NPR's All Things Considered, calls Queer Ducks teenager-friendly. It's a Printz Honor young adult book filled with comics and humor and accessible science, and it's filled with research on the diversity of sexual behavior in the animal world.

This groundbreaking illustrated YA nonfiction title from two-time National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author Eliot Schrefer is a well-researched and teen-friendly exploration of the gamut of queer behaviors observed in animals.

A quiet revolution has been underway in recent years, with study after study revealing substantial same-sex sexual behavior in animals. Join celebrated author Eliot Schrefer on an exploration of queer behavior in the animal world--from albatrosses to bonobos to clownfish to doodlebugs.

In sharp and witty prose--aided by humorous comics from artist Jules Zuckerberg--Schrefer uses science, history, anthropology, and sociology to illustrate the diversity of sexual behavior in the animal world. Interviews with researchers in the field offer additional insights for readers and aspiring scientists.

Queer behavior in animals is as diverse and complex--and as natural--as it is in our own species. It doesn't set us apart from animals--it bonds us even closer to our animal selves.

Birds are disappearing.

Birds are nature's essential workers, and they are crucial members of ecosystems around the world. Hummingbirds pollinate our flowers; cardinals munch on beetles, grasshoppers, and other pests that damage crops; owls eat rodents that can spread disease; vultures clean up roadkill and other waste. Beyond their practical aspects, birds bring us joy through their songs and beautiful feathers.

But since 1970, nearly 30 percent of all birds in the United States and Canada have vanished. Scientists are scrambling to figure out what may be causing such a drastic decline. The answer: humans. City lights and tall glass skyscrapers disorient migrating birds. Domesticated cats prowling outdoors kill billions of birds each year. Pesticides contaminate fish and insects, which are then consumed by birds of prey. And climate change might disrupt and even wipe out feeding grounds for entire species.

Discover the vast impacts birds have on ecosystems, food systems, and human communities, and learn more about what scientists are doing to protect them.

Never have my astonishment, wonder, and admiration been so stirred as when I have witnessed these birds drop from their course like meteors from heaven. --Simon Pokagon, Potawatomi tribal leader

In pushing other species to extinction, humanity is busy sawing off the limb on which it is perched. -- American biologist Paul R. Ehrlich

There's something everyone can do in their lives and in their communities to make it a better place for birds and people. -- Gary Langham, chief scientist, National Audubon Society

The tragedy of extinction is explained through the dramatic story of a legendary bird, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, and of those who tried to possess it, paint it, shoot it, sell it, and, in a last-ditch effort, save it. A powerful saga that sweeps through two hundred years of history, it introduces artists like John James Audubon, bird collectors like William Brewster, and finally a new breed of scientist in Cornell's Arthur A. Doc Allen and his young ornithology student, James Tanner, whose quest to save the Ivory-bill culminates in one of the first great conservation showdowns in U.S. history, an early round in what is now a worldwide effort to save species. As hope for the Ivory-bill fades in the United States, the bird is last spotted in Cuba in 1987, and Cuban scientists join in the race to save it.

All this, plus Mr. Hoose's wonderful story-telling skills, comes together to give us what David Allen Sibley, author of The Sibley Guide to Birds calls the most thorough and readable account to date of the personalities, fashions, economics, and politics that combined to bring about the demise of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker.

The Race to Save the Lord God Bird is the winner of the 2005 Boston Globe - Horn Book Award for Nonfiction and the 2005 Bank Street - Flora Stieglitz Award.

This new edition of the author's award-winning history features a new chapter about the endlessly debated 2004 Arkansas rediscovery of the ivory-billed woodpecker that made headlines around the world, as well as an expanded introduction and more than a dozen new images.

Birds are disappearing.

Birds are nature's essential workers, and they are crucial members of ecosystems around the world. Hummingbirds pollinate our flowers; cardinals munch on beetles, grasshoppers, and other pests that damage crops; owls eat rodents that can spread disease; vultures clean up roadkill and other waste. Beyond their practical aspects, birds bring us joy through their songs and beautiful feathers.

But since 1970, nearly 30 percent of all birds in the United States and Canada have vanished. Scientists are scrambling to figure out what may be causing such a drastic decline. The answer: humans. City lights and tall glass skyscrapers disorient migrating birds. Domesticated cats prowling outdoors kill billions of birds each year. Pesticides contaminate fish and insects, which are then consumed by birds of prey. And climate change might disrupt and even wipe out feeding grounds for entire species.

Discover the vast impacts birds have on ecosystems, food systems, and human communities, and learn more about what scientists are doing to protect them.

