‘The Eagle Watchers….’
A Madagascar Fish Eagle (Haliaeetus vociferoides),
endemic and confined to the northwest coast of Madagascar.
Now critically endangered mainly due to its breeding habitat,
Madagascar’s dry deciduous forests, being decimated by humans.
[© 2009 Photo by Frank Wouters; Source:Wikipedia]
Bo0k Title: ‘ The Eagle Watchers: Observing and Conserving Raptors Around the World’
Authors: (multiple contributors) see below
Editors: Ruth E. Tingay and Todd E. Katzner, Keith L. Bildstein (Foreword); Jemima Parry-Jones , MBE (Foreword)
Date: 2010
Publisher: Cornstock Publishing Associates, a division of Cornell University Press
Price: US$29.95
Pages: 256
ISBN: 978-0-8014-4873-7
Purchase: (USA) ^Cornell Press; (Australia) ^Footprint Books; ^Amazon.com; ^Barnes & Noble.
The world’s eagles are under threat of extinction. Critically endangered are the Flores Hawk-Eagle endemic to Indonesia, Madagascar Fish Eagle and Philippine Eagle – all of which most people have never heard of. This new research book ‘The Eagle Watchers: Observing and Conserving Raptors Around the World‘ has been published in 2010 by a number of eagle experts concerned about the plight of the world’s eagles. The book is edited by eminently qualified wildlife ecologists Ruth Tingay and Todd E. Katzner. The book is a collection of essays and photographs by field experts around the world dedicating their lives to ‘eagle biology’ and eagle conservation. As the book’s forward by Keith Bildstein PhD, highlights ‘these tales are the heart and soul of The Eagle Watchers’. “Of the 75 currently recognised eagle species, at least 30 (approximately 40%) are of conservation concern, and for nearly each of them, populations are declining.” – the book’s preface. Profits from the sales of book will go to raptor conservation undertaken by the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Pennsylvania and National Birds of Prey Trust in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. The following information has been extracted and references from the publisher Cornell University Press.
Review:
“…. This book was written by people who have dedicated years to the study of eagles, to provide an insider’s view for all readers, but especially those who have never been up close and personal with these magnificent yet often misunderstood creatures. In their stories, twenty-nine leading eagle researchers share their remarkable field experiences, providing personal narratives that don’t feature in their scientific publications.
“…The Eagle Watchers covers twenty-four species on six continents, from well known (bald eagle; golden eagle), to obscure (black-and-chestnut eagle; New Guinea harpy eagle), and from common (African fish eagle) to critically endangered (Philippine eagle; Madagascar fish eagle). The diverse experiences vividly described in this book reveal the passion, dedication, and sense of adventure shared by those who study these majestic birds and strive for their conservation.
“…Featuring stunning color photographs of the eagles, information on raptor conservation, a global list of all eagle species with ranges and conservation status, and a color map of the sites visited in the book…” [Source: ^http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/cup_detail.taf?ti_id=5615]
About the Editors:
Ruth Tingay is a wildlife ecologist and studies eagles in Scotland, Madagascar, Cambodia, the Solomon Islands, and Mongolia. She is the current President of the Raptor Research Foundation.
Todd E. Katzner is Director of Conservation and Field Research at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh and at Duquesne University. He studies eagles in Kazakhstan, the Philippines, and the United States.
Keith L. Bildstein (foreward) is Sarkis Acopian Director of Conservation Science at the Acopian Center for Conservation Learning, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and author of books including Migrating Raptors of the World: Their Ecology and Conservation, also from Cornell.
Jemima Parry-Jones, MBE, (foreward) is director of the International Centre for Birds of Prey and author of books including The Really Useful Owl Guide.
Contents:
- Eagle Diversity, Ecology, and Conservation
- New Guinea Harpy Eagle
- Golden Eagle
- Lesser Spotted Eagle
- Wedge-tailed Eagle
- Madagascar Serpent Eagle
- Bald Eagle
- Verreaux’s Eagle
- Eastern Imperial Eagle
- Steller’s Sea Eagle
- Spanish Imperial Eagle
- Madagascar Fish Eagle
- African Crowned Eagle
- Grey-headed Fishing Eagle
- Wahlberg’s Eagle
- Solitary Eagle
- Javan Hawk-Eagle
- African Fish Eagle
- Bateleur
- Harpy Eagle
- White-bellied Sea Eagle
- Martial Eagle
- White-tailed Sea Eagle
- Black-and-Chesnut Eagle
- Philippine Eagle
Further Information:
1. Book review on ABC Radio ‘Late Night Live’ programme presented by Phillip Adams – listen to ^podcast of Tuesday 24-Aug-10.
2. Global Raptors.org including list of publications on eagles by Ruth E. Tingay ^http://www.globalraptors.org/grin/ResearcherResults.asp?lresID=153
3. Dr Todd Kazner, University of Pittsburgh, ^http://www.pitt.edu/~biology/Dept/Frame/Faculty/katzner.htm
4. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Pennsylvania, USA, ^http://www.hawkmountain.org/
5. National Birds of Prey Trust, near Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England , ^http://www.nationalbirdsofpreytrust.net/
6. (Critically Endangered) Flores Hawk Eagle ^http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flores_Hawk-eagle
7. (Critically Endangered) Madagascar Fish Eagle ^http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madagascar_Fish_Eagle
8. (Critically Endangered) Philippine Eagle ^http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Eagle
9. Madagascar Fish Eagle on 2010 IUCN Red List Category (BirdLife International) ^http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=3362&m=0
Diminishing distribution of the Madagascar Fish Eagle (in red)
[Birdlife International]
