Book Description
This uniquely thorough reference and guidebook offers illustrations, descriptions, and measurements for the skulls of some 275 animal species found throughout North America. The skull--the collection of bones that house and protect a creature's brain and sensory organs--is the key anatomical feature used to identify an animal and understand many of its behaviors. This book describes in words and pictures the bones and regions of the skull important to identification, including illustrations of all the bones in the cranium, leading to a greater understanding of a creature's place in the natural world. Life-size drawings and detailed measurements make this guide an invaluable reference for wildlife professionals, trackers, and animal-lovers alike.
Customer Reviews:
another great book from Mark.......2007-07-22
I have all of Mark Elbroch's books. They are essential for tracking & naturalist studies. I refer to them weekly for identification, more than any other books I own. I've also met Mark & had him sign the "Mammal Tracks" book. An all around great guy to study from & talk to. If you enjoy Mark's drawings check out his site for t-shrirts & other cool stuff.-Kevin
Great resource!.......2007-02-27
Outstanding book...wonderful photos of animal skulls...I was able to identify a fragment of a skull that I found by using this book. I know that it's the upper jaw of a house cat instead of a bobcat because of the small premolar tooth that bobcats and lynxes never have, cougars and ocelots always have, and house cats sometimes have. Should be on every naturalist's bookshelf.
Animal Skulls, A guide to North American Species.......2007-01-11
The Best skull identification book ever written.
A must have book for all Biologists,teachers,schools,collectors and museums of natural history.
An instant classic!.......2007-01-07
This is the book that trackers and naturalists have needed for a long time. It's finally here and it's outstanding! Now when I take apart an owl pellet I'll be able to determine what the owl was eating, and hence what small wildlife is abundant in that area. And when I'm out and discover part of a skull from a mammal, bird, amphibian, or reptile, I'll be able to find what that is too. Mark Elbrock has done it again: an instant classic, and a book that all trackers and naturalists should have in their collection.
A Comprehensive and Easy-to-Use Guide.......2006-12-16
This is a thorough and well-written book, which goes into great detail about the skulls of each North American mammal species, in addition to having a section on birds and reptiles/amphibians. The first several chapters, which I found surprisingly readable given the technical subject matter, are devoted to identifying skull bones and landmarks as well as interpreting the function and meaning behind various skull features, determining age and sex, and even obtaining, cleaning and preparing your own animal skulls. What I found most helpful in this book were the real-life sized illustrations of both skulls and jaws, which the author conveniently locates in one section of the book, for easy comparison. I was amazed at how easy it was to identify skulls I had found in years past- skulls that I had spent hours attempting to identify using information pieced together from the internet and other sources. This book is not only incredibly thorough and rich with information, but also well-organized and easy to understand, with helpful diagrams and plenty of beautiful, detailed illustrations. Overall, it is an excellent book that I will be sure to refer back to many times in the future.
Customer Reviews:
Good info - poor organization.......1997-04-07
This book contains the most up-to-date information and is highly accurate. It does, however, suffer from a poorly organized format. Some authors cover the same information, while other important topics fall between the cracks. I would have liked to see the same organizational structure used for all 3 "types" of deer
Book Description
This essential guide to safety in the field features 90 venomous animals and more than 250 poisonous plants and fungi. The 340 line drawings make identification fast and simple; 160 species are also illustrated with color photographs.
Customer Reviews:
Quickly Received in Great Condition.......2007-05-20
Product arrived as guaranteed, and the book delivered everything promised. Wish there were more color pictures of the actual plants; but overall, it's a GREAT field guide for someone just starting out in learning about what to avoid while hiking, camping, or just walking through the woods.
Don't harm snake on cover !!.......2007-05-16
My little brother just gave me this field guide. I was shocked to see a picture of a completely harmless Scarlet Kingsnake on the cover of a field guide to Venemous Animals.
I like the field guide, but please people, if you see the snake on the cover - understand it is a Kingsnake and completely harmless, not a Coral snake which is probably what they intended to have on the cover.
Coral snakes do not have red bands between two black bands, and the type of bands they have are quite different.
If you see a Coral snake, please don't kill it either - leave it alone, but especially do not kill a harmless Scarlet Kingsnake thinking it was a Coral snake. Hopefully the next edition will fix this embarrasing mistake.
