Why do pigeons bob their heads when they walk? Can talking parrots understand what they say? What do birds learn and remember? This is an unusual collection of curious facts about our feathered friends. It describes the fascinating behaviours and physiology of birds of all shapes and sizes - from the birds in our cities to the wild birds in rainforests and at sea shores, in deserts and plains. You'll learn how birds evolved and why some came to be flightless. You'll read of the wide diversity in bird courtship rituals and territorial displays. You'll discover the art of nest building and why some birds have such well-developed senses and memory. In short, Birds explains why these creatures do the things that they do, so you can more fully enjoy and understand the birds you see every day. Gisela Kaplan and Lesley Rogers, two leading researchers in animal behaviour, cover the latest findings in bird behaviour and tell stories of their personal encounters with birds throughout the world, collected in more than 20 years of research. Supplemented with photographs, the book is a companion for the curious birdwatcher, the serious student of biology and for any nature or bird lover.