Book Description

For the thousands of local birdwatchers and the many hundreds of visitors, this glove compartment-sized book places all the excitement and opportunity of the Delaware Valley's 335 species of birds within convenient reach. Huge in coverage yet compact in size, Birding the Delaware Valley Region is the first comprehensive bird-finding guide available for the region.

With detailed directions like "behind the airport," "follow the shabby road off to the left," and "lock the car and walk the railroad tracks," this exuberant handbook tells the birder exactly how to get to the best locations and what to do when he's there. In addition to providing maps showing topographical outlines, it surveys key areas (all within a two-hour drive of Philadelphia) where most of the region's birds can be found: Hawk Mountain, Cape May Point State Park, Ridley Creek State Park, Tinicum Marsh, Brigantine National Wildlife refuge, and Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge.

Mini-chapters discuss additional birding "hot spots" famous for great numbers of migrants, and short references to another thirty "spots" round out the regions' bird refuges to more than seventy. Simple cross-checking can be done with the annotated list, the list of accidental or casual species, the bibliography, and the index located at the end of the guide. Every question the visitor might ask and the native might wonder about is answered concisely and fully. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Open to anywhere in the 443 pages of birds and you'll find a color plate to the right, showing all the variants of color and plumage (including breeding and immature birds, when different). And on the left, a paragraph summary of the species, with a map of the bird's natural range. You can see at a glance how the great egret has black legs, differentiating it from the white great blue heron with its yellow legs, and how the cattle egret blushes red in the legs and bill while breeding. What an excellent guide for bird watchers and bird lovers. ... Read more

Book Description

There are no state-specific books on how to appreciate birds and learn more about them. Like gardening, bird watching is a regional hobby, and the birds that frequent the backyards of Missouri differ from the birds found in Michigan. This series targets beginning and intermediate bird watchers from each Midwestern state.

The books are state-specific and highlight the birds that are found in each state. In addition to the profile, each bird entry includes a map to identity the specific range covered by the bird.

100 birds are presented via full-color photographs for accurate identification.

Full-color seasonal section informs the reader of: the migrating birds that can be seen that month, the foods that attract those birds, the plants that can assist in attracting birds.

Our partner, Bird Watcher's Digest, has sold more than 4 million copies of their booklets on bird varieties, bird habitat, feeding, and related outdoor topics.

Book Description

Descriptions of more than 400 species of birds found in the islands of the West Indies include local names of birds, notes on migrants and winter residents -- as well as birds that breed there -- and voice, habitat, and range information. More than 340 illustrations aid in identification. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Review of "Birds of the West Indies."
Unless one is collecting Peterson Field Guides, I do not recommend this book. Its organization is dated. Color plates are segregated from the bird descriptions. Many of the descriptions are accompanied by a black and white sketch. Some of the birds described lack any sketch or color plate. The book does not contain distribution maps. Redeeming aspects of the book are (1) it is small in size and (2) it includes a comprehensive list of species in the area with a written text for each.

West Indy Birds
Yea, The book could definently use some improvements, but overall the pictures did depict the birds pretty well. The only species illustrated {in color} are those endemic ONLY to the Carib islands. Any birds that are seen in the continental US are only given black and white drawings, and small descriptions. So a field guide and familiarity to eastern migratory birds are a plus! I am VERY dissapointed with the quality of the pages in the book. After a week in the Islands, mine looks worse than any of my regular guides! Bring a water-proof sleeve or something, because it's going to get wet! Not a bad book though, I had a lot of fun, and pretty much every bird you see tends to be a new species! Have fun!

A disappointment
When I ordered this guide, I was expecting a format that was similar to the other Petersen bird guides. Unfortunately, this book is nowhere near as well organized. The plates are small, the artwork is not as good, and not all the species are illustrated. The text was also rather thin in life history information. If you are traveling to the Caribbean in winter and aren't up to speed on North American migratory singbirds, you will need to take an Eastern U.S. bird guide with you as well, as the numerous migrants that comprise the wintertime fauna are merely mentioned. I managed to identify most birds that I saw while using this guide, but it was a frustrating process.

Book makes a cameo in "Die Another Day"
Hard core 007 afficianados will notice a pile of 007 in-jokes that are scattered throught the latest Bond film, "Die Another Day". Among them: While in a Cuban office, Pierce Brosnan casually picks up a first edition of this book, which, as others have noted, is where Ian Fleming came up with 007's name. Better than available alternatives I suppose ("My name is Audobon - - John James Audobon..."

