Wilson Bull., 110(3), 1998, pp. 443-455

Ornithological Literature

Edited by William E. Davis, Jr.

A BIRDERS’ GUIDE TO VIRGINIA. terests that go beyond birds. The book is, as Compiled by David W. Johnston. American is usual for this series, well designed, well ed- Birding Association, Inc., Colorado Springs, ited, and user friendly. I found the site de- Colorado. 1997: 280 pp., 46 maps, 10 black- scriptions excellent for the areas of the state I and-white photographs, 13 line drawings. know best, and assume the rest are equally $18.95 (soft wrap-around cover, wire-0 bind- good. I highly recommend this book to any- ing).-Another in the burgeoning series of one planning to visit Virginia.-WILLIAM E. American Birding Association bird finding DAVIS, JR. guides, this book generally follows the format of previous volumes except that the bar- graphs of most books are replaced by an an- notated list of 425 species (390 of which oc- THE FOOD WEB OF A TROPICAL RAIN cur regularly in the state). The introductory FOREST Edited by Douglas I? Reagan and materials include a brief review of the geology Robert B. Waide. Univ. of Chicago Press, Chi- and physiography of the state; a section on cago, Illinois. 1996: 616 pp., black-and-white ornithological history; weather and seasonal photographs with caption figs., numerous ta- variations; tick, chigger, and other pest warn- bles. $39.95 (paper); $110.00 (cloth).-This ings; where to stay; who to write to for maps multi-authored volume represents an ambi- and other information; and some birding op- tious and successful attempt to provide a com- portunities of special interest such as the an- prehensive analysis of the trophic dynamics of nual Eastern Shore Birding Festival. The site a single tropical rain forest. However, the rain guide section divides the state into six regions, forest chosen is El Verde, at an elevation be- Eastern Shore, Coastal Plain, Northern, Cen- tween 300 and 500 meters on the northwest tral, and Southern Piedmont, and Southern slope of the Luquillo Mountains on the island Mountains and Valleys. Each section begins of Puerto Rico. Situated as it is, on an island, with a brief description of the region and a this forest is dramatically different in species regional map, followed by site guides (some richness and thus in trophic complexity from are divided into subsections) each of which any mainland rain forest in Central or South has a map and text. The text is divided into America. Thus it becomes difficult to draw sections on background, essentials, habitats, any generalizations from this otherwise model birds (season by season), rare or unusual study. The book is divided into 14 chapters, birds, and special comments, The special of which one, authored by Robert B. Waide, comments sections are particularly useful, of- is on birds. Birds therefore occupy about 7% ten describing non-birds of interest such as of the total pages in the book, although birds wildflowers, mammals, or reptiles, and areas are occasionally mentioned in other chapters. where tape recorders should not be used. A Though birds exert significant influences at chapter on hawk-watching (including a bar many points on the food web of El Verde, they graph and site map), and a chapter on pelagic are most influential as predators, particularly birding will be of special interest to many. In on lizards and frogs. Other trophic influences, the annotated checklist asterisks denote Vir- such as nectar-ivory and frugivory are also im- ginia specialty birds, which are treated in a portant avian contributions to the overall tro- separate chapter. The chapter on other animals phic dynamics, especially with regard to dis- of Virginia lists butterflies, amphibians, rep- persal of plants. The overall ecological im- tiles, and mammals together with brief com- portance of birds in part is due to the absence ments on status and distribution, and should of many kinds of mammals that are important be of interest to those with natural history in- seed dispersers in mainland forests. Avian

443 444 THE WILSON BULLETIN * Vol. 110, No. 3, September 1998 species richness is far lower in El Verde than tion to the islands, island ecosystems, climate, on mainland forests, a factor that permits and conservation concerns. greater ease of analysis but which makes the Most field guides rely heavily on the plates resulting analysis unique to this ecosystem. and the quality of the color plates in this vol- There are only 30 common species at El Ver- ume is weak. The species illustrated are not de, 8 of which are endemic to Puerto Rico and cross-referenced to the text, though the text the Virgin Islands. This represents a strong does identify on which plate the species is il- distinction between El Verde compared with lustrated. While most species are identifiable mainland communities, where rare species from the illustration on the plate, one longs make up a major component of the avifauna. for a good comparative plate of the Darwins’ Biomass of birds at El Verde compares closely finches, accurately drawn, showing variability with that of mainland communities, however. in bill size within a species. The illustrations Although there are fewer species, the number provided on the plates are far short of this of birds per hectare is essentially equal to that mark and will not be very useful in dealing found typically in mainland communities. with this group. Another problem with the Wintering migrant species (nine wood warbler plates is that very rare species are illustrated species) have an important functional role in along with regularly occurring species. It may the El Verde as insectivores, though none is have been more useful to separate really rare particularly abundant. species (such as ones for which there exists The chapter on birds represents an excellent but a single record) from those which one sees attempt to understand the trophic dynamics of almost daily. The black-and-white illustrations bird communities. This book, as a whole, is in the text are nonessential but pleasing. an important contribution to the study of Neo- The map of the islands does not include tropical ecology.-JOHN C. KRICHER. some of the more remote islands that, while they are not normally visited in most tours, are nonetheless mentioned in the text in var- ious species accounts. The bibliography is A GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF THE GA- useful in taking readers into the scientific lit- LAPAGOS ISLANDS. By Isabel Castro and erature. A bird species check-list is includ- Antonia Phillips, with a foreword by Peter R. ed.-JOHN C. KRICHER. Grant. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, New Jersey. 1996: 144 pp., 32 color plates plus 30 black-and-white illustrations, 1 map. $24.95, cloth.-The Galapagos Archipelago is one of MIGRATORY SHORE AND UPLAND the most visited ecotourist destinations and it GAME BIRD MANAGEMENT IN NORTH is timely that an updated bird guide becomes AMERICA. 