Beautifully illustrated with color photographs, maps, graphs, and tables, the Oklahoma Winter Bird Atlas offers ornithologists and amateur birders alike a wealth of easy-to-read information about the status of bird species in Oklahoma. A companion to the Oklahoma Breeding Bird Atlas, this landmark volume by biologist Dan L. Reinking provides a detailed portrait of more than 250 species, from the oft-spotted Red-tailed Hawk, Dark-eyed Junco, and Northern Flicker to the rarely seen Blue-headed Vireo, Cassin’s Finch, and Verdin. The atlas—one of the first of its kind for winter birds—uses a combination of species accounts, grouped by scientific order, and illustrations to provide a systematic inventory of winter bird distribution across Oklahoma’s counties. Each species account includes a photograph of the featured bird in winter plumage, along with a brief description outlining the times of year it appears in the state, its habitat, its distribution across the state’s counties, and its behavior. Maps indicate surveyed locations in which the species was spotted, while charts and tables further describe the bird's abundance. The data compiled in this volume represent the work of more than 75 volunteers who conducted bird counts in both early and late winter for the George M. Sutton Avian Research Center. The data span five winters, 2003 to 2008, and 577 blocks of land. Comprehensively researched and thoughtfully presented, the Oklahoma Winter Bird Atlas will prove an invaluable resource for evaluating trends in bird populations that change over time due to such factors as urban expansion, rural development, and climate change.

Birding is the fastest-growing outdoor pursuit in America. This landmark volume, Oklahoma’s first breeding bird atlas, offers both amateurs and ornithologists a wealth of information about Oklahoma bird species and their distributions. Lavishly illustrated with over 200 color photographs and 200 color maps, the Oklahoma Breeding Bird Atlas is as attractive as it is informative. During the years 1997-2001, more than 100 volunteer birders and professional researchers surveyed nearly 600 locations across all regions of Oklahoma. Their careful records form the basis of the maps in this volume, which show at a glance the breeding distribution of bird species both common and rare in Oklahoma. Detailed species accounts, illustrated with stunning photographs as well as maps, provide information on plumage, habitat, nesting habits, eggs, and the young. An invaluable reference for birders, ornithologists, and natural resource specialists, the atlas will be useful both today and in the future for understanding changes in bird populations over time. The Oklahoma Breeding Bird Atlas is the result of a cooperative effort between the Oklahoma Biological Survey and the Sutton Avian Research Center.

A personal, lively, in-depth account of the life and lore of the roadrunner.

George Miksch Sutton is one of the best known and most beloved bird artists of the twentieth century. This marvelous book presents thirty-five paintigs of downy chicks, nestlings, and fledglings painted from life by Sutton. The exquisite watercolrs, housed in the Field Museum of Natural History, span three decades and depict nineteen species of North American birds. Many of the paintings are reproduced here for the first time. Sutton was fond of painting young birds from life and of recording their developmental changes. Marked by delicate bruskwork and subtle color variations, his paintings document characteristic features of the birds’ species as well as capturing the poses and attributes that make each bird seem so unique. Some paintings show not only juvenal plumage but also head portraits of adult plumage. The nineteen species include familiar garden birds such as cardinals, Great Plains inhabitants such as the grassland sparrows, and upland and wetland birds, including bobwhites, moorhens, and sandpipers. In his introduction to the collection, ornithologist Paul Johnsgard discusses Sutton’s contributions to bird art and to ornithology. And is essays accompanying the paintings, Johnsgard describes his and Sutton’s personal encounters with the birds. A tribute to Sutton’s genius as both an artist and an ornithologist, Baby Bird Portraits will be welcomed by ornithologists, bird enthusiasts, and Sutton’s legion of admirers.

Identify Oklahoma birds with this easy-to-use field guide, organized by color and featuring full-color photographs and helpful information. Make birdwatching in Oklahoma even more enjoyable. With Stan Tekiela's famous bird guides, field identification is simple and informative. There's no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don't live in your area. The Birds of Oklahoma Field Guide features 122 species of Oklahoma birds organized by color for ease of use. Full-page photographs present the species as you'll see them in nature, and a "compare" feature helps you to decide between look-alikes. Inside you'll find: 122 species: Only Oklahoma birds! Simple color guide: See a yellow bird? Go to the yellow section Stan's Notes: Naturalist tidbits and facts Professional photos: Crisp, stunning images This second edition includes new species, updated photographs and range maps, expanded information, and even more of Stan's expert insights. So grab the Birds of Oklahoma Field Guide for your next birding adventure--to help ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see.

