Bird Migration: A New Understanding by John H. Rappole (English) Hardcover Book

Publisher Description

A fascinating and nuanced exploration of why, how, and which birds migrate.Bird migration captivates the human imagination, yet for most of us, key aspects of the phenomenon remain a mystery. How do birds sense the ideal moment to take wing, and once the epic journey has begun, how do they find their distant destinations? Fresh insights about avian movements are still constantly emerging, powered by new tools like molecular genetics and transmitter miniaturization. In this book, renowned ornithologist and author John H. Rappole reveals intriguing results of recent scientific studies on migration, explaining their importance for birders, nature lovers, and researchers alike. Debunking misconceptions about the lives of birds that have persisted for thousands of years, Rappole explores unexpected causes and previously misunderstood aspects of the annual migration cycle. From the role of migrating birds in zoonotic disease transmission to climate change's impact on migration patterns, Rappole tackles crucial questions and ensures that readers come away with a new understanding of why and how birds migrate.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1. The Bird Migration Paradigm
Chapter 2. The Migrant Annual Cycle According to the Dispersal Theory
Chapter 3. Fall Migration
Chapter 4. Wintering Period
Chapter 5. Spring Migration
Chapter 6. Breeding Period
Chapter 7. Postbreeding Period
Chapter 8. Population Biology
Chapter 9. Origin and Evolution
Chapter 10. Biogeography
Chapter 11. Conservation
Coda
Appendix 1. Common and Scientific Names of Bird Species Mentioned in the Text
Appendix 2. A Critical Examination of the Assumptions in "Temperate Origins of Long-Distance Seasonal Migration in New World Songbirds" by Benjamin M. Winger, F. Keith Barker, and Richard H. Ree
Appendix 3. Notation Corrections for Alan Pine's Multiple Carrying Capacity Equations from "Age-Structured Periodic Breeders" by Alan S. Pine in The Avian Migrant: The Biology of Bird Migration by John H. Rappole (New York: Columbia University Press, 2013)
Annotated Bibliography
Index

Review

One of the most charismatic phenomena of birds is long-distance migration, and John Rappole's latest book on this topic is one of its kind. With his insightful book Rappole, an emeritus researcher at the Smithsonian Institute, turns the centuries-year-long paradigms of bird migration theory upside down, twists them and builds a compelling case to convince the reader that his dispersal theory bears the truth about the origin of bird migration.
—Community Ecology

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A fascinating and nuanced exploration of why, how, and which birds migrate.

Long Description

A fascinating and nuanced exploration of why, how, and which birds migrate. How do birds travel over thousands of miles? When do birds decide it's time to migrate? Why do some birds migrate, while others don't? Bird migration captivates the imagination of many people, yet key aspects of the phenomenon remain a mystery for most. Even among seasoned scientists, fresh discoveries abound; emerging technologies, such as molecular genetics and transmitter miniaturization, have revealed a new depth of insight into the lives of birds that we never imagined possible. In this book, renowned ornithologist and author John H. Rappole summarizes and translates the latest scientific data behind avian migration into everyday language. Debunking false ideas about the process that have persisted for thousands of years, Rappole reveals that there are at least five parts to the annual migration cycle, each of which has an important role in the migrant's life history. He explains that female birds control nearly all aspects of breeding and provides compelling evidence demonstrating that migration in the Northern Hemisphere is not a weather phenomenon-rather, it is a form of dispersal in which birds leave their tropical and subtropical homes to take advantage of seasonally superabundant food in temperate and boreal regions, enabling them to raise more offspring. Highlighting crucial issues-like the role of migrating birds in zoonotic disease transmission and climate change's impact on migration patterns-Rappole ensures that readers come away with a new understanding of why, how, and which birds migrate. As he shares knowledge gained in his forty years of work in the field, readers are invited to join his unfolding voyage of discovery.

Review Quote

"John Rappole takes our beliefs about avian migration and flips them upside down, prompting the reader to reassess their own assumptions. Rappole's frank presentation of the process of scientific discovery and controversy is revealing and absorbing."?Danielle J. Whittaker, author of The Secret Perfume of Birds: Uncovering the Science of Avian Scent "In engaging language, the reader can expect revelations throughout that will both challenge and greatly inform. For many, their perceptions of the avian world will never be the same."?Colin Rees, author of Nature's Calendar: A Year in the Life of a Wildlife Sanctuary "In his insightful and thought-provoking new book, ecologist John Rappole explains that birds migrate in order to locate seasonally abundant food resources, not, as commonly assumed, because of seasonally unfavorable weather. This theory shows that most familiar migrant species evolved from resident tropical species."?Bruce M. Beehler, author of Birds of Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia " Bird Migration is an excellent scholarly release aimed at a wide readership within the citizen science community and beyond. Rappole creates a skillful presentation of the different facets of bird migration, combining it intelligently with personal annotations of his own research contributions and enriching it with some stunning answers derived from most recent bird behavior studies."?Karl-L Schuchmann, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig "John Rappole distills a life of study and contemplation of the tantalizing and challenging phenomenon of bird migration into wonderfully accessible prose. This is a once-in-a-generation, highly readable, and insightful overview of the topic. A landmark volume for scholar and amateur alike."?Thomas E. Lovejoy, coauthor of Ever Green: Saving Big Forests to Save the Planet

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A fascinating and nuanced exploration of why, how, and which birds migrate.

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