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Cover image of Second Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia
Cover image of Second Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia
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Second Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia

edited by Walter G. Ellison
foreword by Chandler S. Robbins

Publication Date
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First Place, Professional Reference Books, 25th Annual New York Book Show

Despite their small sizes, Maryland and Washington, DC, possess a vast range of environments—from the high peaks of the Allegheny Ridges to the low marshes of the Chesapeake Bay. Home to 200 nesting bird species, these habitats are under constant threat from urban sprawl, changing farming practices, and the degradation of coastal wetlands. The Second Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia documents the impact of these environmental changes on the region’s bird population and discusses the...

First Place, Professional Reference Books, 25th Annual New York Book Show

Despite their small sizes, Maryland and Washington, DC, possess a vast range of environments—from the high peaks of the Allegheny Ridges to the low marshes of the Chesapeake Bay. Home to 200 nesting bird species, these habitats are under constant threat from urban sprawl, changing farming practices, and the degradation of coastal wetlands. The Second Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia documents the impact of these environmental changes on the region’s bird population and discusses the recovery of the endangered Bald Eagle and the new confirmation of breeding by three species—the Common Merganser, the Ruddy Duck, and the Double-crested Cormorant.

Species accounts, each with a stunning color photograph, provide detailed coverage of the habitats, biology, and relative abundance of mid-Atlantic nesting birds. Up-to-date maps reflect changes in their breeding ranges and distributions over the past two decades. Of perhaps greatest value are the comparative analyses with data from the first statewide survey conducted in the 1980s.

Treasured by birders—and an invaluable reference for ornithologists, conservationists, and land use planners—this book will significantly influence our understanding and management of avian species in the region for the next decade.

Reviews

Reviews

An invaluable reference... This book will significantly influence our understanding and management of avian species in the region for the next decade. A must have for birders of the region!

This is likely to remain the gold-standard reference on Maryland’s birds—at least until a third atlas appears in, say, 2030.

My favorite new naturalist reads these days if the 2nd Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Highly recommended.

This book is a well-produced and impressive reference to the breeding birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia. It is particularly valuable for illustrating changes in the avifauna of the region during the last 20 years and contains a wealth of information that will be of interest to both amateurs and professionals... I highly recommend the 2nd Atlas to anyone with an interest in the birds of the mid-Atlantic seaboard of the USA.

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About

Book Details

Publication Date
Status
Available
Trim Size
8.5
x
11
Pages
520
ISBN
9780801895760
Illustration Description
224 color photos, 4 halftones, 18 line drawings, 199 maps
Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Introduction
The History of Grid-based Ornithological Atlases
Procedures
Coverage
The Environment
Representative Maryland Habitats
Results
Conservation

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Introduction
The History of Grid-based Ornithological Atlases
Procedures
Coverage
The Environment
Representative Maryland Habitats
Results
Conservation
Using the Species Accounts
Species Accounts
Additional Accounts of Potential Nesting Birds
Appendixes
A. Safe Dates for Maryland and DC Breeding Birds
B. Total Species per Block, First and Second Atlases
C. Quarterblock Results
D. Abundance Definitions
E. Nonavian Fauna Cited
F. Plants Cited
References
Index

Author Bios
Featured Contributor

Walter G. Ellison, Ph.D., M.S.

Walter G. Ellison is the project coordinator of the Maryland and D.C. Breeding Bird Atlas Project at the Maryland Ornithological Society.