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The glitter in the green : in search of hummingbirds / Jon Dunn.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: New York : Basic Books, 2021Copyright date: ©2021Edition: First editionDescription: xviii, 331 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : color illustrations ; 25 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 9781541618190
  • 154161819X
Subject(s):
Contents:
Introduction -- Migration -- Wild America -- La Chuparosa -- The smallest bird in the world -- Fakes, freaks, and phantoms -- The feather trade -- Marvellous spatuletail -- Chasing coquettes -- Robinson Crusoe -- The end of the world -- Epilogue.
Summary: "Hummingbirds are a glittering, sparkling collective of over three hundred wildly variable, colorful species. For centuries they have captured our imaginations - revered by indigenous Americans, coveted by European collectors, and to this day admired worldwide for their unsurpassed metallic, jewel-like plumage, acrobatic flight, and immense character. Yet they exist on a knife-edge -- theirs is a precarious life, dependent upon finding sufficient nectar to provide the high energy their bodies demand daily. They live fast and die young. And they do this in habitats that range from boreal woodlands to deserts, from dripping cloud-forests to montane paramo, and on islands both tropical and sub-polar. They are, perhaps, the ultimate embodiment of evolution's power to carve a niche for a seemingly delicate creature in even the harshest of places. This tells the colorful story of these fabulous birds -- their history, their compelling life cycles, and their perilous position in a changing landscape -- and the stories of the people, past and present, whose lives have been shaped by the zealous passion hummingbirds inspire. Enthusiastic amateur birdwatchers, conservation workers, scientists, smugglers, witches, and celebrities -- all have been consumed in one way or another with passion for the most remarkable family of all the birds. Travelling the full length of their worldwide range, from the very edge of the Arctic Circle to the sub-Antarctic islands off the tip of South America, nature writer Jon Dunn embarks on a search for the most remarkable examples of their kind, exploring their rich cultural heritage, and encountering a host of human characters as colorful as the birds themselves"-- Provided by publisher.Summary: For centuries they have captured our imaginations, and are admired worldwide for their unsurpassed metallic, jewel-like plumage, acrobatic flight, and immense character. Yet hummingbirds have a precarious life, dependent upon finding sufficient nectar to provide the high energy their bodies demand daily. They live fast and die young-- in many different habitats. Dunn tells the colorful story of these fabulous birds-- their history, their compelling life cycles, and their perilous position in a changing landscape-- and the stories of the people, past and present, whose lives have been shaped by the zealous passion hummingbirds inspire. -- adapted from publisher info
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction 598.764 D923 Available 33111010505317
Adult Book Adult Book Northport Library NonFiction 598.764 D923 Available 33111009843091
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

An acclaimed natural history writer follows the trail of the remarkable hummingbird all over the world.



Hummingbirds are a glittering, sparkling collective of over three hundred wildly variable species. For centuries, they have been revered by indigenous Americans, coveted by European collectors, and admired worldwide for their unsurpassed metallic plumage and immense character. Yet they exist on a knife-edge, fighting for survival in boreal woodlands, dripping cloud forests, and subpolar islands. They are, perhaps, the ultimate embodiment of evolution's power to carve a niche for a delicate creature in even the harshest of places.



Traveling the full length of the hummingbirds' range, from the cusp of the Arctic Circle to near-Antarctic islands, acclaimed nature writer Jon Dunn encounters birders, scientists, and storytellers in his quest to find these beguiling creatures, immersing us in the world of one of Earth's most charismatic bird families.

Includes index.

Introduction -- Migration -- Wild America -- La Chuparosa -- The smallest bird in the world -- Fakes, freaks, and phantoms -- The feather trade -- Marvellous spatuletail -- Chasing coquettes -- Robinson Crusoe -- The end of the world -- Epilogue.

"Hummingbirds are a glittering, sparkling collective of over three hundred wildly variable, colorful species. For centuries they have captured our imaginations - revered by indigenous Americans, coveted by European collectors, and to this day admired worldwide for their unsurpassed metallic, jewel-like plumage, acrobatic flight, and immense character. Yet they exist on a knife-edge -- theirs is a precarious life, dependent upon finding sufficient nectar to provide the high energy their bodies demand daily. They live fast and die young. And they do this in habitats that range from boreal woodlands to deserts, from dripping cloud-forests to montane paramo, and on islands both tropical and sub-polar. They are, perhaps, the ultimate embodiment of evolution's power to carve a niche for a seemingly delicate creature in even the harshest of places. This tells the colorful story of these fabulous birds -- their history, their compelling life cycles, and their perilous position in a changing landscape -- and the stories of the people, past and present, whose lives have been shaped by the zealous passion hummingbirds inspire. Enthusiastic amateur birdwatchers, conservation workers, scientists, smugglers, witches, and celebrities -- all have been consumed in one way or another with passion for the most remarkable family of all the birds. Travelling the full length of their worldwide range, from the very edge of the Arctic Circle to the sub-Antarctic islands off the tip of South America, nature writer Jon Dunn embarks on a search for the most remarkable examples of their kind, exploring their rich cultural heritage, and encountering a host of human characters as colorful as the birds themselves"-- Provided by publisher.

For centuries they have captured our imaginations, and are admired worldwide for their unsurpassed metallic, jewel-like plumage, acrobatic flight, and immense character. Yet hummingbirds have a precarious life, dependent upon finding sufficient nectar to provide the high energy their bodies demand daily. They live fast and die young-- in many different habitats. Dunn tells the colorful story of these fabulous birds-- their history, their compelling life cycles, and their perilous position in a changing landscape-- and the stories of the people, past and present, whose lives have been shaped by the zealous passion hummingbirds inspire. -- adapted from publisher info

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