D. W. Yalden and U. Albarella
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199217519
- eISBN:
- 9780191712296
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199217519.003.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Animal Biology, Ornithology
This Introduction discusses the reasons for writing this book and problems encountered. It mentions how the database of archaeological sites and bird records and the EndNote database of relevant ...
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This Introduction discusses the reasons for writing this book and problems encountered. It mentions how the database of archaeological sites and bird records and the EndNote database of relevant literature came about, the imformation gathered from both are summarized in the book.Less
This Introduction discusses the reasons for writing this book and problems encountered. It mentions how the database of archaeological sites and bird records and the EndNote database of relevant literature came about, the imformation gathered from both are summarized in the book.
John J. Videler
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199299928
- eISBN:
- 9780191714924
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199299928.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Ornithology
Bird flight has always intrigued mankind. This book provides an up-to-date account of the existing knowledge on the subject, offering new insights and challenges some established views. A brief ...
More
Bird flight has always intrigued mankind. This book provides an up-to-date account of the existing knowledge on the subject, offering new insights and challenges some established views. A brief history of the science of flight introduces the basic physical principles governing aerial locomotion. This is followed by chapters on the flight-related functional morphology. The anatomy of the flight apparatus includes the wings, tail, and body. Treatment of the wings emphasizes the difference in shape of the arm and hand part. The structural complexity and mechanical properties of feathers receive special attention. Aerodynamic principles used by birds are explained in theory by applying Newton’s laws, and in practice by showing the direction and velocity of the flow around the arm and hand wing. The Archaeopteryx fossils remain crucial to the understanding of the evolution of bird flight despite the recent discovery of a range of well-preserved ancient birds. A novel hypothesis explaining the enigmatic details of the Archaeopteryx remains and challenges established theories regarding the origin of bird flight. Take-off, flapping flight, gliding, and landing are the basic ingredients of bird flight, and birds use a variety of flight styles from hovering to soaring. Muscles are the engines that generate the forces required to control the wings and tail, and to work during flapping motion. The energy required to fly can be estimated or measured directly, and a comparison of the empirical results, provides insights into the trend in metabolic costs of flight of birds varying in shape and mass from hummingbirds to albatrosses.Less
Bird flight has always intrigued mankind. This book provides an up-to-date account of the existing knowledge on the subject, offering new insights and challenges some established views. A brief history of the science of flight introduces the basic physical principles governing aerial locomotion. This is followed by chapters on the flight-related functional morphology. The anatomy of the flight apparatus includes the wings, tail, and body. Treatment of the wings emphasizes the difference in shape of the arm and hand part. The structural complexity and mechanical properties of feathers receive special attention. Aerodynamic principles used by birds are explained in theory by applying Newton’s laws, and in practice by showing the direction and velocity of the flow around the arm and hand wing. The Archaeopteryx fossils remain crucial to the understanding of the evolution of bird flight despite the recent discovery of a range of well-preserved ancient birds. A novel hypothesis explaining the enigmatic details of the Archaeopteryx remains and challenges established theories regarding the origin of bird flight. Take-off, flapping flight, gliding, and landing are the basic ingredients of bird flight, and birds use a variety of flight styles from hovering to soaring. Muscles are the engines that generate the forces required to control the wings and tail, and to work during flapping motion. The energy required to fly can be estimated or measured directly, and a comparison of the empirical results, provides insights into the trend in metabolic costs of flight of birds varying in shape and mass from hummingbirds to albatrosses.
David M. Armstrong
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199590612
- eISBN:
- 9780191723391
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199590612.003.0006
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind, Metaphysics/Epistemology
A view that is currently popular is to identify properties as being nothing but powers, a position that can be called ‘Dispositionalism’. Causation becomes manifestations of dispositions, and ...
