Field Guide to Animal Tracks and Scat of California (California Natural History Guides, Band 104) - Hardcover

Elbroch, Mark; Kresky, Michael; Evans, Jonah

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0520253787 ISBN 13: 9780520253780

Verlag: University of California Press, 2012

Inhaltsangabe

Spotting an animal’s fresh footprints in the wild can conjure a world for the hiker: Why did the deer tracks disappear? Where did the cougar turn off the trail? What does it mean when two sets of footprints seem to coincide? This beautifully illustrated field guide, the first devoted to the tracks and signs of California animals—including birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates like spiders and beetles—blends meticulous science with field experience to provide an engaging companion for both armchair exploration and easy field identification. Filled with useful tools for the wildlife expert, and essential background and visual aids for the novice, including in-depth information about the ecology of each species, this book goes beyond basic recognition of types to interpret what animals leave behind as a way of “seeing” how they move through the world.

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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Mark Elbroch is a wildlife biologist and the author of numerous field guides including Mammal Tracks and Signs: A Guide to North American Species (winner of the National Outdoors Book Award), Peterson’s Field Guide to Animal Tracks, and Peterson’s Reference Guide to the Behavior of North American Mammals. Michael Kresky is the founder and president of Effigy Art, a fine arts company in Santa Barbara. Jonah Evans is Research Biologist at Texas Parks and Wildlife.

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“Outstanding. This is a brilliant work by the best in the field. Watching a great tracker at work can feel like watching a magician, but this book demystifies the process and inspires the reader to begin to look closer and open the world of tracking.”—John Muir Laws, author of The Laws Guide to the Sierra Nevada

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Outstanding. This is a brilliant work by the best in the field. Watching a great tracker at work can feel like watching a magician, but this book demystifies the process and inspires the reader to begin to look closer and open the world of tracking. John Muir Laws, author of The Laws Guide to the Sierra Nevada

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Field Guide to Animal Tracks and Scat of California

By Mark Elbroch, Michael Kresky, Jonah Evans

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS

Copyright © 2012 The Regents of the University of California
All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-0-520-25378-0

Contents

Acknowledgments, 
INTRODUCTION, 
GETTING STARTED, 
Sooted Track Plates, 
MAMMAL TRACKS AND TRACK PATTERNS, 
TRACKS AND TRAILS OF BIRDS AND OTHER ANIMALS, 
Quick Guide to Tracks, 
Mammal Tracks, 
Bird Tracks, 
Reptile and Amphibian Trails, 
Invertebrate Trails, 
ANIMAL SCATS, URINE, AND OTHER SCENT-MARKING BEHAVIORS, 
Scat Plates, 
BIRD PELLETS, 
Bird Pellet Plates, 
MAMMAL SPECIES ACCOUNTS, 
Bibliography, 
Art Credits, 
Index, 
About the Authors, 

CHAPTER 1

GETTING STARTED

Why Tracks and Scats?

Mark Elbroch

We were faced with a decision at the start of this project. Given the size parameters of this field guide series, we could either present a detailed look at animals' tracks and scats, or use a more superficial approach to a broader diversity of signs—that is, evidence of feeding, beds, and the like. In the end we decided on the former—an in-depth presentation of just several topics. This book is a visual presentation of the tracks, scats, and scent-marking behaviors of California's wildlife.

Interpreting wildlife tracks and signs is challenging detective work; it is an engaging exercise in clear thinking and deductive reasoning. The most reliable tools we have at our disposal to solve the natural mysteries we encounter in the field are animal tracks and scats. Tracks and scats are the foundation blocks in interpreting all indirect evidence of wildlife, and a detailed knowledge of tracks and scats will aid you in interpreting nearly every natural mystery you encounter.

The presentation of this book also includes numerous citations of work completed by others. They may at first seem obstacles to easy reading, but they serve two powerful purposes: First, they are evidence that tracking has forever been integral to wildlife research and monitoring, and second, they are additional resources for you, the readers, to follow up and seek out should a specific topic grab your interest.

