Stephen Moss - Understanding bird behaviour

To Suzanne, who opened my eyes to the wonders of bird behaviour

This electronic edition published in 2015 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Bloomsbury Natural History

An imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

www.bloomsbury.com

BLOOMSBURY and the Diana logo are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

First published 2015

text, Stephen Moss, 2015

photographs, David Tipling

Except 23, 31, 39 (bottom), 40, 71, 74, 76, 77, 78, 79, 94, 101 (right), 155 (top) Getty Images

Stephen Moss has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as Author of this work.

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No responsibility for loss caused to any individual or organisation acting on or refraining from action as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by Bloomsbury or the author.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication data has been applied for.

ISBN: PB: 978-1-4729-1206-0

ePDF: 978-1-4729-2585-5

ePub: 978-1-4729-2586-2

Designed and typeset in UK by Susan McIntyre

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The Wildlife Trusts

The Wildlife Trusts are the UKs largest people-powered organisation caring for all nature rivers, bogs, meadows, forests, seas and much more. We are 47 Wildlife Trusts covering the whole of the UK with a shared mission to restore nature everywhere we can and to inspire people to value and take action for nature for future generations.

Together we care for thousands of wild places that are great for both people and wildlife. These include more than 760 woodlands, 500 grasslands and even 11 gardens. Youre away from your nearest Wildlife Trust nature reserve and most people have one within a few miles of their home.

Our goal is natures recovery on land and at sea. To achieve this we rely on the vital support of our 800,000 members, 40,000 volunteers, donors, corporate supporters and funders. To find the Wildlife Trust that means most to you and lend your support, visit wildlifetrusts.org/your-local-trust

Importantly, we encourage people to experience wildlife for themselves. We believe that a deeper appreciation for nature conservation can start with a book such as this one by Stephen Moss. We need more people to understand and value the birds and other wildlife that are to be found in our countryside.

Understanding Bird Behaviour introduces the reader to the habitats and characteristics of birds in life how and why birds feed, preen, and react with others of their kind. The author compares such behaviour as courtship, fledging, flight and migration among many different species, and investigates the instincts and circumstances that trigger these behaviours.

Few realise just how endangered much of our British wildlife is. In recent years, once-common bird species such as the sparrow and Starling have declined, mainly due to the demands of that modern human living has placed on habitats.

The Wildlife Trusts believe, however, that it is not too late. Much can still be done to reverse the losses of the past, and we all have a part to play in making this happen. One way is to contact your local Wildlife Trust for information on wildlife activities and volunteering opportunities, and on local wild places. Help us to protect wildlife for the future and become a member today! Visit www.wildlifetrusts.org for further information. The Wildlife Trusts is a registered charity (number 207238).

We hope that, with the help of this book, you have fun learning more about birds and their behaviour!

CONTENTS

Introduction