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A view that is currently popular is to identify properties as being nothing but powers, a position that can be called ‘Dispositionalism’. Causation becomes manifestations of dispositions, and non‐probable manifestations in suitable circumstances are necessitated. Such views are defended by Sydney Shoemaker, Stephen Mumford, and Alexander Bird. Robert Black calls the sort of position held by those who reject powers as ‘Quidditism’, giving universals (or tropes) a categorial nature that plays no executive role. It is argued against this that a purely dispositional account of properties leads to a regress that may not be self‐contradictory but is unbelievable. It seems particularly difficult to give an account of relations as powers. Some theorists, George Molnar and Brian Ellis in particular, give a mixed account, making spatial relations in particular categorical, and so not powers. Perhaps this gets the worst of both worlds.Less
A view that is currently popular is to identify properties as being nothing but powers, a position that can be called ‘Dispositionalism’. Causation becomes manifestations of dispositions, and non‐probable manifestations in suitable circumstances are necessitated. Such views are defended by Sydney Shoemaker, Stephen Mumford, and Alexander Bird. Robert Black calls the sort of position held by those who reject powers as ‘Quidditism’, giving universals (or tropes) a categorial nature that plays no executive role. It is argued against this that a purely dispositional account of properties leads to a regress that may not be self‐contradictory but is unbelievable. It seems particularly difficult to give an account of relations as powers. Some theorists, George Molnar and Brian Ellis in particular, give a mixed account, making spatial relations in particular categorical, and so not powers. Perhaps this gets the worst of both worlds.
Geoffrey E. Hill
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- April 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195323467
- eISBN:
- 9780199773855
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195323467.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Ornithology
The Ivory-billed Woodpecker holds the attention of birders and naturalists like no other species of bird, so it was huge news in 2005 when the Cornell Lab of Ornithology announced that an ...
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The Ivory-billed Woodpecker holds the attention of birders and naturalists like no other species of bird, so it was huge news in 2005 when the Cornell Lab of Ornithology announced that an Ivory-billed Woodpecker had been found and recorded on video along the Cache River. The announcement inspired ornithologist Geoff Hill and two of his research assistants to search some river swamps in south Alabama and the Florida panhandle. A weekend outing turned into a year-long adventure, however, when the little team of explorers found an Ivory-billed Woodpecker along the Choctawhatchee River on the Florida panhandle. Professor and author Geoff Hill gives a first-hand account of the discovery and follow-up search for this rarest and more noble of North American birds. Rather than a bland technical account, Hill conveys the trials and tribulations of chasing a mostly silent and elusive bird through a vast swamp wilderness. As a birder scientist with a knack for telling stories, Hill provides a unique perspective on ivorybill searches, and what does and does not constitute proof of this elusive bird. The story is as much a quest for the last remnants of an American wilderness as it is a search for a rare bird.Less
The Ivory-billed Woodpecker holds the attention of birders and naturalists like no other species of bird, so it was huge news in 2005 when the Cornell Lab of Ornithology announced that an Ivory-billed Woodpecker had been found and recorded on video along the Cache River. The announcement inspired ornithologist Geoff Hill and two of his research assistants to search some river swamps in south Alabama and the Florida panhandle. A weekend outing turned into a year-long adventure, however, when the little team of explorers found an Ivory-billed Woodpecker along the Choctawhatchee River on the Florida panhandle. Professor and author Geoff Hill gives a first-hand account of the discovery and follow-up search for this rarest and more noble of North American birds. Rather than a bland technical account, Hill conveys the trials and tribulations of chasing a mostly silent and elusive bird through a vast swamp wilderness. As a birder scientist with a knack for telling stories, Hill provides a unique perspective on ivorybill searches, and what does and does not constitute proof of this elusive bird. The story is as much a quest for the last remnants of an American wilderness as it is a search for a rare bird.
Giuliano Matessi, Ricardo J. Matos, and Torben Dabelsteen
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199216840
- eISBN:
- 9780191712043
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199216840.003.0003
- Subject:
- Biology, Animal Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
Communication allows individuals to share information and plays a central role in determining animal social behaviour. Animals live in social networks of multiple individuals connected by links ...
