| Author | Ross Ahmed |
| Language | English |
| ISBN | 9781399419130 |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
| Pages | 320 |
| Size | 234 x 156 mm |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Images | Colour images |
| Year published | 2026 |
North American Landbirds in the Western Palearctic is a comprehensive account of the North American landbirds that make the incredible non-stop journey across the Atlantic.
The thought of a small North American songbird, weighing as little as 10g, battling for 5,000km through a storm out over the Atlantic, is difficult to comprehend. Yet a spell of heavy migration coinciding with the tail-end of a hurricane can result in memorable experiences for birdwatchers seeking out rare and vagrant birds.
North American Landbirds in the Western Palearctic is the first comprehensive guide to the birds that breed in North America but that have been recorded as vagrants in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. It summarises the history of migration studies and explains the physiology, morphology and navigational capabilities of birds that make the transatlantic crossing, along with their likely arrival routes and journey times. The roles that boats and weather conditions play are also explored.
Detailed species accounts cover identification and taxonomy, habitats and behaviour, normal range and migration and status in the Western Palearctic. Vagrancy patterns are illustrated with up-to-date maps, graphs and tables.
Featuring first-rate photography of birds taken in their unusual destinations, this book provides an in-depth understanding of vagrancy that will prove useful to anyone interested in finding and observing the next great rarity in the region.
Contents
Part I: TRANSATLANTIC VAGRANCY
Part II: SPECIES ACCOUNTS
Cuculidae - Cuckoos
Columbidae - Doves and Pigeons
Caprimulgidae - Nightjars and Nighthawks
Apopidae - Swifts
Alcedinidae - Kingfishers
Picidae - Woodpeckers
Tyrannidae - Tyrant Flycatchers and Allies
Vireonidae - Vireos
Laniidae - Shrikes
Alaudidae - Larks
Hirundinidae - Swallows
Bombycillidae - Waxwings
Regulidae - Kinglets
Sittidae - Nuthatches
Mimidae - Mockingbirds and Thrashers
Turdidae - Thrushes
Motacillidae - Wagtails and Pipits
Fringillidae - Finches
Passerellidae - New World Sparrows
Icteridae - New World Blackbirds
Parulidae - New World Warblers
Cardinalidae - Cardinals and Allies
Part III: THE FUTURE OF TRANSATLANTIC VAGRANCY
Part IV: APPENDICES
Acknowledgements
Bibliography
Index
