This book comprises a simple guide to the identification of the nests of common British birds. This antique text was published separately from the book to which it belongs ('The Young People's Nature-Study Book') in the hope that it would prove of some value on its own. It is aimed at young readers upon their rambles in spring, enabling them to identify the birds to which nests belong - without tedious taxonomical analysis. The perfect text for amateur ornithologists, this lovely little book makes a great addition to any collection of bird watching literature. The chapters of this book include: 'Nests Unmistakable - With Characteristic Shapes, or Eggs of Special Colours'; 'Nests Built on the Ground of Birds as Big as a Skylark and Larger'; 'Large Nests found Chiefly in Trees'; 'Nests in Holes, in Trees or Banks'; 'Nests found upon or near Fresh Water'; 'Nests of Common Sea-birds'; 'Nests Generally Built in Rushes, Hedges, etc.'; 'Small Birds' Nests that may be found near Water in Marshy Places'; et cetera. We are proud to republish this text here complete with a new introduction to ornithology.

A field guide covering the nests, eggs and nestlings of European birds, this text contains information of when and where birds breed, plus illustrations of the chicks of all the common birds, photographs of the eggs and drawings of the nest.

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

A comprehensive field guide to the nests and nesting behavior of North American birds Beyond being a simple reference book, the Peterson Field Guide to North American Bird Nests is a practical, educational, and intimate doorway to our continent’s bird life. The diversity of nests and nesting strategies of birds reflect the unique biology and evolution of these charismatic animals. Unlike any other book currently on the market, this guide comprehensively incorporates nest design, breeding behavior, and habitat preferences of North American birds to provide the reader with a highly functional field resource and an engaging perspective of this sensitive part of a bird’s life cycle.

From the brilliantly green and glossy eggs of the Elegant Crested Tinamou—said to be among the most beautiful in the world—to the small brown eggs of the house sparrow that makes its nest in a lamppost and the uniformly brown or white chickens’ eggs found by the dozen in any corner grocery, birds’ eggs have inspired countless biologists, ecologists, and ornithologists, as well as artists, from John James Audubon to the contemporary photographer Rosamond Purcell. For scientists, these vibrant vessels are the source of an array of interesting topics, from the factors responsible for egg coloration to the curious practice of “brood parasitism,” in which the eggs of cuckoos mimic those of other bird species in order to be cunningly concealed among the clutches of unsuspecting foster parents. The Book of Eggs introduces readers to eggs from six hundred species—some endangered or extinct—from around the world and housed mostly at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History. Organized by habitat and taxonomy, the entries include newly commissioned photographs that reproduce each egg in full color and at actual size, as well as distribution maps and drawings and descriptions of the birds and their nests where the eggs are kept warm. Birds’ eggs are some of the most colorful and variable natural products in the wild, and each entry is also accompanied by a brief description that includes evolutionary explanations for the wide variety of colors and patterns, from camouflage designed to protect against predation, to thermoregulatory adaptations, to adjustments for the circumstances of a particular habitat or season. Throughout the book are fascinating facts to pique the curiosity of binocular-toting birdwatchers and budding amateurs alike. Female mallards, for instance, invest more energy to produce larger eggs when faced with the genetic windfall of an attractive mate. Some seabirds, like the cliff-dwelling guillemot, have adapted to produce long, pointed eggs, whose uneven weight distribution prevents them from rolling off rocky ledges into the sea. A visually stunning and scientifically engaging guide to six hundred of the most intriguing eggs, from the pea-sized progeny of the smallest of hummingbirds to the eggs of the largest living bird, the ostrich, which can weigh up to five pounds, The Book of Eggs offers readers a rare, up-close look at these remarkable forms of animal life.