New book on
Blue Grouse

Zwickel Fred C. & James F. Bendell, 2004. Blue Grouse: Their Biology and
Natural History.
National Research Council (NRC) Research Press, 284 pp. In English.
Softcover,
ISBN 0-660-19271-3, NRC 46330. $CAN 69.95. Other countries: $69.95US

Blue Grouse: Their Biology and Natural History

This monograph is about blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus). Designed as
a reference work, it documents and reviews much of what is known about
the biology and natural history of this bird. It is based primarily on
our published and unpublished long-term studies in British Columbia and
elsewhere, and on the studies of others in various parts of the bird's
range.
Part 1 is principally
introductory, describing some of our approaches and introducing the
principal studies and study areas on which the book is based. Part 2
provides background to the bird, e.g., its taxonomy, evolution, and the
environment in which it lives.
Physical attributes, e.g., its morphology, reproduction, and food habits
are examined in Part 3. Part 4 is devoted to individual and collective
behaviours, a field of study that we feel has important implications to
populations. Lastly, Part 5 documents the principal population
parameters of this grouse and identifies some of what is known about its
predators and diseases, agents potentially important to prey
populations.

Order online at the National Research Council Canada (NRC) or contact:

Monograph Orders
NRC Research Press, M-55
National Research Council of Canada
Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6, Canada
Tel.: (613) 990-2254
or 1-800-668-1222, option 2
Fax: (613) 952-7656
E-mail: monographs.cisti at nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

Paul Dye
Everett, WA
dye at greatnorthern.net