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Manual of Ornithology: Avian Structure and Function – a visual guide to the structure and anatomy of birds – is one of the most heavily illustrated ornithology references ever written. A concise atlas of anatomy, it contains more than 200 specially prepared accurate and clear drawings that include material never illustrated before. The text is as informative as the drawings; written at a level appropriate to undergraduate students and to bird lovers in general, it discusses why birds look and act the way they do.
Designed to supplement a basic ornithology textbook, the Manual of Ornithology: Avian Structure and Function covers systematics and evolution, topography, feathers and flight, the skeleton and musculature, and the digestive, circulatory, respiratory, excretory, reproductive, sensory, and nervous systems of birds, as well as field techniques for watching and studying birds. Each chapter concludes with a list of key references for the topic covered, with a comprehensive bibliography at the end of the volume. Manual of Ornithology: Avian Structure and Function will be a guide and reference for every level of bird study – a basic tool for investigation for anyone curious about the fascinating world of birds.
Noble S. Proctor is professor of biology at Southern Connecticut State University and an internationally known ornithologist and naturalist.
Patrick J. Lynch is director of biomedical media production and a lecturer in diagnostic radiology at the Yale University School of Medicine. He is a well-known illustrator in natural history and the medical sciences.
"A superb contribution to ornithology. It clearly represents the most attractive and accessible contribution to form and function in birds. This book will be of tremendous appeal to academic and lay ornithologists alike."
– Steve Zack, Yale University
"The book provides an accurate, up-to-date, self-contained course in ornithology for the advanced lay reader."
– Library Journal
"A laboratory manual for the academic student, an invaluable reference tool for artists, and a rich source of information for the ordinary birder."
– Bird Watcher's Digest
"Here is a volume that has no parallel [...] Profusely illustrated with drawings by coauthor Lynch, this will be a good reference book for those interested in the details of avian anatomy."
– Jerome A. Jackson, Science Books & Films
"For anyone who wants to learn more about what lies under the feathers, The Manual of Ornithology has the answers [...] As a reference work, the manual has few modern rivals."
– David Tomlinson, New Scientist
"As this book demonstrates in excellently clear drawings and text, a bird is a superbly evolved match of structure with function."
– Brian Bertram, Times Literary Supplement
"A stunning work that integrates a conversational text with abundant, artistic illustrations [...] A valuable reference work for scientists working with birds, for bird banders and for anatomists."
– Edward H. Burtt, Jr., American Scientist
"Excellent [...] a mine of information to anyone interested in birds at any level."
– Jonathan Coatley, Journal of Biological Education
"The text is complete and up-to-date, the authors having incorporated the most recent information available [...] The writing is clear and easy to follow. I found it easy to retrieve information because the layout is clear and well organized, key words being highlighted in bold face characters. The definitions of ornithological terms are precise, succinct, and carefully worded [...] It should be consulted by all students enrolled in an ornithology course. I recommend its reading also to amateurs and bird watchers who will find clear explanations about topic often difficult to access elsewhere in the ornithological literature."
– Henri Quellet, The Canadian Field Naturalist
"Students, their instructors, and other interested readers will welcome availability of the well illustrated Manual of Ornithology now in a paperback edition."
– George A. Clark, University of Connecticut
"This is a tremendous book; to say that it has no rival among laboratory manuals for ornithology is a dramatic understatement. It is clear, comprehensive, and has the most beautiful as well as useful illustrations possibly ever seen in an ornithology textbook."
– Margaret Rubega, University of Connecticut
"[This book] is richly illustrated with excellent line drawings by Lynch, which cause this manual to stand out from other ornithology texts I have seen. While written primarily as an ornithology lab manual, it would be a valuable reference book in the birder's library with an inexpensive paperback edition making it a practical purchase."
– Wildlife Activist
"An impressive collaborative effort between a scientist and an illustrator [...] Profusely and beautifully illustrated, this book provides a wealth of encyclopedic and tabular information on all biological systems of birds, from skeletal to nervous system."
– Northeastern Naturalist
"This excellent reference should provide the necessary background information to enable one to pursue further interests in this science. The abundant illustrations form an important background to the book and clearly show anatomical as well as other pertinent information. I recommend this book for any birder who wants to become more than just a watcher."
– Charles E. Keller, Indiana Audubon Quarterly
"A gold mine of facts [...] Every library and biology department, as well as every birder, should have a copy close at hand."
– Roger Tory Peterson, from the foreword
