DISCOVERING BIRD SONG - ARMSTRONG - 1977

Bird song is universally known and appreciated as one of the wonders of the natural world, yet it is seldom realised how complex a subject it is.

The author of this book, Edward Armstrong, already well known to ornithologists as the author of monograph on the Wren in Collins' New Naturalist series, here presents a concise study of the many facets of bird song, illustrated by sonagrams of various bird sounds, drawings and photographs of birds in song.  He covers not merely the musical utterances of those species generally regarded as song-birds, but also the harsher calls of birds such as the Rook and gulls, indeed any noise made by birds including 'instrumental' sounds like the drumming of woodpeckers.  He explains the significance of song, how it is used by a cock bird in marking out and defending his territory and in attracting a mate, and records the different songs and calls used by birds in courtship, rearing their young, warning of danger etc.  He also describes the behaviour associated with the various calls and devotes a chapter to the question of how birds learn their songs.  This book make a valuable addition to the bird-watcher's bookshelf.

This 72 page softcover is illustrated with black and white photographs.  This book is ex-library and as such has all the usual stamps and stickers internally and externally.  There is a contact covering to outside, which has some wear, creases, marks and fading to spine.   Internally the first page has been torn out to remove library pocket and there is a brown moisture mark which affects a portion of all pages to diminishing degees.  However this hasn't caused any crinkling or pages to stick together.  The book is still very tight and is otherwise clean.  Not the prettiest looking , but this book is not always easy to find and this is a great opportunity to pick up a good reading copy at a great price.

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