Great field guide.......2005-09-13
perterson field guides are the best Ive found. I appreciate the easy to use guides and the content is excellent.
Essential to Everyone Outdoors.......2001-11-03
"Peterson's Field Guide to Venomous Animals and Poisonous Plants" is the first thing to be packed in one's backpack.It is essential to every hiker, camper, naturalist, hunter, bird watcher and nature lover. There are a hell of alot less hazards than benign plants and animals (although this varies somewhat according to region. The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast US has it easy compared to the Southwest) and while most people could identify a few, it doesnt make sense not to learn the 2-3 dozen major ones to avoid.
The book is up to Peterson's usual high standards in a field guide. It covers mammals followed by poisonous plants, shrubs/trees, vines, ferns and fungi. There are color photographs but the black and white drawings are the way to go for IDing. Most people will not read the entire book unless they're a hardcore naturalist or really, really bored in front of a campfire. I recommend checking out the hazards in your partiualr area icluding AT LEAST the following: 1. All poisonous snakes and their look-a-likes 2. Black Widow and Brown Recluse spider 3. Tics and Scorpions 4. Bees, Wasps, Fire Ants 5. Poisonous Plants including the Big 3: Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac 6. Poisonous Mushrooms (not so you can learn which you can eat, but to understand the severity of eating just one wrong one)
There's alot that won't apply to you(save those for a rainy day) and some hazards are less hazardous than others. For example, the short-tail shrew is listed, but most people need not live in fear of "killer shrews". But knowing that their bite has some bite to it, maybe you'll avoid juggling those cute furry creatures. Also, large mammals aren't included, though bears and mountain lions can seem pretty hazardous to me in some situations.I recommend supplementing your reading with "Bear Aware" by Bill Schneider and "Mountain Lion Alert" by Steven Torres. In addition, I wouldn't trust this book solely to gather a gourmet wild mushroom feast, either. I've seen some books topping 1,000 pages on edible shrooms and they still might not be complete. Its best to leave the shrooms alone!
Finally, there are a few diseases found outdoors worth researching: Giardia, hantavirus, rabies, and lyme disease among others.
Also recommended: "Peterson's Wild Edible Plants" and "Medicinal Plants".
Before you know what's edible, know what'll kill you!.......2000-08-18
Before you dash out into the woods and pick some plants you think are edible, you might want to get this book and know definitely what will kill you, or really mess up your body. Excellent info, bright color pictures, and written for an easy understanding, this book should be in any nature enthusiast's library, right next to Newcomb's Wildflower Guide, possibly the best plant identification guide around.
Book Description
This all-new edition of the popular field guide provides photographs and descriptions of all species and subspecies of snakes of Eastern and Central North America from Texas to Manitoba, to the Eastern seaboard of the continent.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent for home and field use.......2007-04-07
Excellent book for novice and experienced alike. Tons of pertinent, useful information. This is a great book for educating entry level herpers. This is not a typical field book, having far more useful information for each species than most I have used. This is particularly helpful when dealing with similar species. More info on typical habitat, range, size, coloration, diet, etc. makes identification easier. A great addition to any library.
Four months and still waiting . . . ........2005-03-25
In fairness, I haven't even read this book. I ordered it in November, and I never received it. Twice Amazon.com asked for permission to extend the date of delivery of my order. Twice I agreed. The third time I said enough is enough. Forget it. I just got my money back, minus the amount I should have obtained from giving Amazon.com an interest-free four-month loan. Each time I was asked to consent to an extension on the delivery date I was denied an explanation for the delay.
I understand that this is more of an indictment of Amazon.com than it is the book, so it is unfair for me to give it the rating I have assigned it. But I just wanted Amazon.com's customers interested in this book that if you want it, be prepared to WAIT!!! (Or look for the book on bn.com.)
