There are more than one thousand species of threatened birds in the world, while many others are valued for sport and some are serious pests. This volume reviews our current understanding of avian population dynamics and explores ways in which population studies can contribute to effective conservation and management. Estimation of demographic parameters, the role of mathematical modelling, and the special problems of island populations and seabird populations are discussed. The emphasis throughout is on how bird populations are regulated under various constraints and conditions, including the impact of environmental changes.

This book meets the demand for a comprehensive introduction to understanding the processes of population limitation. Recognized world-wide as a respected biologist and communicator, Dr. Ian Newton has now written a clear and detailed treatise on local scale population limiting factors in birds. It is based almost entirely on results from field studies, though it is set in a contemporary theoretical framework. The 16 chapters fall under three major section headings: Behavior and Density Regulation; Natural Limiting Factors; and Human Impacts. Population Limitation in Birds serves as a needed resource expanding on Dr. David Lacks research in this area of ornithology in the 1950s. It includes numerous line diagrams and beautiful illustrations by acclaimed wildlife artist Keith Brockie. - Provides a sorely needed introduction to a long-established core subject in ornithology - Focuses on local scale factors - Written by a well-known biologist and effective communicator - Includes numerous line diagrams and beautiful illustrations by acclaimed wildlife artist Keith Brockie

Point counts of birds are the most widely used quantitative method and involve an observer recording birds from a single point for a standardized time period. In response to the need for standardization of methods to monitor bird populations by census, researchers met to present data from various investigations working under a wide variety of conditions, and to examine various aspects of point count methodology. Statistical aspects of sampling and analysis were discussed and applied to the objectives of point counts. The final chapter presents these standards and their applications to point count methodology.