Never have my astonishment, wonder, and admiration been so stirred as when I have witnessed these birds drop from their course like meteors from heaven. --Simon Pokagon, Potawatomi tribal leader

In pushing other species to extinction, humanity is busy sawing off the limb on which it is perched. -- American biologist Paul R. Ehrlich

There's something everyone can do in their lives and in their communities to make it a better place for birds and people. -- Gary Langham, chief scientist, National Audubon Society

Born of a collaboration between naturalist Mabel Osgood Wright, ornithologist Elliott Coues, and bird artist Louis Agassiz Fuertes, the book is vital to the history of birding and the broader study of nineteenth-century American culture and literature. This new edition of Citizen Bird preserves the original book's 111 drawings and adds explanatory footnotes, supplemental historical material, and a new introduction. More than a century and a quarter after its original publication, Elizabeth Cherry and Meghan Freeman contextualize the book in the tradition and history of birding and discuss the roles of its authors and illustrator in birding history. A landmark text in the history of American conservationism, Citizen Bird is a timeless classic that will bring joy to birdwatchers of all ages.

This entertaining and informative guide explains the meanings of bird names, many of which have fascinating origins and stories behind them.

The universal system of 'scientific' names, based largely on Greek and Latin, is used in all good bird books and assists birdwatchers around the world in figuring out exactly what they are looking at. While some of the names are fairly self-explanatory - such as Troglodytes for wren, meaning 'cave-dweller' - others are more mysterious - Caprimulgus for nightjar, for example, meaning 'goat-sucker'.

Covering hundreds of bird species from around the world, Birds: What's In A Name? includes explanations of hundreds of scientific names and common names, as well as delivering a wealth of other facts and trivia relating to the species concerned. In short, it's the most readable and entertaining book on the subject available anywhere.

Anas platyrhynchos (Mallard) 'The duck with the flat beak'.

Ixobrychus minutus (Little Bittern) 'Small reed bellower'.

Strigops habroptilus (Kakapo) A bird that 'looks like an owl, with soft feathers'.

Ptilonorhynchus violaceus (Satin Bowerbird) 'Violet bird with a feathered bill'.

Tachybaptus ruficollis (Little Grebe) 'Literally translated, this is the 'red-collared fast-sinker'.

Born of a collaboration between naturalist Mabel Osgood Wright, ornithologist Elliott Coues, and bird artist Louis Agassiz Fuertes, the book is vital to the history of birding and the broader study of nineteenth-century American culture and literature. This new edition of Citizen Bird preserves the original book's 111 drawings and adds explanatory footnotes, supplemental historical material, and a new introduction. More than a century and a quarter after its original publication, Elizabeth Cherry and Meghan Freeman contextualize the book in the tradition and history of birding and discuss the roles of its authors and illustrator in birding history. A landmark text in the history of American conservationism, Citizen Bird is a timeless classic that will bring joy to birdwatchers of all ages.

This book recounts the true story of how eight charming mallard ducks entered the lives of the author and their loved ones, bringing them an abundance of smiles and laughter. The story is brimming with love and gratitude. Through vivid storytelling and captivating photographs, you are transported into a world where the presence of these feathered friends becomes a source of boundless joy and wonder. Whether you're an early reader needing visual stimulation, a parent seeking a heartwarming tale to share with your child, or an adult longing for a quick dose of happiness, this book has something to offer everyone. What truly sets this book apart is its universal appeal. While it is undeniably a story about ducks, at its core, it's a celebration of the connections we forge with the world around us. Through their endearing antics and playful interactions, the ducks will bring shared laughter and cherished memories, reminding readers of the profound beauty in the simplest of experiences.

The California condor, Gymnogyps californianus, is one of the largest flying birds in the world. When it soars, the wings spread more than nine feet from tip to tip. Condors may weigh more than 20 pounds. The male Andean condor of South America is even larger than our California condor. Both are endangered species.

The spectacular but endangered California condor is the largest bird in North America. These superb gliders travel widely to feed on carcasses of deer, pigs, cattle, sea lions, whales, and other animals. Pairs nest in caves high on cliff faces. The population fell to just 22 birds in the 1980s, but there are now some 230 free-flying birds in California, Arizona, and Baja California with another 160 in captivity. Lead poisoning remains a severe threat to their long-term prospects. Read their story here.

In the natural world, few creatures play a role as essential - and misunderstood - as vultures. Often seen as symbols of death or decay, these remarkable birds are, in fact, nature's unsung heroes, quietly maintaining the delicate balance of ecosystems. Vultures: Nature's Silent Guardians takes readers on an enlightening journey into the world of vultures, uncovering their vital role in cleaning up the environment, preventing the spread of disease, and recycling nutrients back into the earth.

This book explores the fascinating lives of vultures, from their incredible adaptations for scavenging to their important place in the myths and cultures of societies throughout history. It brings to light the critical role vultures play in maintaining healthy ecosystems, while also highlighting the urgent need for their conservation in the face of extinction threats like habitat destruction and poisoning.

Through compelling stories, research insights, and vivid illustrations, Vultures: Nature's Silent Guardians dispels common misconceptions about these birds and reveals their true importance to the natural world. Whether you're a wildlife enthusiast, a conservationist, or simply curious about these often-misunderstood creatures, this book offers an inspiring look at how vultures are essential to the survival of many ecosystems. As we face growing environmental challenges, this book shows that by understanding and protecting vultures, we are also safeguarding the future of our planet.