1994 (second printing 1995). T. available. The Galapagos avifauna, though C. Tacha and C. E. Braun. International As- limited in diversity, is nonetheless unique in sociation of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the ease by which most species can be ob- Washington, D.C. 223 pp., hardcover, 14 se- served and in its significance, particularly of pia-toned plates, numerous black-and-white the Geospizinae, to evolutionary biology. photographs and range maps. Available free Most bird species that breed on the islands are from the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research not difficult to identify. Only one group, the Institute, Campus Box 218, Texas A & M Darwins’ finches, poses significant field prob- University-Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas lems. This guide provides an adequate species 78363.-This volume is an update of the account for each regularly occurring and “Management of Migratory Shore and Up- many rarely occurring species, including sta- land Game Birds in North America (1977, In- tus (migrant or resident), identification, distri- ternational Association of Fish and Wildlife bution among islands (essential, as there is Agencies). It differs from that volume in that much by way of island to island differences), only game species have been included and the food, breeding behavior, and voice. It has in- accounts have been written by primary au- teresting information on conservation status thors (who selected their own coauthors) rath- and it provides a useful though brief introduc- er than by appointed committees. New art- ORNITHOLOGICAL LITERATURE 445 work by Don Radovich includes a full page THE RAVEN. By Derek Ratcliffe. T & A. sepia-toned portrait of each species in a pre- D. Poyser Ltd., England. 1997: xviii + 326 ferred habitat. The artwork is pleasing and pp., 39 black-and-white photographs, 28 pen informative, adding much to the “class” of and ink illustrations (by Chris Rose), 18 fig- the book, although the color rendering differs ures, 27 tables, 5 appendices. $39.50 substantially from the original artwork which (cloth).-To my knowledge there is no better I had an opportunity to see. book on the Northern Raven. This is a re- The book begins with an introductory chap- markably comprehensive treatment of the spe- ter (K. M. Babcock) and ends with a summary cies, particularly for a book of its moderate chapter (Migratory Shore and Upland Game length. It is also a great companion to the au- Bird Resources-Status and Trends, by T. C. thors’ previous book, The Peregrine Falcon, Tacha, C. E. Braun, and R. E. Tomlinson). In first published in 1980 and now in its second between are chapters on fourteen species with edition (1993). In fact, Ratcliffe notes that one to five authors per account: Mourning “The two species were conveniently studied Dove (Zenaida mucrouru), White-winged together . . . where there were Peregrines, Dove (Z. asiatica), White-tipped Dove (tip- there were nearly always Ravens, but rather totilu verreuuxi), Band-tailed Pigeon (Colum- more than half the Ravens lacked falcon ba fusciutu), Sandhill Crane (Grus cunuden- neighbours.” . . . “They were not harmonious sis), American Woodcock (Scolopux minor), neighbours and constant bickering between them was commonplace.” Common Snipe (Gullinugo gullinugo), Amer- The books’ focus is on the ravens of Britain ican Coot (Fulicu americana), Common and Ireland. Its foundation is the authors’ ex- Moorhen (Gullinulu chloropus), Purple Gal- tensive personal experience. Ratcliffes’ work linule (Porphyrulu murtinicu), Clapper Rail with ravens began in 1945 and took him to (Rullus longirostris), King Rail (R. eleguns), over 500 nesting places at least once, and a Virginia Rail (R. limicolu), and Sora (Porzunu few over 30 different years. Even so, he has Carolina). drawn heavily on the works of others, citing Each chapter stands on its own, being writ- 295 publications in the bibliography ranging ten in journal style and including an indepen- from 1789 to 1996 (with one listed as in dent literature cited section. Chapters begin press). The result is an information packed with a description of the species, a review of synopsis of the current understanding of the its behavioral ecology and habitats, its distri- biology of the raven. bution and abundance, including discussion of The Preface (pp. xv-xviii) provides a brief census techniques and population trends, and history of raven studies, beginning with Wil- data on hunting pressures and other sources of liam Macgillivray (1837) who was among the mortality. Each account includes a range map first biologists to watch ravens from blinds. It showing at least breeding and wintering dis- is here that Ratcliffe notes that “The Raven is tribution. Some accounts provide additional a bird whose ecology is closely tied up with maps delimiting special management units human affairs and is perhaps more intimately (Mourning Doves), breeding bird survey and entangled with the cultural life of earlier peo- other census data, migration routes, and other ples than any other bird in the whole of his- information. Sections on management and re- tory.” search needs, included in each chapter, pro- The Introduction (pp. l-6) gives an insight vide challenges for the next generation of into Ratcliffes’ fascination with ravens and wildlife biologists. how his boyhood explorations of the sur- As its predecessor was, this volume will rounding hill country in Carlisle grew into a certainly be a valuable reference for game- lifelong career of bird study. Chapter 1 (pp. bird biologists and managers, providing good 7-26) charts the ravens’ course in human his- reviews and useful bibliographies. Especially tory, including a brief section on the prehis- useful is the material related to the responses toric evidence of ravens in Britain, and longer of populations to hunting pressures, habitat sections on the raven in myth and legend, and changes, and climate.-JEROME A. JACK- another which follows the ravens’ transition SON. from scavenger friend in the Middle Ages to 446 THE WILSON BULLETIN l Vol. 110, No. 3, September 1998 predator foe. In the 1400s and 1500s ravens Deer (the discarded entrails). As I read, it was were widely protected for their services of quickly apparent, however, that Ratcliffes’ ob- cleaning filth from towns. Their fall from servations and descriptions are quite applica- grace and subsequent persecution began ble to ravens of North America and the rest around 1650 and bounties were initiated in of the Northern Hemisphere. These are the many areas by the 1700s. After thousands of same ravens that I know and their biology and ravens were killed for bounties and the effec- behavior is essentially the same as the ones tiveness of shooting and trapping declined, the found throughout at least the northern parts of use of poisons became more popular. Further North America. This feeling was reinforced declines resulted from the increasing popular- by 28 pen-and-ink illustrations contributed by ity of egg-collecting beginning about 1850. In Chris Rose. The coastal and mountainous Britain, adequate legal