Birds of BC Collection

Live Help

Birds of the World

About the Display

Words from Nancy Flood about the birds in the April 2014 library display:

An estimated 120,000,000 (one hundred and 20 million) birds are killed each year by cats—in Canada alone! And approximately 63 million more die as a result of colliding with houses, tall buildings, communications towers or vehicles (Calvert et. al. 2013). These and other human-caused accidental deaths have forced several species of birds to the brink of extinction—and leave many more at risk. The only silver lining in this story is that the bodies of some of these birds make their way (carried by the people who find them) to museums and universities around the country, where they are used for research and education. Much of what we know about birds has been learned from specimens and/or by researchers who first became enchanted with birds by looking at displays of taxidermic mounts in museum dioramas. It is illegal for individuals to possess specimens themselves, but they can be donated to institutions that hold “salvage” permits issued by the Federal government. TRU has such a permit and its small, but useful, zoological Collection includes skeletons, wings, skins and whole mounts (like the ones you see here) of birds, mammals and various types of invertebrates. TRU students learn about avian anatomy and feather structure as well as how to identify many local species using birds that are currently in our museum, or are awaiting preparation. If you find a dead bird in good condition, please feel free to contact Nancy Flood (nflood@tru.ca) or Steve Joly (sjoly@tru.ca) if you would like to donate it to our collection.

Calvert, A. M., C. A. Bishop, R. D. Elliot, E. A. Krebs, T. M. Kydd, C. S. Machtans, and G. J. Robertson. 2013. A synthesis of human-related avian mortality in Canada. Avian Conservation and Ecology 8(2): 11. http://dx.doi.org/10.5751/ACE-00581-080211

About the Guide

This guide lists library resources about birds of the world and birds that are native to British Columbia.

Resources from the Library Catalogue

The birds of paradise : Paradisaeidae by Clifford B. Frith; Bruce M. Beehler; William T. Cooper (Illustrator)
Call Number: QL 696 .P26 F75 1998
ISBN: 0198548532
Publication Date: 1998
Birds of paradise have long played a central role in the mythologies, ceremonies, dress and dance of the peoples of New Guinea and its neighbouring islands. For the few centuries that these magnificent birds have been known outside of Australasia, their striking nuptial plumages and elaborate courtship rituals have captured the imagination of collectors, scientists, and naturalists throughout the world. The first part of the book provides a comprehensive and scientifically accurate overview of the biology, ecology, and history of the group, written so as to be interesting and accessible to the lay-reader as well as the scientist. The authors' intimate observations of the birds have enabled them to describe for the first time how the extravagant tails and plumage are used in courtship and mating as well as to describe their nesting biology, about which little has been written previously. The role of the birds of paradise in human culture and tradition is explored in chapter 7,and a final chapter discusses issues of conservation and threats to the survival of these unique and beautiful birds.
Birds of the World: Their Life and Habits by Barruel, Paul.
Call Number: QL 698.3 .B3713 1973
Publication Date: 1973