Bond, James Bong
I've never actually read this book, but I just found out that Ian Fleming got the name from the author of this book, so I decided to look it up and share it with all of you ornotholgists. Bye! ... Read more

Amazon.com

One suspects Mitsuaki Iwago is really a penguin in disguise--for it is hard to picture a Homo sapien getting close enough to these birds to get the pictures he does, without donning top hat, white tie, and tails. Where other wildlife photographers keep a respectful distance from their prey, Iwago is on intimate terms with them. There are some very unusual photos in this book as a result--penguins jumping in the ocean like dolphins; parents regurgitating squid and feeding it to their young; a chick in transition to adulthood, much of his chest still covered with dark feathers. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

brrrr....
Look through this and imagine what the climate must have been while photographing these animals. Remember that the author didn't just shoot a roll or two of film and head out-this is the result of a great deal of time shooting many, MANY rolls of film in freezing temperatures. The photos are wonderful-I just wish that there had been some informative text on the penguins. Penguin books are not very easy to come by-this one would be a great addition to anybody's library that may be interested in penguins.

Wonderful Penguins
Penguins book by Mitsuaki Iwagos, is considered one of the best photo books of these unique animal that live in Antarctica. Mitsuaki Iwagos in my opinion is considered one of the top nature photographers. He shows us the life of penguins in general their way of life children care and protection, and the defense of severe climatic conditions of Antarctica massive assembling which draws the attention and stir your eyes in addition to summarized notes. It is a book that recounts the life of penguins in elegant and eye- catching manner. In addition the photos included in this book gives you clear significance and meaning of life on Antarctica . So I recommend this book for those who love natural photos and Antarctica in general.

Magnificent!
Allot a special, private time for yourself with this book! Only by allowing yourself the time to savor each photograph will you go on the special journey Mitsuaki Iwago has in store for you. His play with the contrasts of the light and darks of penguins and and their environment is bliss. I am a penquin afficianado, and was totally thrilled by this sensitive and delightful presentation.

This is a beautiful book!
A great way to spend the afternoon. Photographs show all aspects of penguin life. Stunning, interesting. Good commentary as well. ... Read more

Book Description

Arizona Birds, An Introduction to Familiar Species, is a must-have, reference guide for beginners and experts alike. Whether you're on a nature hike or in your own backyard, you'll want to take along a copy of this indispensable guide. The Pocket Naturalist(tm) series is an introduction to common plants and animals and natural phenomena. Each pocket-sized, folding guide highlights up to 150 species and most feature a map highlighting prominent sanctuaries and outstanding natural attractions. Each is laminated for durability. ... Read more

Book Description

Beautiful, full-color, large-scale illustrations showcase 30 birds in the habitats of the midwestern United States and central Canada that they are most associated with, along with identification tips. Expanded information on each birds' habits and natural history goes beyond the standard bird identification guide. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An invaluable resource for birdwatching enthusiasts!
Filled with exquisite full-color illustrations, Common Birds Of North America: Midwest Edition by James Wilson (Missouri Department of Conservation State Ornithologist) is an excellent guidebook for birdwatchers of all experience levels. Each species features a fine full-page portrait showing male and female specimens if the plumage is very different, and a one-page summary of the bird's habitat, call, typical behavior, and more. A concise, elegant guide, Common Birds Of North America: Midwest Edition is an invaluable resource for birdwatchers.

A Great Natural History of the Midwest's Common Birds
Wow. Having watched Jim doodle birds and landscapes in pen and ink during staff meetings at the conservation department, I should not have been surprised at the accuracy and quality of his illustrations in this book. Aside from the gorgeous images of the birds and their settings, Jim also manages to capture elements of the birds' songs and behavior in easy-to-read text. It's a great book for people who are interested in learning how bird species make their livings as well as how to identify them. I bought one for my Mom (who loves to watch her bird feeder visitors), and she loved it. ... Read more

