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The Genius of Birds
by Jennifer AckermanBirds are astonishingly intelligent creatures. In fact, according to revolutionary new research, some birds rival primates and even humans in their remarkable forms of intelligence. Like humans, many birds have enormous brains relative to their size. Although small, bird brains are packed with neurons that allow them to punch well above their weight.In The Genius of Birds, acclaimed author Jennifer Ackerman explores the newly discovered brilliance of birds and how it came about. As she travels around the world to the most cutting-edge frontiers of research - the distant laboratories of Barbados and New Caledonia, the great tit communities of the United Kingdom and the bowerbird habitats of Australia, the ravaged mid-Atlantic coast after Hurricane Sandy and the warming mountains of central Virginia and the western states - Ackerman not only tells the story of the recently uncovered genius of birds but also delves deeply into the latest findings about the bird brain itself that are revolutionizing our view of what it means to be intelligent.Consider, as Ackerman does, the Clark's nutcracker, a bird that can hide as many as 30,000 seeds over dozens of square miles and remember where it put them several months later; the mockingbirds and thrashers, species that can store 200 to 2,000 different songs in a brain a thousand times smaller than ours; the well-known pigeon, which knows where it's going, even thousands of miles from familiar territory; and the New Caledonian crow, an impressive bird that makes its own tools.But beyond highlighting how birds use their unique genius in technical ways, Ackerman points out the impressive social smarts of birds. They deceive and manipulate. They eavesdrop. They display a strong sense of fairness. They give gifts. They play keep-away and tug-of-war. They tease. They share. They cultivate social networks. They vie for status. They kiss to console one another. They teach their young. They blackmail their parents. They alert one another to danger. They summon witnesses to the death of a peer. They may even grieve.This elegant scientific investigation and travelogue weaves personal anecdotes with fascinating science. Ackerman delivers an extraordinary story that will both give readers a new appreciation for the exceptional talents of birds and let them discover what birds can reveal about our changing world.
What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds
by Jennifer AckermanFrom the New York Times bestselling author of The Genius of Birds and The Bird Way, a brilliant scientific investigation into owls—the most elusive of birds—and why they exert such a hold on human imagination. <p><p> For millennia, owls have captivated and intrigued us. Our fascination with these mysterious birds was first documented more than thirty thousand years ago in the Chauvet Cave paintings in southern France. With their forward gaze and quiet flight, owls are often a symbol of wisdom, knowledge, and foresight. But what does an owl really know? And what do we really know about owls? Though our fascination goes back centuries, scientists have only recently begun to understand in deep detail the complex nature of these extraordinary birds. Some two hundred sixty species of owls exist today, and they reside on every continent except Antarctica, but they are far more difficult to find and study than other birds because they are cryptic, camouflaged, and mostly active in the dark of night. <p><p> Jennifer Ackerman illuminates the rich biology and natural history of these birds and reveals remarkable new scientific discoveries about their brains and behavior. She joins scientists in the field and explores how researchers are using modern technology and tools to learn how owls communicate, hunt, court, mate, raise their young, and move about from season to season. We now know that the hoots, squawks, and chitters of owls follow sophisticated and complex rules, allowing them to express not just their needs and desires but their individuality and identity. Owls duet. They migrate. They hoard their prey. Some live in underground burrows; some roost in large groups; some dine on black widows and scorpions. <p><p> Ackerman brings this research alive with her own personal field observations about owls and dives deep into why these birds beguile us. What an Owl Knows is an awe-inspiring exploration of owls across the globe and through human history, and a spellbinding account of their astonishing hunting skills, communication, and sensory prowess. By providing extraordinary new insights into the science of owls, What an Owl Knows pulls back the curtain on the nature of the world’s most enigmatic group of birds. <p> <b>New York Times Bestseller</b>
What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds
by Jennifer Ackerman*THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* &‘And if anyone knows anything about anything…it's Owl who knows something about something.&’ Winnie-the-Pooh, A. A. Milne From prehistoric cave paintings to the prints and etchings of Picasso, owls have captivated and inspired us for millennia. Whether they appear as ancient Athenian symbols of wisdom, ghostly harbingers of death, or the cuddly sidekicks of Harry Potter and Winnie the Pooh, these birds have continued to fascinate and disturb us in equal measure. Through revelatory new behavioural research, Jennifer Ackerman provides an intimate glimpse into these magnificent creatures&’ lives. From the evolutionary quirks behind their silent flight and rotating heads, to their romantic relationships and parenting styles, What an Owl Knows brings the rich natural history of owls to life. Deftly weaving together science and art, Ackerman journeys into the owl&’s moonlit world and asks: what is it about these birds that so enthrals us?
Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Practice Management Consult
by Lowell AckermanBlackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Practice Management Consult, Second Edition has been extensively updated and expanded, with 55 new topics covering subjects such as online technologies, hospice care, mobile practices, compassion fatigue, practice profitability, and more. Carefully formatted using the popular Five-Minute Veterinary Consult style, the book offers fast access to authoritative information on all aspects of practice management. This Second Edition is an essential tool for running a practice, increasing revenue, and managing staff in today's veterinary practice.Addressing topics ranging from client communication and management to legal issues, financial management, and human resources, the book is an invaluable resource for business management advice applicable to veterinary practice. Sample forms and further resources are now available on a companion website. Veterinarians and practice managers alike will find this book a comprehensive yet user-friendly guide for success in today's challenging business environment.
Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Practice Management Consult (Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult)
by Lowell AckermanProvides a quick veterinary reference to all things practice management related, with fast access to pertinent details on human resources, financial management, communications, facilities, and more Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Practice Management Consult, Third Edition provides quick access to practical information for managing a veterinary practice. It offers 320 easily referenced topics that present essential details for all things practice management—from managing clients and finances to information technology, legal issues, and planning. This fully updated Third Edition adds 26 new topics, with a further 78 topics significantly updated or expanded. It gives readers a look at the current state of the veterinary field, and teaches how to work in teams, communicate with staff and clients, manage money, market a practice, and more. It also provides professional insight into handling human resources in a veterinary practice, conducting staff performance evaluations, facility design and construction, and managing debt, among other topics. KEY FEATURES: Presents essential information on veterinary practice management in an easy-to-use format Offers a practical support tool for the business aspects of veterinary medicine Includes 26 brand-new topics and 78 significantly updated topics Provides models of veterinary practice, challenges to the profession, trends in companion practices, and more Features contributions from experts in veterinary practice, human resources, law, marketing, and more Supplies sample forms and other resources digitally on a companion website Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Practice Management Consult offers a trusted, user-friendly resource for all aspects of business management, carefully tailored for the veterinary practice. It is a vital resource for any veterinarian or staff member involved in practice management.
Pet-Specific Care for the Veterinary Team
by Lowell AckermanA practical guide to identifying risks in veterinary patients and tailoring their care accordingly Pet-specific care refers to a practice philosophy that seeks to proactively provide veterinary care to animals throughout their lives, aiming to keep pets healthy and treat them effectively when disease occurs. Pet-Specific Care for the Veterinary Team offers a practical guide for putting the principles of pet-specific care into action. Using this approach, the veterinary team will identify risks to an individual animal, based on their particular circumstances, and respond to these risks with a program of prevention, early detection, and treatment to improve health outcomes in pets and the satisfaction of their owners. The book combines information on medicine and management, presenting specific guidelines for appropriate medical interventions and material on how to improve the financial health of a veterinary practice in the process. Comprehensive in scope, and with expert contributors from around the world, the book covers pet-specific care prospects, hereditary and non-hereditary considerations, customer service implications, hospital and hospital team roles, and practice management aspects of pet-specific care. It also reviews specific risk factors and explains how to use these factors to determine an action plan for veterinary care. This important book: Offers clinical guidance for accurately assessing risks for each patient Shows how to tailor veterinary care to address a patient’s specific risk factors Emphasizes prevention, early detection, and treatment Improves treatment outcomes and provides solutions to keep pets healthy and well Written for veterinarians, technicians and nurses, managers, and customer service representatives, Pet-Specific Care for the Veterinary Team offers a hands-on guide to taking a veterinary practice to the next level of care.