protection did not scenery could be Newfoundland/Labrador or come until enactment of the Wildlife and Alaska but the essence of the birds captures Countryside Act in 1981, and in Chapter 12 perfectly the ones I know best in New En- (Ravens in the Modem Scene) Ratcliffe pro- gland. The one constant pattern throughout vides evidence that even today the ravens’ re- their range seems to be their ability to suc- covery on the British grouse-moors appears to cessfully exploit the diversity of food re- be held back by continued persecution from sources that are available in each particular modem gamekeepers. The meat of this book area. fills chapters 2 through 12 (214 pages) which In the one short chapter devoted to ravens covers the ravens’ distribution and abundance elsewhere in the world (Chapter 13, 8 pages), (Chapter 3), foods and feeding habits (Chapter Ratcliffe cites the observation of Cramp and 4), social behavior (Chapter 5), movements Perrins (1994) that the raven “is so wide- (Chapter 6), associations with other animal ranging that the concept of habitat is hardly species (Chapter 7), breeding biology (Chap- applicable. It is one of the most widespread ters S--10), territorialism and population reg- of all bird species in the northern hemisphere ulation (Chapter 1 l), and how they fit into the . . . “. These are birds that can tolerate extreme modem scene (Chapter 12). cold near the Arctic to the desert heat of Death Initially I feared that, with his specific focus Valley, California, and in the New World on Britain and Ireland, the ravens described range as far south as Nicaragua. In this chap- by Ratcliffe might have little in common with ter the ten currently recognized subspecies of the ones I have come to know in North Amer- Northern Raven are listed and mapped, fol- ica. Indeed, this book focuses a good deal of lowed by a brief description of the eight other attention on habitats unfamiliar to me such as species of ravens from around the world sheepwalks of the hill country and grouse- whose distributions are plotted on the same moors of Britains’ eastern uplands. In partic- map (p. 244). This chapter is such a short and ular, the association of sheep and ravens is an cursory treatment that it feels more like an important one in the hills of Britain and Ire- appendix than part of the text. In fact, Appen- land with sheeps’ wool from carrion featured dix 1, which is a systematic listing of the dis- in 90% of the ravens’ food pellets in one tribution and description of raven flocks and study. Besides the standard sources of sheep roosts observed in Britain and Ireland, is a carrion from stillborn lambs (some lamb pre- page longer. dation), expelled afterbirths, and expected in- The final chapter presents evidence, largely cidental adult mortality, Ratcliffe describes in anecdotal form, relating to the reported in- sheep that die from being “cast” or “couped” telligence of ravens. This is followed by 4 ap- (rolled on their backs and unable to right pendices presenting information documenting themselves-p. SS), and sheep that die from raven flocks and roosts (appendix 1, 9 pages), falling off of ledges on which they were describing the varied calls of the raven (ap- “crag-fast” (having descended partway down pendix 2, 3 pages), detailing the physical ap- a cliff to a grassy ledge from which they could pearance of the raven (appendix 3, 3 pages), not escape-p. 82). He also describes (p. 72) and listing the scientific names of the 133 an- their ability to follow hunters in apparent an- imal and 49 plant species referenced in the ticipation of feeding on the “gralloch” of Red text (appendix 4, 3 pages). The 27 tables (33 ORNITHOLOGICAL LITERATURE 447 pages) are packed with data on nest site se- as a Birds Directive explicitly for bird con- lection, band recoveries, pesticide levels, servation. brood sizes, and related information. Much of Farmland covers nearly half of the land sur- this may be of little direct use to readers from face of the EU and is the major land-use there. outside of Britain and Ireland, but it is con- Much of the environmental concern arising sistent with Ratcliffes’ apparent desire to pres- from agricultural impacts on wildlife derives ent all that he has learned about the ravens of from the evolution of technological and policy this region, and it provides a very useful point developments that favor intensification and of reference for students of ravens elsewhere concentration of particular activities: where in the world. once a wise farmer managed both stock and Ratcliffe has chosen an easy to read, casual small grains, now economics and technology style centered around his personal experienc- demand specialization on the one or the other. es, but he has included numerous citations and In the UK, where the impetus in this direction lots of data. For me, this was a fun book to began with the 1947 Agricultural Act, long read, and I do not expect a more comprehen- before the CAP was conceived, this intensifi- sive book on the Northern Raven anytime cation is most pronounced, with 16% of all soon. It will be my reference of choice for the farms above 100 ha (247 acres), 33% of them species.-THOMAS W. FRENCH. above 50 ha, and with only 13% smaller than 5 ha. In contrast Greece, a newcomer to the EU, has 78% of its farms this small. One sta- tistic from this book (from a review chapter by Clive Potter) dramatically captures the eco- FARMING AND BIRDS IN EUROPE: nomic forces toward specialization: a farm THE COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY family in the Netherlands (intensive highly AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR BIRD CON- specialized farming) averages 11 times the in- SERVATION. Edited by Deborah J. Pain and come of a Portugese farm family still pursuing Michael W. Pienkowski. Academic Press, environment-friendly mixed farming! London, England. 1997: 436 pp. $99.95.- The environmental consequences of sys- The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of tematic financial support for agricultural pro- the subtitle refers to the harmonized agricul- duction have been striking. Fertilizer use in tural support system of the European Union EU countries has increased 400-fold since (EU). The EU is indeed a curious political 1950, machines used increased 45% between beast, at least to American eyes: imagine 1970 and 1988, and major restructuring-the something akin to the progression of the amalgamation of small farms into fewer large Union as new states joined but compressed in ones-has progressed apace. What has ac- time to about 25 years and with the new part- companied this intensification of agriculture ners already well established nations with his- has been the wholesale removal of hedges, tories dating to pre-Columban times! The trees, small woods, ponds, and wetlands. Such changes and adapting needed would be large habitat loss and fragmentation have resulted indeed, and this is manifest in the environ- in the extinction of three species of flowering mental policies of the EU. The EU