Endangered and Disappearing Birds of Appalachia and the Southeast

From the most unforgiving of concrete jungles to the pastoral reaches of the countryside, birds are among the most plentiful and plainly visible animals on the planet. For millions of years, they have survived in every known biome, carving out ecological niches for themselves and their offspring and often thriving. But this remarkable adaptability can only go so far. With the recent acceleration of habitat loss, climate change, spread of invasive species, and other detrimental environmental developments, birds are disappearing across the world. Yet despite such wide-ranging decimation, birdwatching remains one of the fastest growing hobbies in the United States. Endangered and Disappearing Birds of Appalachia and the Southeast , by award-winning author and photographer Matt Williams, is an essential guide for the bird-curious in the Appalachian and southeastern regions of the United States. Combining brilliant photography with taxonomic classification, identification tips, and other information, the book goes beyond the scope of a traditional field guide. Each profile includes descriptions of current species-conservation efforts, as well as tips on how to get involved in the ongoing work to save these endangered creatures. This carefully compiled guide offers a detailed introduction to the birds that most need our help and to the steps we can all take to protect their future. Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Author’s Note Introduction Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula) Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) King Rail (Rallus elegans) Clapper Rail (Rallus crepitans) Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) Mississippi Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis pulla) Whooping Crane (Grus americana) American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Wilson’s Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus) Red Knot (Calidris canutus) Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) Willet (Tringa semipalmata) Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Dryobates borealis) American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla) Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) Bachman’s Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis) Florida Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum floridanus) Seaside Sparrow (Ammospiza maritima) Saltmarsh Sparrow (Ammospiza caudacuta) Henslow’s Sparrow (Centronyx henslowii) Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera) Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) Swainson’s Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii) Kentucky Warbler (Geothlypis formosa) Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) Dickcissel (Spiza americana) Acknowledgments References About the Author