Silence of the Songbirds: How We Are Losing the World's Songbirds and What We Can Do to Save Them

( 1 )

Overview

Wood thrush, Kentucky warbler, the Eastern kingbird—migratory songbirds are disappearing at a frightening rate. By some estimates, we may already have lost almost half of the songbirds that filled the skies only forty years ago. Renowned biologist Bridget Stutchbury convincingly argues that songbirds truly are the "canaries in the coal mine"—except the coal mine looks a lot like Earth and we are the hapless excavators.

Following the birds on their six-thousand-mile migratory ...

See more details below
Available through our Marketplace sellers.
See All Options
Other sellers (Hardcover)
  • All (34) from $1.99   
  • New (11) from $2.25   
  • Used (23) from $1.99   
Close
Sort by
Page 1 of 2
Showing 1 – 9 of 11 (2 pages)
Note: Marketplace items are not eligible for any BN.com coupons and promotions
$2.25
Diane Publishing Co. PA
Seller since 2005

Feedback rating:

(273)

Condition:

New — never opened or used in original packaging.

Like New — packaging may have been opened. A "Like New" item is suitable to give as a gift.

Very Good — may have minor signs of wear on packaging but item works perfectly and has no damage.

Good — item is in good condition but packaging may have signs of shelf wear/aging or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Acceptable — item is in working order but may show signs of wear such as scratches or torn packaging. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Used — An item that has been opened and may show signs of wear. All specific defects should be noted in the Comments section associated with each item.

Refurbished — A used item that has been renewed or updated and verified to be in proper working condition. Not necessarily completed by the original manufacturer.

New
2007 Hardcover Brand New. 100% Money Back Guarantee! Ships within 1 business day, includes tracking. Carefully packed. Successful business for 25 Years!

Ships from: Darby, PA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$3.00
Blue Salamander
Seller since 2010

Feedback rating:

(10)

Condition: New
Brand New Book in shrink wrap

Ships from: Winterville, NC

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$3.95
GFS Booksellers
Seller since 2013

Feedback rating:

(0)

Condition: New
2007 Hard cover Revised ed. New in new dust jacket. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. With dust jacket. 272 p. Audience: General/trade.

Ships from: logan, WV

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$9.49
Stephen F. Forsyth, Bookseller
Seller since 2008

Feedback rating:

(155)

Condition: New
0802716091 In Protective Shrink-wrap! BRAND NEW & PERFECT! Hardcover w/Jacket. Pristine: Clean, shiny, tight & crisp. Several Available - GIVE AS A GIFT - They don't come any ... NICER! Not a Remainder - No marks, writing or stickers inside or out! From a Smoke Free/Pet Free Warehouse. Order with Expedited Shipping for 2 or 3 Business Day delivery! SEE OUR FEEDBACK & BUY WITH CONFIDENCE! APO, FPO & INTERNATIONAL Orders Always Welcome! WE SHIP FAST! And... Thanks! Read more Show Less

Ships from: Kansas City, MO

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
$11.00
Chestnut Street Bookshop KY
Seller since 2005

Feedback rating:

(654)

Condition: New
hardcover with dj new with remainder mark; edge wear to the jacket

Ships from: Berea, KY

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$13.38
Kings Ridge Media WI
Seller since 2006

Feedback rating:

(818)

Condition: New
2007-05-01 Hardcover New New Book. Item delivered via UPS in 7-9 business days. Tracking available by request.

Ships from: Appleton, WI

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$28.00
Bethel Charkoudian Books MA
Seller since 2005

Feedback rating:

(73)

Condition: New
2007 Hardcover First Edition, 1st printing BRAND NEW Very fine hardcover in very fine dustjacket. Mint. Publisher's review materials slipped in.

Ships from: Newton, MA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
  • •Express (AK, HI)
$31.75
Books Revisited
Seller since 2013

Feedback rating:

(98)

Condition: New
Brand New Item.

Ships from: Chatham, NJ

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Canadian
  • •International
  • •Standard, 48 States
  • •Standard (AK, HI)
  • •Express, 48 States
Not Currently Available
$45.00
bluehouse
Seller since 2013

Feedback rating:

(39)

Condition: New
Brand new.

Ships from: acton, MA

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

  • •Standard, 48 States
Page 1 of 2
Showing 1 – 9 of 11 (2 pages)
Close
Sort by
Silence of the Songbirds

Available on NOOK devices and apps  
  • Nook Devices
  • NOOK HD/HD+ Tablet
  • NOOK
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet
  • Tablet/Phone
  • NOOK for Windows 8 Tablet
  • NOOK for iOS
  • NOOK for Android
  • NOOK Kids for iPad
  • PC/Mac
  • NOOK for Windows 8
  • NOOK for PC
  • NOOK for Mac
  • NOOK Study
  • NOOK for Web

Want a NOOK? Explore Now

NOOK Book (eBook)
$10.19
BN.com price
(Save 15%)$11.99 List Price

More About This Book

Overview

Wood thrush, Kentucky warbler, the Eastern kingbird—migratory songbirds are disappearing at a frightening rate. By some estimates, we may already have lost almost half of the songbirds that filled the skies only forty years ago. Renowned biologist Bridget Stutchbury convincingly argues that songbirds truly are the "canaries in the coal mine"—except the coal mine looks a lot like Earth and we are the hapless excavators.

