Adirondack Wildlife

A Field Guide

James M. Ryan

The breathtaking six-million-acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York is comprised of a multiplicity of habitats, including over 2,800 lakes and ponds, more than 30,000 miles of running water, and 46 major mountain peaks. Adirondack Wildlife: A Field Guide is, astonishingly, the first authoritative handbook devoted to the natural history and ecology of the Adirondacks and the Park’s invertebrates, fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The book leads the reader on an intimate journey through the Adirondack Park, beginning with the alpine communities above timberline and descending through the conifer and hardwood forests to the wetlands, streams, and lakes. Ryan’s crisp and authoritative species-by-species accounts of the park’s fauna are fabulously illustrated in color and in black and white. The book is portable and geared towards use in the field. Each chapter concludes with “sources and additional readings;” back matter includes a glossary and species checklists. The park’s hundreds of thousands of residents and millions of visitors will profit immeasurably by having the indispensable Adirondack Wildlife at hand.

Paper: $22.95

ISBN-13: 9781584657491

Pages: 296 | Size: 5 in. x 8.25 in.

Date Published: April 30, 2009

Imprint:

University Press of New England

Although it would be a welcome addition to an Adirondacker’s book shelf, Adirondack Wildlife is really meant to be thrown into a day pack, dog-eared and filled with quickly-scribbled notes – a field guide in the true sense of the word.

Adirondack Daily Enterprise

Reviews

Although it would be a welcome addition to an Adirondacker's book shelf, "Adirondack Wildlife" is really meant to be thrown into a day pack, dog-eared and filled with quickly-scribbled notes - a field guide in the true sense of the word. A make-shift ruler in both inches and centimeters can be found on the front and back inside covers and amateur biologists can check off sightings on a species checklist in the back of the guide.

Adirondack Daily Enterprise
Adirondack Wildlife has much to offer... well-written and well-organized, [it] is a capably written... book that will help fans of nature and the Adirondacks welcome back the warmer weather.

The Sunday Gazette (Schenectady, NY)
Adirondack Wildlife: A Field Guide" by James Ryan contains brief descriptions and comments on the behavior of the birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and even invertebrates of northeastern New York. All but a few are found here as well, and even those formerly restricted to the Adirondacks, like fisher, otter and marten, are expanding their ranges beyond that limitation.

Buffalo News
A hiker can stash half a dozen field guides in a pack for identifying Adirondack wildflowers and wildlife-or carry instead the compact, concise Adirondack Wildlife, with specific information on native plants and animals. James Ryan's entertaining and informative book catalogs an array of organisms in a new format that's user friendly and fun.

Elizabeth Folwell
Creative Director, Adirondack Life
Reading Adirondack Wildlife reminded me of what a precious source of life and well-being we have been given here in the Adirondacks. One could sit down for a great read on a couple of rainy days or toss it in your backpack as a hiking companion for a day or a week in the woods.

Nathan Farb
Photographer and Author of Adirondack Wilderness

About the Author

James M. Ryan

James M. Ryan is professor of biology at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, N.Y. A well-respected naturalist and teacher, his publications include more than 25 scientific papers on the ecology, morphology, and behavior of mammals and birds.

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