Nests, Eggs, and Incubation

Edited by D. Charles Deeming, Senior Lecturer, School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, UK, and S. James Reynolds, Lecturer in Ornithology and Animal Conservation, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, UK

Charles started working on aspects of bird incubation in the early 1980s and has had a varied career since. Postgraduate research examined the physiological basis of egg turning during incubation and postdoctoral research described the effects of incubation temperature on growth and sex determination in alligators. Aside from scientific publications Charles has edited key review texts on avian and reptilian development and incubation, and ostrich biology. Since 2003 Charles has been teaching biology at the University of Lincoln, where he has added how bird nests function to his list of research interests.

Jim has worked on the reproductive biology of a variety of bird species over the last 25 years including common kingfishers in the UK, spruce grouse in boreal forests of Canada, Florida scrub-jays in the oak scrublands of the southern USA and most recently sooty terns on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic. His research focuses on how human-induced changes in food availability, habitat structure, predation risk and ecological community structure influence the breeding behaviour, ecology, life history and ultimately the breeding performance of birds. Such research will become increasingly pertinent as we attempt to understand how bird populations respond to an ever-urbanising world.

Ida E. Bailey
Schools of Biology and Psychology, University of St Andrews, St Mary's College, South Street, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, UK

Robyn L. Bailey
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, New York 14850, USA

Geoffrey F. Birchard
Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, USA

Kaat Brulez
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, Burgate Manor, Fordingbridge, SP6 1EF

Phill Cassey
School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, G41a Mawson Laboratories, The University of Adelaide, North Terrace, South Australia 5005, Australia

Caren B. Cooper
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh, North Carolina 27601, USA

D. Charles Deeming
School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Joseph Banks Laboratories, Lincoln LN6 7DL, UK

Sarah E. Durant
Department of Zoology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, USA
Ton G.G. Groothuis Behavioural Biology, Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands

Susan D. Healy
Schools of Biology and Psychology, University of St Andrews, St Mary's College, South Street, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, UK

Gary R. Hepp
School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA

William A. Hopkins
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA

Nigel S. Jarrett
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, Slimbridge, Gloucestershire GL2 7BT, UK

Dave I. Leech
The British Trust for Ornithology, The Nunnery, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 2PU, UK

Isabel López-Rull
Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, México

Constantino Macías Garcia
Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México DF 4510, México

Mark C. Mainwaring
Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK

Valeria Marasco
Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK

Kate V. Morgan
Schools of Biology and Psychology, University of St Andrews, St Mary's College, South Street, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, UK

Andreas Nord
Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 37, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden

Tom W. Pike
School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Joseph Banks Laboratories, Lincoln LN6 7DL, UK

S. James Reynolds
School of Biosciences, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK

Jennifer A. Smith
School of Natural Resources, Hardin Hall, 3310 Holdrege Street, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0961, USA

Karen A. Spencer
School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, South Street, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, UK

Christopher M. Thomas
School of Biosciences, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK

Karel Weidinger
Department of Zoology and Laboratory of Ornithology, Palacky University, 17 listopadu 50, CZ-771 46 Olomouc, Czech Republic

Allan West
School of Biosciences, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK

Joseph B. Williams
Department of Evolution, Ecology & Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, 318 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA

Tony D. Williams
Department of Biology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6

"This book does an excellent job of incorporating new advances in the field of avian incubation, yet it is far more than simply an update of Deemings previous publication [...] chapters within will make valuable reading for natural historians, behavioral ecologists, vertebrate physiologists, and evolutionary biologists, regardless of their mtaxonomic interests. For nonornithologists, perhaps largely for those focused on vertebrates, this volume contains the necessary introduction to the evolution and physiology of avian incubation that will allow all readers to make useful comparisons with, and gain valuable insight into, their own areas of interest." - Harold F. Greeney, The Quarterly Review of Biology

"Nests, Eggs, and Incubation is well-written and does an outstanding job of providing a comprehensive synthesis of avian reproduction and nesting biology. By comprehensively assessing a wide range of topics on avian nesting biology and thoroughly incorporating recent research ... the book provides a major contribution to avian biology, and is suitable for biologists and researchers." - J. Matthew Carroll, The Journal of Wildlife Management

"This is an excellent volume that I highly recommend for both professionals and amateurs ... an edited volume can provide the synthesis and integration to move a field forward by summarizing hypotheses and framing future work. This book, with only a few exceptions, accomplishes all of these tasks and will fill an excellent niche into the future." - Daneil R. Ardia, The Auk

"[A] perfect introduction to the subject for hobbyists, professionals and academics." - Jack Cohen, The Biologist

"Overall, Nests, Eggs, and Incubation is well-written and does an outstanding job of providing a comprehensive synthesis of avian reproduction and nesting biology ... In conclusion, the book provides a major contribution to avian biology, and is suitable for biologists and researchers." - J. Matthew Carroll, Journal of Wildlife Management

"Make no mistake, this book is aimed at ornithologists, birds being its entire focus, and is certainly essential for anyone studying avian reproduction. That being said, chapters within will make valuable reading for natural historians, behavioral ecologists, vertebrate physiologists, and evolutionary biologists, regardless of their taxonomic interests." - Harold F. Greeney, NEW BIOLOGICAL BOOKS

"This book constitutes the most complete existing compendium about some of the most important and interesting aspects about bird reproduction ... These studies not only contribute to a better knowledge of our winged friends but they can help to identify problems in conservation and in some cases to solve them." - Ardeola

"... A very readable book and I would recommend it to anybody interested in birds or parental care ... whether you are a professional or an amateur, you will enjoy reading it and appreciate the amount of information that you can find in it." - Beata Matysiokova, Journal of Field Ornithology

"All in all, this was a joy to read, very nicely produced by OUP, and well worth the investment as it is absolutely bulging with new facts and ideas. It will certainly stimulate a whole lot of new studies which must surely be the definition of a great book!" - Humphrey Crick, BTO

"For all ornithologists working on bird breeding biology this book is a required reading. As a comprehensive synthesis of the existing knowledge it may help to find some gaps and areas worth exploring, thus it will certainly stimulate further research in this quickly developing field." - Acta Ornithologica