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"Birds of prey"
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A novel hybridization of birds of prey-based optimization with differential evolution mutation and crossover for chaotic dynamics identification
Parameter identification of chaotic systems such as Lorenz, Chen, and Rössler has long been recognized as a challenging inverse problem, since even slight perturbations in system coefficients can yield qualitatively different trajectories. Conventional time-domain error formulations are often ill-conditioned under these conditions, which has motivated the design of more robust objective functions and the adoption of metaheuristic optimization strategies. In this study, a hybrid birds of prey-based optimization with differential evolution (h-BPBODE) is introduced to address these challenges. The method enriches the four canonical behavioral phases of BPBO (individual hunting, group hunting, attacking the weakest, and relocation) by embedding DE mutation and crossover operators after each candidate update. This design injects recombinative diversity while retaining BPBO’s adaptive and collective search mechanisms, thereby improving the balance between exploration and exploitation. The algorithm is validated on Lorenz, Chen, and Rössler systems, where the task is to recover unknown parameters by minimizing trajectory mismatches between true and simulated models. Comparative simulations against standard BPBO, starfish optimization, hippopotamus optimization, particle swarm optimization (PSO), and DE confirm that h-BPBODE consistently achieves exact parameter recovery with negligible residuals, faster convergence, and markedly lower run-to-run variance. Statistical analyses, convergence traces, and parameter evolution curves further demonstrate its robustness and precision. These findings establish h-BPBODE as a reliable and efficient framework for chaotic system identification and suggest its potential for broader nonlinear estimation tasks.
Journal Article
Australian Falcons
Falcons are stunning and iconic birds. Australia has six falcon species, with two endemic to the continent and two others endemic to the Australasian region. They are important indicators of the health of our ecosystems, due to their position at the top of the food chain. But several species are declining, with two species threatened in some states.In Australian Falcons: Ecology, Behaviour and Conservation, Dr Stephen Debus provides a 30-year update of knowledge on these six species, as well as a falcon-like hawk, the Black-shouldered Kite. This book is based partly on the author's field studies, as well as being a supplement to the Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (HANZAB) and recent global treatises. It offers up-to-date information on the Australian species, including their behaviours, ecology and biology. It reviews their population status and threats, and suggests what needs to be done to ensure the future of these spectacular birds.Australian Falcons is an invaluable resource for raptor biologists, birdwatchers, wildlife rescuers and carers, raptor rehabilitators and zookeepers.FEATURESCovers the biology, ecology, behaviour, conservation and management of the six falcon species, and one falcon-like hawk.Reviews the population status and threats of the Australian falcons.First comprehensive book on Australian falcons since the 1993 publication of HANZAB Volume 2.Features striking colour photos by photographer David Whelan.
eBook
Neotropical birds of prey
Until recently, surprisingly little has been known about the biology and behavior of tropical forest raptors, including such basic aspects as diets, breeding biology, habitat requirements, and population ecology, information critical to the development of conservation efforts. The Peregrine Fund conducted a significant eight-year-long research program on the raptor species, including owls, in Tikal National Park in Guatemala to learn more about Neotropical birds of prey. Impressive and unprecedented in scale, this pioneering research also involved the development of new methods for detecting, enumerating, and studying these magnificent but often elusive birds in their forest home. Beautifully illustrated with photographs of previously little-known species, the resulting book is the most important single source for information on the lowland tropical forest raptor species found in Central America.
Neotropical Birds of Prey covers twenty specific species in depth, including the Ornate Hawk-Eagle, the Barred Forest-Falcon, the Bat Falcon, and the Mexican Wood Owl, offering thorough synopses of all current knowledge regarding breeding biology and behavior, diet, habitat use, and spatial needs. Contributors to this landmark work also show how the populations fit together as a community with overlapping habitat and prey needs that can put them in competition with reptiles and mammalian carnivores as well, yet differ from one another in their nesting or feeding behaviors and population dynamics. The work's substantive original data offer interesting comparisons between tropical and temperate zone species, and provide a basis for establishing conservation measures based on firsthand research. Making available for the first time new data on the biology, ecology, behavior, and conservation of the majestic owls and raptors of the New World tropics, this book will appeal to a wide ornithological readership, especially the many raptor enthusiasts around the world.
eBook
Hawks
\"The hawk is a unique raptor whose extraordinary eyesight makes it one of the best hunters in the bird world. Its the hawk! This book covers everything about this bird of prey, including its appearance, behavior, and survival techniques. Readers also learn how to use their life science knowledge to identify hawks in the wild.\"--Provided by publisher.
Book
The Eagle Watchers
Eagles have fascinated humans for millennia. For some, the glimpse of a distant eagle instantly becomes a treasured lifelong memory. Others may never encounter a wild eagle in their lifetime. This book was written by people who have dedicated years to the study of eagles, to provide an insider's view for all readers, but especially those who have never been up close and personal with these magnificent yet often misunderstood creatures. In their stories, twenty-nine leading eagle researchers share their remarkable field experiences, providing personal narratives that don't feature in their scientific publications. They tell of their fear at being stalked by grizzly bears, their surprise at being followed by the secret police, their embarrassment when accidentally firing mortar rockets over a school gymnasium, and their sense of awe at tracking eagles via satellite. The reader experiences the cultural shock of being guest of honor at a circumcision ceremony, the absurdity of sharing an aquatic car with the Khmer Rouge, and the sense of foreboding at being press-ganged into a frenzied tribal death march through the jungle. The Eagle Watchers covers twenty-four species on six continents, from well known (bald eagle; golden eagle), to obscure (black-and-chestnut eagle; New Guinea harpy eagle), and from common (African fish eagle) to critically endangered (Philippine eagle; Madagascar fish eagle). The diverse experiences vividly described in this book reveal the passion, dedication, and sense of adventure shared by those who study these majestic birds and strive for their conservation. Featuring stunning color photographs of the eagles, information on raptor conservation, a global list of all eagle species with ranges and conservation status, and a color map of the sites visited in the book, The Eagle Watchers will appeal to birders, conservationists, and adventure travelers alike. To further support the conservation programs described in this book, all royalties are being donated to two leading nonprofit organizations for raptor conservation training and fieldwork: Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Intern Program and the National Birds of Prey Trust.
eBook
Vultures
\"Vultures may be the most notorious bird of prey. Readers learn why this carnivore has a reputation for scavenging, as well as the characteristics that set it apart from other members of the raptor family.\"--Provided by publisher.
Book
Raptor medicine, surgery, and rehabilitation
This unique book consolidates years of knowledge of dealing with injured birds of prey. Written by a practicing veterinarian, it covers helpful, day-to-day advice through tips and clinical insights, provides an emphasis on practical procedures, and includes numerous illustrations for easy recognition of symptoms and replication of techniques.
eBook