Great Guide!.......2004-01-05
I just bought the 2003 edition of this book, and I must say it is great! The pics are very good! On some of the variable species, there are more than one photo to show you the different forms. The author provides great information on every aspect of the snakes' lives including size, reproduction, prey, habitat, and relative abundance. The book is very easy to read and is a steal at that price for 600 well written pages on North American snakes!- Anthony J. Chodan
Good, accessible guide.......2001-08-29
A very good reference and field guide to snakes from Texas to North Dakota eastwards, aimed at enthusiasts and accessible to the average reader. It builds on Tennant's earlier books on Texas and Florida snakes (which were excellent), and in fact the text of the species accounts is often lifted more or less directly from those books. This makes this book less than original, but the detail -- over 600 pages worth -- is very good. Lots of photos, though each are a little small. This book is thicker, more thorough and generally stronger than the companion western volume (Snakes of North America: Western Region). It also has a good bibliography. One quibble, though -- the range maps often do not extend into Canada (though the Canadian ranges of the relevant snakes are discussed in the text), which reduces the usefulness of this book for Canadian readers. Recommended.
Snakes of North America : Eastern and Central Regions (Field.......2000-08-09
Overall I thought this book was well written, very comprehensive, and quite easy to use. The copy I purchased has a problem with some of the pages being out of order. The Western guide I have has the range maps for the hognoses reversed. These may be a function of the printing company's sloppiness. However, I believe this book is an important addition to any serious amateur or professional herpetologist or budding herpetoculturist.
Book Description
Descriptions of 380 species include size, weight, color, markings, number of teeth, habitat, habits, and comparisons with similar species. Superb color illustrations and line drawings show 230 animals. Range maps as well as photos of skulls and drawings of animal tracks, dens, nests, and burrows round out the wealth of information given in "the best general guide to all of North America" (Peter Warshall, Whole Earth Review).
Customer Reviews:
Mammals Coloring Field Guide.......2007-09-28
This is a great book with all kinds of images to examine and color. My grandson learned a lot using this book.
Bought for a friend.......2007-07-18
My friend wanted these books so I added them to my order and thought I would take a look at them and decide then if they were something we would use in our homeschool nature study. They are basically coloring books with some general field guide information. I think they are nicely done but I prefer the real field guides and actual nature with my kids and their own sketch books. I think it's better for us to draw from our own experience, literally, and improve as we work at it and mature than just staying in the lines. You would need a regular field guide in order to get the coloring right anyway.
Field Guide.......2006-09-06
The Guide was a gift for my wife. She enjoys sitting on our deck and observing the different wild life in our back property. She is enjoying the book immensely.
Great field guide.......2005-09-13
I have bought many field guides and petersons are the easiest to use, my wife and kids love them and get plenty of use of them.
Eh..........2005-07-28
This is a good guide to be used in conjunction with the Kays and Wilson guide (a much more recent and complete book). It has not been updated in quite some time, but the information should not be dismissed. It works, but should not be your only mammal field guide. You will be disappointed if it is.
Book Description
Native Americans knew how to "read" the wild and felt privileged to learn from their wilderness relatives. Plants, trees, animals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, all have secrets to tell; it takes only paying attention and a little knowledge and you, too, can begin to create the story that explains the disappearing snowshoe hare tracks, or how the fawn got its spots, or why Native Americans always associated the bear with healing and medicine. Notice how coyotes are clever clowns with many characteristics we think of as "human," and learn how the badger builds mansions underground with rooms for sleeping, eating, and raising their young.
Bev Doolittle's famously intricate drybrush watercolors show young viewers detailed and accurate wildlife in their habitats, including the frog's world at the edge of a pond and the sweeping vista of the mountain goat's home. Reading the Wild helps children begin a lifelong journey of wonder and respect for the wild around us.
Customer Reviews:
Great teaching Aid........2001-09-26
This book is a great tool to use to assist in having a different perspective. We tend to only see what we prceive as being there and looking at nature and how she hides our brothers and sisters is amazing. This type of books are needed in schools, in any teaching environment to assist children who are visual to let others know thier strengths and to assist those who depend on auditory and kinestetic to become more visual.
With nature facts organized by animal type.......2001-08-17
This slim book is only 31 pages long; but don't let its appearance fool you: Reading The Wild packs in details on reading the signs of animal life and will require good reading skills from grades 4-6. Doolittle's beautiful full-page illustrations lend to nature facts organized by animal type and revealing the animal's habits and habitat.
Book Description
Includes descriptions of the habits, habitats, tracks, signs, and ranges of all the mammals of North America. More than 1,000 illustrations show individual tracks, different track patterns, animals in their habitats, droppings, and gnawed trees - every type of clue the tracker needs.