Book Description

More than a thousand species of birds occur in Mexico and in the adjacent countries of Belize, Guatemala, and El Salvador. Of these birds, a unique mixture of temperate-zone and tropical species, less than half are found in the United States, and many cross the border only a short distance into the southwestern states.This practical field guide contains detailed annotations for easy identification of all of Mexico's regular species. The descriptions include the English, Spanish, and Latin names; a general range statement for each bird, along with its specific occurrences in the region; its typical habitat(s) and abundance; and its physical characteristics, including size and plumage. Excellent color plates with drawings of over 850 species make this the most fully illustrated guide to the region.Published by the author in 1972 and 1989, this convenient take-along guide is now totally revised, updated, and re-designed to provide handy assistance and enjoyment to professional ornithologists and amateur birders alike. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Substandard in almost every regard
To be sure, this field guide is better than having no field guide. If birds posed for observation, it would be a great field guide. But for the real world this guide is disorganized in text and illustrations beyond excuse. I'm not sure this is the author's fault. It may be due to the publisher cutting costs. Still, no excuse. A birder will pay a premium for a great field guide. Illustrations are jammed together on each plate with no regard to proportionate size, or to other birds on that plate. For example, kingfishers are intermixed with trogons, motmots, swallows and woodpeckers on 3 separate plates. The amazon kingfisher is on one plate; the similar green kingfisher is 2 plates later. Quick comparison is impossible. Seven trogons are together on one plate, but the elegant trogon is 2 plates later. Some woodpeckers are on each of plates 20, 21 & 22; the imperial woodpecker is on plate 45. First I cried, then I laughed.

Nice pictures, but disorganized
This book has what Peterson's "Mexican Birds" lacks: good colour pictures of (nearly) all birds of Mexico and adjacent areas and their Spanish names. However, the presentation of the pictures is a mishmash. The descriptions of the birds are not detailed but very short. It is a pity that there is no information about the behaviour of the birds, often very important for identification.

Birding in Belize
We used this book on a recent trip to Belize. It is THE book in use by local Belizian birding enthusiasts, and we only saw it for sale at one shop during our 12 day stay, so it might be hard to get once you're there. Birds of same species on different color plates slow you down, but the pictures are very good. Highly recommend taking this book with you if you plan to do any serious birdwatching.

A great book with a pesky fault
This field guide will enable you to see paintings of all of the birds that occur in the area. It also discusses (briefly) each bird. The paintings are excellent and the copy is quick and to the point. To pick at nits, though, the arrangement of the paintings is confusing. Not all birds in a specific family are illustrated on the same plate, and some are found pages away from the rest of their family. The logic seems to be that if the bird is found regularly in northern North America (the elegant trogon, for example) its picture does not need to run with the rest of its relatives. Close study of the guide can overcome this problem, however, making it an easy, economical way to pack the information of other guides into the field. ... Read more

Book Description

Guide to Birdwatching Sites Western U.S.

Discover the best places to see birds in the contiguous Western United States with National Geographic as your guide. Dedicated to beginning and intermediate birders, the National Geographic Guide to Birdwatching Sites takes you to the birding hot spots, both highly visited and lesser known. Features include:

* Special species lists, best seasons to visit, and insider's advice
* Detailed directions and 5 easy-to-read area maps
* Descriptions of birds and their behavior
* 133 vivid color photos and illustrations
* National Geographic Guide to Birdwatching Sites -- Eastern U.S. also available ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Just a compilation
This is just a summarization of other sources. Nothing new or exciting here - at all. ... Read more

Book Description

"This is a first-class book that will enable users to identify any bird they encounter in Belize." --Victor Emanuel, President, Victor Emanuel Nature ToursWith nearly six hundred identified species of birds--and an average of five "new" species discovered annually--Belize is becoming a birding hotspot for amateur and professional birders from around the globe. Thousands of birders visit the country each year to enjoy Belize's amazing abundance and variety of both temperate and tropical birds in natural habitats that remain largely unspoiled. But until now, despite the growing need for an authoritative identification guide, birders have had to rely on regional field guides that offer only limited information on Belizean birds.Birds of Belize provides the first complete guide to the identification of all currently known species--574 in all. The birds are grouped by families, with an introduction to each family that highlights its uniquely identifying characteristics and behaviors. The species accounts include all the details necessary for field identification: scientific and common names, size, plumage features, thorough voice descriptions, habitat, distribution, and status in Belize. Full color, expertly drawn illustrations by noted bird artist Dana Gardner present male and female, juvenile and adult, and basic and alternate plumages to aid visual identification throughout the year, while 234 range maps show the birds' distribution and seasonality in Belize. A comprehensive bibliography completes the volume. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Only complete guide to Belize Birds
This is the only complete guide to the Birds of Belize, for a change you won't have to lug along a North Ameircan field guide (NA migrants are illustrated). Art work looks new, but is very similar to Gardner's in "A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica" Jones' text is brief but seems complete. Range maps are at the end and only are given for birds who are not found throughout Belize or are not wide spread migrants. That makes sense if you think about it (and are incline to read the text). This book is also small enough that you won't find the need to cut out the plates like was common practice with Howell's Mexico book. I give it a thumbs up and can't wait to use it in the field in two weeks! ... Read more