Following the birds on their six-thousand-mile migratory journey, Stutchbury leads us on an ecological field trip to explore firsthand the major threats to songbirds: pesticides, still a major concern decades after Rachel Carson first raised the alarm; the destruction of vital habitat, from the boreal forests of Canada to the diminishing continuous forests of the United States to the grasslands of Argentina; coffee plantations, which push birds out of their forest refuges so we can have our morning fix; the bright lights and structures in our cities, which prove a minefield for migrating birds; and global warming. We could well wake up in the near future and hear no songbirds singing. But we won't just be missing their cheery calls, we'll be missing a vital part of our ecosystem. Without songbirds, our forests would face uncontrolled insect infestations, and our trees, flowers, and gardens would lose a crucial element in their reproductive cycle. As Stutchbury shows, saving songbirds means protecting our ecosystem and ultimately ourselves.

Some of the threats to songbirds:

• The U.S. annually uses 4-5 million pounds of active ingredient acephate, an insecticide that, even in small quantities, throws off the navigation systems of White-throated sparrows and other songbirds, making them unable to tell north from south.

• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conservatively estimated that 4-5 million birds are killed by crashing into communication towers each year.

• A Michigan study found that 600 domestic cats killed more than 6,000 birds during a typical 10-week breeding season.

Wood thrush, Kentucky warbler, the Eastern kingbird—migratory songbirds are disappearing at a frightening rate. By some estimates, we may already have lost almost half of the songbirds that filled the skies only forty years ago. Renowned biologist Bridget Stutchbury convincingly argues that songbirds truly are the "canaries in the coal mine"—except the coal mine looks a lot like Earth and we are the hapless excavators.

Following the birds on their six-thousand-mile migratory journey, Stutchbury leads us on an ecological field trip to explore firsthand the major threats to songbirds: pesticides, still a major concern decades after Rachel Carson first raised the alarm; the destruction of vital habitat, from the boreal forests of Canada to the diminishing continuous forests of the United States to the grasslands of Argentina; coffee plantations, which push birds out of their forest refuges so we can have our morning fix; the bright lights and structures in our cities, which prove a minefield for migrating birds; and global warming. We could well wake up in the near future and hear no songbirds singing. But we won't just be missing their cheery calls, we'll be missing a vital part of our ecosystem. Without songbirds, our forests would face uncontrolled insect infestations, and our trees, flowers, and gardens would lose a crucial element in their reproductive cycle. As Stutchbury shows, saving songbirds means protecting our ecosystem and ultimately ourselves.

Some of the threats to songbirds:

• The U.S. annually uses 4-5 million pounds of active ingredient acephate, an insecticide that, even in small quantities, throws off the navigation systems of White-throated sparrows and other songbirds, making them unable to tell north from south.

• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conservatively estimated that 4-5 million birds are killed by crashing into communication towers each year.

• A Michigan study found that 600 domestic cats killed more than 6,000 birds during a typical 10-week breeding season.

Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

Library Journal

Consider this a work of gentle scholarship in the Rachel Carson (Silent Spring) tradition. The silence Carson greatly feared still looms: surveys suggest we may have lost half of the songbirds that filled the skies just 40 years ago. Cleverly organized around the return journey of migrant songbirds from Central America to northern breeding grounds, Stutchbury's (biology, York Univ., Toronto) book details the perils they face at every stage of the way: e.g., tropical deforestation, pesticides, and encounters with house cats and other predators. She sounds the alarm forcefully, arguing that songbirds are more than simply detectors of environmental malaise; they play "crucial ecological roles in our natural communities." Strangely hopeful, Stutchbury urges individual discretion as the best solution to the migratory birds' plight-e.g., buy shade-grown coffee, turn off the lights at night, and keep kitty indoors. It is clear she seeks a wider audience than that restricted to her peers, but rarely does her popular approach veer into triteness. Her work, along with Miyoko Chu's Songbird Journeys, is important and strongly recommended for academic and public collections. [Tie-in to International Migratory Bird Day, May 12.-Ed.]
—Robert Eagan

Kirkus Reviews
Ornithologists have noticed a significant decline in the numbers of migratory songbird species. Here's an overview of the problem. Stutchbury (Biology/York Univ., Toronto) begins with the tropical forests of Central and South America, and many islands in the Caribbean: second homes to our familiar birds. There they adopt a different lifestyle, fattening up for the flight back to their breeding grounds in springtime. But their southern homes are under severe pressure. Deforestation is a significant threat, as the once-solid ranks of trees come down to make way for cash crops. Prime habitat is being lost, and, along with it, food sources the songbirds depend on. Worse still, in many of the countries where they winter, birds are subjected to heavy doses of pesticides. Some birds are killed outright; others are simply so weakened that they cannot complete their migration north. Stutchbury offers positive suggestions, such as drinking shade-grown coffee, which minimizes deforestation, and buying organic food instead of pesticide-laced products. But there are other, less easily dodged problems. City lights and tall buildings are bird killers-many thousands of birds can crash into a TV tower or wind farm during the migration season. Domestic cats allowed to roam free are prolific bird killers, too-as are feral cats. Northern habitats are also under pressure-forest preservation not being the highest priority in North America. The result has been a steady and measurable decline in the populations of almost all the major migratory songbirds over the last several decades. Stutchbury emphasizes that birds are not the only threatened species: The loss of forest contributes to global warming, and thehuman population will inevitably suffer the consequences. She closes with a short list of countermeasures the average person can take to help save the birds. A powerful warning, very much in the vein of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780802716095
  • Publisher: Walker & Company
  • Publication date: 5/15/2007
  • Pages: 272
  • Product dimensions: 6.17 (w) x 9.84 (h) x 1.01 (d)

Meet the Author

Bridget Stutchbury completed her Ph.D. at Yale University, was a research associate at the Smithsonian Institute, and is now professor of biology at York University in Toronto. She lives in Woodbridge, Ontario, and in Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania.

Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
( 1 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(1)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
Sort by: Showing 1 Customer Review

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 26, 2013

    Puddlestar

    Jayclans own Moonpool

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Sort by: Showing 1 Customer Review
If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)