How Birds Evolve: What Science Reveals about Their Origin, Lives, and Diversity

How Birds Evolve explores how evolution has shaped the distinctive characteristics and behaviors of birds, covering topics such as species meaning and origin, diversity, reproductive behaviors, plumage ornaments, and social behaviors. It explains how natural selection enables different forms of the same species to persist and how adaptation accounts for the diverse life histories of birds. It also discusses why some parts of the planet have more species than others and how evolutionary science can help us understand bird extinction and habitat destruction.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 19 October 2021
Publisher: Princeton University Press

Birds have undergone a remarkable evolutionary journey, and How Birds Evolve explores the fascinating ways in which evolution has shaped their distinctive characteristics and behaviors. In this comprehensive book, Douglas Futuyma delves into the wonders of birds, covering topics such as the meaning and origin of species, the evolutionary history of bird diversity, and the evolution of avian reproductive behaviors, plumage ornaments, and social behaviors. Futuyma begins by examining how birds evolved from nonavian dinosaurs and reveals the insights we can gain from studying the family tree of birds. He explores the mechanisms of natural selection, which enable different forms of the same species to persist, and discusses how adaptation by natural selection accounts for the diverse life histories of birds and the rich variety of avian parenting styles, mating displays, and cooperative behaviors. Futuyma also explains why some parts of the planet have so many more species than others and asks what an evolutionary perspective brings to urgent questions about bird extinction and habitat destruction. Throughout the book, Futuyma provides an insider's perspective on how biologists practice evolutionary science, from studying the fossil record to comparing DNA sequences among and within species. How Birds Evolve is a must-read for bird enthusiasts and curious naturalists, as it shows how evolutionary biology helps us better understand birds and their natural history and how the study of birds has informed all aspects of evolutionary science since the time of Darwin.

Weight: 700g
Dimension: 166 x 242 x 33 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691182629