originated plant and at least three dragonfly species and in the 1958 European Economic Community one butterfly species in Britain alone. In Ger- (Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Nether- many some 400 species of vascular plants lands, and Luxembourg) but expanded in have declined, with 40% of bird species and 1973 to include the United Kingdom, Ireland, 50% of mammal species on the “Red List” and Denmark, later adding Greece in 198 1 of threatened and endangered species affected and Spain and Portugal in 1986 (when the by such intensification. Such data-from a EEC became the European Community). In spread of countries across Europe-are the 1995 when Austria, Sweden and Finland concerns of this book. joined what had become the European Union, The book comprises 14 chapters, with a the largest free trade area in the world had foreword from the EU Commissioner for Ag- mandatory transnational policies for agricul- riculture and Rural Development, Franz tural and the environment (inter alia), as well Fischler. The first four chapters are introduc- 448 THE WILSON BULLETIN l Vol. 110, No. 3, September 1998 tory in nature, the first being a scene-setting of the Spanish dehesas (M. Diaz, l? Campos, chapter by the editors and the second (by and E J. Pulido), and birds and farming in the Clive Potter) an account of changes in farm- pseudosteppes (E Sukez, M. A. Naveso and land in Europe over the last 30 years. The E. De Juana). Dehesas are wood pastures or major changes with environmental concern- savannahs, typically grazed grasslands popu- intensification, specialization, and marginali- lated with holm oak, Quercus ilex, or cork zation-are reviewed as to their origins and oak, Q. suber, and provide feeding grounds propagation within a system of CAP farm sup- for such spectacular species as the Spanish port. The chapter by Nigel Robson provides a Imperial Eagle, Black Vulture, Aegypius mon- fascinating historical analysis of the EUs’ uchus, and Black Stork, Ciconiu niger. Pseu- Common Agricultural Policy and the evolu- dosteppes provide a dryland mosaic of habi- tion of its relationship to the Directive on the tats of cereal crops, dry legumes, and winter Environment. Robson is a gifted writer with and short rotation fallows that support such the rare knack of being able to distill a welter rare species as the Great Bustard. Dehesas and of factual material into a coherent synthesis pseudosteppes are rather marginal farming that yet does justice to the intrinsic complexity systems vulnerable to intensification, yet un- of the issues. This chapter should be included protected as to their conservation value. Sim- in the reading lists of every graduate course ilarly, low intensity, extensive grazing systems in resource policy or resource economics. The are economically marginal but have long been fourth chapter, by Graham Tucker, describes of significance for raptors in Spain (Chapter the importance of farmed landscapes in Eu- 5, by J. A. Donazar, M. A. Naveso, J. L. Tella, rope for bird conservation priorities. Tuckers’ and D. Campion). The short to medium fallow data synthesis shows that farmland is both the rotations (5-7 years) in steppe areas provide richest habitat for birds of all major European a mosaic of winter stubbles and grassland that habitats and the one that has the largest pro- supports many small birds that in turn provide portion of species in trouble across Europe. food for raptors; and free-ranging livestock, Within farmland, arable and agriculturally im- particularly sheep, provide carcasses for vul- proved grasslands hold the highest number of tures. As in all the habitat chapters, the con- bird species, including five globally threat- sequences for birds of the current CAP and of ened species (Red-breasted Goose Brunta ruf possible future changes in it are explicitly re- icollis, Imperial Eagle Aquila heliacu, Lesser viewed. For these grasslands, for example, fa- Kestrel FuZco nuumunni, Great Bustard Otis vorable headage payments under the CAP turdu, and Corncrake Crex crex). Across have led to sheep being kept on the grasslands farmland as a whole, grass conversion, the in- for longer, leading to over-grazing and in- direct effects of pesticides, and abandonment crease in bare ground. In addition, increased of marginal farmland each threaten 30% or use of pesticides on crops is reducing arthro- more of declining species, and crop improve- pod abundance and the abundance of passer- ment impacts another 27% or so. Other major ines they once supported. agricultural threats include high stocking Chapter 6 is a further contribution by Dick rates, drainage, irrigation, and crop specializa- Potts to the bird ecology of cereal ecosystems tion. Robsons’ and Tuckers’ chapters are prob- and continues his unrivaled, now 28-year-old ably the most significant in the book for North study of the Gray Partridge Perdix perdix. He American readers, not so much for the de- concludes that four elements of cereal inten- tails-the political and ecological particulars sification-use of herbicides, abandonment of are too different from the U.S. and Canada to undersowing to establish grass/legume leys, be directly applicable-but for the insight cessation of arable farming in hill regions, and they provide into the general issues involved summer use of foliar insecticides-have re- in balancing agricultural land use and bird duced insect abundance and increased chick conservation. starvation, with an 83% reduction in partridge The second part of the book describes is- numbers across Europe. His data notably sues associated with particular habitats. Three show that even the 1992 reforms of the of the chapters are detailed accounts of Span- CAP-intended to ameliorate the environ- ish issues, covering respectively the ecology mental damage of production-oriented subsi- ORNITHOLOGICAL LITERATURE 449 dies while at the same time bringing the run- bying effort sustained financially and organ- away financial costs of the CAP under con- izationally by the RSPB but not conducive to trol-have failed to redress the partridges’ much diversity of views of the problem. (The problems from intensification. Chapter 8 fo- book was in fact published for the RSPB by cuses on another cereal system, that of rice Academic Press). The narrow national base cultivation. Here Mauro Fasola and Xavier of authorship left me feeling dissatisfied with Rufz discuss the possible role of rice produc- the books’ lop-sided geographical coverage, tion as a substitute for wetlands being with Spain, in particular, receiving dispro- drained with CAP subsidies. A chapter by portionate treatment for a European book. Norbert Lefranc analyzes how intensification Although the bias is offset in part by the ex- has induced landscape-level changes that ap- cellent review articles already mentioned, pear to account for the precipitous decline of one wishes for contributions reflecting some most shrike (Lanius sp.) populations in west- of the fine land-use and farmland ecology ern Europe. The remaining two habitat chap- studies