Preface -- Chapter 1. Studying Birds -- Chapter 2. Mapping Sentences and Facet Theory -- Chapter 3. How to Develop a Mapping Sentence: The Example of Avian Sleep -- Chapter 4. Complex Avian Behaviour and Cognition: A Mapping Sentence Approach -- Chapter 5 -- Studying Avian Cognition in the Wild: Avian Psychometrics -- Chapter 6. Interpreting Avian Play, Murmuration of Starlings and Oology (Classifying Birds' Eggs) -- Chapter 7. Conclusion -- Glossary -- Index.

This book presents the facet theoretical framework as a tool for facilitating the conception of complex animal behaviour research and the design of research procedures through employing mapping sentences. Using the facet theoretical framework, this book takes a holistic view of bird behaviour. Components of bird behavior are identified and then reassembled to facilitate an understanding of the behaviour in the context of its natural occurrence. This provides new insight on both the parts of the behaviour and how these interact as a whole. The multi-faceted approach to designing, evaluating and understanding bird behavior presented offers a template that is adaptable for investigating a wide variety of avian species and different forms of behaviour. Behavioural biologists, animal and comparative psychologists, other natural and behavioural scientists, as well as students of these disciplines will find this book to be an interesting and enlightening read.