"Did you know the natural world is a construction zone? Amazing animals all over the world are building all kinds of structures every single day. This fascinating, fact-filled book will captivate young scientists and naturalists and have them looking out for animal construction projects happening in their own backyards!"--

Animal behavior has long been a battleground between the competing claims of nature and nurture, with the possible role of cognition in behavior as a recent addition to this debate. There is an untapped trove of behavioral data that can tell us a great deal about how the animals draw from these neural strategies: The structures animals build provide a superb window on the workings of the animal mind. Animal Architects examines animal architecture across a range of species, from those whose blueprints are largely innate (such as spiders and their webs) to those whose challenging structures seem to require intellectual insight, planning, and even aesthetics (such as bowerbirds' nests, or beavers' dams). Beginning with instinct and the simple homes of solitary insects, James and Carol Gould move on to conditioning; the "cognitive map" and how it evolved; and the role of planning and insight. Finally, they reflect on what animal building tells us about the nature of human intelligence-showing why humans, unlike many animals, need to build castles in the air.

Collects photographs of structures created by animals, from the six-foot-high hills of tiny red ants to the colorfully decorated courtship arenas of the bowerbird, showcasing the connections between human and animal architecture.

A fantastic, original exploration of how animals build their homes and the fascinating structures they create.From gladiator frogs to chimpanzees, learn about how animals all over the world build their homes. Each spread contains a beautiful, colourful illustration of each animal and its home, plus a unique fold-out information panel, with stats and a simple architectural diagram showcasing the creation of the 'architect'. Look inside chimpanzee nests, beaver dams, termite mounds, stork nests and many more - and get to know the clever animals who build them!

"Information about how animals build their homes, for beginner readers"--

It's not only humans who can build incredible structures: around the world, mammals, birds, and insects can be found building incredible things. From biggest beaver dams to tinniest caddisfly cases, this beautifully illustrated picture book explores each animal's incredible home and uncover the reasons why they build. Featuring bower birds and weaver birds, gophers and beavers, termites, honey bees, and many more, each amazing animal architect from around the world tells its own 'micro story' about its incredible architectural skills in this delightfully unique wildlife book.