performed in Sweden, Denmark, and ters comprise another contribution by Albert Germany. The lack of a biogeographic per- Beintema to the ecology of grassland birds spective is also noticeably missing (though (here with coauthors Euan Dunn and David Potter does note the regional geography of Stroud), and a chapter by Andy Evans re- farming in his review). viewing the ecology of seed-eating species Traditional low intensity farmed land- on mixed farmland in the United Kingdom. scapes have long been harbors of rich bio- Evans shows that the loss of mixed farming diversity, yet agricultural change is now the may have been responsible for the major de- most frequent cause of European bird popu- clines in populations of seed-eating birds in lation declines. Graham Tuckers’ conclusion the UK: eight of these species have declined is striking: “. . . farmland bird habitats are by 52-89% since the late 1960s. The editors now, quite simply, the foremost bird conser- provide a synthesis chapter, largely recapit- vation priority in Europe.” Why have tradi- ulating the recurrent themes of the individual tional conservation measures failed European chapters. Here American proponents of the birds so badly? The problem is that conser- Farm Conservation Reserve Program will vation interest has focused essentially only note the conclusion that set-aside (the EUs’ on site-based measures such as designation equivalent of the CRP) has substantial con- of protected areas and the establishment of servation potential that is being realized for nature reserves. These fail for agricultural some but not all species. The final chapter is birds for three main reasons. First, most such a closing review by James Dixon on the fu- species are widely dispersed in one or more ture threats and opportunities of European stages of their annual cycle. Second, empha- agriculture. This chapter is less a review than sis has been on protecting natural habitats, in a futurists’ view of the CAP but at its core is the idea that agricultural policy must even- part the result of the mistaken belief that ag- tually turn from an emphasis on production ricultural habitats are of low conservation to an emphasis on, and re-distribution of the importance. Third, and in my view perhaps benefits of the policy towards social and en- the most important, statutory protection of vironmental purposes. sites does not provide for the maintenance of The scope of this book is more accurately the traditional, often low intensity, farming captured by its subtitle than by its title and it systems that many of the most important bird is only the handful of ecological chapters that species depend on. Despite current emphasis match expectations raised by the title. Only on landscape approaches to conservation, 6 of the European Union member nations are this point is perhaps the one least developed represented among the 23 authors, and 19 of in our present thinking about conservation these are from just 2 countries (Spain 10, biology on this side of the Atlantic. This United Kingdom 9). Five of the authors are book is a salutory reminder of the need to from the same organization (the UKs’ Royal broaden our horizons if grassland and farm- Society for the Protection of Birds), testa- land birds are to receive effective conserva- ment to the strength of the research and lob- tion support.-RAYMOND J. OCONNOR.’ 450 THE WILSON BULLETIN l Vol. 110, No. 3, September 1998

THE BIRDS OF THE CAPE VERDE IS- its.” This somewhat surprising section is an LANDS: AN ANNOTATED CHECK-LIST By unabashed apologia for the Phylogenetic Spe- Comelis J. Hazevoet. B.O.U. Check-list No. cies Concept (PSC), of which Hazevoet is a 13.British Ornithologists ’ Union, Tring, Herts, principal protagonist. My first reaction was UK. 1995: 192 pp. & 17.00 cloth (ca. US$ that its use was inappropriate in a faunal 26.00).-For anyone even remotely interested in monograph. Subsequently, I concluded that he distributional ornithology, the B.O.U. Check- has perfect right to do so, even if I might not lists are goldmines of information attractively agree with it. Moreover, it is one of the best- presented, reasonably priced, and usually stan- if not the bestdoncise expositions of the dards against which many avifaunal efforts can PSC that I have read. be measured. That for the Cape Verde Islands The upshot is that several CVI taxa that the (hereafter, CVI) is no exception. Biological Species Concept (BSC) might con- Following the Check-lists ’ recent trend of sider allopatric races, Hazevoet treats as sep- using a cover color photo of a bird typifying arate species and therefore CVI endemics. He the area (in this case, a splendid Brown Booby splits them into 11 landbirds‘ ’ [Ardea (pur- in flight), after the usual front matter the book purea) bournei, Milvus (milvus) fasciicauda, is divided into three major sections. First is Buteo (buteo) bannermanni, Falco (tinnun- the Introduction (pp. 15-80) covering history; culus) neglectus, F. (tinnunculus) alexandri, geology and geography; climate; vegetation F. (peregrinus) madens, Apus (unicolor) al- and habitat; breeding seasons; migration; con- exandri, Tyto (alba) detorta, Alauda razae, servation; zoogeography; endemics; and the Acrocephalus (rufescens) brevipennis, and history of CVI ornithological exploration. Passer (motitensis) iagoensis] and 3 seabirds Eleven excellent black-and-white, geopolitical [Pterodroma feae, Calonectris, (diomedea) maps depict the ten main islands but none of edwardsi, and PufJinus (assimilis) boydi]. the (unnumbered) islets. Second, and the heart Readers will note that a number of these are of the book, is the Systematic List (pp. 81- also widely regarded as distinct species under 147), treating 144 numbered “species” (see the BSC (e.g., Feas’ Petrel, Raso Lark, and below why I put this term in quotes). Iago Sparrow). A 48-figure, 24-page, color section features He sinks as not “diagnosably distinct” two habitats in the CVI and stunning photos of seabird subspecies (Pelagodroma marina ea- such birds as Cape Verde (CV) Cane Warbler, desi and Fregata magnificens lowei) and eight CV Swift, CV Little Shearwater, CV Kite, CV landbird races (Coturnix c. inopinata, Curso- Shearwater, the whimsically translated Ne- rius cursor exsul, Halcyon leucocephala ac- glected Kestrel, Brown-necked Raven, Raso teen, Eremopteryx n. nigriceps, Ammomanes [sic] Lark, lago Sparrow, and Hoopoe Lark. c. cincturus, Alaemon alaudipes boavistae, The Frontispiece was a letdown: a black-and- Sylvia conspicillata orbitalis, and Sylvia atri- white photo of the nest and plain white egg capilla gularis), considering them either ends of Feas’ Petrel, even though probably the first of clines or only weakly morphologically dif- ever published. ferentiated. Neither is he keen on the very Several of the extremely useful Appendices concept of subspecies (“It will, therefore, (pp. 148-167) that have become hallmarks of probably be better to abandon the subspecies‘ ’ B.O.U. Check-lists follow: omitted species; category altogether and look for other