Urban ornithology : 150 years of birds in New York City

This book offers the first quantitative long-term historical analysis of the migratory, winter, and breeding avifaunas of any New York City natural area—Van Cortlandt Park and the adjacent Northwest Bronx—and spans the century and a half from 1872 to 2016. Only Manhattan’s Central and Brooklyn’s Prospect Parks have published even lightly annotated cumulative species lists, last updated in 1967, and the most recent book addressing the birdlife of the New York City area was published more than 50 years ago. Addressed are the 301 Bronx, New York City and New York City area species known to have occurred within the study area, plus another 70 potential additions. These are contrasted with their status in adjacent Riverdale, the entire Bronx, Central and Prospect Parks, New York City, plus Long Island, Westchester, and Rockland Cos. The history of the 123 known study area breeding species are tracked from 1872—only 20 years after Audubon’s death in Manhattan—complemented by unique quantitative breeding data from Van Cortlandt Park censuses from 1937 to 2015. Gains and losses of breeding species are tracked and discussed as an expanding New York City inexorably extinguished unique habitat, offset only slightly by addition of two large reservoirs. Comparisons are provided with analogous data from heavily monitored Central and Prospect Parks. The tradeoffs in attempting to managing an urban park area for mass recreation at the same time as conserving its natural resources are highlighted. "Urban Ornithology is the first quantitative historical analysis of any New York City natural area’s birdlife and spans the century and a half from 1872 to 2016. Only Manhattan’s Central and Brooklyn’s Prospect Parks have preliminary species lists, not revised since 1967, and the last book examining the birdlife of the entire New York City area is now more than fifty years old. This book updates the avifaunas of those two parks, the Bronx, and other New York City boroughs. It treats the 301 bird species known to have occurred within its study area—Van Cortlandt Park and the adjacent Northwest Bronx—plus 70 potential additions. Its 123 breeding species are tracked from 1872 and supplemented by quantitative breeding bird censuses from 1937 to 2015. Gains and losses of breeding species are discussed in light of an expanding New York City inexorably extinguishing unique habitats." -- Publisher's description

Urban Ornithology is the first quantitative historical analysis of any New York City natural area’s birdlife and spans the century and a half from 1872 to 2016. Only Manhattan’s Central and Brooklyn’s Prospect Parks have preliminary species lists, not revised since 1967, and the last book examining the birdlife of the entire New York City area is now more than fifty years old.

This book updates the avifaunas of those two parks, the Bronx, and other New York City boroughs. It treats the 301 bird species known to have occurred within its study area—Van Cortlandt Park and the adjacent Northwest Bronx—plus 70 potential additions. Its 123 breeding species are tracked from 1872 and supplemented by quantitative breeding bird censuses from 1937 to 2015. Gains and losses of breeding species are discussed in light of an expanding New York City inexorably extinguishing unique habitats.

"A quantitative long-term historical analysis of the migratory, winter, and breeding avifaunas of New York City's Van Cortlandt Park and Northwest Bronx from 1872 to 2016"--Provided by publisher