Many thanks, Steve.
Just what I needed to know. I've faxed my order for it to the bookshop.
They could not know, of course, but had their note named the expert on
birdsong who was followed around the world, as Don Kroodsma, I would have
bought it straight off.
And BTW, the bookshop's same list included:
[24445] Kroodsma, Donald E. The singing life of birds: the art
and science of listening to birdsong. Boston: 2005. Large octavo,
dustwrapper, 482 pp., text illustrations and diagrams, audio CD of
birdsong included. AU$50.00
But I had bought that when it was first published - part of the reason why
"Kroodsma" would have been enough for me to decide to buy the Don Stap book=
.
Cheers
Syd
> From: Steve Pelikan <>
> Reply-To:
> Date: Tue, 03 Oct 2006 10:08:32 -0400
> To:
> Subject: Re: [Nature Recordists] Birdsong: a natural history - Don Stap
>
> I read this book over a year ago and am about 1 year overdue for a
> review I promised. Thanks for reminding me!
>
> The book is of the "interested observer follows expert around" type ---
> the author shadowed Donald Kroodsma into several interesting settings:
> studying Chickadee songs on an island, participating in a recording
> workshop, and observing Bellbirds in central america.
>
> The author is interested but very objective. The book does a good job of
> presenting both sides of some of the controversies that have
> motivated/driven birdsong research in the last few decades.
>
> It is carefully researched with only a few minor errors of fact that I
> noticed. The author has chosen to include a lot of good science in the
> book which means it is a little less lively reading than someone who
> want pure entertainment would enjoy.
>
> My bottom line is that it is a carefully researched and written account
> of what birdsong researchers have been up to in the last 50 years or so.
>
>
> It is almost entirely concerned with nearctic and neotropical species
> and so perhaps of slightly less interest to people in other parts of the
> world --- though the science is just as good even if you can't hear the
> birds it mentioned in you yard every day.
>
> I enjoyed the book.
>
> Hope this helps. We can trade emails if you have more specific questions.
>
> Steve P
>
> Syd Curtis wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> An Australian bookshop's latest email list includes:
>>
>> Stap, Don. Birdsong: a natural history. New York: 2006.
>> Octavo, paperback, 259 pp. AU$32.00
>> Following one of the world's experts on birdsong around the world,
>> this book deals with the quest to unravel an ancient mystery: why
>> do birds sing and what to do their songs mean?
>>
>> I'd be grateful for comment on its merits from anyone who is familiar wi=
th
>> it.
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Syd Curtis (Brisbane, Australia)
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
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06
>
>
>
> "Microphones are not ears,
> Loudspeakers are not birds,
> A listening room is not nature."
> Klas Strandberg
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
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