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Communication allows individuals to share information and plays a central role in determining animal social behaviour. Animals live in social networks of multiple individuals connected by links representing different interaction types. Signalling interactions form the base of the communication network (i.e., all conspecifics within signalling range) experienced by an individual and are particularly important for information exchange. Looking at interactions within a network has helped identify and explain the diverse signalling and receiving strategies adopted by animals, and may likewise help explain other social interactions. This chapter presents a network model which integrates the concepts of communication and social network. It illustrates how this model can affect information exchange in animal communities with different social structures and ecologies. Finally, it presents some concrete examples of the questions that arise and can be answered when looking at the behavioural ecology of birds from a network perspective.Less
Communication allows individuals to share information and plays a central role in determining animal social behaviour. Animals live in social networks of multiple individuals connected by links representing different interaction types. Signalling interactions form the base of the communication network (i.e., all conspecifics within signalling range) experienced by an individual and are particularly important for information exchange. Looking at interactions within a network has helped identify and explain the diverse signalling and receiving strategies adopted by animals, and may likewise help explain other social interactions. This chapter presents a network model which integrates the concepts of communication and social network. It illustrates how this model can affect information exchange in animal communities with different social structures and ecologies. Finally, it presents some concrete examples of the questions that arise and can be answered when looking at the behavioural ecology of birds from a network perspective.
D. W. Yalden and U. Albarella
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199217519
- eISBN:
- 9780191712296
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199217519.003.0002
- Subject:
- Biology, Animal Biology, Ornithology
This chapter introduces the avian skeleton and the most important (easiest to identify, most robust) bones. Their differences from equivalent mammal bones are considered. The possibilities and ...
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This chapter introduces the avian skeleton and the most important (easiest to identify, most robust) bones. Their differences from equivalent mammal bones are considered. The possibilities and difficulties of identifying bird bones to species are discussed and illustrated. Assigning dates to the bones is also briefly discussed, along with a brief overview of the main historical periods and the sorts of sites that have produced bird bones.Less
This chapter introduces the avian skeleton and the most important (easiest to identify, most robust) bones. Their differences from equivalent mammal bones are considered. The possibilities and difficulties of identifying bird bones to species are discussed and illustrated. Assigning dates to the bones is also briefly discussed, along with a brief overview of the main historical periods and the sorts of sites that have produced bird bones.
Pat Willmer
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691128610
- eISBN:
- 9781400838943
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691128610.003.0015
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
This chapter focuses on pollination by birds. Bird pollination, or ornithophily, is a widespread phenomenon. Many common birds visit flowers by biting through or piercing their corollas, notably tits ...
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This chapter focuses on pollination by birds. Bird pollination, or ornithophily, is a widespread phenomenon. Many common birds visit flowers by biting through or piercing their corollas, notably tits and warblers. Birds primarily take nectar from flowers, although some may also eat pollen and occasionally take solid floral tissues. The chapter first provides an overview of the bird’s feeding apparatus, sensory capacity, and behavior and learning capabilities before discussing various types of flowers that are pollinated by birds such as hummingbirds and perching birds. The foraging behaviors of these birds are also considered, along with the ornithophilous syndrome. The chapter concludes with some observations on why extreme specialization is precluded in ornithophilous relationships.Less
This chapter focuses on pollination by birds. Bird pollination, or ornithophily, is a widespread phenomenon. Many common birds visit flowers by biting through or piercing their corollas, notably tits and warblers. Birds primarily take nectar from flowers, although some may also eat pollen and occasionally take solid floral tissues. The chapter first provides an overview of the bird’s feeding apparatus, sensory capacity, and behavior and learning capabilities before discussing various types of flowers that are pollinated by birds such as hummingbirds and perching birds. The foraging behaviors of these birds are also considered, along with the ornithophilous syndrome. The chapter concludes with some observations on why extreme specialization is precluded in ornithophilous relationships.
Jay Schulkin
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691157443
- eISBN:
- 9781400849031
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691157443.003.0003
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience
This chapter examines the evolution of bird brain, social contact, and birdsong. Communicative capabilities are widespread, whether in song or through other forms of intimate social contact. One ...
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This chapter examines the evolution of bird brain, social contact, and birdsong. Communicative capabilities are widespread, whether in song or through other forms of intimate social contact. One mechanism for this is the regulation of information molecules in the brain such as vasopressin and oxytocin. The chapter first provides an overview of information molecules before connecting these processes to song in frogs, crickets, and birds. It then considers neurogenesis and how information molecules work in the human brain, focusing on some core biology underlying animal song and social contact. It shows that steroid hormones facilitate neuropeptide expression in many species, which underlies song tied to the regulation of the internal milieu, territorial expression, reproduction, and a much wider range of social behaviors.Less
This chapter examines the evolution of bird brain, social contact, and birdsong. Communicative capabilities are widespread, whether in song or through other forms of intimate social contact. One mechanism for this is the regulation of information molecules in the brain such as vasopressin and oxytocin. The chapter first provides an overview of information molecules before connecting these processes to song in frogs, crickets, and birds. It then considers neurogenesis and how information molecules work in the human brain, focusing on some core biology underlying animal song and social contact. It shows that steroid hormones facilitate neuropeptide expression in many species, which underlies song tied to the regulation of the internal milieu, territorial expression, reproduction, and a much wider range of social behaviors.
