• Age: 9
• Grade: 4

Winner of the 2011 National Book Award for Design and Artistic Merit

"Quite simply, it's among some of the best action bird photography ever published."

With their striking looks, keen vision and hunting prowess, birds of prey—eagles, hawks, falcons and owls—have long captured the human imagination. This book is a collection of some of the most remarkable, action-packed raptor photographs ever taken. A collaboration between award-winning photographers Rob Palmer and Nick Dunlop and author/photographer Kate Davis, Raptors of the West highlights 44 species that soar above the diverse landscapes of western North America.

Birds are grouped into sections according to habitat, including Arctic tundra, forests and forest edges, rivers and wetlands, grasslands and prairies, and species unique to the American Southwest. The majority of the featured species are seen across the Canadian west from the BC coast to the Alberta foothills and Saskatchewan prairie. While the 400-plus stunning colour photographs alone are enough to set this book apart, the informative text and intimate captions are perfect complements. A hybrid of art and information, Raptors of the West belongs on the shelves of every bird and nature lover.

Kate Davis is an author, educator, artist and taxidermist who founded the nonprofit organization Raptors of the Rockies in 1988. She brings educational programs to schools and public media to promote understanding of birds of prey and the need for habitat protection. She lives near Florence, Montana.

Kate Davis' profile page

Rob Palmer is a former biology teacher who is now a full-time photographer based in Boulder, Colorado. His books include The World of the American Kestrel and Prairie Owl, and his images have appeared in such periodicals as Audubon and BBC Wildlife.

Rob Palmer's profile page

Nick Dunlop is a self-described falcon fanatic and full-time award-winning photographer based in northern California. His favourite subjects are merlins, peregrines and golden eagles.

Nick Dunlop's profile page

This is a book of action photography and it will rock your socks! . . . Quite simply, it's among some of the best action bird photography ever published. —National Outdoor Book Awards

Raptors of the West: Captured in Photographs

Despite its soft cover, the content qualifies this as a coffee-table book, as every page offers stunningly colour photographs of raptors from eagles to owls. The book is organized into six geographic biomes: such as tundra, grasslands, woodlands, wetlands and southwest. Each section begins with a one-page introduction to the region’s characteristics. Most of the extensive information is gleaned from the incisive captions that accompany each photograph. Nesting habits, hunting, raising the young—all aspects of the raptor’s life are examined. The quality of the photographs (stop-action images of birds in flight and more) is top-notch.

The three authors have had their work widely published.

Caution: There are many photographs of raptors engaged in killing or eating. Some children could be upset by such images.