Ten Thousand Birds: Ornithology since Darwin

by Tim Birkhead, Jo Wimpenny, Bob Montgomerie

Overview

A beautifully illustrated history of modern ornithology

Ten Thousand Birds provides a thoroughly engaging and authoritative history of modern ornithology, tracing how the study of birds has been shaped by a succession of visionary and often-controversial personalities, and by the unique social and scientific contexts in which these extraordinary individuals worked. This beautifully illustrated book opens in the middle of the nineteenth century when ornithology was a museum-based discipline focused almost exclusively on the anatomy, taxonomy, and classification of dead birds. It describes how in the early 1900s pioneering individuals such as Erwin Stresemann, Ernst Mayr, and Julian Huxley recognized the importance of studying live birds in the field, and how this shift thrust ornithology into the mainstream of the biological sciences. The book tells the stories of eccentrics like Colonel Richard Meinertzhagen, a pathological liar who stole specimens from museums and quite likely murdered his wife, and describes the breathtaking insights and discoveries of ambitious and influential figures such as David Lack, Niko Tinbergen, Robert MacArthur, and others who through their studies of birds transformed entire fields of biology.

Ten Thousand Birds brings this history vividly to life through the work and achievements of those who advanced the field. Drawing on a wealth of archival material and in-depth interviews, this fascinating book reveals how research on birds has contributed more to our understanding of animal biology than the study of just about any other group of organisms.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691151977
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	02/16/2014
Pages:	544
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 10.20(h) x 1.80(d)

About the Author

Tim Birkhead is professor of zoology at the University of Sheffield, where he teaches and conducts research on the behavioral ecology of birds with particular focus on reproduction. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of London and his books include The Wisdom of Birds and Bird Sense. Jo Wimpenny was a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Sheffield during the writing of this book. Bob Montgomerie is professor of biology at Queen's University in Ontario, where he studies the evolution of plumage colors and sexual behavior in birds.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

Chapter 1 Yesterday's Birds 1

Chapter 2 The Origin and Diversification of Species 43

Chapter 3 Birds on the Tree of Life 75

Chapter 4 Ebb and Flow 117

Chapter 5 Ecological Adaptations for Breeding 161

Chapter 6 Form and Function 201

Chapter 7 The Study of Instinct 245

Chapter 8 Behavior as Adaptation 287

Chapter 9 Selection in Relation to Sex 323

Chapter 10 Population Studies of Birds 355

Chapter 11 Tomorrow's Birds 389

Afterword 425

Appendix 1: Some Histories of Ornithology 431

Appendix 2: Five Hundred Ornithologists 434

Notes 443

References 467

Index 497

Image Credits 519

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"A first-class review not only of the recent history of ornithology but also of the key players involved. No other book of this type comes anywhere near this one in its breadth of coverage and depth of scholarship. Ten Thousand Birds is in a class by itself, and an outstanding read."—Ian Newton, author of The Migration Ecology of Birds

"This book fills an important and neglected niche. The mix of science, history, personality, and human interest is unique and one that people will find highly appealing. I found the prose not only engaging but downright riveting."—Walt Koenig, coeditor of Ecology and Evolution of Cooperative Breeding in Birds

"This is a hugely impressive book that synthesizes an enormous amount of information in a very accessible and engaging way, and makes an original contribution not only to the history of modern ornithology but also to the general history of biological science since Darwin. It will be an invaluable reference for general readers and students, and offers specialists a paradigmatic case study of the scientific method in action."—Jeremy Mynott, author of Birdscapes: Birds in Our Imagination and Experience

"This brilliant, wide-ranging book examines the debates, mistakes, and major conceptual breakthroughs that advanced our knowledge of avian biology. It documents how science proceeds, and skillfully humanizes it. Ten Thousand Birds is not only the best modern treatise on the history of ornithology. It is also a powerful summary of the remarkable biology of birds and what we still don't know. This book is not just for ornithologists or serious birders."—Frank Gill, author of Ornithology

Editorial Reviews

"It should be required reading for ornithology students, providing an essential context for their studies, but it will also appeal to the general reader and birdwatcher too, providing ample confirmation of the contribution which ornithological science has made to our understanding of birds and the wider natural world."

North Norfolk Birds

"[The] three authors present an enormous amount of information both easily readable and thoroughly engaging, and illustrate the importance of the contributions of individuals throughout history as well as the story of ornithology itself. This is a landmark achievement for the study of ornithology and even those with just a casual interest in birds will lose themselves in these pages."

Birding Business

"[A] handsome history of modern ornithology. . . . Birkhead, Wimpenny, and Montgomerie fill 11 readable chapters . . . addressing ecology, behavior, conservation, and other major areas of ornithological science. Their chief achievement, though, is bringing to life the visionary, sometimes controversial, and typically brilliant researchers who have enriched our bird knowledge since the middle of the 19th century—Erwin Stresemann, Ernst Mayr, Julian Huxley, David Lack, Niko Tinbergen, Robert MacArthur, Charles Sibley, Alexander Skutch, Gustav Kramer, Steve Emlen, and many more. An editorial tenet of this magazine has long held that how we learn can be just as interesting as what we learn. This fine book proves the point."

BirdWatching Magazine

"I absolutely love this book as I'm fascinated about the advancement we have made and are making in avian biology and behavior. I have always watched and read almost anything I can find on birds over the years and I simply couldn't put this book down as its such an original idea for a book."

Gadget Girls

"Winner of the 2015 PROSE Award in History of Science, Medicine & Technology, Association of American Publishers"

One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2014

From the Publisher

"The charming and witty work fills the needs of academic scientists and researchers as well as serious birders. . . . Anyone interested in natural science, birds, and history will enjoy this book immensely."

Choice

05/15/2014
This is the best history of ornithology ever. Most others are dated, focus on a limited period, or concern defined geographical areas. Birkhead (zoology, Univ. of Sheffield; Fellow of the Royal Society; Bird Sense), Jo Wimpenny (postdoctoral research associate, Univ. of Sheffield) and Bob Montgomerie (biology, Queens Univ., Ont.) explain the often complex, theoretical, or detailed schools of thought and research about birds in entertaining and authoritative ways. Their four-and-a-half-pound monograph is richly illustrated and thoroughly referenced. Chapters deal with evolution, ecology, anatomy, physiology, behavior, breeding, population studies, etc. Colorful full-page time lines have illustrations and citations with images of key scientists in those various fields. An appendix has thumbnail information about 500 ornithologists with photographs of 54. Discussions of personalities, controversies, research methods, and honors make the text a lively read. There are numerous autobiographical sketches, each several pages. Hundreds of these remarkable scientists receive consideration, including Jared Diamond, Konrad Lorenz, Roger Tory Peterson, and E.O. Wilson. What might have been a clunky, laborious catalog of often arcane academic endeavors is instead very readable and comprehensible, as well as comprehensive. VERDICT Most highly recommended for academic and larger public libraries and for all interested in nature and science.—Henry T. Armistead, formerly with Free Lib. of Philadelphia

Library Journal