Overview

Long Hops explains the science of bird migration in accessible language—from the aeronautics of bird flight to the newly unraveled mysteries of their magnetic compasses. The author provides a sideways look, from the perspective of an experienced physicist, at the amazing long-distance migration journeys of many bird species. Birds are breathtaking works of engineering as well as beautiful creatures possessed of spectacular capabilities. Consider what it takes for a bird to navigate from Alaska to Hawai‘i, as thousands of birds do every fall.They fly 2,500 miles nonstop and land on a small island in the middle of a vast ocean. How do they endure such marathon journeys, and how on earth do they know which direction to travel over featureless ocean? These migrants head straight for their island of choice from the get-go (they don’t just fly south and hope to bump into an island chain). Now consider this: many of the migration journeys described in this book, in all parts of the world and performed by birds as small as warblers and as large as swans, cover much longer distances. The mysteries of migration are being revealed to us via recent research aided by technology—this book makes an important contribution to explaining these developments, with original observations and transparent explanations of one of nature’s most fascinating phenomena.

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9780824866303

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Reviews

Long Hops is an engaging and entertaining treatment of the many complex facets of bird migration. It will contribute significantly to the layperson's knowledge of the subject and to an understanding of the importance of habitat for breeding, wintering, and migratory stopovers, all of which are essential to the survival of migratory birds. Any bird enthusiast with even a passing interest in bird migration and flight will find the book full of clearly explained and well-illustrated details. -Sheila Conant, professor emerita, Department of Biology, University of Hawai'i at M?noa. Congratulations to Mark Denny, who not only explains how birds fly and navigate long journeys, but also manages to communicate the joy of science while doing so. After reading Long Hops, I heartily agree with the author: Birds are enchanting and physics is fun! -Susan Scott, Honolulu Star-Advertiser Ocean Watch columnist and author of Call Me Captain: A Memoir of a Woman at Sea

Author Information

Mark Denny is a theoretical physicist who has worked in academia (Edinburgh University and Oxford University) and industry, having spent twenty years as a radar systems engineer with several multinational aerospace companies. Born in Yorkshire, England, he is now retired and lives in British Columbia. He is the author of ten popular science books and numerous articles and journal papers on many aspects of science and engineering, including bird flight and navigation.

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