David Alderton

Owls have been a source of fascination and awe throughout history. In Indian folklore, owls represent wisdom and helpfulness, while in Ancient Greece they were seen as a good omen if sighted before a battle. Today, owls are often kept as pets by bird lovers, and can be found in woodland and forests from the Canadian Arctic to the deserts of the Arabian peninsula. Full of fun facts and expert insights, Owls introduces these iconic birds in all their variety. Did you know that owls can rotate their necks 270 degrees, or that an owl’s ears are asymmetrical? Or that owls are considered apex predators? Or that the tiniest owl in the world is the Elf Owl, a mere 12cm (5 inches) tall, while the largest North American owl is the Great Gray Owl at 80cm (32 inches) tall. Or that Barn Owls swallow their prey whole – skin, bones, and all – and they eat up to a thousand mice each year. With chapters divided into type of owl – Barn & Grass Owls, Typical Owls, Snowy, Horned and Eagle Owls, Wood Owls, Pygmy Owls, and Owlets and Nesting – this book is a concise examination of these superb aerial hunters in over 200 vivid photographs.

A captivating exploration of the world's mysterious creatures Legendary creatures capture our imagination in a way quite unlike that of beings that are known with certainty to exist. In Mysterious Creatures: The Truth Behind the Legends, David Alderton and Akara Heart explore why these creatures fascinate us, where the tales originated, and what truth there might be in them. Covering the unicorn, mermaid, dragon, phoenix, vampire, werewolf, Bigfoot, and thunderbird, each chapter details the history and characteristics of the various mysterious creatures and examines how they have influenced us and challenged our imaginations for generations.

There has been so much focus on the real risk of animals going extinct that it’s easily overlooked just how many new species are still being discovered every year. In an age defined by environmental loss, the discovery of new species is a beacon of hope, proving there is still so much to learn about the natural world. Hidden Wonders by acclaimed naturalist David Alderton is a thrilling journey into the heart of modern zoological exploration. Every year, hundreds of new species are brought to light from the remotest corners of the planet. This groundbreaking book chronicles these extraordinary discoveries, from dazzling amphibians to elusive mammals, alongside astonishing "Lazarus species" that have seemingly come back from extinction. With vivid storytelling and meticulous research, Alderton introduces readers to: The colorful Rose-veiled Fairy Wrasse, discovered on coral reefs in the Indian Ocean. The enigmatic Barbados Threadsnake, the world's smallest serpent. The rediscovery of the Fernandina Island Galápagos Giant Tortoise, thought extinct for over a century. The mysterious creatures rumored to still exist, like the Thylacine and Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Blending history, science, and adventure, Hidden Wonders unveils the challenges and triumphs of tracking life forms in an era of ecological uncertainty. For anyone curious about nature, exploration, and the boundless diversity of life, this is a must-read celebration of discovery and survival. Prepare to be amazed at what the natural world still has to reveal.

Crocodiles, alligators, caimans, gila monsters – these creatures all have dinosaur ancestries dating from 94 million years ago. There is something elemental and scary about a crocodile, with its tough scaly skin, long powerful tail, conical, peg-like teeth and vicious bite. And these creatures can still be found in every part of the world. Divided by continent, Crocodiles, Alligators & Lizards introduces the American alligator, an apex predator that swims the coasts, estuaries and swamps of southeast USA feeding on fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals; the black caiman, which can grow up to an enormous 6 metres (20ft) in length and prefers the habitat of the slow-moving rivers and lakes of the Amazon basin; the frilled lizard, which spreads its frilly neck when threatened or to impress other lizards; the gila monster, whose two- tone camouflage colouring allows it to easily blend into its desert habitat; and the Komodo dragon, which can run up to 20km/h (13mph) over short distances and has a venomous bite that can paralyze large animals. With detailed captions explaining the origins, habitat and behaviour of these fascinating species, Crocodiles, Alligators & Lizards is a vivid pocket pictorial guide in over 200 brilliant photographs.

