MALLARDS. Text and photographs by Scott Nielsen.

1992 1st edition. 4to paperback with flaps (230 x 305mm). Pp141. Colour photographs throughout.

"Numbering in the tens of millions worldwide, the mallard duck is the most common waterfowl species in the Northern Hemisphere. The resilience and beauty of this popular bird soar from the pages of [this book]... from renowned wildlife photographer Scott Nielsen. In this large-format volume, exquisite photographs and enlightening text provide a vivid portrait of the mallard's annual cycle of living and renewal, from nesting to migration. Captured at close range, the photos are a departure from typical wildlife photos, providing a bird's-eye view of the ducks in their natural habitat. And, reflecting his fifteen years of study, Nielsen's writing goes beyond a general description of the mallard to include what is behind the greenhead's behavior, how it differs from other waterfowl, and what we can do to protect it from an increasing number of environmental threats. A beautiful pictorial essay, [this book] is also an invitation for further study." "Scott Nielsen does not so much observe and photograph his wildlife subjects as he chronicles their ecology. In Mallards, Nielsen is both artist and artisan." (Richard E. McCabe, Wildlife Management Institute). "I have read with pleasure Scott Nielsen's Mallards. It is simply a superb book which ought to enlighten readers whether they be waterfowlers or naturalists. The beauty of Nielsen's work is his ability to place in layman's language the complexity of the mallard's life cycle. What makes Mallards intriguing is that the text is written by an individual who has lived the life of the mallard from ice-out to ice-up." (Charles S. Potter, Jr., North American Wildlife Foundation).