Product Description

Animal Tracks and Signs was first published in English in the 1970s, and immediately established itself as an all-time classic. Totally unique in its accessible, down-to-earth approach and detailed coverage of more than 200 creatures, it is the only book in print that enables readers to determine which animals have passed through the countryside by examining the traces they have left behind, opening up a captivating new world that might otherwise remain unseen. Whether following footprints in mud, sand, or snow; feeding marks on cones, nuts, trees, and animal remains; homes and hiding places above and below ground; or feathers, pellets, and droppings, readers are taught how to identify the bird or mammal that has been before them, aided by hundreds of beautiful, informative colour photographs, line drawings, and diagrams, and clear descriptions of the anatomy, behaviour, movement patterns, and habitat of different species. Quick-reference plate sections compare actual-size prints, pellets, and droppings for fast identification on the move, covering such diverse wildlife as the shrew, hedgehog, fox, elk, and bear; the sparrow, kestrel, and eagle owl. This new reissued edition includes a new Foreword by Ray Mears, who has found this book to be an invaluable point of reference throughout his career, and recommends it to students on his Bushcraft and Survival courses.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9298 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 264 pages

Ray Mears, bushcraft and survival expert
This book is where it all began for me; it’s an absolute classic of its kind.

Synopsis
Animal Tracks and Signs was first published in English in the 1970s, and immediately established itself as an all-time classic. Totally unique in its accessible, down-to-earth approach and detailed coverage of more than 200 creatures, it is the only book in print that enables readers to determine which animals have passed through the countryside by examining the traces they have left behind, opening up a captivating new world that might otherwise remain unseen. Whether following footprints in mud, sand, or snow; feeding marks on cones, nuts, trees, and animal remains; homes and hiding places above and below ground; or feathers, pellets, and droppings, readers are taught how to identify the bird or mammal that has been before them, aided by hundreds of beautiful, informative colour photographs, line drawings, and diagrams, and clear descriptions of the anatomy, behaviour, movement patterns, and habitat of different species. Quick-reference plate sections compare actual-size prints, pellets, and droppings for fast identification on the move, covering such diverse wildlife as the shrew, hedgehog, fox, elk, and bear; the sparrow, kestrel, and eagle owl.This new reissued edition includes a new Foreword by Ray Mears, who has found this book to be an invaluable point of reference throughout his career, and recommends it to students on his Bushcraft and Survival courses.

About the Author
Preben Bang is a highly respected author and wildlife expert. First published in English in the 1970s, his unique Animal Tracks and Signs text, with illustrations by Preben Dahlstrom, has become an all-time natural history classic.

Customer Reviews

Lost In Translation?
As a mammal ecologist, I'm pretty familiar with feeding signs of rodents and also mammal footprints, and general identification... So it is probably quite natural that I'm a bit over-sensitive to things lost in translation. In general, this is a fantastic book, and I will take it with me on any "outing"... but there are a few errors...

On page 67 the photo in the centre at the bottom of the page says it is a fox print. I am familiar with the technique of putting a line, or an "x" through a track to determine if it is a fox or dog. They mention it above, on the very same page, but the one in the photo doesn't seem to fall in line with my (or their) criteria for a fox track.

On page 53, there are the tracks of a field vole jumping in the snow. (note marks from the "long tail" between the tracks... ) except field voles have particularly short tails. Could this be a bank vole track and it is just a typo??

On 138, there is a photo of a hazelnut eaten by a yellow-necked mouse / wood mouse on the "left" and a bank vole on the "right". I'm pretty sure these are backwards, again, according to both my experience and their text... Mice leave marks all over the outside of the edge of the hole, whereas voles are quite neat and tidy. The photos are backwards...

Don't get me wrong, I particulalry like this book, and I think it is very comprehensive. But I have found several mis-prints.

(sorry, Mr Bang, its a lovley book - I'm not trying to start tearing up this fantastic piece of work, but I'm just genuinely a bit confused...)

So in spite of all my grumbling, I give it 4 stars. But a warning that there are a few tiny mistakes.

Every walk an adventure with this book!
I bought this book for my ten year old, but it has proved fascinating and useful for all the family. How else can you differentiate fox poo from dog poo? Or identify the contents of pellets? We have used every section and it is the only book my son reads for pleasure!

My only criticism would be some of the gaps - probably a regional bias. Not so much on bats for example. But a great book and highly recommended for small (and not so small) nature lovers. It makes every walk an adventure!

Comprehensive...
I can't praise this book enough...if you're at this page and you haven't got a copy, why not? It details not only footprints and tracks, but feeding signs, droppings, pellets etc. Nice clear, colourful illustrations and photos, too! Yes, it covers some animals you are unlikely to encounter in the UK (brown bear, anyone?) but that's in addition to in-depth coverage of our more 'local' wildlife...