Describing the most intriguing creatures on the planet, from the big cats of Africa to the apes that are our closest evolutionary ancestors and the whales and dolphins that roam the world’s oceans, Animals profiles over 400 of the world’s most fascinating species, offering a truly comprehensive overview of animals from every continent and giving a sense of the incredible diversity of animal types. Featured animals are grouped by order, then within each order by family; each family section contains examples of the key species, which are illustrated with beautifully detailed, full-colour artworks. For easy reference, each entry includes a table of information on scientific name, order and family, features, habitats, distribution, diet and breeding, as well as informative maps and detailed box features. Packed full of information and colour, Animals is guaranteed to appeal to any budding zoologist or animal enthusiast.

Water covers over two-thirds of the Earth, which is why we call it the ‘blue planet’. Tropical seas are most known for their coral reefs which provide a rich ecosystem for marine life, offering food and shelter among their crevices and branches for animals including fishes, molluscs, sea urchins and sponges. Some estimates report the world’s oceans are home to 20,000 species of fish. Ocean fishes come in all shapes and sizes, and live in drastically different depths and temperatures. Our understanding of ocean life has changed dramatically in the last decade, with new species, new behaviours, and new habitats being discovered at a rapid rate. Explore coral reefs that shimmer in a kaleidoscope of vibrant tones. Venture to the bottom of the ocean where creatures beyond your wildest imagination live in the dark. With stunning photography, Tropical Fish is a gorgeous celebration of the warmest parts of our watery world and the marvellous creatures that call it home.

Vintage Dogs tests your memory with a 50-card matching game featuring 25 pairs of the world’s most iconic dogs, beautifully rendered in vintage illustrations. The accompanying 80-page illustrated guidebook is full of vintage full-colour illustrations by Arthur Wardle, as well as descriptions of each of the dogs and their breed’s origins, physical characteristics, and temperaments, with information on 25 additional related breeds, all illustrated. Memorise and learn about Irish Setters, Labrador Retrievers, Spaniels galore, and a Terrier for every day of the week.Vintage Dogs is an ideal gift for dog lovers, art enthusiasts, or anyone looking for a fun, educational game to play with their friends and family.

There is nothing more cute or appealing that a little kitten who wants to play or wants to curl up on their owner’s lap for a well-deserved snooze. Kitten affection is a unique experience, and they can very quickly become attached to their owners. Although kittens do not open their eyes for the first 7–10 days of their young life, they very soon begin to explore the world around them, demonstrating an insatiable thirst for knowledge, adventures and new experiences. Arranged in chapters covering family, shorthairs, longhairs, senses, and behaviour, Kittens features a huge range of breeds from all around the world. From a fluffy Main Coon and Scottish Fold to a short-haired Abyssinian or Siamese, the book expertly examines the cuddliest pet on the planet. With well-informed captions on every page, Kittens is a compact, engaging celebration of young cats in 190 outstanding photographs.

Crocodiles, alligators, caimans, gila monsters – these creatures all have dinosaur ancestries dating from 94 million years ago. There is something elemental and scary about a crocodile, with its tough scaly skin, long powerful tail, conical, peg-like teeth and vicious bite. And these creatures can still be found in every part of the world. Arranged by continent, Crocodiles, Alligators & Lizards introduces the American alligator, an apex predator that swims the coasts, estuaries and swamps of southeast USA feeding on fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals; the black caiman, which can grow up to an enormous 6 metres (20ft) in length and prefers the habitat of the slow-moving rivers and lakes of the Amazon basin; the frilled lizard, which spreads its frilly neck when threatened or to impress other lizards; the gila monster, whose two- tone camouflage colouring allows it to easily blend into its desert habitat; and the Komodo dragon, which can run up to 20km/h (13mph) over short distances and has a venomous bite that can paralyze large animals. With detailed captions explaining the origins, habitat and behaviour of these fascinating species, Crocodiles, Alligators & Lizards is a vivid pictorial guide in over 200 brilliant photographs.

Dogs can find themselves homeless and living on the streets for a wide variety of reasons. The lucky ones are taken to rescue shelters where staff work hard to re-home them. Adopting and caring for a re-homed dog can be challenging at first, but when it works out you really do have a friend for life. This new book includes everything that anyone taking on a rescue dog will need to know. It addresses a rescue dog’s specific needs, such as learning to play, coping with separation anxiety, eating disorders and lack of trust, and provides practical, expert guidance on how best to deal with issues as they arise to make your dog grow in confidence and security over time.

