 |
| Everything you ever wanted to know about bird pellets |
PUBLISHED today - Bird Pellets by 'wildlife detective' and broadcaster Ed Drewitt.
The book is described as the first comprehensive guide to those undigested remains of food that are regurgitated in the form of ball- or sausage-like shape.
Most birders are aware that it is commonplace among owls and other raptors, but others include corvids such as ravens and magpies, waders - and even some garden birds!
The common items found in them, such as small mammal skulls and bones, are analysed in detail, with the discussion accompanied by numerous colour illustrations.
Extensively illustrated, the book progresses methodically from an introduction to pellets, covering what they are and how they are formed to instructions on dissection and analysis and how this can be used in research.
This is followed by closer look at the pellets of each bird species in turn - from the golden eagle to the dipper.
The author shows how to identify the remains of small mammals including bats, as well as reptiles, amphibians, fish, invertebrates and, of course, other birds.
Extracting information from pellets has sound scientific value.
It may not capture everything a bird has been eating, but it still goes a long way in avian diets and how these may change over time, in different habitats and different parts of the world.
Bird Pellets is published at £28 in paperback by Pelagic Publishing https://pelagicpublishing.com
 |
| Ed Drewitt is also an authority on peregrines - especially on what they eat |
No comments:
Post a Comment