J. Eduardo P. W. Bicudo, William A. Buttemer, Mark A. Chappell, James T. Pearson, and Claus Bech
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199228447
- eISBN:
- 9780191711305
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199228447.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Ornithology
This book focuses on the current understanding of a set of topics in ecological and environmental physiology that are of particular interest to ornithologists, but which also have broad biological ...
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This book focuses on the current understanding of a set of topics in ecological and environmental physiology that are of particular interest to ornithologists, but which also have broad biological relevance. The introductory chapter covers the basic body plan of birds and their still-enigmatic evolutionary history. The focus then shifts to a consideration of the essential components of that most fundamental of avian attributes: the ability to fly. The emphasis is on feather evolution and development, flight energetics and aerodynamics, migration, and as a counterpoint, the curious secondary evolution of flightlessness that has occurred in several lineages. This sets the stage for subsequent chapters, which present specific physiological topics within a strongly ecological and environmental framework. Chapter 2 covers gas exchange and thermal and osmotic balance, together with the central role of body size. Chapter 3 addresses ‘classical’ life history parameters — male and female reproductive costs, parental care and investment in offspring, and fecundity versus longevity tradeoffs — from an eco-physiological perspective. Chapter 4 offers a comprehensive analysis of feeding and digestive physiology, adaptations to challenging environments (high altitude, deserts, marine habitats, cold), developmental adaptations, and neural specializations (notably those important in foraging, long-distance navigation, and song production). Throughout the book, classical studies are integrated with the latest research findings. Numerous important and intriguing questions await further work, and the book concludes with a discussion of research methods and approaches — emphasizing cutting-edge technology — and a final chapter on future directions that should help point the way forward for both young and senior scientists.Less
This book focuses on the current understanding of a set of topics in ecological and environmental physiology that are of particular interest to ornithologists, but which also have broad biological relevance. The introductory chapter covers the basic body plan of birds and their still-enigmatic evolutionary history. The focus then shifts to a consideration of the essential components of that most fundamental of avian attributes: the ability to fly. The emphasis is on feather evolution and development, flight energetics and aerodynamics, migration, and as a counterpoint, the curious secondary evolution of flightlessness that has occurred in several lineages. This sets the stage for subsequent chapters, which present specific physiological topics within a strongly ecological and environmental framework. Chapter 2 covers gas exchange and thermal and osmotic balance, together with the central role of body size. Chapter 3 addresses ‘classical’ life history parameters — male and female reproductive costs, parental care and investment in offspring, and fecundity versus longevity tradeoffs — from an eco-physiological perspective. Chapter 4 offers a comprehensive analysis of feeding and digestive physiology, adaptations to challenging environments (high altitude, deserts, marine habitats, cold), developmental adaptations, and neural specializations (notably those important in foraging, long-distance navigation, and song production). Throughout the book, classical studies are integrated with the latest research findings. Numerous important and intriguing questions await further work, and the book concludes with a discussion of research methods and approaches — emphasizing cutting-edge technology — and a final chapter on future directions that should help point the way forward for both young and senior scientists.
John J. Videler
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199299928
- eISBN:
- 9780191714924
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199299928.003.0005
- Subject:
- Biology, Ornithology
Bird flight began to evolve some 150 million years ago. This chapter discusses typical structures of the oldest bird-like fossils of Archaeopteryx. Conflicting scenarios — the arborial and cursorial ...
