It’s migration season! More than 300 North American birds migrate to find cozier nesting spots and bigger buffets. A key joy of meteorological fall in Johnson County is seeing swarms of swifts soar overhead. I can even sit through Hawkeye Game Day traffic when these flocks fly from tree to tree. Rather than go find the birds, you can let the birds come to you by checking out something from our ornithology section. These films and books do a delightful job of landing these birds in our laps. Enjoy beautiful photography and illustrations and be inspired to keep looking up!
Winged migration
DVD 598.1568 Winged
Three years of shooting were needed by five teams in order to follow bird migrations flying over the seven continents: from one pole to another, from the seas to snowcapped mountains, from the canopy of heaven to mangroves and swamps.
Iowa bird watching : a year-round guide
Thompson, Bill, 1962-
598.07234777 /Thompson
This book targets beginning and intermediate bird watchers in Iowa. In addition to their profile, each bird entry includes a map to identity the specific range covered by the bird. 100 birds are presented via full-color photographs for accurate identification. Full-color seasonal section informs the reader the migrating birds that can be seen that month, the foods that attract those birds, the plants that can assist in attracting birds.
The birds of America.
Audubon, John James, 1785-1851.
598.022 /Audubon
A comprehensive account of the birdlife of this continent arranged by order and including numerous drawings and color plates.
Audubon as artist : a new look at The birds of America
Olson, Roberta J. M., author.
598.022 /Audubon
"John James Audubon (1785-1851), artist, naturalist, and creator of the celebrated The Birds of America, is widely regarded as America's first exceptional watercolorist. This book offers a unique exploration of Audubon's artistic journey intertwined with the drama of his life, unveiling how he studied both past and contemporary artists to forge something entirely innovative. Through this book, readers are invited to rediscover Audubon's groundbreaking watercolors as exemplary works of fine art. Moreover, the book delves into the controversies surrounding this legendary figure, who, for the first time in history, accurately represented all avian species life-size. Beautifully illustrated, it chronicles how Audubon infused ornithological illustration with a sense of exhilaration, breathing new life into once-conventional formulas and transforming them into awe-inspiring masterpieces. With 198 illustrations, 192 in colour"--
Bird love
Jeffreys, Leila, photographer, author of preface.
598 /Jeffreys
Fine art photographer Leila Jeffreys captures the beauty and diversity of some of our most colorful and elegant feathered friends. From the exotic birds of her native Australia to those of North America, Jeffreys seems to delve into the very souls of these creatures with her stunning and evocative portraits. Jeffreys works with animal rescue and conservation groups to find subjects to photograph. Her love and compassion for her subjects is evident throughout, as she captures their personalities in her delightful portraits; Commander Skyring the Gang-Gang Cockatoo, Dexter the White-Bellied Sea Eagle, Mrs. Plume the Budgerigar, and many others are as whimsical as they are beautiful.--
Extreme birds : the world's most extraordinary and bizarre birds
Couzens, Dominic, author.
598 /Couzens
"Extreme Birds is a photographic showcase of 150 birds at the extremes of nature. It reveals nature's ingenuity and sometimes its sense of humor. The species in this book were chosen for their extraordinary characteristics and for behaviors far beyond the typical. They are the biggest, the fastest, the meanest, the smartest. They build the most intricate nests, they have the most peculiar mating rituals, they dive the deepest and they fly the highest. These are the overachievers of the avian world."--Publisher's website.
Close to birds : an intimate look at our feathered friends
Magnusson, Roine, 1970- photographer.
598 /Magnusson
A stunning celebration of birds and why we love them. Gorgeous, close-up photographs highlight the magic in every feather, with enchanting essays about how birds touch our lives. Our lives intertwine with birds like no other wild creature. Every day birds warm our hearts, inspire our curiosity, and appeal to our sense of wonder. Close to Birds brings us even nearer to our feathered friends. The stunning and intimate photographs capture the beauty and detail of each bird's form, as well as their unique character and personality. The accompanying short essays share charming and often-hidden details from birds' lives. Discover why robins sing so early in the morning and learn the science behind the almost magical iridescence of mallard feathers. Close to Birds shares the irresistible joy and marvel of birds.
The splendor of birds : art and photographs from National Geographic
Howell, Catherine Herbert, author.
598.022 /Howell
Bird, nature, and art lovers alike will treasure this sumptuous visual celebration of the colours, forms, and behaviours of the winged wonders who share our world as they have been explored, displayed, and revealed throughout the years by National Geographic. The book moves chronologically so readers witness the tremendous growth in our knowledge of birds over the last 130 years, as well as the new frontiers in technology and observation from luminous vintage paintings and classic black and white photographs to state-of-the art high-speed and telephoto camera shots that reveal moments rarely seen and sights invisible to the human eye. The wide diversity of pictures captures beloved songbirds outside the kitchen window, theatrical courtship dance of birds of paradise, tender moments inside a tern's nest, or the vivid flash of a hummingbird's flight. Readers will delight in seeing iconic species from around the world through the eyes of acclaimed National Geographic wildlife photographers such as Chris Johns, Frans Lanting, Joel Sartore, and Tim Laman and reading excerpted passages from Arthur A. Allen, Roger Tory Peterson, Douglas Chadwick, Jane Goodall, and other great explorers. Exquisitely produced and expertly curated, this visual treasury displays as never before the irresistible beauty, grace, and intelligence of our feathered friends.
Dare to bird : exploring the joy and power of birds
Hafting, Melissa, author, photographer.
598.022 /Hafting
"Melissa Hafting is an ethical, passionate, and respected birder, photographer, and mentor. Her love for birding has helped shape who she is and has helped with her mental health, along with enabling her to cope with the difficult aspects of grief and loss after the death of her mother and father. Showcasing some of Melissa's most stunning bird images from the continental United States, Hawaii, and Canada, Dare to Bird explores the joy that birding and photography has brought to her life and how both have allowed her to foster meaningful connections with young birders from diverse backgrounds, along with the conservation community, eco-travel advocates, rare bird enthusiasts, and ethical wildlife viewing practitioners in order to preserve bird habitats that are constantly under threat. At the same time, she is determined to expand birding to include more BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour), women, and LGBTQIA+ through youth outreach and talking about the barriers (racism and sexism) she herself has faced in her journey to become part of the birding community"--
Zoology: Understanding the Animal World. Episode 13, Taking to the Sky: Bird Migration.
STREAMING VIDEO KANOPY
One of the most interesting events in the animal kingdom is bird migration by flight. What are the physics of bird flight? Why have some of the world’s most interesting birds, like penguins and ostriches, lost the ability to fly? Do wings serve a purpose other than flight? Find out here.
Counting on Birds
STREAMING VIDEO KANOPY
More than a century ago, ornithologist Frank Chapman redirected a Christmas-time tradition of revelers shooting birds to a new holiday recreation: counting birds instead. Now join the annual bird count, the longest-running wildlife census in the world..