<DIV><p><I>An in-depth biological overview of a fascinating group of waterfowl</I></p><p>'Paul A. Johnsgard’s first glimpse of a North American ruddy duck?a chestnut-brown bird with a blue bill, black head, and white cheeks?led to decades of observing the eight extant species of stiff-tailed ducks. In <I>Ruddy Ducks and Other Stifftails</I>, he and Montserrat Carbonell introduce general readers and ornithologists to the ruddy’s morphology, behavior, ecology, and diverse relatives. This richly illustrated volume highlights these unique species at a critical time, when their wetlands habitats are increasingly at risk.</p></DIV>