Overview
Why is a cardinal red or a bluebird blue? Why do some birds have plumage that is intensely colored—is it pigment, light, gender, robust health, or some combination of all four? What roles do disease, climate, and wear and tear play in this process? What does feather display signal about sexual attraction and social status? How has color camouflage evolved?These are just a few of the fascinating questions explored here in the first non-academic work on coloration and plumage, and their key role in avian life. More than 200 gorgeous photographs highlight the explanations of the essentials: what color is, ornithologically speaking; how it is produced and measured; how birds use color to attract mates and deter competitors; how birds perceive color; and how coloration varies across species by sex, season, and age.
Geoff Hill guides his readers along an engaging but authoritative narrative illustrated with vivid photographs and fact-packed captions. A book conceived in the same spirit as National Geographic’s more traditional bird guides, it’s sure to appeal to serious ornithologists, recreational bird watchers, and natural history buffs alike.
Synopsis
Why is a cardinal red or a bluebird blue? Why do some birds have plumage that is intensely colored—is it pigment, light, gender, robust health, or some combination of all four? What roles do disease, climate, and wear and tear play in this process? What does feather display signal about sexual attraction and social status? How has color camouflage evolved?
These are just a few of the fascinating questions explored here in the first non-academic work on coloration and plumage, and their key role in avian life. More than 200 gorgeous photographs highlight the explanations of the essentials: what color is, ornithologically speaking; how it is produced and measured; how birds use color to attract mates and deter competitors; how birds perceive color; and how coloration varies across species by sex, season, and age.
Geoff Hill guides his readers along an engaging but authoritative narrative illustrated with vivid photographs and fact-packed captions. A book conceived in the same spirit as National Geographic’s more traditional bird guides, it’s sure to appeal to serious ornithologists, recreational bird watchers, and natural history buffs alike.
Editorials
From the Publisher
“Bird Coloration is a highly entertaining and educational book that should appeal to bird watching hobbyists and professional ornithologists alike.” –South Dakota Bird Notes
The information presented here is, in a word, fascinating…Hill wrote this volume for non-professionals, especially birders. He did a commendable job in making a very complicated, technical topic not only readable, but also enjoyable. ..The topics presented here are incredibly interesting.” www.birderslibrary.com
“This fascinating book, one of the first non-academic works on bird coloration and plumage,
uses more than 200 color photographs and 100 drawings to illustrate Hill’s authoritative-yet-accessible text.” –Alaska Airlines magazine
“Bird Coloration is a fascinating read for the birder who wants to understand a little more about the world birds see and why certain birds are colored the way they are. You don’t need to be a scientist to enjoy this book.” –Surfbirds.com (http://surfbirds.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6669)
“The photography is excellent and the drawings are just plain beautiful.” –aroundanchorage blog http://aroundanchorage.blogspot.com/2010/03/national-geographic-bird-coloration.html