Birds are a delight in the garden, not only for their beauty and birdsong, but also because they eat many harmful garden pests. This book contains a wealth of feeding ideas for backyard birds, from seeds, grains and peanuts to fruits, suet cakes and fat balls, and suggestions for the best flowers, shrubs, hedges and trees to plant to encourage birds into the garden. There are step-by-step projects for tables, nest boxes, birdbaths and birdhouses that will enhance and decorate your garden, and the book also features illustrated directories of the most common garden birds in the UK and in the USA, from woodland and countryside locations to town and city environments, with information about identification, distribution, habitat and feeding habits. With its helpful practical advice and superb photographs and illustrations, this is the ideal source book for all wildlife enthusiasts Learn what to feed garden birds, from seeds, grains and peanuts to fruits, suet cakes and fat balls, as well as how to attract birds by planting the right flower borders, trees and shrubs, and by making wildlife hedges and ponds * Features practical step-by-step projects for making your own feeders, tables, birdbaths and nest boxes, from simple designs to highly ornamental creations * Includes a visual directory of all the most common garden bird species, with natural history information on distribution, size, nesting, eggs and feeding habits * Explains how birds live - from flying and feeding to egg-laying and migrating - with a guide to birdwatching in urban, country, woodland and aquatic locations * With over 760 beautiful photographs and illustrations.

A newly-updated practical guide to pet-keeping, covering all aspects of choosing and caring for small mammals including rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils and jirds, chinchillas, rats and mice - plus birds, herptiles, invertebrates and fish. Each chapter features the most popular breeds in each species, based on general availability and suitability. Find out how to choose the best pet for your lifestyle plus practical tips on buying a pet; housing and exercise; foods for a balanced diet; pet health and what to do when your pet is sick. This is a perfect reference book on petcare for any owner. Expert advice on choosing and buying a pet, the breeds, housing, feeding, handling, showing and health care. Helpful information and fascinating insights about every aspect of caring for the most popular pet species. How to select the right pet for your lifestyle, including choosing exotic species and the most suitable pets for young children and families. Maintaining a pet's health, plus the equipment needed to house, feed and exercise pets correctly, and detailed advice on training, handling, showing and breeding pets.

An extensive guide to more than 300 dog breeds, with detailed entries featuring high-quality photography and precise text. The clearest and sharpest recognition guide to more than 300 dog breeds from around the world. Authoritative text, crystal-clear photography, and a systematic approach make this the most comprehensive and concise pocket guide to dogs of the world. Packed with more than 1,000 full-color photographs of over 300 dog breeds, this handy reference book is designed to cut through the process of identification and help you to recognize a breed quickly and easily. Expertly written and thoroughly vetted, each entry combines a precise description with annotated photographs to highlight the characteristics and distinguishing features of each breed, while bands provide at-a-glance facts for quick reference. The introduction traces the evolution of the domestic dog, explains the difference between pedigrees and non-pedigrees, looks at how breeds are classified, and examines their characteristics in detail. Designed to delight and inform dog lovers of all ages - new owners, established enthusiasts, and envious admirers eager to tell terriers apart - the DK Handbook: Dogs offers a quick, easy way to hone your knowledge of hounds.