Resources from the Library Catalogue

Birdfinding in British Columbia by Richard Cannings; Russell Cannings; Donald Gunn (Illustrator)
Call Number: QL 685.5 .B7 C66 2013
ISBN: 9781771000031
Publication Date: 2013
The definitive guide to finding birds in British Columbia, from Canada's top birding team. Veteran naturalist and birdfinder Richard Cannings and his son, Russell Cannings, a gifted birder in his own right, use their combined knowledge and expertise to guide readers to the best birding sites in the province. Packed with descriptions of the natural history, ecosystems, and diverse landscapes of British Columbia and accompanied by numerous maps, this thorough guide is enhanced by Donald Gunn's charming line drawings and the authors' infectious~enthusiasm, making it a must-have for novice and expert birders alike.
Birds of Interior BC and the Rockies by Richard Cannings
Call Number: QL 685.5 .B7 C37 2009
ISBN: 9781894974592
Publication Date: 2009
More than 250 bird species are included in this handy guide to the birds of Interior BC and the Rockies. The region covered runs from the east slopes of the Coast Mountains to the Rockies, including the Okanagan, Thompson, Kootenays, Cariboo-Chilcotin; Jasper, Banff and Waterton national parks; and Highway 16 west from Jasper to Smithers. Birds of Interior BC and the Rockies is aimed at beginner and intermediate birders who wish to identify the birds they regularly spot in this area. However, the book will also appeal to more experienced local and visiting birders who want to learn more about the behaviour, habitat and seasonal occurrence of local birds. Packed with useful information, this handy, portable guide tells you how to identify local birds, find out where they live and what they eat, how to attract birds to your yard and how to select a pair of binoculars. Birds of Interior BC and the Rockies features colour coding by species a checklist to record your sightings 400+ full-colour photos a compact, easy-to-carry size insights from expert birders
Birds of the raincoast : habits and habitat by Mark Hume (As told to); Harvey Thommasen; Wayne Campbell (As told to, Photographer); Kevin Hutchings; Michael Wigle (Photographer)
Call Number: QL 681 .T49 2004
ISBN: 1550173006
Publication Date: 2004
* Did you know the American Redstart turns its eggs every eight minutes to ensure the developing bird stays warm on all sides? * Did you know the female Bufflehead, the smallest of all waterfowl in North America, weighs less than a pound, or only 325 grams? The largest waterfowl, the trumpeter swan, weighs over 30 pounds or 13.6 kilograms. * Did you know that birds that spend a lot of their lives on the ocean can drink seawater? They have large glands nestled between their eyes that remove excess salt from the blood. * Did you know at least 32 species of birds are known to eat snakes? Even the American Robin has been seen feeding young garter snakes to its babies. Birds of the Rain Coast represents the next step in West Coast bird books, a treasury of exceptional, large-format photographs with an informative text that moves beyond simple identification to probe deeper into the lives of our feathered friends. It examines birds in their environments, noting what they do, and where and when they can be found. In an engaging, familiar style enlivened by the authors' personal experience and highlighted with intriguing facts by renowned bird biologist Wayne Campbell, Birds of the Rain Coast is an indispensable tool not just for learning how to find coastal birds, but also for gaining an understanding of their natural history.
Birds of coastal British Columbia : and the Pacific Northwest Coast by Nancy Baron; John Harrison Acorn; Ted Nordhagen (Illustrator); Gary Ross (Illustrator)
Call Number: QL 685.5 .B7 B37 1997
ISBN: 1551050986
Publication Date: 1997
Award-winning author Nancy Baron and television's The Nature Nut, John Acorn, have teamed up to write this insightful book. More than 200 species of common West Coast birds are grouped by their similarity of appearance and colour coded for quick identific
Birds of the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia by Cannings, Robert A
Call Number: QL 685.5 .B7 C36 1987
ISBN: 0771885938
Publication Date: 1987
Birds of Southwestern British Columbia by Richard Cannings; Tom Aversa; Hal Opperman
Call Number: QL 685.5 .B7 C38 2005
ISBN: 1894384962
Publication Date: 2005
Now in its 7th printing! Discover more than 200 birds species in Birds of Southwestern BC. This guide covers the Lower Mainland, including Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Fraser Canyon, Manning Park and Whistler; the mid-coast as far north as Bella Coola; Vancouver Island; the Gulf Islands; and the Sunshine Coast. Aimed at beginning and intermediate birders who wish to identify the birds they regularly spot in their area, the book will also appeal to more experienced local and visiting birders who want to learn more about the behaviour, habitat and seasonal occurrence of local birds. Packed with useful information, this handy, portable guide tells you how to identify local birds, find out where they live and what they eat, how to attract birds to your yard and how to select a pair of binoculars. Birds of Southwestern British Columbia features colour coding by species a checklist to record your sightings 400+ full-colour photos a compact, easy-to-carry size insights from three expert birders
Compact Guide to British Columbia Birds by R. Wayne Campbell; Krista Kagume; Gregory Kennedy
Call Number: QL 685.5 .B7 C64 2005
ISBN: 155105471X
Publication Date: 2005
This fascinating, fact-filled book is an excellent introduction to the avian populations of British Columbia. Over 80 species of birds are featured with two pages devoted to each species. A full-colour illustration of each bird includes key identifiers.
Birds of the Kitimat Valley : including Kemano, Gardner Canal, Kitimat Arm and Lakelse Lake by Horwood, Dennis
Call Number: QL 685.5 .B7 H67 1992
ISBN: 0969139020
Publication Date: 1992
The Birder's Guide - British Columbia by Keith Taylor
Call Number: QL 685.5 .B7 T39 1998
ISBN: 1894143000
Publication Date: 1998
A walking guide to over 130 bird watching sites. Information on habitats and seasonal bird sightings for each site. Checklists of species for quick reference including the best times for sightings. Maps to make planning easier."British Columbia is a veritable treasure trove of natural wonders, a living natural history museum. Early summer (June through early July) is the best time as the weather is at its best and all of the 249 breeding species are singing throughout the province" KT
The Birds of British Columbia by Charles J. Guiguet
Call Number: QL 696 .P246 G84 1983
ISBN: 0771883765
Publication Date: 1983

