Owls: A Wildlife Handbook (Johnson Nature Series)

The 19 species of owls that are native to North America share many features in common, both biological and cultural. In this well-written guidebook, veteran wildlife student Kim Long considers the place of owls in human mythology and custom, examines the biology of various representative species, and gives a full account of each major type. Writing of the great horned owl, for instance, which lives everywhere but the highest Arctic, Long gives a species description that compares male and female; provides weight, tail length, and wingspan; notes characteristic habits; and describes the owl's call ("a series of 3-8 loud, low hoots"). Owl fanciers and birders in general will want this slender book close at hand. --Gregory McNamee