategy that comes into play with everything from migration to social interaction to the timing of giving birth to young, Tudge reveals how birds are uniquely equipped biologically to succeed and survive. And he offers an impassioned plea for humans to learn to coexist with birds without continuing to endanger their survival.
Complete with an "annotated cast list" of all the known birds in the world– plus gorgeous illustrations–The Bird is a comprehensive and delightfully accessible guide for everyone from dedicated birders to casual birdwatchers that celebrates and illuminates the remarkable lives of birds.

About the Author
Colin Tudge (born 22 April 1943) is a British science writer and broadcaster. A biologist by training, he is the author of numerous works on food, agriculture, genetics, and species diversity. Tudge was born and brought up in south London and attended Dulwich College , from where he won a scholarship to Peterhouse, Cambridge, studying zoology and English. In his career he has worked for World Medicine, Farmers' Weekly and New Scientist, before becoming a freelance writer. In the 1980s he was a regular broadcaster for the BBC, including the BBC Radio 4 science series Spectrum; he wrote and presented The Food Connection; he made one-off documentaries and guest appearances. He lives in Oxford with his second wife, Ruth West. He was married to Rosemary Tudge and had three children, Amanda, Amy and Robin, the last being an author of political works.