Descripción
Ranging over the entire family of woodpeckers, with emphasis on New World species, this book provides a wealth of information not easily obtainable elsewhere except in very scattered sources. It is the only book for the general reader which deals authoritatively with these remarkable birds as of 1985. Has lots of full color pictures some full page suitable for framing.
In his introduction to this work (one of a series, each volume covering a taxonomic family, or in some instances an assemblage formerly regarded as one family), S. Dillon Ripley observes that few ornithological writers «can match the style, comprehensiveness, and charm of Alexander F. Skutch» and that in this book «he once again succeeds in conveying intangibly, not only accurate scientific notes about activities of the woodpecker family, but also in a sense quite especially separate from those who would identify woodpeckers’ habits with human customs and mores, the fact that woodpeckers are fascinating coinhabitants of this world». As Ripley then notes, Skutch was a «master at making such observations…in a thoroughly realistic and scientific way, but also with ineffable charm».
Ripley is absolutely correct. Most of the other volumes in the series are devoted to families of birds exclusively (or almost exclusively) neotropical in distribution, but woodpeckers are much more cosmopolitan in distribution. Readers will find details and insights about the life histories of these birds written in Skutch’s inimitable style (scientific, yet in many instances bordering on poetic). His mastery of language and his uncanny phrasing make any of his works a worthwhile read, and this is no exception.
- Editorial : Cornell Univ Pr; New Ed edición (1 Enero 1988)
- Idioma : Inglés
- Tapa dura : 136 páginas
- ISBN-10 : 0934797005
- ISBN-13 : 978-0934797009
- Peso del producto : 1.25 pounds
- UNSPSC-Code : 55101500
- Dimensiones : 9.5 x 0.75 x 12.5 pulgadas