Winkler, Bird Families

Many people are captivated by the amazing variety of birds they see and hear, and observing birds can be a life-enriching pursuit. To explore avian diversity requires a mental map that helps us organize our experiences and observations, and fortunately, the scientific classification of birds provides exactly what we need. “Bird Families of the World” presents this framework in a richly illustrated reference guide and learning tool—useful to ornithologists and amateur birding enthusiasts alike—for understanding the diversity of the world’s birds. In a March 2016 book talk at Mann Library, Cornell professor of ecology and evolutionary biology David Winkler introduces this important work, co-authored with Shawn Billerman (Dept. of Zoology & Physiology, University of Wyoming) and Irby J. Lovette (Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology).