Catalog Search Results
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Begin to uncover the huge spectrum of Passerines (perching or songbirds). Start with the flycatchers, aerialists adept at catching insects in midair, and the shrikes, rare songbirds with a raptor lifestyle. Within this far-ranging lecture, encounter bird families such as the crows and jays, magpies, larks, swallows, chickadees, wrens, dippers (the only aquatic songbirds), and thrushes.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Now travel into the world of these iconic and alluring birds of prey, and their distinguishing features, ranges, and behaviors. Learn about New World vultures, including the magnificent California condor. Also encounter the osprey, kites, eagles, hawks, falcons, kestrels, and the crested caracara. Consider the challenges of raptor-watching, and their unusual history with humans.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Learn about eleven of the best birding destinations in the Eastern U.S. and Canada. Among them, pay visits to Maine's Monnegan Island, a stopping place for a huge variety of migrants; Cape May, New Jersey, a locus of great birding sites and a haunt of famed birders; and Ohio's Magee Marsh, a legendary birding spot which hosts 338 bird species.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Contrary to the old cliché, you can teach old dogs new tricks - and new dogs old tricks. Professor Donaldson reviews the ages and stages of dog maturity and has tips for which training to start your puppies with and how to choose the right puppy socialization class. She provides insightful instructions on training older dogs as well, including how to consider any physical ailments they may have.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Compare models which may explain female birds' choice of mates. Observe how females "test" potential mates and how males provide a basis for choice, through courtship displays or offering prime territory. Study the intricacies of avian monogamy and polygamy; take account of pair bonding in birds, extra-pair mating, sexual role reversal, and the avian equivalents of "adultery" and "divorce."
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Witness the complex nature of competition among birds. Study "display" behavior, which sends a message regarding territory, courtship, or perceived threats. Observe the ways in which birds defend territory, for breeding and feeding, nesting and roosting. Note how territorial defense is highly ritualized and uses a series of recognized signals, and how birds' territoriality enhances survival.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Open sea birding adds another exciting dimension to birdwatching. Begin with an introduction to sea trips for birding, covering types of excursions and vessels, equipment, and important logistical and safety information. Preview the remarkable birds you'll see, from the mysterious albatross to petrels, tropicbirds, pelicans, gulls, puffins, and the best places to embark from to see them.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Professor Donaldson debunks a common myth about dog behavior. She discusses in depth the reasons dogs may have accidents and provides several ways to train your dog out of this behavior. She covers a number of techniques to curb common bad habits such as chewing and digging with distraction or alternatives.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Professor Donaldson defines fear or aggression versus just being upset and teaches you how to recognize these traits in dogs. She outlines the five mechanisms that drive fear and discusses a classification system that covers aggression to strangers, resource guarding, and intolerance of body handling, as well as suggestions for handling each behavior.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
By now your dog is figuring out that "good things come to those who wait" and is starting to work on impulse control without being told. At this point in training, your dog has also figured out that obedience is the strategy to get what he wants. This empowering realization means your dog understands he can take charge and control the situation.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
In these 12 vividly illustrated lessons, biologist and bird expert Professor Bruce E. Fleury takes you on a journey through the amazing world of birds—their evolution, their lives in the wild, and the science that underlies their behaviors. Whether you’re an experienced birder or a newcomer to the bird world, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the beauty and diversity of our feathered friends.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Today, complete your review of the Passerines (songbirds). Beginning with the seed-eating towhees, explore the many varieties of New World sparrows, the juncos, and Old World buntings. Then study the tanagers, cardinals, dickcissels, grosbeaks, and vivid New World buntings, before concluding with families such as the meadowlarks, blackbirds, grackles, orioles, finches, and crossbills.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Take account of the miraculous feats of navigation performed by birds, as they migrate huge distances with amazing accuracy. Uncover the ways in which birds use visual landmarks, magnetic fields, Sun position, and the position of constellations in their migratory travels. Consider why birds migrate, the diversity of their migration patterns and habits, and the perils of these epic journeys.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Track the behavior of birds when they form flocks or colonies. Grasp the diverse benefits of group foraging, and how birds form mixed-species foraging flocks. Investigate group roosting and breeding behavior, and study fossil evidence that suggests some dinosaurs nested just like modern wading birds. Assess why birds form colonies and investigate the advantages and disadvantages of the colonies.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Consider guidelines for ethical birding, based in respect for fellow birders and non-birders alike. Conclude with a far-reaching look at matters affecting bird welfare, at both the individual and species level. Review current environmental factors that endanger birds, and actions you can take, both individually and through organizations, to safeguard our precious bird species.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Dig into the "software your dog comes bundled with" and discover how common psychological practices can help us train dogs to overcome their instinctual behaviors. Professor Donaldson defines terms you'll be using throughout the training such as prompting, capturing, and shaping. Master the first basic obedience commands: sit and down.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Humans have tended to underestimate the intelligence of birds. Examine the structure of the avian brain and the extraordinary forms of intelligence birds show, such as memory, complex spatial mapping, and ingenious strategies in food foraging. Observe the role of instinct in bird behavior, their astonishing use of tools, and how bird behavior is correlated with the seasons.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Examine the difference between tricks and obedience. Explore why teaching tricks can be beneficial to your dog as you work through three types of trick training: non-transitive or simple actions, transitive, and behavior chains. By using the foundation of obedience training you've already established, you can teach old (and young) dogs new tricks.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2018.
Language
English
Description
Professor Donaldson reveals the fascinating evolution of dogs that provides insight into why dogs do many of the things they do. This foundation gives you the background to help train, or un-train, certain actions. You'll uncover fight/flight instincts, canine social structure, courtship and reproductive behaviors, and the characteristics and styles of dog play.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Contemplate the deep and long-term interactions between birds and humans. Beginning in ancient times, explore the roles birds have played in diverse civilizations, and how birds have benefited people in ways ranging from hunting to pest control. In today's world, take account of citizen science efforts, bird banding, and other ways birders can contribute to scientific knowledge.
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