Zoology Books: Here Are 9 You Should Read
Zoology is the science that studies animals, so its fields of research are very broad and there are branches that specialize in different types of living things. For this reason, there is a huge selection of zoology books that reflect this reality.
With this list of nine zoology books we try to bring together a varied selection of animal sciences, that is, the different groups of the animal kingdom and their particularities. So, if you don’t want to delve into a specific group and want to have a global vision of the living beings present on our planet, these are some of the books that cannot be missed.
9 Zoology Books You Really Should Read
1. “Integrated principles of zoology,” Hickman, a staple among zoology books
An essential book to introduce you to the world of zoology and to have a global scheme of where animal species are inserted, their main characteristics, evolution and kinship between them. While not easy to read, it will help you get a scientific understanding of zoology.
2. “King Solomon’s Ring” by Konrad Lorenz among the best known books of zoology
If you want to know more about this renowned zoologist, ethologist and ornithologist, this is your book. Among these pages you can read his experiences, studies and anecdotes after years of work and observation of birds, rodents, fish and capuchin monkeys. With this book you will understand why the geese followed him everywhere.
3. “Guide to the birds of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East” by Svensson “
It is one of the most complete bird guides, with information on each European species: how to differentiate it, where it lives, if it is resident or migratory and much more relevant data. It is indispensable for bird lovers. Together with binoculars and a camera, it is part of the perfect kit for a day out in nature.
4. “Horses in company”, Lucy Rees
With this book, unfortunately only available in English, you can learn a lot about social relationships in wild horse herds and their hierarchical organization. Lucy Rees is a famous equine ethologist who is breaking many of the paradigms that have existed about horses and how to communicate with them.
5. “Zoology of Invertebrates”, Rupert and Barnes
It is one of the best zoology books to learn about the world of invertebrates. Among its more than 1000 pages you can learn about the classification methods, the existing groups and the characteristics of terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates.
6. “The Dance Language and Orientation of Bees”, Karl von Frisch
Have you ever wondered why bees sometimes move like in a dance? How am I able to interpret the direction, place and type of food through dance? Austrian biologist Karl von Frisch solves all these questions in his detailed studies with honeycombs.
7. “The senses of birds, what it means to be a bird”, Tim Birkhead
If it is already difficult to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, imagine how problematic it can be to identify with an animal as different from us as a robin. Tim Birkhead brings us closer to birds through his senses : how they see, how they smell and how they feel. With this particular approach, you can learn a lot more about the amazing abilities of these animals.
8. “Field Guide to the Amphibians & Reptiles of Britain and Europe”, Jeroen Speybroeck
If you want to enter the world of herpetology, you can start with this guide (also in this case unfortunately only available in English). In addition to descriptions of each species, you will find illustrations, distribution maps and photographs that will help you identify the different reptiles that populate Europe.
With the help of the guides it is possible to know many aspects of a group of species. Don’t forget that putting your knowledge into practice while hiking in nature is the best way to get to know it.
9. “Guide to animal tracks”, Preben Bang
Every zoologist is aware that it is often not easy to find animals in nature, but their clues are. The best way to know which animal has passed through a place is through the tracks, footprints and marks it leaves in the environment. With this guide you can learn to observe small details that go unnoticed in the eyes of many.
These are some zoology books with which you can enjoy the millions of different animal species that inhabit the planet Earth. By immersing yourself in these pages you will receive essential knowledge, since knowing the different species of animals is the first step to preserve them and avoid their extinction.
