Urban Raptors: Ecology and Conservation of Birds of Prey in Cities

Review

"I recommend this contribution for scientists, raptor/nature enthusiasts, urban wildlife biologists and planners working for agencies, and nonprofit organizations interested in or working in the fields of urban wildlife education and management. Further, I feel that raptor and wildlife rehabilitators and organizations would greatly benefit by having this volume on hand and available for their many volunteers. Finally, some of the case studies discussed in this book provide an ideal resource and could be used to develop formal programs on how to employ raptors effectively as ambassadors to connect the public with nature and to improve the public's understanding of the importance of protecting all functioning ecosystems." ― Journal of Raptor Research"Every section of the book is worth reading...Urban Raptors has the potential to be a tremendous resource and reference for anyone curious about the ecology of birds of prey in urban environments." ― Birding"The editors, Clint W. Boal and Cheryl R. Dykstra, assembled a heavy-hitter list of authors who intimately know urban raptors from years of hands-on work climbing nest trees in residential yards, relocating birds from airports, or interfacing with the public on behalf of raptors. This book will prove useful as a reference for future research and as a hands-on guide for solving human-raptor conflicts." ― Journal of Wildlife Management"Authoritative and engaging...The strength of Urban Raptors is its ability to quickly bring the scientist up to date on our understanding of charismatic, apex avian predators...I recommend Urban Raptors to a broad readership. Experienced scientists will find a cornucopia of novel adjustments to urban life by birds we rarely consider innovative or behaviorally flexible. Students will be led to exciting and approachable research questions with conservation implications...The lay reader will also find much to enjoy as they learn about the variety of diurnal and nocturnal predators that share their world." ― Animal Behaviour"The book is informative and and is an important read for students and academics researching urban raptors...I would certainly recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about raptors, urban wildlife or birds in general." ― British Trust for Ornithology"Valuable reading for raptor enthusiasts, enthusiasts conservationists, and anyone interested in engaging stakeholders." ― CHOICE"Urban Raptors is a single source for information on urban birds of prey....outstanding and nicely illustrated." ― Midwest Book Review"Drawing on experts from around the world, Urban Raptors gives readers—wildlife professionals and birders alike—a thorough foundation into the lives, ecology, and conservation of the birds of prey that increasingly share the developed landscape with humans, from peregrine falcons nesting on skyscrapers to burrowing owls in the housing tracts or Cooper's hawks and barred owls in suburban backyards. Both authoritative and accessible."---Scott Weidensaul, author of "Peterson Reference Guide to Owls of North America and the Caribbean""Urban Raptors is an important book, remarkable for being the first to compile valuable knowledge for everyone from urban planners to wildlife agencies and bird watchers. While mass extinction is under way globally, it is helpful to understand that some species, including top predators, can flourish in human-dominated landscapes while others can be vulnerable in unexpected ways."---Richard T. Watson, President and CEO, The Peregrine Fund"Humans and raptors have successfully coexisted in towns and cities for thousands of years. Urban Raptors builds on this history and sets us up for success in the future, providing readers with a wealth of information on how raptors nest, forage, and survive in modern urban landscapes."---Libby Mojica, President, Raptor Research Foundation

case studies discussed in this book provide an ideal resource

Clint W. Boal is a research wildlife biologist with the U.S. Geological Surveys Texas Cooperative Research Unit and holds a joint appointment as a professor of wildlife ecology at Texas Tech University. He has conducted research with birds of prey for over 25 years and has served as an associate editor for the Journal of Wildlife Management, Journal of Raptor Research, and, currently, the Wildlife Society Bulletin. Cheryl R. Dykstra is an independent researcher and holds an M.S. and Ph.D. in wildlife ecology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She serves as editor-in-chief of The Journal of Raptor Research and has spent over two decades leading raptor research projects, including an ongoing 20-year study of urban red-shouldered hawks.