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Bird flight began to evolve some 150 million years ago. This chapter discusses typical structures of the oldest bird-like fossils of Archaeopteryx. Conflicting scenarios — the arborial and cursorial — describe how flight might have evolved. A new hypothesis is offered that explains most of the peculiar anatomical features, and suggests a matching ecological niche. Archaeopteryx is depicted to run like a Basilisk lizard over water. A quantitative biomechanical assessment shows that it could have generated the lifting forces required using spread wings and tail. Abundant water skaters from the same deposits are suggested as a possible food source. The remains of younger Mesozoic bird-like animals reveal the existence of parallel lines of evolution of flight related characters. A few groups of flying birds survived the mass extinction 65 million years ago, and were ancestral to the extant birds rapidly radiating during the beginning of the Tertiary.Less
Bird flight began to evolve some 150 million years ago. This chapter discusses typical structures of the oldest bird-like fossils of Archaeopteryx. Conflicting scenarios — the arborial and cursorial — describe how flight might have evolved. A new hypothesis is offered that explains most of the peculiar anatomical features, and suggests a matching ecological niche. Archaeopteryx is depicted to run like a Basilisk lizard over water. A quantitative biomechanical assessment shows that it could have generated the lifting forces required using spread wings and tail. Abundant water skaters from the same deposits are suggested as a possible food source. The remains of younger Mesozoic bird-like animals reveal the existence of parallel lines of evolution of flight related characters. A few groups of flying birds survived the mass extinction 65 million years ago, and were ancestral to the extant birds rapidly radiating during the beginning of the Tertiary.
Emmanuela Bakola
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199569359
- eISBN:
- 9780191722332
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199569359.003.0003
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, Poetry and Poets: Classical, Early, and Medieval
Chapter 2 picks up on the theme of interaction with other genres and demonstrates how one of Cratinus' comedies, Dionysalexandros, operated throughout by cross‐generic play with satyr drama. Based ...
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Chapter 2 picks up on the theme of interaction with other genres and demonstrates how one of Cratinus' comedies, Dionysalexandros, operated throughout by cross‐generic play with satyr drama. Based on a fresh examination of the original papyrus POxy 663, and the satyr drama pattern of Dionysalexandros, it goes on to offer a reconstruction of the lost part of the papyrus hypothesis. By discussing material from fragmentary (Satyroi) and extant comedy (Peace, Birds), as well as vase‐paintings inspired by dramatic productions (the painting formerly known as ‘Getty Birds’, and the ‘Cleveland Dionysus’) it goes on to show that comic poets were actively exploring the possibilities of cross‐fertilization between comedy and satyr play to a far greater extent than current scholarship allows. With Dionysalexandros Cratinus offered one of the boldest cross‐generic experiments of fifth‐century drama.Less
Chapter 2 picks up on the theme of interaction with other genres and demonstrates how one of Cratinus' comedies, Dionysalexandros, operated throughout by cross‐generic play with satyr drama. Based on a fresh examination of the original papyrus POxy 663, and the satyr drama pattern of Dionysalexandros, it goes on to offer a reconstruction of the lost part of the papyrus hypothesis. By discussing material from fragmentary (Satyroi) and extant comedy (Peace, Birds), as well as vase‐paintings inspired by dramatic productions (the painting formerly known as ‘Getty Birds’, and the ‘Cleveland Dionysus’) it goes on to show that comic poets were actively exploring the possibilities of cross‐fertilization between comedy and satyr play to a far greater extent than current scholarship allows. With Dionysalexandros Cratinus offered one of the boldest cross‐generic experiments of fifth‐century drama.
David N. Thomas, G.E. (Tony) Fogg, Peter Convey, Christian H. Fritsen, Josep-Maria Gili, Rolf Gradinger, Johanna Laybourn-Parry, Keith Reid, and David W.H. Walton
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199298112
- eISBN:
- 9780191711640
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199298112.003.0009
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
Sea birds and mammals are predators in the open seas and coastal regions of the polar regions, and are mainly of different species north and south. Birds and mammals are visible on top of the sea ice ...