All About Birds

Resources from the Catalogue

The atlas of bird migration : tracing the great journeys of the world's birds by Jonathan Elphick (Editor); Thomas E. Lovejoy (Foreword by)
Call Number: QL 698.9 .A89 2007
ISBN: 9781554072484
Publication Date: 2007
A comprehensive and authoritative guide to the fascinating mysteries of bird migration. Every year, billions of birds leave their North American breeding grounds for winter quarters farther south. That so many birds migrate so many miles, through life-threatening conditions, and to the same place each year, is simply stunning. The editor of this important and lavishly illustrated new book has selected a cross-section of both the most typical and the most interesting migrants. Colorful maps, photographs, calendars and fact files, with easy-to-read symbols and abbreviations, present an accurate and up-to-date profile of each species. The introduction provides comprehensive background on migration and its great mystery: how do the birds know where to go? The latest scientific discoveries are explained here. The bulk of the book is the directory, which chronicles the routes of more than 500 species, including: North American birds of prey Hummingbirds, grosbeaks and starlings Eurasian shorebirds, storks and cranes Winter visitors from the Far North, such as swans, geese and finches African, South American and Australasian migrants Migratory sea birds, such as penguins, albatrosses and terns. The results of new satellite tracking methods are covered, as are current environmental threats and conservation initiatives. The book closes with a comprehensive catalog of migrating species from all continents.
Avian architecture : how birds design, engineer & build by Peter Goodfellow
Call Number: QL 675 .G619 2011
ISBN: 9780691148496
Publication Date: 2011
Birds are the most consistently inventive builders, and their nests set the bar for functional design in nature. Avian Architecture describes how birds design, engineer, and build their nests, deconstructing all types of nests found around the world using architectural blueprints and detailed descriptions of the construction processes and engineering techniques birds use. This spectacularly illustrated book features 300 full-color images and more than 35 case studies that profile key species worldwide. Each chapter covers a different type of nest, from tunnel nests and mound nests to floating nests, hanging nests, woven nests, and even multiple-nest avian cities. Other kinds of avian construction--such as bowers and harvest wells--are also featured. Avian Architecture includes intricate step-by-step sequences, visual spreads on nest-building materials and methods, and insightful commentary by a leading expert. Illustrates how birds around the world design, engineer, and build their nests Features architectural blueprints, step-by-step sequences, visual spreads on nest-building materials and methods, and expert commentary Includes 300 full-color images Covers more than 100 bird species worldwide
Nature's music : the science of birdsong by Peter R. Marler; Hans Slabbekoorn
Call Number: QL 698.5 .N38 2004
ISBN: 0124730701
Publication Date: 2004
The voices of birds have always been a source of fascination. Nature's Music brings together some of the world's experts on birdsong, to review the advances that have taken place in our understanding of how and why birds sing, what their songs and calls mean, and how they have evolved. All contributors have strived to speak, not only to fellow experts, but also to the general reader. The result is a book of readable science, richly illustrated with recordings and pictures of the sounds of birds. Bird song is much more than just one behaviour of a single, particular group of organisms. It is a model for the study of a wide variety of animal behaviour systems, ecological, evolutionary and neurobiological. Bird song sits at the intersection of breeding, social and cognitive behaviour and ecology. As such interest in this book will extend far beyond the purely ornithological - to behavioural ecologists psychologists and neurobiologists of all kinds.
Winged sentinels : birds and climate change by Janice Wormworth; Cagan H. Sekercioglu
Call Number: QL 698.95 .W67 2011
ISBN: 9780521126823
Publication Date: 2011
'The ability of the birds to show us the consequences of our own actions is among their most important and least appreciated attributes. Despite the free advice of the birds, we do not pay attention.' Marjory Stoneman Douglas, 1947 From ice-dependent penguins of Antarctica to songbirds that migrate across the Sahara, birds' responses provide early warning signs of the impact of climate change. Winged Sentinels: Birds and Climate Change uses colourful examples to show how particular groups of birds face heightened threats from climate change, and to explore how we can help birds adapt in a warming world. Generously illustrated with colour photographs the book is a fascinating insight into what climate change means for birds, and the potential consequences of ignoring these warning signs.