ways taxa named from CVI specimens; banded of describing intraspecific variation”), al- (ringed) birds recovered in the CVI; a table of though he finds subspecies‘ ’ (always pejora- CVI ornithological explorations (encapsulat- tively in quotes) useful, as do many of us, in ing information presented in the Introduction); deducing the origins of migrants and vagrants a gazetteer with full latilong data; local names (in the present volume: Little Bittern, Black- of CVI birds; and the inter-island distribution crowned Night Heron, Intermediate Egret, of CVI breeding species. A bibliography (pp. Eurasian Spoonbill, Eurasian Teal, Eurasian 168-174) closes the book. Kestrel, Collared Pratincole, Little Ringed What quickly sets this volume apart from Plover, Dunlin, et mult. al.). other B.O.U. Checklists is Appendix 4 (pp. The species accounts are informative and 153-157), “Species concepts and systemat- up to date, usually with such subheadings as ORNITHOLOGICAL LITERATURE 451 movements, breeding, taxonomy, and where west] and occasionally even the continental appropriate, status broken down island by is- U.S. Thus, species present as migrants or va- land. English names regrettably fail to meet a grants in the CVI also need to be considered globally-unique standard, perpetuating such candidates for Western Hemisphere occur- quintessentially Anglocentric names as rence. In this regard, it is fascinating and oc- “Night Heron,” “Storm Petrel,” “Gannet,” casionally eye-opening to consider the occur- “Teal,” “Pochard,” “Coot” and of course rence, frequency, and subspecific identity of that old favorite, “Swallow-a’‘ bit disap- the species in the CVI. pointing in a B.O.U. publication. This is a splendid volume, chock full of in- A close reading of the entire book was re- formation, beautifully presented, well-bound warding, and, amazingly, I noticed only a sin- (it lies flat), and these days, a bargain at gle (trivial) typo. I was disappointed that no E17.00. I recommend it enthusiastically.-P measurements were given in discussions of A. BUCKLEY. any of his taxonomic diagnoses, and I would have preferred more detailed treatment of geo- strophic and seasonal wind patterns, and of water temperatures and currents. Regrettably, THE BIRDS OF AFRICA, volume 5 there were neither bathymetric nor vegetative [BOA5]. Edited by Emil K. Urban, C. Hilary cover maps, both of which would have aided Fry, and Stuart Keith. Academic Press, Lon- readers in interpreting distribution and abun- don. 1997: xix and 669 pp., 32 color plates, dance patterns. numerous line drawings and maps. $149.00 Under each species account it would have (cloth).-This series, with its well-researched made far better zoogeographic sense, especial- species accounts and with all species and dis- ly to readers unfamiliar with the global ranges tinctive subspecies illustrated, has become the of treated species, to have had capsule de- standard work on African birds. In this vol- scriptions of their complete ranges before de- ume, the authors of the species accounts are tails of their CVI distributions. Likewise, the C. Erard, C. H. Fry, L. G. Grimes, M. P S. useful term “vagrant” is probably debased Irwin, S. Keith, P C. Lack, R. de Naurois, D. when applied to species whose occurrence in Pearson, A. Prigogine, A. Tye, and E. K. Ur- a given area may merely be a function of ban; the color plates are by Martin Woodcock, numbers of observers and time afield-and and the line drawings of birds and nests are not of true geographical vagrancy. For ex- by Ian Willis. ample, I suspect that in the CVI, Sooty Shear- The main text of BOA5 is 600 pages of water, Red-footed Booby, Black-crowned species accounts for Turdidae thrushes (Mon- Night Heron, and Little Bittern, to name a ticola, Zoothera, and Turdus; the others were few, fall into the former, not the true vagrant, in BOA4), Sylviidae Old World warblers, category. “Expected but infrequently record- Muscicapidae flycatchers, Monarchidae para- ed” would be a more accurate (but longer) dise flycatchers and monarchs, and Platysteir- term. idae wattle-eyes and batises. Measurements of One feature I applaud is the inclusion in the wing, tail, bill, and tarsus and body weights appropriate systematic locations of bracketed are reported by sex. Subspecies are compared species that have occurred within the CVI area and sometimes characterized by measure- but only at sea, or which have never been ments. Maps show species distributions. Other found anywhere in the area but ought to occur. material includes regional locality maps, fam- I might make the case for highlighting these ily and genus descriptions, a list of song disks in a collected Appendix rather than burying and cassettes and names of recordists as com- them in the text body, but either way its’ use- piled by C. Chappuis, notes to correct previ- ful information. ous volumes, lists of full References by region The CVI sit at sea some 300 miles (500 km) and by taxonomic group, and an index with west of the bulge of West Africa, where many scientific (genus, species, subspecies) and En- hurricanes form in September in the intertrop- glish species names. ical convergence zone, routinely reaching the The species accounts are generally accurate Lesser Antilles [ca 1800 miles (2900 km) and informative, though some are long on de- 452 THE WILSON BULLETIN * Vol. 110, No. 3, September1998 scription, feather by feather, and frugal on reedbeds alongside C. (gulactotes) luapula. documentation in spite of the extensive Ref- The case illustrates the need for more field- erences lists. BOA5 has O-5 (to 11) references work and underscores the importance of at the end of each species account and the text BOA5 as a basis from which to expand our usually cites a few others. There has been so current information. little fieldwork on many African songbirds The BOA notes on song lead one to appre- that it is worth documenting what is known ciate the conditions in which songs are criteria with more text citations. Why not include the of species identity. Some forms of Bar-throat- sources of statements that many warblers are ed Apalis (A. thorucicu) do not respond to parasitized by Prodotiscus honey-guides, and each others’ songs on playback, and several certain warblers are parasitized by all three species may be involved. Songs also differ be- families of African brood parasites (cuckoos, tween distinctive geographic color forms of honey-guides, and the Viduidae Cuckoo- Yellow-breasted Apalis (A. Jlavidu) and these finches)? In error, Winding Cisticola (C. gal- may include more than one species. In con- actotes), Pectoral-patch Cisticola (C. brunnes- trast, Black-headed Apalis (A. melanocepha- tens), and Singing Cisticola (C. cantuns) are la) songs vary geographically independently said to be parasitized by Pin-tailed Whydahs of the variation in plumage. Another compli- (Vidua mucrouru). The error traces to breed- cation in using song behavior as a species cri- ing records in Ethiopia (R. E. Cheesman and terion is that two species (A. ulticola) and W. L. Sclater, 