Owls of the World: A Photographic Guide
Owls have fascinated humans for thousands of years and engendered varied beliefs and symbols in many far-flung regions of the world. A parliament of owls is a literary collective noun not found in nature—except for burrowing owls, which often live in colonies. Owls are wise (hence the parliament) and the associate of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. Owls may be associated with magic and sometimes death, even in recent times. They are also very vulnerable because of their habitat needs, and some of those habitats are undergoing extensive human development.   Nearly 250 owl species are found in the photographs, maps, and text of this important book. It is also a field-guide summary to what is known about these often solitary and elusive denizens of the night. The lengthy introductory material includes essays on what makes an owl an owl—from physical features to calls to behaviors. There is also a section on “Humans and Owls,” detailing interesting trivia. Entries feature common and scientific names, physical size, identifying features, call, food and hunting behavior, habitat, status and distribution, geographical variation, and similar species. Several photographs accompany each species entry, and these photographs help to make real that which is rarely seen or derived from scholarly texts. Artists and illustrators will find many of the photographs useful as reference for their works. Recommended for most libraries—good value and quality for the price. --Linda Scarth