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Sea birds and mammals are predators in the open seas and coastal regions of the polar regions, and are mainly of different species north and south. Birds and mammals are visible on top of the sea ice and they have evolved foraging techniques adapted to the physical nature of the ice and also make use of it as a comparatively safe breeding ground. This chapter discusses how bird and mammal life histories have adapted to the sea-ice environment in the Arctic and Antarctic. It covers sea birds, seals, whales, bears, and foxes.Less
Sea birds and mammals are predators in the open seas and coastal regions of the polar regions, and are mainly of different species north and south. Birds and mammals are visible on top of the sea ice and they have evolved foraging techniques adapted to the physical nature of the ice and also make use of it as a comparatively safe breeding ground. This chapter discusses how bird and mammal life histories have adapted to the sea-ice environment in the Arctic and Antarctic. It covers sea birds, seals, whales, bears, and foxes.
D. W. Yalden and U. Albarella
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199217519
- eISBN:
- 9780191712296
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199217519.003.0003
- Subject:
- Biology, Animal Biology, Ornithology
Starting with the first bird, Archaeopteryx, about 150 million years ago, this chapter reviews bird history from then to the end of the Last Glaciation about 15,000 years ago. Cretaceous birds, from ...
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Starting with the first bird, Archaeopteryx, about 150 million years ago, this chapter reviews bird history from then to the end of the Last Glaciation about 15,000 years ago. Cretaceous birds, from China and elsewhere, show more modern skeletons than Archaeopteryx. Birds belonging to modern orders appear perhaps around the end of the Cretaceous, and are well represented in Europe (including the British Isles) and elsewhere by the start of the Eocene about 55 million years ago. Fossil and genetic evidence about the appearance of modern orders are somewhat conflicting, and this conflict is discussed. There is then little fossil evidence from the British Isles until the later stages of the Pleistocene, when the bones in archaeological sites and caves document an increasingly familiar set of bird species present over the last 500,000 years.Less
Starting with the first bird, Archaeopteryx, about 150 million years ago, this chapter reviews bird history from then to the end of the Last Glaciation about 15,000 years ago. Cretaceous birds, from China and elsewhere, show more modern skeletons than Archaeopteryx. Birds belonging to modern orders appear perhaps around the end of the Cretaceous, and are well represented in Europe (including the British Isles) and elsewhere by the start of the Eocene about 55 million years ago. Fossil and genetic evidence about the appearance of modern orders are somewhat conflicting, and this conflict is discussed. There is then little fossil evidence from the British Isles until the later stages of the Pleistocene, when the bones in archaeological sites and caves document an increasingly familiar set of bird species present over the last 500,000 years.
Raymond P. Scheindlin
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195315424
- eISBN:
- 9780199872039
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195315424.003.0008
- Subject:
- Religion, Judaism
The chapter studies four poems in which Halevi, still in al-Andalus, describes his longing for and vision of the Land of Israel. Among these poems is Halevi’s most famous poem, the Ode to Jerusalem. ...
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The chapter studies four poems in which Halevi, still in al-Andalus, describes his longing for and vision of the Land of Israel. Among these poems is Halevi’s most famous poem, the Ode to Jerusalem. It is interpreted as speaking not, as usually understood, on behalf of the people as a whole, but as the voice of an individual who, toward the end, becomes the spokesman of a small, elite group of Zion’s true devotees.Less
The chapter studies four poems in which Halevi, still in al-Andalus, describes his longing for and vision of the Land of Israel. Among these poems is Halevi’s most famous poem, the Ode to Jerusalem. It is interpreted as speaking not, as usually understood, on behalf of the people as a whole, but as the voice of an individual who, toward the end, becomes the spokesman of a small, elite group of Zion’s true devotees.
P. A. Buckley, Walter Sedwitz, William J. Norse, and John Kieran
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- May 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781501719615
- eISBN:
- 9781501719622
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501719615.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Ornithology
This book offers the first quantitative long-term historical analysis of the migratory, winter, and breeding avifaunas of any New York City natural area—Van Cortlandt Park and the adjacent Northwest ...