1935. Ibis 13:594-622; 1936. Chapins’ Apalis (A. chupini) may countersing 14: 163-197) where the young brood parasites with each other. On the other hand, the songs were originally identified as whydahs, but in of some clearly divergent thrush species are fact were Cuckoo-finches (Anomulospizu im- similar or indistinguishable. Among the re- berbis), as reidentified in Cheesmans’ speci- sults that encourage us to record all these Af- mens in the Museum of Natural History at rican songbirds wherever we find them, Afri- Tiing and recognized by J. P Chapin (1954 can Thrush (Turdus pelios) and Olive Thrush Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. Bull. 75B) and H. (T. olivuceus) differ in song, mostly phrases Friedmann (1960 U. S. National Museum of 2 notes in T. pelios and 5-8 notes with Bull. 223). alternating high and low notes followed by The decisions about species limits and sub- soft phrases in T. olivaceus. This helps clear species include enough calls of judgment to up earlier reports of the species in the wrong keep field workers busy, and for others inter- areas. ested in biological species. BOA5 will be a BOA life history data will be of interest to useful baseline for fieldwork in recording tropical ecologists and behavioral biologists. songs and working out details of nesting and In addition, the text can help guide systematic breeding behavior. To illustrate, one question ornithologists. One bird of systematic interest involves Winding Cisticola or Black-backed is Oriole Warbler or Moho (Hypergerus utri- Cisticola (CisticoZu gaZuctotes)-the two En- ceps); its plumage suggests an Asian bulbul, glish names are appropriate as more than one while the nest is like a sunbird or an East Af- species is probably involved. Calls and songs rican Grey-capped Warbler (Eminiu lepidu), vary geographically, but no vocalizations in and a French name (not in BOA5) is Timalie south-central Africa correspond with the a t&e noire, indicating a babbler. Another watch-winding call in West Africa that gives theme involves the relationships and dispersal the name “Winding Cisticola.” In northwest- history of warblers in Africa and Asia. A pos- em Zimbabwe on the upper Zambezi River sible Asian connection involves two “African the local “Black-backed Cisticola” have nev- tailorbirds” Artisornis, where one species is er been heard with a winding call like those sometimes placed in Apalis and the other in of West African birds, and the local “C. gal- Prinia (both have 10 rectrices). The two might actotes” in my photos look like luupula in be related to the Asian tailorbirds (Orthoto- northeastern Zambia. Also, in northwestern mus), though other African warblers build tai- Zimbabwe a song (“dzitdzidzee”) more like lorbird-like nests with the leaves stitched to- the winding call of West African C. guluctotes gether: Camaropteru and some Cisticola also is given by Chirping Cisticola C. pipiens in do this. Prinia may be paraphyletic in Africa ORNITHOLOGICAL LITERATURE 453 with more than one dispersal from Asia where trated on identification and description. For a other prinias occur. BOA5 comments give us species picked at random, Greenish Warbler a reality check on the geographic scale that is (Phylloscopus trochiloides), 30.5 column- appropriate in avian systematics. inches are devoted to identification and Hab- The Birds of Africa series continues to im- itat and Behaviour are covered in 4 column- prove with information on natural history and inches. In many cases the extensive identifi- systematic summaries, clear maps, and useful cation space is devoted to comparing “Con- and attractive color plates. This volume brings fusion Species,” a real plus in these difficult together what is known for each species and genera. Identification by song is important in points out where good field observations are this group, but the Voice section of the text is needed. Everyone with an interest in African not very helpful. birds should have the series, or make it avail- The author-artist has been quite successful able in their institutional library.-ROBERT with his color plates which are the best I have B. PAYNE. seen in this series of books. The figures of the few members of the genus Sylvia with which I have had experience and those whose mu- seum specimens I examined all seemed to be WARBLERS OF EUROPE, ASIA AND accurate portrayals. The color reproduction NORTH AFRICA. By Kevin Baker. Princeton may be a little too bright but the shapes and Univ. Press, Princeton, New Jersey. 1997: 400 poses of the birds are good. pp., 48 color plates, 145 range maps, many The range maps are somewhat better than black-and-white sketches. $49.50.-The latest in most of this series. They are still too small, volume in the “Helm” series of family mono- but the shade of yellow makes better contrast graphs covers a portion of the traditional sub- with the white page and the base maps have family Sylviinae. The geographical range is of enough detail to identify the area. Unfortu- the whole Palearctic, North Africa, and the nately in a few cases the base map did not rest of mainland Asia. One hundred forty five print and the maps consist of a blue blob (win- of the approximate 350+ species in the sub- ter range) and a yellow blob (breeding range) family are treated. hanging in space. The format of this series is now well As has been mentioned in reviews of other known. A brief introduction is followed by the books in this series (c.f., Wilson Bull. 109: 48 colored plates accompanied by a small 366-367, 1977) it is unlikely that anyone range map for each species. The main text would carry this on a trip abroad and since treats the species accounts under the headings: only one species, the Arctic Warbler (Phyllo- Identification, Description, Geographical Vari- scopus borealis) occurs in North America ation, Moult, Voice, Habitat and Behaviour, (only western Alaska) the main reason for Distribution, Measurements, and References. buying this book is to expand ones’ bookshelf Individual accounts may be 3-4 pages long. devoted to Birds of the World. For that pur- The birds of this subfamily present some of pose this is a fine addition.-GEORGE A. the most difficult identification problems in HALL. ornithology. Some genera consist of a series of L.B.J.s (Little Brown Jobs). The genus Phylloscopus is represented by 37 species, all of which will look like fall immature Pine DEMOGRAPHY OF THE NORTHERN Warblers (Dendroica pinus) to most readers of SPOTTED OWL. Edited by Forsman, E. D., the Bulletin. The omission of sub-Saharan Af- S. DeStefano, M. G. Raphael, and R. J. Gu- rica means that only two species of the really tierrez. 1996. Studies in Avian Biology 17:1- difficult genus Cisticola are included and we 122. $20.00 (available from Cooper Omitho- are saved from having to face the 43 African logical Society, % Western Foundation of species with their participial English names. Vertebrate Zoology, 439 Calle San Pablo, The text contains less information about the Camarillo, California 93010.