Imperial Dreams by Tim Gallagher
A decade ago, Tim Gallagher was one of the rediscoverers of the legendary ivory-billed woodpecker, which most scientists believed had been extinct for more than half a century--now Gallagher once again hits the trail, journeying deep into Mexico's savagely beautiful Sierra Madre Occidental, home to rich wildlife, as well as to Mexican drug cartels, in a perilous quest to locate the most elusive bird in the world--the imperial woodpecker.The imperial woodpecker's trumpetlike calls and distinctive hammering on massive pines once echoed through the high forests. Two feet tall, with deep black plumage, a brilliant snow-white shield on its back, and a crimson crest, the imperial woodpecker had largely disappeared fifty years ago, though reports persist of the bird still flying through remote mountain stands. In an attempt to find and protect the imperial woodpecker in its last habitat, Gallagher is guided by a map of sightings of this natural treasure of the Sierra Madre, bestowed on him by a friend on his deathbed. Charged with continuing the quest of a line of distinguished naturalists, including the great Aldo Leopold, Gallagher treks through this mysterious, historically untamed and untamable territory. Here, where an ancient petroglyph of the imperial can still be found, Geronimo led Apaches in their last stand, William Randolph Hearst held a storied million-acre ranch, and Pancho Villa once roamed, today ruthless drug lords terrorize residents and steal and strip the land.
Gallagher's passionate quest takes a harrowing turn as he encounters armed drug traffickers, burning houses, and fleeing villagers. His mission becomes a life-and-death drama that will keep armchair adventurers enthralled as he chases truth in the most dangerous of habitats.
While working on his book The Grail Bird, TIM GALLAGHER was one of the first people to see the long-thought-to-be-extinct ivory-billed woodpecker in Arkansas, sparking a multi-million-dollar effort to confirm the sighting and safeguard the bird's shrinking habitat. The encounter shifted the focus of Gallagher's book, which earned the Outdoor Writers Association of America's Best Book award in 2005. Gallagher is the editor-in-chief of Living Bird and the North American Falconers' Association Journal.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781476734385 |
| ISBN 10 | 1476734380 |
| Title | Imperial Dreams |
| Author | Tim Gallagher |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Atria Books |
| Year published | 2017-01-14 |
| Number of pages | 312 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |