Hummingbirds have always held popular appeal, with their visual brilliance, extraordinary flight dexterity, jewel-like color, and remarkably small size.
This is the first book to profile all 338 known species, from the Saw-billed Hermit to the Scintillant Hummingbird.
Every bird is shown life-size in glorious full-color photographs.
Every species profile includes a flight map and key statistics, as well as information about behavior, plumage, and habitat.
This authoritative guide has been annotated by the world's leading experts on hummingbirds and features a foreword by renowned birding author Pete Dunne.

Hummingbirds: A Life-size Guide to Every Species

Taylor, Marianne

Fogden, Michael

Williamson, Sheri L.

Reference

Harper

Discover the fascinating and mysterious world of owls with this stunning full-color, encyclopedic visual guide that explores all 225 known species, packed with maps, photographs, illustrations, informative scientific details, and a bonus 35½" x 12" accordion poster illustrated with the true-to-size wing length of the largest owl, overlayed with the wing length of the smallest owl and several owls in-between.
Humans have long been fascinated by owls. From prehistoric cave paintings to popular modern children’s stories, these magnificent predators have been seen as harbingers of good fortune and impending disaster, as icons of fear and wisdom, and as the powerful sidekicks of magic-makers, including the beloved Harry Potter. Scientists have faced tremendous challenges trying to document the lives of these solitary, nocturnal, and highly elusive creatures. New species are still being discovered, as are new insights into the habits of even the most familiar varieties. 
Visually spectacular and authoritative, Owls includes full descriptions and maps of key viewing locations for all 225 owl species in the world, and is illustrated with drawings and stunning full-color images from some of the leading wildlife photographers from around the world which capture these birds’ breathtaking beauty and power. The book also features a special section on the art of hiding—a highly honed skill set of the owl.
Throughout, Marianne Taylor provides a wealth of detail on each type of bird’s hunting and breeding behavior, habitat, and conservation. Inside, are dozens of fun facts, such as: 
<ul>
<li>Only nineteen of the 225 known species of owls are found in North America;</li>
<li>Owls can be found on all continents except Antarctica;</li>
<li>Owls, like humans, have binocular vision;</li>
<li>Owls cannot turn their eyes, but are able to rotate their heads up to 270 degrees;</li>
<li>Owls are carnivorous and are known to eat rodents, small mammals, nocturnal insects, fish, and other birds. </li>
</ul>
Lavishly illustrated and educational, this breathtaking volume is essential for readers interested in natural science, devout birders, professional ornithologists, and all owl lovers.

Owls: A Guide to Every Species in the World

Souvenirs of the planet: Ten (and a half) life forms, each of which explains a key aspect of life on Earth. If an alien visitor were to collect ten souvenir life forms to represent life on earth, which would they be? This is the thought-provoking premise of Marianne Taylor's The Story of Life in 10 and a Half Species. Each life forms explains a key aspect about life on Earth. From the sponge that seems to be a plant but is really an animal to the almost extinct soft-shelled turtle deemed extremely unique and therefore extremely precious, these examples reveal how life itself is arranged across time and space, and how humanity increasingly dominates that vision. Taylor, a prolific science writer, considers the chemistry of a green plant and ponders the possibility of life beyond our world; investigates the virus in an attempt to determine what a life form is; and wonders if the human--"a distinct and very dominant species with an inevitably biased view of life"-- could evolve in a new direction. She tells us that the giraffe was one species, but is now four; that the dusky seaside sparrow may be revived through "re-evolution," or cloning; explains the significance of Darwin's finch to evolution; and much more. The "half" species is artificial intelligence. Itself an experiment to understand and model life, AI is central to our future--although from the alien visitor's standpoint, unlikely to inherit the earth in the long run.

The Story of Life in 10 1/2 Species

Science & Math

Biological Sciences

The MIT Press

A uniquely personal meditation on Britain's gulls by one of today's leading wildlife writers From a distance, gulls are beautiful symbols of freedom over the oceanic wilderness. Up close, however, they can be loud, aggressive and even violent. Yet gulls fascinate birdwatchers, and seafarers regard them with respect and affection. The Gull Next Door explores the natural history of gulls and their complicated relationship with humans. Marianne Taylor grew up in an English seaside town where gulls are ever present. Today, she is a passionate advocate for these underappreciated birds. In this book, Taylor looks at the different gull species and sheds light on all aspects of the lives of gulls--how they find food, raise families, socialize and migrate across sea, coastland and countryside. She discusses the herring gull, Britain's best-known and most persecuted gull species, whose numbers are declining at an alarming rate. She looks at gulls in legend, fiction and popular culture, and explains what we can do to protect gull populations around the world. The Gull Next Door reveals deeper truths about these remarkable birds. They are thinkers and innovators, devoted partners and parents. They lead long lives and often indulge their powerful drive to explore and travel. But for all these natural gifts, many gull species are struggling to survive in the wild places they naturally inhabit, which is why they are now exploiting the opportunities of human habitats. This book shows how we might live more harmoniously with these majestic yet misunderstood birds.

