A fascinating and highly readable monograph, showcasing one of the flagship species of wetland conservation in Britain to superb effect. The arrival of thousands of Bewick's Swans from their Arctic breeding grounds to lakes and wetlands throughout northern and eastern Britain is an unforgettable sight. Popular among both birders and the wider public, these elegant birds are among the best-studied waterfowl in the world. Beginning with the work of the late Sir Peter Scott in the 1950s, Britain's Bewick's have been the subject of intensive behavioural study, while their population ecology has provided a similar focus for research. In Bewick's Swan, Eileen Rees tells the story of these birds in rich detail. Rees discusses their biology in full, with sections on population and distribution, breeding biology, wintering behaviour, food and feeding ecology, taxonomy and phylogeny, migration, and conservation; much original research is included, and there is frequent reference to the Bewick's sibling subspecies, the Tundra Swan of North America. Personal recollections from a lifetime of study weave through the narrative, which is illuminated by Dafila Scott's evocative illustrations.

This book is the outcome of a major international conference on waterbirds held in Edinburgh in April 2004.

Scientific journal from Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

Summarises current understanding of desert river ecology and its dependence on unpredictable river flows.

Among birds, swans are relatively long-lived species and are also among the most strongly monogamous, having prolonged pair and family bonds that strongly influence their reproductive and general social behavior, which, in combination with their beauty and elegance, contribute to the overall high degree of worldwide human interest in them. This volume of more than 59,000 words describes the distributions, ecology, social behavior, and breeding biologies of the four species of swans that breed or have historically bred in North America, including the native trumpeter and tundra swans, the introduced mute swan, and the marginally occurring whooper swan. Also included are 5 distribution maps, 15 drawings, 27 photographs by the author, and a reference section of nearly 1,000 literature citations.

A marvelously illustrated reference to the natural wonders of one of the most spectacular places on earth Separated from Africa’s mainland for tens of millions of years, Madagascar has evolved a breathtaking wealth of biodiversity, becoming home to thousands of species found nowhere else on the planet. The New Natural History of Madagascar provides the most comprehensive, up-to-date synthesis available of this island nation’s priceless biological treasures. Now fully revised and expanded, this beautifully illustrated compendium features contributions by more than 600 globally renowned experts who cover the history of scientific exploration in Madagascar, as well as the island’s geology and soils, climate, forest ecology, human ecology, marine and coastal ecosystems, plants, invertebrates, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. This invaluable two-volume reference also includes detailed discussions of conservation efforts in Madagascar that showcase several successful protected area programs that can serve as models for threatened ecosystems throughout the world. Provides the most comprehensive overview of Madagascar’s rich natural historyCoedited by 18 different specialistsFeatures hundreds of new contributions by world-class expertsIncludes hundreds of new illustrationsCovers a broad array of topics, from geology and climate to animals, plants, and marine lifeSheds light on newly discovered species and draws on the latest scienceAn essential resource for anyone interested in Madagascar or tropical ecosystems in general, from biologists and conservationists to ecotourists and armchair naturalists

This is a revision of the catalogue published in 1965 (McDonald, 1965, Wildlife Disease No. 46, 7 microfiche, 392 pages). This revision includes new material (data from 560 additional references, with 154 additional parasites) and a number of corrections. This catalogue summarizes the information available on each helminth reported as a parasite of waterfowl ("waterfowl" is used here as a term for the Anatidae only): the names applied to it, its life history, hosts, location in the host, geographical distribution, frequency of record in waterfowl, and importance as a cause of disease. This paper is incomplete in certain respects; no general catalogue can include all the pertinent literature of the world and new information is constantly being added. About 120 papers each year record data and describe about 15 new species of helminths in waterfowl.