
audiobook
In this meticulously researched study, the author tackles one of ornithology’s most elusive puzzles: why and how birds travel under the cover of darkness. Using a blend of moonlit field observations and rigorous statistical techniques, he quantifies the density of birds passing through a defined sky cone, turning fleeting silhouettes into measurable data. The early chapters lay out the experimental setup, from selecting observation sites to recording the precise angles of flight.
The second part explores the emerging patterns that the numbers reveal. Readers hear about variations in bird density across different hours, the influence of terrain and continental geography, and how weather conditions shape nightly movements. While the work stops short of definitive explanations, it offers a compelling foundation for anyone curious about the hidden highways of the night sky.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (206K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Chris Curnow, Tom Cosmas, Joseph Cooper, The Internet Archive for some images and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2011-10-31
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1913–1978
A pioneering American ornithologist, he helped transform the study of bird migration by showing how night-flying birds could be tracked as they crossed the face of the moon. His work at Louisiana State University also helped build one of the country’s notable university natural history museums.
View all books
by Jr. George H. Lowery

by Dallas Lore Sharp

by Dallas Lore Sharp

by Dallas Lore Sharp

by Dallas Lore Sharp

by E. N. (Eldred Nathaniel) Woodcock

by Carl Ethan Akeley

by Francis W. (Francis Wayland) Parker, Nellie Lathrop Helm