Ducks, Geese, and Swans of North America - Guy Baldassarre

[Mik Oyler]

For transparency's sake, Guy was my wife's uncle who tragically passed away before I could meet him and geek out about our common passion. So I have a bias, but I don't care. Today I received his life's work, the revised and updated classic, "Ducks, Geese, and Swans of North America." I'm more than impressed, excited and honored to have this in my library. 

The 2 volume set is a surprising value and can be found on Amazon:

http://smile.amazon.com/Ducks-Geese-Swans-North-America/dp/1421407515/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412916011&sr=8-1&keywords=ducks+geese+and+swans+of+north+america

A former student of Guy wrote a blog about Guy and his book for those interested:

http://jhupressblog.com/2014/10/01/guy-baldassarre-the-man-the-book-and-the-marsh/

An uplifting side note...continuing his father's legacy, Dan Baldassarre received his Ph.D. from Cornell this spring and is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Miami, researching blood-feeding vampire finches in the Galapagos Islands. Pretty cool, I know!

Sorry if I violated a listserve rule Doug, but I made sure I didn't mention bears. Whoops!

Mik Oyler

North Conway, NH

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[Dennis Shepler]

Mik,

In what way does this 2 volume set relate to Kortright's work?

Thanks

Dennis

[Mik Oyler]

Great question Dennis! 

The history is reviewed in detail in the Foreward of Guy's edition by Stephen Havera from the Illinois Natural History Survey. Essentially, Francis H. Kortright's The Ducks, Geese, and Swans of North America was published in 1942. With permission and support from Glen Sanderson head of the Wildlife Research section of the Natural History Survey, his graduate intern Frank Bellrose revised and updated the classic in 1976, with subsequent reprints and revisions in 1978 and 1980 respectively. Frank continued to work on an additional revision until his death at age 88 in 2005. Discussion ensued about whether revision efforts should proceed, and Guy Baldassarre stepped forward to accept an invitation from Richard McCabe, retired Vice President of the Wildlife Management Institute, to assume the enormous task. 

Guy was quoted, "It's been a beast to do, but loads of fun." He focused on expanding species accounts and new information from the previous 30 years, presenting in-depth biology of each species with new and improved color photos and range maps. He also added habitat, courtship displays, survival and recruitment, brood parasitism and molts and plumages sections. He wanted to make it bigger and bolder to satisfy the reader but fit within the original mission of Kortright, "to help in the conservation of of our wildlife."

I hope this answers your question. 

Thanks for asking,

Mik

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