The Gull Next Door: A Portrait of a Misunderstood Bird (Wild Nature Press)

Princeton University Press

Review\n"Birdwatching Magazine's Book of the Month"\n"A Birdwatcher's Yearbook Best Bird Book of the Year"\n"A quirky, eclectic and informative mix about birds from all compass directions."---Phil Slade, Another Bird Blog\n"An educational and entertaining read."---Eric Brown, News Shopper\n"Dive into this entertaining and informative book and you will leave with more knowledge than you entered it."---Bo Beolens, Fat Birder\n"This is a book you will want to read cover to cover."---Geoff Carpentier, North Durham Nature Newsletter\n"A very interesting book, packed with information, well set out with lovely pictures, and I learned a lot more about how birds live together. A thoroughly recommended book."---Neville Davies, Gwent Wildlife Trust\n"The author, Marianne Taylor, has clearly done extensive research and showcases colonies from around the world . . . . The chapters are very readable and it is easy to pick up the narrative where you left off, making it accessible for someone entering into the world of colony birds."---Gill Birtles, British Trust for Ornithology\n"Marianne Taylor employs her knowledge, humour and substantial experience into something expansive and multifaceted."---Paul Meadows, British Naturalists Association\n"An informative and pleasing read for whoever wants to learn about birds’ different forms of social life."---Gabriel Marcacci, Community Ecology\nA beautifully illustrated exploration of the ways birds cohabit\nFeaturing dramatic and delightful wild bird colonies and communities, How Birds Live Together offers a broad overview of social living in the avian world. From long-established seabird colonies that use the same cliffs for generations to the fast-shifting dynamics of flock formation, leading wildlife writer Marianne Taylor explores the different ways birds choose to dwell together.\nThrough fascinating text, color photos, maps, and other graphics, Taylor examines the advantages of avian sociality and social breeding. Chapters provide detailed information on diverse types of bird colonies, including those species that construct single-family nests close together in trees; those that share large, communal nests housing multiple families; those that nest in tunnels dug into the earth; those that form exposed colonies on open ground and defend them collectively, relying on ferocious aggression; those that live communally on human-made structures in towns and cities; and more. Taylor discusses the challenges, benefits, hazards, and social dynamics of each style of living, and features a wealth of species as examples.\nShowcasing colonies from the edge of Scotland and the tropical delta of the Everglades to the Namib Desert in Africa, How Birds Live Together gives bird enthusiasts a vivid understanding of avian social communities.

How Birds Live Together: Colonies and Communities in the Avian World

From jazz music to wearing sunglasses indoors, cool” has always been the ultimate social label. The craving for this acceptance has powered popular culture for the last hundred years. Fashion, music, cars, pop idols, attitudes, and even some schools and parents, have been labeled Cool. But by whom? The truth is: no one in particular.
 And then there is the whimsical nature of being Cool: The arbiters of taste and style are so eager to pronounce something Cool, that something immediately becomes uncool as the masses rush to adopt it, in order to be Cool first. Something or someone can be so In” they quickly become So Five Minutes Ago” before spiraling downward to Out.” And then, like nerds and bell-bottoms, something can be so Out”, it's In.” (That's cool.)
Taylor details the history of Cool, spotlighting its current manifestations. She charts the evolution of Cool from the sidewalks to the boardrooms, separating who creates cool from who merely markets it.

The Book of Cool: What is It? Who Decides It? And Why Do We Care So Much?

Politics & Social Sciences

Social Sciences

Running Press

"These wonderful birds share our world so discreetly, and you could easily live out several lifetimes without ever seeing one. However, with a little insight, patience and luck, you could step into their realm and enjoy some unforgettable close encounters, whether abroad or at home. The chances are high that there are wild owls of one kind or another living not far from your own front door, and your observations could make a difference to their survival."―from the Introduction
From tiny Elf and Pygmy Owls through the familiar Tawny and Barn Owls to the giant Eagle and Fish Owls, these fierce hunters of dawn, dusk and night have long held a fascination for people around the world. This informative book, covering all owl species found in the northern hemisphere, looks closely at how owls live their lives, and how best to recognize them.
The first part of the book looks in detail at owl biology: how they live, how they breed, and how they feed. The second part includes species accounts for all 47 species of owls that occur in the northern hemisphere, with emphasis on those of Europe and North America. The book is richly illustrated with sensational, full-color photographs of these compelling birds.

Owls

Comstock Publishing Associates

An illustrated guide to the wonders of the animal kingdom. Covers the complete animal kingdom including the smallest, simplest organisms and the greatest of the mammals. Suitable for all the family from age 10+. Illustrated throughout in full color with photographs, maps, charts and infographics.

Discovering The Animal Kingdom: A guide to the amazing world of animals (Discovering..., 2)

Sirius

Discovering the Microscopic World: A Guide to the Incredible Structures of Organisms

Stunning double-page spreads show dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals in dynamic scenes. Every page will captivate readers of all ages who are interested in fossils and natural history.

Discovering the Prehistoric World: A Guide to the Astonishing Forms of Early Life on Earth

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