Prairie Birds Fragile Splendor in the Great Plains Paul A. Johnsgard March 2001 352 pages, 47 drawings, 14 maps, 6 x 9 Cloth ISBN 978-0-7006-1067-9, $29.95 For anyone who has ever thrilled to a cloud of blackbirds or a solitary falcon against the prairie sky, Paul Johnsgard has written a book that will both inspire and inform. One of America's preeminent ornithologists, Johnsgard blends science, nature, and personal observations to tell the life histories of thirty-three grassland birds. Writing with precision and passion, he draws from his own observations to convey the magic of prairie birds, taking readers hawk-watching at Scotts Bluff or beside a prairie river on a spring evening with song sparrows in the willow thickets and cranes at the water's edge. In graceful prose, Johnsgard provides an overview of the history, current status, and uncertain future of prairie birds, from falcons and shorebirds to larks and sparrows. Some are intercontinental migrants that winter in South America, others sedentary species or short-distance travelers who may frequent the grasslands of Mexico. Johnsgard describes each species, its features, habits, habitats, migratory patterns, and breeding season ecology, with the knowledge and flair that has made his books indispensable for birders of every level of experience. More than a book on birds, Prairie Birds is a compelling portrait of the native grasslands of the Great Plains, which constitute nearly a fifth of the continent and are the most imperiled of North America's terrestrial ecosystems. He tells how birds evolved along with this "ancient sea of grass" over eons of time and also warns of the effects of human interference on the future of grasslands and birds alike as grazing, burning, and agriculture threaten the native grasses on which many birds depend for survival. The book features forty-seven drawings by the author, including graphic keys to birdsongs. Appendixes provide an annotated list of more than one hundred prairie preserves, bird checklists for primary refuges and sanctuaries, and a list of all birds and plants mentioned in the text. A list of more than 600 citations makes this a definitive reference as well as a pleasurable read. Prairie Birds is an essential book for readers everywhere who love birds and are concerned about their future. It invites us to stop and listen for the song of the pipit or longspur as it shows us America's grasslands in a new light. "Johnsgard, one of the premier ornithologists of the North American Great Plains, reminds us that landscape conservation is valued from historical perspective and measured in quality, not quantity, of species. He shares the simple beauty of prairie as it evolved then and not as we have confused it today."--Fritz Knopf, coeditor of Prairie Conservation "Johnsgard's book blends recent science and a lifetime of personal experiences to provide a delightfully readable account of the thirty-three grassland bird species that emphasizes their behaviors in the 'ecological theater.' Highly recommended for amateurs and professionals interested in the avifauna and habitats of the Great Plains."--John L. Zimmerman, author of The Birds of Konza PAUL A. JOHNSGARD is Foundation Professor of Biology at the University of Nebraska. Among his more than forty published books are such encyclopedic works as Hummingbirds of North America and regional guides including Great Wildlife of the Great Plains and This Fragile Land: A Natural History of the Nebraska Sandhills.   Home | About the Press | Recent Awards | Contact Us | Order New Books: | By Author | By Subject | By Title | By Series Books in Print: | By Author | By Subject | By Title | By Series ©2007 University Press of Kansas 2502 Westbrooke Circle, Lawrence, KS 66045-4444 Phone (785) 864-4155; Fax (785) 864-4586