There are without doubt numerous methods to speed you along in your study of wildlife tracking. One of us, Michael Kresky, provides a lively description of one method—track journaling—and through this method he has become an expert interpreter of wildlife tracks and signs. Here he shares tips on this process.

Honing Your Tracking Skills through Track Journaling

Michael Kresky

Tracking Journal

Track journaling builds your knowledge of tracks and sign by making you observe tracks in close detail; your journal also becomes data, meaning scientific records, of what you discover. The physical act of drawing tracks and taking notes on your surroundings sharpens your ability to see clearly and with greater discernment. While you hover over a set of prints, patterns and shapes begin to emerge. We realize that journaling can be intimidating at first, but keep in mind that each journal is highly personal and evolves over time. Nature Drawing—A Tool for Learning, by Clare Walker Leslie (1995), can guide you in this process.

When drawing tracks, do not be daunted by the unknown. Often scrutinizing prints and investigating details with poignant questions will lead to tracks revealing themselves. Even when they do not, it is still valuable to draw the track and revisit your journal at later times.

In the field you need a sketchbook or clipboard, pencils or markers, and a measuring device (ruler or calipers). Begin by finding four to six clear prints that you believe belong to the same animal, and choose a single track to draw. Make sure that the track is between you and the light source. Treat the track and the area around the tracks with deference. This preserves the features of the track as well as the story around the tracks.

An effective track journal includes the date, time, weather, habitat, substrate, and wildlife and human activity in the surrounding area. Draw the track, showing the features of the toes and heel pad or claw marks. With a measuring device, note the track's length and width. The most important thing to remember is to be consistent in your practice. For example, when measuring a track, always include the claws in your measurements. In addition, record whether the track is from a front or hind foot, which side of body, and the direction in which the animal was traveling.

Many folks new to sketching in general are unsure how to use shading to convey light or depth. The choice is ultimately up to you. First, try using shading to relay light—how the sun is falling over and/or across the footprint. Second, use shading to relay depth, meaning that you would shade the deepest parts of the footprint the darkest and the shallowest portions the lightest. We would, however, recommend the second method, because shadows created by light sources can distort one's perception of tracks, as we discuss under notes on photography.

Once you have finished drawing the track, step away from it. This gives you a broader perspective, allowing you to see the line of tracks and perhaps discern the gait the animal was using. This perspective offers more information about the interpretation of this animal's behavior. You may notice that the animal was walking, dust bathing, or foraging. After you have drawn an individual track, draw the line of tracks. Measure the distance between the footfalls, again making sure that you are consistent. Although track journaling is a highly focused activity, remind yourself to pay attention to bird song and other animal behaviors. You may be surprised to find that you are near to the animal you are journaling.

Maps in Your Track Journaling

It is essential to be familiar with the topography where you track. Topographical maps teach us the salient features of the landscape. Specific maps, such as geological, hydrological, or vegetative, provide different perspectives on the natural history of an area. An awareness of topographical information and patterns in your immediate landscape is invaluable for locating ecotones, corridors, and the animals themselves.

In addition to referencing published maps, create your own maps to hone your tracking skills. Start with a map with a one- or two-mile diameter. Then create a map that covers only several hundred feet. Center this map around your set of tracks. Once the tracks have been drawn, fill in the rest of the map with pertinent features such as vegetation, open space, cover, and topography. Then include bird activity, animal trails and sign, and food sources. This practice reveals consistent trends and patterns on the landscape.

Field Guides and Nature Documentaries

A collection of field guides is an indispensible tool for finding the answers to many questions that arise from tracking. A diverse library gives you access to information not readily available in the field and builds your ecological understanding. When available, use numerous resources to identify and research a track, feather, or chewed acorn. Cross-referencing builds a more dynamic picture of the specimen you are studying, lending a more objective view. Sources beyond field guides can add valuable information to a reference library. Scientific journals, natural history magazines, news articles, local papers, and...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: University of California Press
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2012
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0520253787
• ISBN 13: 9780520253780
• Einband: Gebundene Ausgabe
• Anzahl der Seiten: 395
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Nicht verfügbar