-The Northern habitat and behavior of the birds than some of Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) is the other books in the series and is concen- perhaps the best known symbol of problems 454 THE WILSON BULLETIN l Vol. 110, No. 3, September 1998 and conflict resulting from the effects of ex- of “extensive loss and fragmentation of an es- ploitation of natural resources on endangered timated 80% of late-seral stage forest within species. This old growth species from the Pa- the last 40 years.” cific Northwest has been both the instrument Theres’ a lot of conservation history within used to draw attention to the disappearance of these pages, a lot of evidence of the conten- old growth forests and the instrument used to tious nature of recent Spotted Owl history, attack the Endangered Species Act. In recent and it seems in reading this volume that con- years the battle has become more refined such siderable thought went into every word. It that, as Gutierrez et al. note in their chapter seems as if every step of the studies-from on the history of demographic studies of this field work to analyses to interpretation-was bird, “demographic information and popula- in need of justification and subjected to in- tion models have become weapons‘ of choice ’ credible scrutiny. Its’ as if the words might among competing advocacy groups.” end up in court. And well they might.-JE- The controversies surrounding Spotted ROME A. JACKSON. Owls and old growth revealed a serious lack of data on the population dynamics of the spe- cies, thus stimulating several mark-recapture studies during 1985-1990. This volume in- SHRIKES, A GUIDE TO THE SHRIKES cludes papers presented at a 1993 workshop OF THE WORLD. By Norbert Lefranc, illus. held in Fort Collins, Colorado, with additional by Tim Worfolk. Yale University Press, New papers added on background and techniques Haven, Connecticut. 1997: 192 pp., 16 color and synthesis of results to create a more com- plates with caption figs., 33 range maps, more plete publication. The individual papers are than 20 unnumbered text figures. $35.00 presented in journal format, with a single lit- (cloth).-The Laniidae are the only passerine erature cited section at the end. An appendix family that is strongly adapted for predation. defines symbols and technical terms used. Most members of this unique family impale Studies included in this volume encompass or wedge prey. This potentially serves two the work of agency and university biologists, functions: one is to form a storage site, or with the notable withdrawal of data from three “larder” where food can be stockpiled; the forest industry studies. Data from 11 studies other is to anchor down prey items too big to (1 in northern California, 2 in Washington, swallow whole, such that smaller pieces can and 8 in Oregon) are included, all of which be pulled off and eaten. were collected using similar protocols that are This book is a thorough treatment of our discussed in the chapter by A. B. Franklin et current knowledge about this fascinating fam- al. Thus it is argued that the resulting data can ily. It begins with an excellent overview of be compared and combined. The combined ef- the taxonomy of this group. Until quite re- fort in these studies resulted in 6059 owls cently, as many as 74 species were placed in banded, a sample size rivaling those enjoyed this family, including bush-shrikes, tchagras, by those studying some songbirds. These re- gonoleks and helmet-shrikes. This initial sec- sulted in over 6500 captures/recaptures of tion gives a superb account of the history and birds initially captured as territorial adults. logic behind narrowing down the family to 30 Thus, sample sizes were large enough to allow species in just three genera: 26 species of Lan- demographic inferences from capture-recap- ius; two of Corvinella, and two of Euroce- ture analyses. phalus. It also provides extremely helpful dis- From analyses of these combined data sets, cussions of species problems within the genus K. l? Burnham et al. conclude that (1) annual Lanius. survival of females captured as adults has de- Following the taxonomic considerations is clined significantly over time and that a sim- a well-written, detailed, and useful overview ilar trend for males is suggested, the popula- of the biology (ecology, behavior, conserva- tion of resident females is declining on most tion biology) of each of the familys’ three gen- of the 11 areas, and the rate of population de- era. Oddly, on page 41, after the end of these cline is accelerating. Raphael et al., in the final two introductory chapters, there suddenly ap- chapter, suggest that these declines are a result pears a section entitled “Style and Layout of ORNITHOLOGICAL LITERATURE 455 the Book”. One wonders why it is located part races and even a few hybrids. In addition, way through the book, instead of at the be- among the many line drawings are half a doz- ginning where it seems to belong. en detailed diagrams of wings and/or tails Following these introductory sections are showing subtle interspecific differences be- the individual species accounts. The coverage tween species (for birds in the hand). is broad and careful; where information is Typographical errors were remarkably few lacking, this is pointed out. The material is up- and of the modem kind, i.e., those that pass to-date, and there is an impressive bibliogra- through spell-checks. Thus one finds a redun- phy of more than 600 references. Given all dant “closely” (p. 29); on instead of in (p. this, I was surprised to find the claim that it 103); nest cap for nest cup (p. 115); and the like. The most serious of these was “inverte- is impossible to tell male from female Log- brates” where clearly what was meant was gerhead Shrikes based on plumage. At least in vertebrates (page 15). the population I worked on in central Wash- A very nice feature is a list of “Useful Ad- ington State, adult males were consistently dresses” where anyone newly infected with bluer gray, with females being somewhat the “shrike virus” can write to contact others browner in color. However, this is a minor similarly infected, although it is perhaps a bit quibble. Overall the species accounts are a su- surprising that no email addresses are includ- perb resource, presenting well-organized in- ed in this list. formation on behavior, ecology, migration pat- This delightful book represents a solid con- terns, and conservation biology of every tribution to our understanding of the biology shrike species. and problems of conservation of this fasci- One of the real strengths of the book is the nating family. I recommend this beautifully il- set of 16 color plates by Tim Worfolk. These lustrated and informative book to anyone in- outstanding plates depict 140 individuals, and terested in shrikes, or indeed anyone who en- include adult males, adult females, and juve- joys well-written accounts of avian natural niles of all 30 species, as well as many distinct history.-SUSAN M. SMITH.

This issue of The Wilson Bulletin was published on 28 August 1998.