The Atlas of Birds Mapping Avian Diversity, Behaviour and Habitats Worldwide by Unwin, Mike ( AUTHOR ) Jun-10-2011 Paperback

by Mike Unwin

The Atlas of Birds captures the breathtaking diversity of birds, and illuminates their conservation status around the world. Full-color maps show where birds are found, both by country and terrain, and reveal how an astounding variety of behavioral adaptations—from flight and feeding to nest building and song—have enabled them to thrive in virtually every habitat on Earth. Maps of individual journeys and global flyways chart the amazing phenomenon of bird migration, while bird classification is explained using maps for each order and many key families.

Conservation provides a strong focus throughout, with maps illustrating where and why birds are most under threat, and what is being done to protect them. Separate sections examine key factors influencing their distribution and endangering their survival, from deforestation and climate change to invasive species and the cage-bird trade. Bird groups most affected, such as island endemics, are highlighted, while a fascinating chapter explores the complex historical relationship between birds and humans, with maps and data for everything from poultry farming to birdwatching.

The maps are supported by an authoritative text that uses the very latest data and case studies from BirdLife International. Packed with sumptuous photos, original diagrams, and imaginative graphics that bring the numbers to life, this book is a stunning and timely insight into perhaps the most colorful and intriguing group of organisms on our planet.

The premier illustrated atlas of bird diversity, behavior, and conservationFeatures full-color maps, photos, and diagramsCovers bird evolution, classification, and behaviorDescribes the complex relationship between birds and their habitatsExplores the impact of human activities on species survivalIllustrates where and why birds are most under threat—and how to protect them

Genres: Birds, Nonfiction, Animals, Nature

Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Mike Unwin is a celebrated wildlife and travel writer known for his books and journalism, and also a photographer, illustrator, and popular speaker.

Reviews

[Nathan Albright · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly, like its author, this book is not made of win.  I read this book on the hope that, even despite its title, that it would be an enjoyable book that would be heavy on maps and light on the politics.  Unfortunately, the reverse was the case.  I am no stranger to enjoying birds in various ways [1], not least because I am a very heavy eater of chicken and turkey on account of the combination of a love of meat and a preference for being able to walk.  At any rate, as someone who is fond of birds but not fond of leftist politics, it was my hope that I would be able to look at a lot of detailed maps with minimal text.  Unfortunately, the author felt it necessary to pontificate in the worst possible fashion while making a book with maps with minimal information.  To say this is disappointing would be a huge understatement.  Still, the maps, as disappointing as they are, are far better than the text and the only reason this book is not a total waste of time for anyone to look at.

In terms of its contents, this book starts out with its best foot forward and then loses goodwill from there.  The first part of this book gives an introduction to birds, with the author waxing rhapsodically about evolutionary fitness and the supposed origins of birds.  Did I say this book started with its best webbed foot forward?  Never mind.  After this comes a pleasant look at where birds live, which include discussions on endemic birds whose habitat is extremely limited making them more vulnerable.  The next part of the book looks at birds by orders, starting with the supposedly primitive raites and tinamous, moving on to gamebirds, and then storks, seabirds, birds of pray, pigeons and cuckoos, owls and hummingbirds, kingfishers and mousebirsd, and closing with perching passerines.  The next part of the book looks at how birds live, including their flying as well as their walking/running and their swimming and how they find food, show off, live together, and travel along different flyways.  After that the author takes a turn for the worse, looking at birds on the menu, birds in culture, and the conflicts that people have with birds.  The book continues to slouch towards its end with the sixth part talks about birds under threat, where the author brings up the dubious idea of anthropogenic climate change as a causal explanation for the travails of birds, before closing with some extremely problematic calls for increased bureaucracy and regulation to save birds from ourselves.  With that the book splats like a bird sailing into a window.

This book is a clear case of an author drastically misunderstanding his audience and how to best serve his aims.  This book claims to be an atlas of birds, but it is an extremely rudimentary one.  If the author had spent even half the time constructing beautiful maps and getting out of his own way that he spent trying to design this book in order to bolster his political worldview, this would have been a vastly better book.  It seems puzzling that someone who sets out to write an atlas of birds, claiming to be "the" book on the subject, can barely manage to make maps even as page after page is spent whining about habitat destruction.  The photos of the book, to be sure, are enjoyable, and the maps give at least a little bit of context even if most of them are highly superficial, even lower than the rather low National Geographic standard of cartography, but this book is immensely tedious and tiresome and manages to offend the reader whenever the author decides to stop talking about the birds and starts talking about their context.  Skip this book, and eat some pheasant instead.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2013...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2012...

[Meghan Fidler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different approach to seeing avian species, Unwin does a delightful job of pairing concepts in the field of Ornithology with their feathered exemplars. The book also presents socio-cultural meanings and human impacts upon birds, making the entire presentation well rounded and informative.

I do adore new ways to understand old friends and looking for new birds to remind me of known behaviors!

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book focusing on birds, where and how they live, their habitat, migrations. And especially about threats against them, mostly human-related, both directly from hunting, habitat loss, introduction of alien species which predate or compete with native birds. And climate change, which has already affected some birds' behaviors and locations.
Lots of good, but small, pictures, with identifying captions.
Rather too technical for me in places.
One drawback is that it was published in 2011 and any research or observations would be even older.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A survey of birds worldwide with an emphasis on conservation written in an engaging and easy to read style. The book is beautifully illustrated with numerous maps, charts, diagrams and photos. After reading this one will gain new insight into the lives of birds.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good presentation of data about where birds live, their behavioral traits, and the threats they face.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book showing where birds are, how they live, what families they belong to, etc, but not the usual bird book with pictures and descriptions of individual birds. Learned a lot!