Tracks and Signs of the Animals and Birds of Britain and Europe (ebook)

Argumento de Tracks and Signs of the Animals and Birds of Britain and Europe (ebook)

"This is an excellent, engaging field guide to the tracks and spoor of the mammals and birds of Northern Europe. The photos and species accounts are outstanding, and I quite like the style of artwork, which is realistic enough to highlight the important characteristics, but stylistic enough to convey the general look of what can be a variable subject."--Roland W. Kays, coauthor of Mammals of North America

"[C]oncise and punchy . . . [Olsen] manages to pack an awful lot into these pages, and the result is as thorough a survey of European tracks and signs as you could wish for in a book that's still small and light enough for you to consider taking out into the field. . . . [The book makes] lavish use of colour photos, and there's a pleasingly equal weight given to different species, and to the different aspects of the subject being dealt with."--Matt Merritt, Birdwatching Magazine

"[T]his is a lovely book to dip into and learn something new each time. It may not work as a conventional 'in the field guide' but will be invaluable to identify tracks and signs from photographs at home. The drawings and photographs are excellent throughout and the text is clear and concise. I would recommend this book to anyone with an active interest in nature."--Mike King, Gloster Birder

"[Focuses] on helping you identify the signs species leave behind, and these are especially useful for tough-to-tell-apart, cryptic, or nocturnal species."--Kate Jones, New Scientist

"[B]y far the best book on the subject I've ever seen . . . beautifully illustrated."--Dick Warner, Irish Examiner

"[A] great field guide to take out with you on country walks, as well as to use for study at home. . . . [A] very attractive book with detailed information and wonderful photography. The layout is clear and easy to follow and there's a wealth of information in there."--Kate Bradbury, English Garden

"If anyone has a particular interest in learning how to track animals they should buy this book. If on the other hand they are someone who likes to understand the countryside and delve below the surface more than a little, this book will help them to do just that in a handy-sized, nonscientific, and highly readable guide."--Phil Slade, Another Bird Blog

"This excellent guide should enable the observer to easily identify the tracks and signs left by a wide variety of our native birds and mammals. I must emphasize the high quality of the outstanding colour photographs."--Bryan Sage, Country-Side

"[I]f you are looking for something comprehensive for Britain and Europe, this is the book for you. . . . Although advertised as a field guide, this book would be a good addition to a library as a reference book on all tracks and signs."--Helen Ashton, Reference Reviews

"[I]t's a fascinating, high-quality, good value and very informative book that I'd happily recommend to anyone with an interest in the subject, and I'm looking forward to test-driving it in the North Yorkshire forests this winter."--Mark James Pearson, Birding Frontiers

"This is a very well-produced, abundantly illustrated guide to the tracks and signs of 175 species of European mammals and birds, bound in a field-friendly, flexible cover. . . . [T]here is much to enjoy here, from the new illustrations to the excellent photographs. A useful addition to the literature on tracks and signs, which adds to the previously available guides."--Curious Naturalist

"For me one of the great strengths of this book is that reading it--even just browsing through it--has heighten my awareness of what is around me. I always kept an eye out for tracks and signs--but since spending a bit of time with this book I find myself noticing much more--and referring back to it often when I've discovered something new to narrow down the options."--Calvin Jones, Ireland's Wildlife

"Brown et al. will doubtless already be known to many as a reliable guide to the tracks and signs of birds. Those wishing to extend their knowledge of the subject to include mammals should certainly examine a copy of Olsen."--M.G.W., IBIS

"I cannot praise Tracks and Signs highly enough. It is not only the finest guide to tracking I've ever held in my hands, it is one of the most attractive and informative books on natural history I've ever seen. This guide will prove invaluable to those who already take an interest in tracking and wish to gain more experience. It is also an important tool to promote the field art of tracking in Europe, a region where tracking as a zoological method can use all the support it can get. I also wish to emphasize that this is not only a book for European (and British) naturalists. I definitely recommend it to naturalists in North America and East Asia as well. Yes, it is that good."--Jochen Roeder, 10,000 Birds

"[A]n excellent book which has rekindled my interest in tracking down more mammals and looking more carefully for the signs of birds. This book is certainly highly recommended. . . . [T]his book will be on the packing list for all our tours in future."--Biggest Twitch

"A lavishly illustrated book, packed with colour photographs. . . . [T]his book is the start of many possible wildlife adventures and really gets the adrenalin flowing!"--Biggest Twitch0Preface 5
Mammal tracks 6
Antlers 18
Bird tracks 22
Scat 35
Carnivores 35
Carnivore scat 36
Scat of smaller mammals 38
Scat of larger rodents 8
Scat of larger herbivores 40
Bird droppings 43
Feeding signs on trees 46
Fray marks on trees 57
Holes in trees, ant heaps, etc 59
Gnawed branches 62
Feeding signs on mushrooms 64
Feeding signs on turnips 65
Feeding signs on spruce cones 66
Feeding signs on pine cones 68
Feeding signs on hazelnuts 68
Feeding signs on walnuts 71
Feeding signs on rose hips 72
Feeding signs on cherry stones 73
Feeding signs on apples 74
Nests and dens 76
Pellets 82
Owl pellets 82
Raptor pellets 84
Gull, cormorant, heron, and stork pellets 85
Wader, crow, and jay pellets 87
Skulls in pellets 89
Other skulls and bones 91
Round nests 92
Feathers 96
Raptor feeding signs 100
Trails 104
Brown Bear 106
Wolverine 109
Wolf and domestic dog 111
Lynx 115
Iberian Lynx 117
Wildcat 118
Arctic Fox 120
Red Fox 122
Raccoon Dog 127
Raccoon 130
Eurasian Badger 132
European Beaver 136
North American Beaver 142
Coypu 143
Muskrat 144
Northern Water Vole 147
Southern Water Vole 151
Water Shrew 151
Otter 154
American Mink 157
European Mink 160
Western Polecat 161
Pine Marten 163
Beech Marten 165
Stoat 167
Weasel 169
Brown Hare 171
Mountain Hare 174
Rabbit 176
Red Squirrel 179
Grey Squirrel 183
Flying Squirrel 184
Alpine Marmot 185
European Souslik 187
Black Rat 188
Brown Rat 189
House Mouse 192
Yellow-necked Mouse 195
Wood Mouse 199
Striped Field Mouse 200
Harvest Mouse 202
Northern Birch Mouse 204
Common Dormouse 205
Garden Dormouse 207
Edible Dormouse 209
Bank Vole 211
Field Vole 213
Common Vole 215
Norway Lemming 216
Wood Lemming 218
Grey-sided Vole 219
Root Vole 220
Common Mole 221
Western Hedgehog 223
Algerian Hedgehog 226
Common Shrew 226
Bats 229
Horses 231
Cattle 232
Wild Boar 233
Elk 237
Red Deer 241
White-tailed Deer 246
Fallow Deer 247
Sika Deer 250
Reeve's Muntjac 251
Roe Deer 253
Reindeer 258
Musk Ox 261
Mouflon 263
Chamois 265
Domestic sheep 266
Goats 267
Seals 268
Sea turtles 269
Photo credits 270
Index of species 271