An extensive and clear recognition guide to over 300 dog breeds from around the world. Introducing Handbook of Dogs - a comprehensive and concise pocket guide to dogs from all over the world. Authoritative text, crystal-clear photography, and a systematic approach, make this an incredibly comprehensive and concise pocket guide to dogs of the world. Have you ever seen an adorable dog in the park or in a car window and desperately wondered what breed it was? Then this book may be for you! This handy reference book is designed to cut through the process of identification and help you to recognise a breed quickly and easilyDive straight in to discover: -Packed with more than 1,000 full-colour photographs of over 300 dog breeds,-Each entry includes at-a-glance facts for quick reference-Photographs show close-ups of key details and highlight distinguishing features-Colour portraits show the whole dog, making it easy to compare breeds-Illustrations indicate the typical size of each animalExpertly written and thoroughly vetted, each entry combines a precise description with annotated photographs to highlight the characteristics and distinguishing features of each breed, while bands provide at-a-glance facts for quick reference. From choosing your dog to domestic dog groups, herding dogs to working dogs, this all-encompassing handbook of dogs truly does have something for every dog-lover, both new and experienced, to love!The introduction traces the evolution of the domestic dog, explains the difference between pedigrees and non-pedigrees, looks at how breeds are classified, and examines their characteristics in detail.Designed to delight and inform dog-lovers of all ages - from new owners to established enthusiasts, and envious admirers keen to tell terriers apart - the DK Handbook of Dogs offers a quick, easy way to hone your knowledge of hounds!At DK, we believe in the power of discovery.So why not explore the rest of the books in our Handbook complete collection? Discover the awe-inspiring world of astronomy with Handbook of Stars and Planets, brush up on facts about felines with Handbook of Cats, or dive deep into the past when dinosaurs roamed the earth with Handbook of Dinosaurs.

This newly updated book is an essential reference manual for bird-keepers of all levels – from the novice looking to keep a single pet bird indoors to the seasoned breeder wishing to extend an existing aviary collection. A close look at more than 250 examples provides a fascinating insight into the coloration, characteristics, weaknesses and breeding habits of each of the major groups: waxbills, weavers, wydahs, canaries and related finches, quails and pheasants, softbills, Australian parakeets, cockatiels, cockatoos, lories and lorikeets, parrots, doves and pigeons. The book provides all the bird husbandry information needed for bird-keepers everywhere. • Step-by-step instructions on caring for pet birds in the home or outdoor aviary • Includes a photographic directory of more than 250 of the world’s most popular bird varieties • Advice on selecting the right bird for your lifestyle, including buying varieties for novices, for breeding and for showing, and all the equipment you will need • How to keep pet birds healthy and in the best condition, and what to do when problems occur

This comprehensive guide is the most complete owner's manual for keeping all types of freshwater and marine fish. The book will take you through all the options in choosing the right fish for any water temperature - tropical and coldwater - and for all types of environment - indoor aquariums or outdoor ponds. Know the difference between keeping marine fish and freshwater fish, including differences in aquarium setups, and feeding and caring for your pet fish. Learn to tell if your fish are healthy and find out everything you need to breed them successfully. The Encyclopedia of Aquarium & Pond Fish contains a huge photographic colour reference directory of over 800 of the most popular fish, which not only shows you what they look like, but also gives you the key information you need, such as how big they will grow, whether they integrate with different fish, what food they eat, and what water type and temperature they prefer.

The most complete owner's manual for keeping all types of freshwater and saltwater fish in indoor tropical and coldwater aquariums and outdoor ponds. Choose the right fish for any water temperature--tropical or coldwater--and for all types of environments, including indoor aquariums or outdoor ponds. Know the difference between keeping saltwater fish and freshwater fish, including differences in aquarium setups, and feeding and caring for your pet fish. Learn to tell whether your fish are healthy and find out everything you need to breed them successfully. The Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish contains a huge photographic color reference directory of more than 800 of the most popular fish, not only showing you what they look like, but also giving you key information you need, such as how big they will grow, whether they integrate with different fish, what food they eat, and what water type and temperature they prefer.

The habitats of Great Britain, Europe and Africa boast some of the most interesting and adaptable members of the avian world. This accessible and fully illustrated guide presents some of the rare and familiar species of these lands. From the tiny malachite sunbird to the enormous ostrich; from the grace of a mute swan to the striking casque of an African crowned hornbill - each has the power to enthrall.An expert, accessible introduction explains how birds evolved, bird behaviour, practical tips on fieldcraft, and the different habitats in which birds can be found. A directory of over 560 species features intricate colour artworks, and details everything from variable plumage to bill shapes, distribution, size, food, eggs and nests. The birds are grouped by habitat and type - including oceanic, estuarine, freshwater, woodland, open country and urban species. With over 535 individual colour illustrations and photographs, this comprehensive visual encyclopedia is a classic reference for all bird enthusiasts.