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This book offers the first quantitative long-term historical analysis of the migratory, winter, and breeding avifaunas of any New York City natural area—Van Cortlandt Park and the adjacent Northwest Bronx—and spans the century and a half from 1872 to 2016. Only Manhattan’s Central and Brooklyn’s Prospect Parks have published even lightly annotated cumulative species lists, last updated in 1967, and the most recent book addressing the birdlife of the New York City area was published more than 50 years ago. Addressed are the 301 Bronx, New York City and New York City area species known to have occurred within the study area, plus another 70 potential additions. These are contrasted with their status in adjacent Riverdale, the entire Bronx, Central and Prospect Parks, New York City, plus Long Island, Westchester, and Rockland Cos. The history of the 123 known study area breeding species are tracked from 1872—only 20 years after Audubon’s death in Manhattan—complemented by unique quantitative breeding data from Van Cortlandt Park censuses from 1937 to 2015. Gains and losses of breeding species are tracked and discussed as an expanding New York City inexorably extinguished unique habitat, offset only slightly by addition of two large reservoirs. Comparisons are provided with analogous data from heavily monitored Central and Prospect Parks. The tradeoffs in attempting to managing an urban park area for mass recreation at the same time as conserving its natural resources are highlighted.Less
This book offers the first quantitative long-term historical analysis of the migratory, winter, and breeding avifaunas of any New York City natural area—Van Cortlandt Park and the adjacent Northwest Bronx—and spans the century and a half from 1872 to 2016. Only Manhattan’s Central and Brooklyn’s Prospect Parks have published even lightly annotated cumulative species lists, last updated in 1967, and the most recent book addressing the birdlife of the New York City area was published more than 50 years ago. Addressed are the 301 Bronx, New York City and New York City area species known to have occurred within the study area, plus another 70 potential additions. These are contrasted with their status in adjacent Riverdale, the entire Bronx, Central and Prospect Parks, New York City, plus Long Island, Westchester, and Rockland Cos. The history of the 123 known study area breeding species are tracked from 1872—only 20 years after Audubon’s death in Manhattan—complemented by unique quantitative breeding data from Van Cortlandt Park censuses from 1937 to 2015. Gains and losses of breeding species are tracked and discussed as an expanding New York City inexorably extinguished unique habitat, offset only slightly by addition of two large reservoirs. Comparisons are provided with analogous data from heavily monitored Central and Prospect Parks. The tradeoffs in attempting to managing an urban park area for mass recreation at the same time as conserving its natural resources are highlighted.
Jie W Weiss and David J Weiss
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195322989
- eISBN:
- 9780199869206
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195322989.003.0036
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology
This chapter presents a prescriptive model for selecting an acceptable option that is currently (but only temporarily) available over more attractive prospects whose availabilities are uncertain. ...
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This chapter presents a prescriptive model for selecting an acceptable option that is currently (but only temporarily) available over more attractive prospects whose availabilities are uncertain. This is called the “bird in the hand” dilemma, and it is compared to other named phenomena in which time affects utility, including status quo bias, temporal discounting, and optimal stopping. The chapter considers both one-sided risky choices, such as buying a house; and two-sided choices, such as finding a mate. The model is adapted from a standard multiattribute utility model, with added parameters that express the time limitation on the adequate option and the probabilities of better options becoming available. According to the model, as time passes and better offers do not eventuate, the current offer becomes increasingly more attractive.Less
This chapter presents a prescriptive model for selecting an acceptable option that is currently (but only temporarily) available over more attractive prospects whose availabilities are uncertain. This is called the “bird in the hand” dilemma, and it is compared to other named phenomena in which time affects utility, including status quo bias, temporal discounting, and optimal stopping. The chapter considers both one-sided risky choices, such as buying a house; and two-sided choices, such as finding a mate. The model is adapted from a standard multiattribute utility model, with added parameters that express the time limitation on the adequate option and the probabilities of better options becoming available. According to the model, as time passes and better offers do not eventuate, the current offer becomes increasingly more attractive.
Carolyn Merchant
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780300215458
- eISBN:
- 9780300224924
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300215458.001.0001
- Subject:
- Environmental Science, Nature
In 1887, a year after founding the Audubon Society, explorer and conservationist George Bird Grinnell launched The Audubon Magazine. The magazine constituted one of the first efforts to preserve bird ...