This book gathers various perspectives on modern map production. Its primary focus is on the new paradigm of “sharing and reuse,” which is based on decentralized, service-oriented access to spatial data sources. Service-Oriented Mapping is one of the main paradigms used to embed big data and distributed sources in modern map production, without the need to own the sources. To be stable and reliable, this architecture requires specific frameworks, tools and procedures. In addition to the technological structures, organizational aspects and geographic information system (GIS) capabilities provide powerful tools to make modern geoinformation management successful. Addressing a range of aspects, including the implementation of the semantic web in geoinformatics, using big data for geospatial visualization, standardization initiatives, and the European spatial data infrastructure, the book offers a comprehensive introduction to decentralized map production. .

Many people fear snakes, and watersnakes in particular have one of the worst reputations of any snake found in North America. Some species are commonly mistaken for venomous cottonmouths, and a few may eat popular game fishes. Unfortunately, few people realize the important roles many watersnakes play in natural ecosystems and, consequently, they are still persecuted in many regions today. Seeking to overcome common misperceptions, J. Whitfield Gibbons and Michael E. Dorcas have compiled North American Watersnakes, the first comprehensive study of all fourteen species of watersnakes found in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Cuba. Individual species accounts explore all aspects of the natural history of watersnakes in North America, including their behavior, physiology, life history, ecology, and conservation. Almost 100 color photographs accompany the text, illustrating all 14 species and nearly all subspecies. Supplementing the species accounts are detailed color maps depicting each species distribution and stunning black-and-white drawings by Peri Mason. Easy-to-use keys help readers to identify specimens at hand.

The word armadillo is Spanish for “little armored one.” This midsize mammal that looks like a walking tank is a source of fascination for many people but a mystery to almost all. Dating back at least eleven million years, the nocturnal, burrowing insectivore was for centuries mistaken for a cross between a hedgehog and a turtle, but it actually belongs to the mammalian superorder Xenarthra that includes sloths and anteaters. Biologists W. J. Loughry and Colleen M. McDonough have studied the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) for more than twenty years. Their richly illustrated book offers the first comprehensive review of everything scientists know about this unique animal. Engaging both scientists and a broader public, Loughry and McDonough describe the armadillo’s anatomy and physiology and all aspects of its ecology, behavior, and evolution. They also compare the nine-banded armadillo with twenty or so other, related species. The authors pay special attention to three key features of armadillo biology—reproduction, disease, and habitat expansion—and why they matter. Armadillos reproduce in a unique and puzzling manner: females always give birth to litters of genetically identical quadruplets, a strategy not found in any other vertebrates. Nine-banded armadillos are also the only vertebrates except for humans known to contract leprosy naturally. And what about habitat expansion? The authors suggest that the armadillo’s remarkable spread across the southeastern United States may be the consequence of its most notable feature: a tough, protective carapace. Biologists, evolutionists, students, and all those interested in this curious creature will find The Nine-Banded Armadillo rich in information and insight. This comprehensive analysis will stand as the definitive scientific reference for years to come and a source of pleasure for the general public.

Birds of Prey of the West and its companion volume, Birds of Prey of the East, are the most comprehensive and authoritative field guides to North American birds of prey ever published. Written and lavishly illustrated with stunning, lifelike paintings by leading field-guide illustrator, photographer, and author Brian Wheeler, the guides depict an enormous range of variations of age, sex, color, and plumage, and feature a significant amount of plumage data that has never been published before. The painted figures illustrate plumage and species comparisons in a classic field-guide layout. Each species is shown in the same posture and from the same viewpoint, which further assists comparisons. Facing-page text includes quick-reference identification points and brief natural history accounts that incorporate the latest information. The range maps are exceptionally accurate and much larger than those in other guides. They plot the most up-to-date distribution information for each species and include the location of cities for more accurate reference. Finally, the guides feature color habitat photographs next to the maps. The result sets a new standard for guides to North America's birds of prey. Lavishly illustrated with stunning, lifelike paintings Written and illustrated by a leading authority on North American birds of prey Depicts more plumages than any other guide Concise facing-page text includes quick-reference identification points Classic field-guide layout makes comparing species easy Large, accurate range maps include up-to-date distribution information Unique color habitat photographs next to the maps