Bird Song: Biological Themes and Variations

by Clive Catchpole, Peter J.B. Slater

The song bird has been an inspiration to poets and a delight to casual listeners, but why birds sing remains a mystery to most. Bird song has been studied extensively in the past few decades, so that there is now hardly an area of animal behavior onto which studies of song do not shed light. This book explores the study of bird song from the biological viewpoint, reviewing the large literature written on the subject and considering its intricate nature. Some of the interesting topics covered include how song develops, what its message is, its use in territorial defense and mate selection, and the many themes and variations of bird song. Beautiful line drawings highlight the text and an appendix contains a list of common and scientific names of birds. This book is primarily written with undergraduate and graduate students of biology in mind but both professional biologists interested in bird behavior and amateur ornithologists with some knowledge of biology will also find it a mine of information.

Genres: Birds, Music, Science

256 pages, Hardcover

First published April 28, 1995

Reviews

[J.M. Hushour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not being an expert at ornithological orchestration, I can only hesitantly acclaim this the "go-to", but others likely know better. Judging from the high reviews, I can assume it's a standard textbook, but one easily accessible to a layperson.

[Ailie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for students studying the animal behaviour and welfare. Very detailed explanation of terms and concepts.