Spirit Horse
by Ned AckermanA gripping survival/adventure story about a Blackfoot boy who tames a legendary wild stallion. Running Crane wants nothing more than a horse of his own. He dreams of riding not just any horse, but the spirit horse of the Snake people -- a majestic and wild white stallion. But Running Crane is young, and an unskilled rider - unlike the great warriors of his new band, the Kainaa. When Running Crane joins the Kainaa warriors in a horse raid on the Snake People, he is separated from the rest of his party. He discovers the beautiful spirit horse alone on the prairie. Finally he has the chance to prove his worth to the Kainaa band and to make his dream of taming a magnificent horse come true.
The Consulting Veterinary Nurse
by Nicola AckermanThe Consulting Veterinary Nurse is an invaluable source of information for all veterinary nurses setting up and conducting their own nursing clinics in small animal practice. From the basics of setting up the consulting room to running and marketing individual clinics, this book provides a comprehensive coverage of the role of the consulting veterinary nurse. A large section of the book details specific clinics run by nurses, including nutritional assessments, behavioural clinics, puppy parties, seasonal information campaigns, senior pet clinics and medical clinics for a full range of conditions from arthritis and dental problems to epilepsy and cancer. A chapter specifically on rabbit clinics is also included.Written by an experienced senior veterinary nurse, this is a vital guide for all veterinary nurses seeking to develop their consulting role and contribute effectively to the long-term success of their practice.KEY FEATURESProvides a comprehensive guide to the role of the consulting veterinary nurseDetails specific nutritional, medical and behavioural clinics run by nurses Includes advice on presentation, marketing and communicating with clientsDiscusses client compliance and internal procedure and protocol Contains sample diet history sheets and unit conversion charts for use in practiceEndorsed by the British Veterinary Nursing Association
Dressage in the Fourth Dimension
by Sherry AckermanDressage is often seen as the most formal and controlled of the equine sports, following an ancient, standardized training progression. For philosopher and dressage instructor Dr. Sherry Ackerman, dressage is much more. It -- along with riding in general -- can be a transformational art and an avenue for reflection, exploration, and self-knowledge through which a rider can experience liberation from the individual, egoistic self. This second, revised edition of Dressage in the Fourth Dimension is a pioneer work in awakening "dressage consciousness." Drawing on such diverse sources as sacred geometry, ancient Western and Eastern philosophies, and esoteric spirituality, Ackerman seeks to heal humanity's alienation from nature through riding. She points us toward the liberation from societal conditioning and normative thinking, and, ultimately, from our own egos. Her concept of the fourth dimension requires us to leave the analytic, objective mind behind and enter into the mystery of inspiration. A short, unique, thought-provoking work that has enjoyed a word-of-mouth reputation among horse people for years, Dressage in the Fourth Dimension will challenge riders' assumptions about their horses and themselves.
Can You Pet a Pine Cone?
by Susan Yoder AckermanA girl named Raia in Africa gets a new pet from her father – a poky little hedgehog! Raia names her new prickly friend Huffy. She learns more about Huffy’s spines, what he likes to eat, why he curls into a ball, and much more!
Cheetah Chase
by Susan Yoder AckermanDuma the cheetah is showing her cubs how to hunt in the Africa grasslands. Learn all about cheetahs and the speedy qualities they have that allow them to be effective hunters. WIll Duma be able to catch her family’s next meal?
A Fanfare for Sir Frederick
by Susan Yoder AckermanAgnes is learning how to play the trumpet! Every time she tries to practice, though, an old knight bursts in because he thinks her trumpet sounds like a dragon. Through these interruptions, she learns the knight is responsible for stopping attacks on their kingdom. How can she help this bored hero?
