Title: Observable birds with many mysteries
Product review: Shorebirds are one of the most observable of birds, but also one where identification is a challenge and many mysteries remain. Peter Matthiessen engrossingly tells the life history of many of the North American species, including segmentation of habitat during the seasons, and wonders of migration. Along the way he introduces ecological principles as Bergman's Rule and evolutionary ideas of speciation (how did Western and Semipalmated sandpipers separate?).Since the initial publishing of this book and the forward (in 1994), the optimism of recovery of species may be diminished, as many are declining. The illustrations are all well done, and Matthiessen introduces each chapter with literary quotes, such as Shakespeare's "sometimes I'll get the young scamels (bar-tailed godwit) from the rock". Readers of this would probably enjoy " The Flight of the Red Knot" by Brian Harrington and Charles Flowers.
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