A History of Birdwatching in 100 Objects

by David Callahan

Overview

This book looks at 100 items that have profoundly shaped how people watched, studied and engaged with the avian world.

Each item contains around 500 words on a double-page spread and include an illustration of the object in question. The book includes the objects listed below as well as many more.The range of items is international and cross-cultural. Subjects include:

*An Egyptian 'field guide' (early tomb decorations of birds, identifiable as species)
*Ornithologiae libri tres: the first British bird guide (a 1676 publication that attempted to itemise all British birds known at the time)
*The Dodo specimen held at the Horniman museum
*Systema Naturae by Carl Linnaeus (the first-ever system of scientific names in 1758, and still the international standard today)
*The shotgun
*The book, The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne by Gilbert White (1789)
*HMS Beagle (the ship on which Darwin made his ground-breaking discoveries)
*Aluminium bird rings (used to record movement and longevity of individuals and species)

Along with many more modern innovations including walkie talkies, pagers, radio tags and apps.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781408186664
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	08/14/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	57 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Dominic Mitchell is managing editor of Birdwatch magazine. His books include Where to Watch Birds in the London Area, Christopher Helm 1997; Birdwatching: the ultimate guide to the birds of Europe, Collins 1997; Photographic Handbook to the Rare Birds of Britain and Europe, New Holland, 1999; Birds of Britain: the complete checklist, Solo Publishing 2010. He writes a regular blog, Birding Etc with Dominic Mitchell.

David Callahan is a nature writer and lifelong birder, with a particular interest in the sites of southern England. He has travelled the world in search of birds, and also trained as a taxonomist at the Natural History Museum and the Zoological Society of London. He was staff writer at Birdwatch magazine for more than 10 years.
Dominic Mitchell is managing editor of Birdwatch magazine. His books include Where to Watch Birds in the London Area, Christopher Helm 1997; Birdwatching: the ultimate guide to the birds of Europe, Collins 1997; Photographic Handbook to the Rare Birds of Britain and Europe, New Holland, 1999; Birds of Britain: the complete checklist, Solo Publishing 2010. He writes a regular blog, Birding Etc with Dominic Mitchell.

Editorial Reviews

A coffee table book you actually want to read.” —Audubon Magazine

“[A History of Birdwatching in 100 Objects] uses a familiar format to tell the story of how we came to watch birds in a new and quirky way.” —The Guardian US, Best Nature Literature 2014

“An excellent addition to the history of birdwatching. A triumph of well-crafted prose and a tribute to our own imagination and ingenuity.” —Rare Bird Alert

“Nicely produced and attractive to hold and read . . . stimulating.” —Mark Avery, author of A Message from Martha

“Adept and admirably crafted . . . A History of Birdwatching in 100 Objects will provide you with intriguing insights into how our hobby has grown to be the hugely popular outdoor pursuit that we know today.” —Bird Guides

“A fascinating testimony to the hold birds have exerted on our collective consciousness.” —Caught by the River

“A unique perspective on the world of birds and those who watch them.” —Birdwatch

“Engaging and thoughtful . . . Carefully selected and well-described gems . . . make Callahan and Mitchell's History a pleasure to read.” —BirdWatching Magazine

“A charming new book.” —The Daily Express

“A very enjoyable book.” —Scotland Outdoors

“A fun read . . . charming and unique.” —10,000 Birds

“New and quirky.” —The Guardian

“Glorious . . . a most enjoyable compendium.” —The Sunday Express

“A History of Birdwatching in 100 Objects should be considered essential reading for all bird watchers.” —Bird Watcher's Digest

From the Publisher