An examination of the biology and environment of all 28 species of the North American woodpecker and featuring 100 color photographs that show it in its natural habitat.

A complete guide to the natural history, ecology, and conservation of North America’s twenty-three woodpecker species. From the iconic Woody Woodpecker to the ubiquitous Northern Flicker, woodpeckers have long captivated our attention. Their astonishing anatomy makes them one of the most specialized bird families in the world, and their keystone ecological roles in our forests and woodlands makes them some of the most important birds on the continent. This comprehensive and authoritative guide to the natural history, ecology, and conservation of North America’s twenty-three woodpecker species goes far beyond identification. It explores their unique anatomy and their fascinating and often comical behaviors; it covers each species’ North American conservation status; and it showcases over 250 stunning photographs of woodpeckers in their natural habitats, plus easy-to-read figures and range maps. This reference guide is an essential addition to every birder’s library.

An intimate blend of personal field notes, rich natural history, and stunning photographs in the wild, this perfect holiday book for all bird-watchers provides an in-depth look at two of our most iconic--and important-- bird species. Great for photography lovers, conservationists and backyard enthusiasts alike, it includes an overview map of habitats and a foreword by award-winning artist and writer Tony Angell.Every wild place and urban area in North America hosts an owl or a woodpecker species, while healthy natural places often boast representatives of both. The diversity of these two families of birds, and the ways in which they define and enrich the ecosystems they inhabit, are the subject of this vivid new book by photographer and naturalist Paul Bannick. The Owl and the Woodpecker showcases a sense of these birds' natural rhythms, as well as the integral spirit of our wild places. Based on hundreds of hours in the field photographing these fascinating and wily birds, Bannick evokes all 41 North American species of owls and woodpeckers, across 11 key habitats. And by revealing the impact of two of our most iconic birds, Bannick has created a wholly unique approach to birding and conservation.

A comprehensive, profusely illustrated natural history of all 28 North American species of woodpeckers. The distinctive behavior and sound of woodpeckers make them easy to hear and interesting to watch. Woodpeckers of North America specifically covers all species of woodpeckers found in the United States, Canada and northern Mexico. Woodpeckers are renowned for their cavity-excavating abilities. Although trees and telephone poles are the choice of most woodpeckers, desert dwellers frequently excavate nests in cacti. While all eat insects, many drink tree sap, eat acorns, and consume other surprising foods. Woodpeckers are distinguished by several anatomical features, including: short legs and long toes to assist in climbing a head built to withstand repeated hammering a long, straight bill designed for chopping wood a long tongue with a barbed end to extract hidden prey nostrils covered with feathers to keep them free of wood debris. 100 color photographs capture the intriguing woodpeckers in their natural environments. Woodpeckers of North America is a handy, well-written reference covering the biology and environment of these fascinating birds.

Indiana is proud to publish this lavish book, the first properly designed and professionally illustrated edition of any of Arthur Cleveland Bent's Life Histories of North American Birds. For the first time in this century, one of Bent's books is now available in an appropriate format, handsome library bindings, a modern attractive typeface, and with magnificent original paintings. Eventually, Zimmerman and the Press expect to republish the entire series in this new format. Everyone who develops a serious interest in birds soon discovers Bent's Life Histories. He began work on the project in 1910 at the request of the Smithsonian Institution and continued gathering and publishing material until his death in 1954. The Histories provide the most comprehensive and interesting collection of field observations of North American birds ever made. Anyone observing a particular bird for the first time, at the backyard bird feeder or in the field, quickly wants more information than the standard field guides provide. Bent never disappoints. His books are a naturalist's delight. No ornithologist or nature lover of any stripe, professional or amateur, should be without these books. All of the woodpeckers seen in North America are covered in this volume. In enthusiastic, readable prose, Bent and his collaborators give us information about courtship, nesting habits, eggs, young, plumage, range, behavior, voice, enemies, distribution, migratory habits, and much, much more. Added to this handsome republication are the original paintings of one of America's finest bird painters. Zimmerman says: . ""In rereading Bent's Life Histories of North American Woodpeckers in preparation for illustrating this book, I became newly inspired by the vivid descriptions of how the Harris's Woodpecker takes cover during downpours in the rain forest of western Washington; the White-headed Woodpecker in California's pine-forested highlands coming down to drink from a mountain stream; the male and female Williamson's Sapsucker, so different they were originally believed to be two separate species; the Nuttall's Woodpecker with its habit of landing nuthatch-style on the underside of tree limbs; the flycatching behavior of the Lewis's; and much more. I have tried to present this kind of detail in the plates"".

It’s hammer time! Pileated woodpeckers are some of the largest woodpeckers in North America. These striking birds drill holes a foot high and can even break trees in half with their powerful beaks. Jam-packed with facts, this book will captivate budding bird watchers.