Customer Reviews:
Best Field Guide.......2007-01-18
If you own only one animal track field guide - own this one.
Excellent field guide.......2005-09-13
This is what a field guide should be, clear, concise, and easy to use. My wife who is just starting to tune in to nature loves it. She was up to speed in 10 minutes and loving it from then on.
A must-have tracking classic.......2004-03-10
When I was a kid running a trapline in northern Michigan, this was the book I carried in my rucksack. Today, more than 35 years later, I've written 2 books of my own on the subject of tracking wildlife, but this book is still on my bookshelf. Olas Murie was a true American pioneer who led the way into an area where no one else had gone before him. He established the first standards, and while modern genetic and other scientific techniques have increased our knowledge of wildlife manifold over what was known in Murie's day, it was he who laid the foundation on which the rest of us build. This book is a must-have for every tracker's library.
Good and comprehensive guide, a little difficult.......2002-01-15
It is a good and comprehensive guide, it has a lot of animal tracks, I found it a good and complete guide, but honestly sometimes I had a lot of difficult tryng to find some kind of tracks that I found.
In my personal opinion I think that this is a very good book for experts on the field but not so good for beginners in animal tracks. And by the way it doesnt have any color illustration, and altough they are not needed I was very familiar with peterson guides and this one is a little different.
A very useful guide.......2001-10-26
My wife and I have found this guide to be very useful in interpreting the sign left behind by the creatures resident in our northeastern woods, not only tracks but scat as well (with hundreds of detailed drawings of scat it is as much a guide to those leavings as tracks). The extensive behavioral descriptions are equally useful. I am not clear on the basis for the criticisms contained in the other review concerning animal harassment. Dr. Murie was a dedicated conservationist and President of The Wilderness Society after his retirement from the Fish and Wildlife Service and his respect for the creatures he is describing is evident on every page. While he acknowledges that some tracks were obtained from live-trapped animals, it is clear from the book that the overwhelming mass of the data is from direct field observation from a life spent in the outdoors.
Book Description
A complete natural history of these common mammals, written by experts. 22 b/w photographs, 5 b/w illustrations.
"A fascinating and authoritative account of some of the most common mammals found in North America. Whether you love the squirrels you see in the park or hate the ones that raid your bird feeders, this book will help you understand their habits and biology.—Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Customer Reviews:
About Methods.......2007-10-01
The book is probably 80% about the process of studying squirrels and 20% about squirrels. If you are interested in how to conduct field studies okay if you want to learn about squirrels I'd look elsewhere.
brad
North American Tree Squirrels.......2007-05-14
This is a comprehensive, easy-to-navigate, and simply written book that reads with the ease that more scientifically oriented books don't have. Well worth it to purchase this if you are curious about squirrels of all kinds.
I'm Nuts........... About Squirrels!.......2004-01-28
In terms of books on squirrel field research I believe this to be one of the best in print. It is both a concise yet through volume. It is my personal opinion that a person will only appreciate the value of this book and it's research if they admire the animal itself and do not view it as a pest.
I am very fond of the squirrels that visit my bird feeder and windowsill. Thanks to this book I was better able to understand their world and lifecycle.
Amazon.com
Scores of bird species are in decline throughout North America. But the extent of that decline, writes zoologist Robert Askins, is unknown. Newspapers, for instance, report one day that songbird species are widely threatened, another day that songbirds seem to be thriving, offering conflicting views that, Askins hints, seem not to take into account the phenomena of migration and the very real destruction of the natural world.
Drawing on the methods of landscape ecology, Askins looks at ways in which to measure the health of individual habitats. He pays special attention to seemingly habitat-threatening events such as fire and flood, which generations of conservation managers and foresters have attempted to suppress, but that are important mechanisms in maintaining the balance of nature. He also revisits principles that are becoming better understood--among them the fact that some species, such as the controversial spotted owl and the less-publicized upland sandpiper, require large areas of undisturbed habitat in order to survive. Those large areas are a commodity that development is making ever more rare, and, Askins points out, most declining bird species are associated with what he calls "lost landscapes," once-plentiful habitats that have been erased or transformed. Only through a vigorous program of habitat restoration and conservation can North America's birds--and other wildlife species--be protected from further ruin. Askins's book is an eye-opening and instructive work of scientific inquiry. --Gregory McNamee
Customer Reviews:
Great review of restoration ecology.......2002-01-25
This book addresses a good variety of topics pertaining to avian ecology and conservation. Some chapters are geared towards a particular region, while other chapters focus on more general restoration and conservation, yet all are interesting and well written. Of course you can take this information about bird habitat conservation and apply it to many other aspects of wildlife biology. I recommend this book for anyone interested in research for the protection of our natural environment, and the wildlife that depends upon it.