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In 1887, a year after founding the Audubon Society, explorer and conservationist George Bird Grinnell launched The Audubon Magazine. The magazine constituted one of the first efforts to preserve bird species decimated by the women's hat trade, hunting, and loss of habitat. Within two years, however, for practical reasons, Grinnell dissolved both the magazine and the society. Remarkably, Grinnell's mission was soon revived by women and men who believed in it, and the work continues today. This book, the only comprehensive history of the first Audubon Society (1886–1889), presents the exceptional story of George Bird Grinnell and his writings and legacy. The book features Grinnell's biographies of ornithologists John James Audubon and Alexander Wilson and his editorials and descriptions of Audubon's bird paintings. This primary documentation combined with insightful analysis casts new light on Grinnell, the origins of the first Audubon Society, and the conservation of avifauna.Less
In 1887, a year after founding the Audubon Society, explorer and conservationist George Bird Grinnell launched The Audubon Magazine. The magazine constituted one of the first efforts to preserve bird species decimated by the women's hat trade, hunting, and loss of habitat. Within two years, however, for practical reasons, Grinnell dissolved both the magazine and the society. Remarkably, Grinnell's mission was soon revived by women and men who believed in it, and the work continues today. This book, the only comprehensive history of the first Audubon Society (1886–1889), presents the exceptional story of George Bird Grinnell and his writings and legacy. The book features Grinnell's biographies of ornithologists John James Audubon and Alexander Wilson and his editorials and descriptions of Audubon's bird paintings. This primary documentation combined with insightful analysis casts new light on Grinnell, the origins of the first Audubon Society, and the conservation of avifauna.
William J. Sutherland, Ian Newton, and Rhys Green
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198520863
- eISBN:
- 9780191706189
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198520863.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Biodiversity / Conservation Biology
This book outlines the main methods and techniques available to ornithologists. A general shortage of information about available techniques is greatly hindering progress in avian ecology and ...
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This book outlines the main methods and techniques available to ornithologists. A general shortage of information about available techniques is greatly hindering progress in avian ecology and conservation. Currently this sort of information is disparate and difficult to locate with much of it widely dispersed in books, journals and grey literature. This book is a practical handbook describing the methods used in ornithological studies. Many of the chapters describe field methods, but there are also chapters devoted to laboratory techniques and the assessment of ill or dead birds. Two chapters focus on conservation methods: one describes habitat management techniques, and the other considers field manipulations.Less
This book outlines the main methods and techniques available to ornithologists. A general shortage of information about available techniques is greatly hindering progress in avian ecology and conservation. Currently this sort of information is disparate and difficult to locate with much of it widely dispersed in books, journals and grey literature. This book is a practical handbook describing the methods used in ornithological studies. Many of the chapters describe field methods, but there are also chapters devoted to laboratory techniques and the assessment of ill or dead birds. Two chapters focus on conservation methods: one describes habitat management techniques, and the other considers field manipulations.
Ian P. Howard and Brian J. Rogers
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195367607
- eISBN:
- 9780199867264
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195367607.003.0014
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Cognitive Psychology
This chapter discusses depth vision in animals other than cats and primates. These include invertebrates, fish, amphibian, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
This chapter discusses depth vision in animals other than cats and primates. These include invertebrates, fish, amphibian, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
Ernest H. Williams
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195179293
- eISBN:
- 9780199790470
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195179293.003.0006
- Subject:
- Biology, Natural History and Field Guides
Because of birds' colorful beauty, song, abundance, and flight, millions of people enjoy bird watching (birding). Since people usually first notice the size, color, and shape of a bird, this chapter ...
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Because of birds' colorful beauty, song, abundance, and flight, millions of people enjoy bird watching (birding). Since people usually first notice the size, color, and shape of a bird, this chapter begins with patterns in their bills, wings, and tails. But people are also curious about bird behavior — vocalizations, flight patterns, nesting activities, and feeding behavior — so behavior is the focus of most of these descriptions, including the dawn chorus, timing of migration, and concealment of seeds for later feeding. Understanding these behaviors increases the enjoyment of bird observation, whether the behavior applies to all birds or only to special cases.Less
Because of birds' colorful beauty, song, abundance, and flight, millions of people enjoy bird watching (birding). Since people usually first notice the size, color, and shape of a bird, this chapter begins with patterns in their bills, wings, and tails. But people are also curious about bird behavior — vocalizations, flight patterns, nesting activities, and feeding behavior — so behavior is the focus of most of these descriptions, including the dawn chorus, timing of migration, and concealment of seeds for later feeding. Understanding these behaviors increases the enjoyment of bird observation, whether the behavior applies to all birds or only to special cases.
