Books in Really Wild Life of Birds of Prey series

Dr. Doug Wechsler, a wildlife biologist, ornithologist, and photographer, has written this wonderful series on birds of prey. Each book includes an introduction to a bird: its size, color, and habitat; its hunting, eating, and migration habits; how and where it builds its nest, and its survival strategies. Clear, accessible, and often humorous text is combined with spectacular photography from VIREO, the Visual Resources for Ornithology, and The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, to create books that will delight and inform your students.The bald eagle was driven to the brink of extinction in the 1960s by widespread use of the chemical DDT. This compelling book tells the story of these amazing predators, accompanied by stunning photographs of the bird that is the symbol of our country.

Dr. Doug Wechsler, a wildlife biologist, ornithologist, and photographer, has written this wonderful series on birds of prey. Each book includes an introduction to a bird: its size, color, and habitat; its hunting, eating, and migration habits; how and where it builds its nest, and its survival strategies. Clear, accessible, and often humorous text is combined with spectacular photography from VIREO, the Visual Resources for Ornithology, and The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, to create books that will delight and inform your students.Ospreys live on every continent but Antarctica and, as Doug Wechsler writes, "They make their living eating fish." Packed with facts and action photography, this book will both educate the reader and fully engage them in the life of this bird of prey.

Dr. Doug Wechsler, a wildlife biologist, ornithologist, and photographer, has written this wonderful series on birds of prey. Each book includes an introduction to a bird: its size, color, and habitat; its hunting, eating, and migration habits; how and where it builds its nest, and its survival strategies. Clear, accessible, and often humorous text is combined with spectacular photography from VIREO, the Visual Resources for Ornithology, and The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, to create books that will delight and inform your students.If your eyes were as big as an owl's eyes, they would be the size of tennis balls. Wildlife biologist Doug Wechsler fills this wonderful book on great horned owls with wild facts that are guaranteed to hold a young reader's interest. Beautiful photography and practical tips about how and where to spot these gigantic but shy birds make this book both entertaining and informative.

In spring and summer, there are falcons in most regions of North America, including metropolitan areas. If you live in New York or Chicago, you may have had the thrill of watching a peregrine falcon chase down a flying pigeon. It takes off from a tall building or bridge in a breathtaking dive, swooping down on the startled pigeon and grabbing it in midair with its sharp talons. It's easy to miss this performance on a crowded and noisy city street--unless you happen to be standing under the shower of pigeon feathers that ends the chase! Falcons are slender, long-winged birds of prey. These birds are some of the best hunters in the avian (bird) world, and falcons are among the most exciting to watch.

The next time you're in the countryside, keep your eyes on the sky. You just might see a red-tailed hawk soaring in circles above a highway or a field. North American hawks fall into four main groups: bird hawks, soaring hawks, kites, and harriers. All over North America, suburbs are expanding into undeveloped land. As a result, the woods and prairies that are closest to cities are disappearing. Not all hawk species are as adaptable as red-tails, which have adjusted to suburban habitats and even live in cities. (One famous pair nests on an apartment building on Fifth Avenue, across from New York City's Central Park!)

If you live by the ocean, you may have seen an osprey cruising over the water in search of a flounder. With its M-shaped wings, its profile against the sky looks like a giant sea gull. Or maybe you spent some time out West and were lucky enough to spot a golden eagle soaring high above the sagebrush. Humans have been the biggest threat to the survival of osprey and eagles. In recent years, strict protection laws have been passed to help these magnificent birds increase in number.

With their featherless, wrinkled heads, vultures may seem funny-looking. When they soar in the air, however, vultures are as graceful as any bird in the sky. The California condor, a type of vulture, is magnificent in flight. Vultures are birds of prey, which are also called "raptors." Like other raptors, vultures have curved claws called "talons," and sharp, hooked beaks for tearing apart prey. But they differ from other raptors in one important way -- vultures are scavengers. Almost all of their food is carrion (the bodies of dead animals).

An owl's upright posture, broad head, and forward-facing eyes make it seem almost human. For centuries, people have thought of owls as wise creatures, partly because of their appearance. Although they aren't necessarily smarter than other birds, owls do possess some amazing bird abilities. There are about 180 species, or kinds, of owls around the world. Eighteen live in North America, where most of them stay in the same region year-round.

Dr. Doug Wechsler, a wildlife biologist, ornithologist, and photographer, has written this wonderful series on birds of prey. Each book includes an introduction to a bird: its size, color, and habitat; its hunting, eating, and migration habits; how and where it builds its nest, and its survival strategies. Clear, accessible, and often humorous text is combined with spectacular photography from VIREO, the Visual Resources for Ornithology, and The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, to create books that will delight and inform your students.