A Birder's West Indies : An Island-by-Island Tour / by Roland H. Wauer ; drawings by Mimi Hoppe Wolf ; foreword by Bradford C. Northrup ; afterword by Paul Butler.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wauer, Roland H., author.

Contributor:

Northrup, Bradford C, writer of foreword.

Butler, Paul, writer of afterword.

Wolf, Mimi Hoppe, illustrator.{del}.

Series:

The Corrie Herring Hooks Series ; No. 30

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bird watching.

West Indies.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiv, 238 pages) : illustrations (some color).

Edition:

First edition.

Other Title:

A Birder’s West Indies

Place of Publication:

Austin : University of Texas Press, 1996.

Summary:

The West Indies offer so much more than sun, sand, and shopping. This sweeping arc of islands, which runs from Cuba to Grenada and includes the Virgin Islands, teems with a rich diversity of plant and animal life. Up to 40 percent of the plants in some forests are found nowhere else on earth, while the West Indian flyway is a critical link in the migratory routes of many birds. In A Birder's West Indies, Roland Wauer takes you on an island-by-island journey of discovery. He describes the unique natural features of each island and recounts his often fascinating experiences in seeking out the nearly 400 species of birds known in the West Indies. His accounts give insight into the birds' habitats, status, and ecology and record some of the threats posed by human activities. For readers planning trips to the West Indies, Wauer also includes helpful, up-to-date facts about the best times to travel, the kinds of entry and customs systems to expect, the money exchange services available, and general information about weather, food, and accommodations. Filling a unique niche among current guides, A Birder's West Indies offers both professional ornithologists and avocational bird watchers a chance to compare notes and experiences with an expert observer. And for readers who haven't yet visited the islands, Wauer's fluid prose and lovely color photographs will be the next-best thing to being there—and an irresistible invitation to go.

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Introduction

1 Jamaica, the Most Endemics

2 Cuba, Island of Contradictions

3 Dominican Republic, Land of Contrasts

4 Puerto Rico, North America's Only Tropical Forest

5 Tortola, Island of Doves

6 St. John and St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

7 St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

8 Saba, an Island Time Forgot

9 Anguilla, Tranquillity Wrapped in Blue

10 St. Martin, a Northeastern Gateway

11 Antigua, Island in the Sun

12 Montserrat, the Emerald Isle

13 Guadeloupe, a Green Land with Beautiful Waters

14 Dominica, the Nature Island

15 Martinique, Island of Flowers

16 St. Lucia, Island of Mystery

17 St. Vincent, Poor but Wealthy

18 Grenada, the Isle of Spice

Afterword

Appendix. Common and Scientific Plant Names

References

Index

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

0-292-76187-2

OCLC:

1280943670