Before best-selling author Helen Macdonald told the story of the goshawk in H Is for Hawk, she told the story of the falcon, in a cultural history of the masterful creature that can “cut the sky in two” with the “perfectly aerodynamic profile of a raindrop,” as she so incisively puts it. In talon-sharp prose she explores the spell the falcon has had over her and, by extension, all of us, whether we’ve seen them “through binoculars, framed on gallery walls, versified by poets, flown as hunting birds, through Manhattan windows, sewn on flags, stamped on badges, or winnowing through the clouds over abandoned arctic radar stations.” Macdonald dives through centuries and careens around the globe to tell the story of the falcon as it has flown in the wild skies of the natural world and those of our imagination. Mixing history, myth, and legend, she explores the long history of the sport of falconry in many human cultures—from Japan to Abu Dhabi to Oxford; she analyzes the falcon’s talismanic power as a symbol in art, politics, and business; and she addresses the ways we have both endangered and protected it. Along the way we discover how falcons were mobilized in secret military projects; their links with espionage, the Third Reich, the Holy Roman Empire, and space programs; and how they have figured in countless stories of heroism and, of course, the erotic. Best of all, Macdonald has given us something fresh: a new introduction that draws on all her experience to even further invigorate her cherished subject. The result is a deeply informed book written with the same astonishing lyrical grace that has captivated readers and had everyone talking about this writer-cum-falconer.

A tribute to the favorite "Star Wars" ship provides layer-by-layer analyses of the Millennium Falcon's features, from laser cannons and cockpit controls to smuggling bays and Han Solo's speed modifications. On board pages.

The first edition of The Peregrine Falcon was widely recognised as a classic of its kind, documenting not only the species' biology but also the sad tale of its decline due to the impact of pesticides. This extensively revised and enlarged second edition takes full account of important new developments in the story of this bird during the intervening 12 years. It reports one of the few notable successes in wildlife conservation: the full restoration of British and Irish Peregrine populations, and their appreciable recovery in other countries where numbers had also been greatly reduced by the impact of organochlorine pesticides. The pattern of increase in Britain has been extremely varied, from districts where numbers are now far higher than at any time in recorded history, to others where the bird is now at its lowest ebb. The examination of the reasons for these differences helps us to understand the most recent developments in the Peregrine saga. Particular attention has been paid to the recent major advances in our knowledge of Peregrine biology, such as its movements, population turnover, food and nesting habits. Many of the tables and figures have been revised and brought up to date so that this volume, like its predecessor, is once again by far the most detailed and readable reference on this most evocative of birds. Donald Watson's colour paintings, monochrome washes and line drawings, and the original photographs, illustrate the book as before. Cover illustration by Donald Watson

"Eleven-year-old Renzo must teach himself to blow glass with the help of a girl who has a mysterious connection to her falcon"--

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Maggie has just learned to fly when she crashes into the side of a building. She falls to the ground, alone and injured. Who will help her? As told with real photographs, this true story explains how wildlife hospitals rescue and treat injured animals. Their goal is to release the animals back into the wild. Sometimes, this isn't possible--but there can still be a happy ending. Maggie's story, written by Christie Gove-Berg, is just such a success!

A “well-written, engaging detective story” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) about a rogue who trades in rare birds and their eggs—and the wildlife detective determined to stop him. On May 3, 2010, an Irish national named Jeffrey Lendrum was apprehended at Britain’s Birmingham International Airport with a suspicious parcel strapped to his stomach. Inside were fourteen rare peregrine falcon eggs snatched from a remote cliffside in Wales. So begins a “vivid tale of obsession and international derring-do” (Publishers Weekly), following the parallel lives of a globe-trotting smuggler who spent two decades capturing endangered raptors worth millions of dollars as race champions—and Detective Andy McWilliam of the United Kingdom’s National Wildlife Crime Unit, who’s hell bent on protecting the world’s birds of prey. “Masterfully constructed” (The New York Times) and “entertaining and illuminating” (The Washington Post), The Falcon Thief will whisk you away from the volcanoes of Patagonia to Zimbabwe’s Matobo National Park, and from the frigid tundra near the Arctic Circle to luxurious aviaries in the deserts of Dubai, all in pursuit of a man who is reckless, arrogant, and gripped by a destructive compulsion to make the most beautiful creatures in nature his own. It’s a story that’s part true-crime narrative, part epic adventure—and wholly unputdownable until the very last page.