Owls: Their Natural and Unnatural History

"Owls - Their Natural & Unnatural History," by John Sparks and Tony Soper. Taplinger Pub. Co., NY 1970/1979. ISBN 0-8008-6170-1, HC 206/192 includes Appendix 1-3 (Eyes/Nesting & Injury /Scientific Listing, & Bibliography, & Index & 17 glossy photos and numerous illustrations. 8 ½" x 6" The Authors, zoologist & naturalist, provide a comprehensive treatise on owls, raptors of the night, rarely daytime, with myriads of details extolling the unique and shared features of these precious birds of prey plus an attractive compilation of much that has been written in legend, folklore, mythology, sonnets, scripture and the like on owls. Illustrations by Gillmor are very special. A great amount of detail on numerous species of owls (over 130) is provided in six chapters that cover the A-Z overview and details on those features of design for darkness, owls at home, owl population variances, shapes & sizes of owls & adaptations, and the "unnatural history" of owls covering a wealth of lore written about owls including biblical entries which provides a beautiful closure. This valuable treatise on owls is based on factual data observed & collected by naturalists and zoologists, and can be used as a source book. Having personally taken care of hundreds of raptors, chiefly owls, for some 15 years (Federally & State licensed Wildlife Rehabilitator), I have accumulated considerable experience and many books on the birds of prey, but I find "Owls" to be especially informative, skillfully written and one that should be on your bookshelf. It is unfortunate that the "West Nile Virus" has decimated the indigent population of Bubo virginianus (Great-horned Owl) in portions of Southern California and we look forward to their making a comeback).