Lessons in Avian Ecology for All Audiences.......2000-06-20
There are few books that would rank as truely significant for North American ornithology, particularly integrating general ecological theory using birds as the mechanism for examples. Dr. Askins' broad paintbrush narrative leads the reader across North American landscapes focusing on conservation issues threatening migratory and resident bird species. With few exceptions all the major continental biological communities are addressed.
What makes this treatise so inviting is the fact it is so well written that the weekend birder with casual interest in conservation issues is not overwhelmed with its technical content. Specifically, the myriad of research data is unencumbered by citations and given in a conversational manner. On the other hand, professionals, graduate students and land-managers could use this book in nearly a text-like manner due to exhaustive analyses, study summaries, and literature review it represents. The chapter notes, references, and index are alone worth the asking price.
The subtitle: "... Lessons from Landscape Ecology" captures the major tenant of the book. As an example, Chapter 5 "Deep Forest Birds and Hostile Edges" covers: (1) spot-mapping (a method that researchers use for monitoring bird populations including density estimates); (2) population sources and sinks; (3) the history leading to the realization that (eastern) forest birds (mostly Neotropical migrants) were rapidly declining and not recovering; and (4) differences between natural forest mosaics (structure) and human-created habitat fragmentation. Discussion of fragmentation continues with edge effect that increases predation, decreases insect food resources, decreases forest interior (area), and most importantly place birds nesting near edges at high risk to brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds. Other chapters are similarly detailed.
Illustrations by Ms. Zickefoose are superb (as always) and good introductions for each chapter. Too bad they are not in color but then the cost of the book would have gone up proportionately.
I found the book informative, concise, and recommend it to anyone (professional, student or amateur) interested in landscape conservation issues, birds, ecology or any combination thereof. It should be "mandatory" reading for bird-banders and bird-watchers this summer - Tami, Marsha, Ingrid, Dana, and Lori, this means you.
Average customer rating:
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Elk: Behavior, Ecology, Conservation
Manufacturer: Voyageur Press (MN)
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Similar Items:
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Mule Deer: Behavior, Ecology, Conservation (Wildlife)
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Moose: Giants of the Northern Forest
ASIN: 0896582752 |
Book Description
A majestic symbol of the great outdoors, elk are widely admired nationwide. They inhabit some of the most rugged and beautiful areas of North America, lending spectacular backdrops to the award-winning photography that illustrates this volume.
Like no other book before, Elk offers a complete introduction to the world of the North American elk. From habits to habitats, Erwin Bauer provides extensive coverage including the elk's ancestors and evolution, range, diet, behavior and instincts, physical characteristics, predators, and conservation issues.
The Bauers capture elk in every season and in many environments from Yellowstone National Park to the Canadian wilderness. They chronicle the creation of such organizations as the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the National Elk Refuge, and present readers with more than 100 gorgeous color photos, historical black-and-white images, and a range map. Elk is the source for complete details on this regal wild creature.
Also recommended: Majestic Elk, Whitetails: Behavior, Ecology, Conservation, Majestic Whitetails, Big Game of North America, Antlers: Nature's Majestic Crown, Mule Deer: Behavior, Ecology, Conservation, Majestic Mule Deer.
Erwin and Peggy Bauer, of Sequim, Washington, have photographed and written about the animals and natural wonders of the world for more than forty years, winning many national and international awards for their stunning wildlife portraits. They have more than a dozen books in print, including Big Game of North America, Yellowstone, Whitetails, Mule Deer, Antlers: Nature's Majestic Crown, and Bears, all published by Voyageur Press.
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Mammal Tracks & Sign: A Guide to North American Species
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Illustrated Key to Skulls of Genera of North American Land Mammals