Fennec Foxes Fit for the Desert
by Susan Yoder AckermanHere is the story of Zerda, a little fennec fox from the Sahara Desert. She lives with her parents and brothers in a den.
Flowers that Fly
by Susan Yoder AckermanSimon teaches his little cousin Adeline about how to grow a garden that will attract beautiful butterflies.
Happy, the Hearing Ear Dog
by Susan Yoder AckermanTyler's grandma is deaf, so she gets Happy, a specially trained dog who hears for her.
Hike!
by Susan Yoder AckermanZoey and her brother help their family raise sled dogs. She is responsible for teaching and training a pup named Jip, until he is ready to go on his first run!
Horse Country
by Susan Yoder AckermanKyle is afraid of horses, so the last thing he wants to do is go horseback riding with his Aunt Maggie. As he interacts with them and learns more about them, however, he begins to appreciate them. He learns that horses are not just pets—they can also be friends!
Kittens Next Door
by Susan Yoder AckermanTrixie the cat next door had kittens! John's friend Everrett teaches him all about newborn kittens in the first six weeks of life.
Morning in Lucas Creek Marsh
by Susan Yoder AckermanThomas, Madeline, and their mother go on a walk through a Virginia tidewater marsh, spotting all kinds of wildlife along the way.
Porcupette Explores the Night
by Susan Yoder AckermanDid you know a baby porcupine is called a porcupette? Learn about porcupines as you follow Porcupette through the forest one night as she looks for a snack!
Shyla, the Seeing Eye Puppy: Ours But Not Forever
by Susan Yoder AckermanCourtney, her brother Jed, and the whole family must chip in to take care of Shyla, the Labrador retriever puppy, before she is sent to The Seeing Eye to become a guide dog for the blind. Shyla is trained at every opportunity, but the year she stays with Courtney's family goes by fast!
The Story of Heungbo: A Traditional Korean Folk Tale
by Susan Yoder AckermanHeungbo and Nolbo are not only brothers, but also friends—until their father passes away. Overcome by greed, Nolbo turns Heungbo away and refuses to help him when Heungbo loses his crops. Can Heungbo forgive Nolbo? Will they learn to be a family again?
Jewel on a Journey
by Susan Yoder Ackerman Betsy JamesTrey and Susannah hear a loud thump and learn that the fallen tiny bird laying on their deck is a Hummingbird! Miss Nora, their neighbor, cares for birds and may be able to help them save the bird. Discover what Miss Nora does to help the Hummingbird. Will the injured bird fly again?
Ecology of Wildlife Diseases in the Neotropics
by Gerardo Acosta-Jamett Andrea ChavesThis contributed volume focuses on the Neotropical region, and explores the environmental, ecological and socio-economic components that facilitate the emergence of zoonotic diseases. This book highlights the primary ecological, environmental, social, and economic variables associated with the risk of maintenance, transmission, and dissemination of emerging, re-emerging, and neglected infectious diseases, in which Neotropical vertebrates are involved. It compiles up-to-date knowledge and research for the neotropical region, as well as discusses the current needs of knowledge improvement. The chapters include various examples of the cycles of infectious diseases, all with world-wide relevance where neotropical wild vertebrates are affected or involved.
Bird and Butterfly Mysteries: The Truth About Migration
by Bernard AcworthAs part of his challenge to the theory of evolution, the outspoken creationist presents alternative theories of bird flight and migration. In 1932, Bernard Acworth established the Evolution Protest Movement (now called the Creation Science Movement) for the purpose of criticizing evolutionary theory in scientific terms. A freelance journalist and amateur ornithologist, he took aim at the accepted science of ornithology with a keenly skeptical eye. Here, Acworth addresses topics including bird and butterfly migration, and the peculiarities of the cuckoo. In Bird and Butterfly Mysteries, Acworth presents a close examination of the science concerning the flight of winged animals. Through this analysis, he exposes errors that call into question many of the major conclusions reached by professional ornithologists. While the two Laws of Currents Acworth proposes in this volume have since appeared in other works on ornithology, he has never received due credit for their discovery.