The Wingsnappers: Lessons from an Exuberant Tropical Bird

· Yale University Press
Ebook
256
Pages
Eligible
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About this ebook

Birds, hormones, and extraordinary behavior: The story of the tiny but mighty golden-collared manakin of Panama
 
This book is the story of a remarkable bird, the golden-collared manakin (Manacus vitellinus) of Panama. Males of this species perform one of the most elaborate, physically complex, and noisy courtship displays of any animal on the planet. Barney A. Schlinger delves into the specialized neurons, muscles, bones, and hormonal systems underlying the manakin’s unique courtship behavior, creating a rich life-history account that integrates field observations and evolutionary biology with behavioral ecology, anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, and general ornithology.
 
The personal lives of investigators and the natural history of the Panamanian rainforest provide context for this account of the bird's fascinating behavior. Schlinger clearly and approachably explains basic concepts in disciplines such as avian anatomy, endocrinology, sexual differentiation, and the neurobiology of song and aeroacoustics, offering readers a window into the biology of this exuberant bird.

About the author

Barney A. Schlinger is associate dean of life sciences and professor of integrative biology/physiology and ecology/evolutionary biology at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is a past president of the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology and lives in Topanga, CA.

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