Sneed B. Collard III – författare

North America’s flying squirrels and Australia’s sugar gliders notwithstanding, the vast majority of them live in rainforests. Illustrated with arresting photographs, Catching Air takes us around the world to meet these animals, learn why so many gliders live in Southeast Asia, and find out why this gravity-defying ability has evolved in Draco lizards, snakes, and frogs as well as mammals. Why do gliders stop short of flying, how did bats make that final leap, and how did Homo sapiens bypass evolution to glide via wingsuits and hang gliders—or is that evolution in another guise?

Natural selection and speciation are all but ignored in children’s nonfiction. To help address this glaring deficiency, award-winning children’s science writer Sneed Collard traveled to the Galapagos Islands to see for himself, where Charles Darwin saw, how new species form. The result is this fascinating story of two species of iguana, one land-based and one marine, both of which developed from a single ancestor that reached the islands millions of years ago. The animals evolved in different directions while living within sight of one another. How is that possible?  Collard uses the iguanas to explore Charles Darwin’s great discovery.F&P Level V

In early April, as Owen and his sister search the hickories, oaks, and dogwoods for returning birds, a huge group of birds leaves the misty mountain slopes of the Yucatan peninsula for the 600-mile flight across the Gulf of Mexico to their summer nesting grounds. One of them is a Cerulean warbler. He will lose more than half his body weight even if the journey goes well. Aloft over the vast ocean, the birds encourage each other with squeaky chirps that say, “We are still alive. We can do this.”Owen’s family watches televised reports of a great storm over the Gulf of Mexico, fearing what it may mean for migrating songbirds. In alternating spreads, we wait and hope with Owen, then struggle through the storm with the warbler.  This moving story with its hopeful ending appeals to us to preserve the things we love. The backmatter includes a North American bird migration map, birding information for kids, and guidance for how native plantings can transform yards into bird and wildlife habitat.

“In the grandest sense, the Big Year is more than just a game. Though few mortals will ever tackle the endeavor, most of us can appreciate the decision to follow a passion to its outer limits. Dedicating a whole year to birds is an exhausting, exhilarating, occasionally demoralizing, and addictive pursuit, and anyone crazy enough to go the distance is in for a wild ride.”

—Noah Strycker, Audubon

"What makes this big-year book different is the father-son bonding element . . . the picture of a teenager that emerges has the ring of truth. A proficient storyteller, Collard writes with style about their travels together . . ."

—Kirkus Reviews

From the killer bee-infested border region of southeast Arizona to the sultry islands of the Galapagos, Warblers & Woodpeckers recounts the quest of a father and his thirteen-year-old son to see as many birds as possible in a single year. With a measured blend of humor, natural history, and adventure, this tale takes readers to great birding hotspots of America and beyond, both to experience their incredible avian wealth and to experience the focused, often eccentric, world of ornithological travel. Along the way, readers share the ups and downs of the relationship between a father and his teenage son. Writer Sneed Collard and his son Braden set out to establish their own personal Big Year bird species count record. In Warblers & Wood peckers, Sneed shares the excitement, challenges, perils, and insights that come with crisscrossing the country in search of some of Earth’s most remarkable creatures. It’s a father-and-son tale, in which the adventure is in the journey and the surprising discoveries and encounters with our wondrous feathered friends. Sneed brings a fast-paced yet generous voice to the attempt, and readers of all stripes will appreciate the way backyard birders can create their own Big Year.

"With its ranging approach and easy-to-follow advice, Birding for Boomers is a handy guide for all those--boomer or otherwise―who are looking to pick up an ornithological hobby." -- Foreword ReviewsForeword INDIES Book of the Year Award Winner in NatureMontana Book Award Honor BookBirding for Boomers is a friendly, accessible, and humorous guide to discovering the joys of bird watching. Beginning birders of all ages will get answers to every question they may have, like which birds like feeders, the difference between a finch and a flicker, or which birding app to use. The guide also helps birders plan everything from local explorations to exciting "bird-cations."Late-bloomer birders will appreciate Collard’s personal insights and tips for overcoming aging-related challenges such as physical handicaps, poor hearing, or failing eyesight. Additional sections cover sharing birding with others and contributing to community science, habitat stewardship, and bird conservation.Appealing and light-hearted, Birding for Boomers will help a wide range of readers overcome any doubts and get started with watching, understanding, and conserving our feathered friends.

Nature’s creatures can be ferocious! Lions and sharks leave many animals running scared. But some predators may be hunting beneath your feet or above your head—and you don’t know they’re there. Meet some of the most successful predators on Earth: little killers.These small creatures can have a big impact. They change ecosystems, control pests, and even take down much larger prey. Tiny predators use adaptations including poisons, strong jaws, and social groups hunt. From pteropods to driver ants, author Sneed B. Collard III shines a light on the lives of these voracious killers with jaw-dropping facts paired with incredible close-up photographs.

Nature’s creatures can be ferocious! Lions and sharks leave many animals running scared. But some predators may be hunting beneath your feet or above your head—and you don’t know they’re there. Meet some of the most successful predators on Earth: little killers.These small creatures can have a big impact. They change ecosystems, control pests, and even take down much larger prey. Tiny predators use adaptations including poisons, strong jaws, and social groups hunt. From pteropods to driver ants, author Sneed B. Collard III shines a light on the lives of these voracious killers with jaw-dropping facts paired with incredible close-up photographs.

The United States Department of Defense has more than four hundred military bases across the country. They are used to house and train personnel, keep watch of enemies, support allies, and . . . protect America''s plant and animal species. The Sikes Act of 1960 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 require military bases to collaborate with federal land management agencies to protect the endangered or at-risk species within their borders. On Eglin Air Force Base, scientists and soldiers work together to study and manage endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers, gopher tortoises, and reticulated flatwoods salamanders. Discover the unique challenges endangered species face and the work the military is doing to protect them.

The United States Department of Defense has more than four hundred military bases across the country. They are used to house and train personnel, keep watch of enemies, support allies, and . . . protect America''s plant and animal species. The Sikes Act of 1960 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973 require military bases to collaborate with federal land management agencies to protect the endangered or at-risk species within their borders. On Eglin Air Force Base, scientists and soldiers work together to study and manage endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers, gopher tortoises, and reticulated flatwoods salamanders. Discover the unique challenges endangered species face and the work the military is doing to protect them.