Amazon.com

People have been watching birds and studying their ways since the dawn of humankind. Birdwatching as we know it, however, is a fairly recent invention; in her introduction to this fine anthology, Jen Hill traces it to the English naturalist and philosopher Sir Thomas Browne, who in 1662 put together an annotated list of the birds of Norfolk, having wandered through the marshes and fields to observe their habits. Countless writers have followed in Browne's footsteps, and Hill brings many of them--Browne included--to this nicely portable collection of excerpts from the literature of birdwatching. Among the contributors are the ever-quotable English traveler W.H. Hudson, who took an interest in birds wherever he went, from the jungles of the Amazon to the suburbs of London; Irene Grosvenor Wheelock, whose Birds of California remains a popular reference nearly a century after its first publication; and Oliver Goldsmith, the Georgian writer, who describes the many connections that join birds and other animals to humans. Organized by theme--for instance, migration and bird physiology--Hill's anthology mingles scientific observation, folklore, memoir, and literary essay to make a pleasing, commonplace book. It's a welcome addition to the birdwatcher's bookshelf. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Two "wings" up
I am not a birdwatcher. But Jen Hill's collection of writings on our avian friends is a new fixture on my coffee table. Despite Hill's seemingly daunting credentials - a PhD candidate at Cornell - An Exhilaration of Wings is not an intellectual tome. From her inciteful and, at times, humorous introduction - she points out that Theodore Roosevelt, an enthusiastic birdwatcher despite his poor eyesight, is the only president on Mt. Rushmore wearing glasses - I began the book wishing she had written it herself rather than culling quotes from others. Through the eyes of nature lovers like Thoreau, Audubon, and Wordsworth, to name just three of over 75 writers, famous and unknown, she tells us of birds and their habits, and arcane bird trivia we never thought we needed to know until now. With an eye and ear of someone who, no doubt, regularly escapes the Ivory Tower, Hill has compiled these quotes into chapters with a relaxing rhythm. Reading just a few is like receiving a neck massage during a stressful day. I will pick up the book again and again. And I begin tomorrow with one more reason to look out the window.

The perfect gift!
Spent a whole evening on the porch with this fine book. Jen Hill has chosen a wonderful range of writing about birds and the people who watch them. The introduction and the selections on bird behavior were especially fascinating. As a bonus this book will make you laugh. The perfect gift for every birdwatcher and nature lover.

A "must read" for birdwatchers, fanciers, and ecologists.
This survey of the literature surrounding birdwatching gathers together some of the most intriguing writings under one cover, exploring the literary side of the observations of Muir, Audubon, and others. These take the form of paragraphs of information which explore sightings and bird ecology.

The Heart and Soul of Bird Watching
This book offers a wonderful look at the historical roots of bird watching. How refreshing to read truly emotional responses to the experience of learning about birds through observation. The wonderful blend of writings underscores the universality and agelessness of the sport.

This book is perfect for short reads -- great to pick up for a moment, either to refresh oneself or to share with a friend. It is a perfect gift for any bird lover -- I have purchased 6 copies to date!

Romantic?
The "romantic" birder will enjoy the many written excerpts that Hill includes in her book. The "analytical" birder may prefer something more prosaic. Not sure if you are a romantic birder or an analytical birder?...Read ths book and find out. ... Read more

Book Description

Brimming with concise descriptions and stunning color photographs, the National Audubon Society Pocket Guide to Familiar Birds of North America: East is designed to be compact enough to literally fit into any bird-lover's back pocket. This streamlined volume contains; an easy-to-use field guide identifying 80 of the most frequently encountered birds in the Eastern region bounded by the Rocky Mountains and eastward towards the Atlantic Ocean; a complete overview of birdwatching, covering basic identifying field marks, expert advice on when, where and how to look for birds and tips on attracting birds to make your backyard a haven for colorful songsters.

This pocket guide is packed with information; detailed photographs and diagrams, specific descriptions of each species' important field marks, regional maps depicting nesting and winter ranges, a glossary of bird terms and a guide to various bird family trauits.

Whether your home is in a remote countryside or in a populous city, you will derive hours of pleasure observing and learning about birds, and the National Audubon Society Pocket Guide to Familiar Birds of North America: East is an excellent and convenient reference guide to accompany any bird-lover. ... Read more

Book Description

Guide to Birdwatching Sites Eastern U.S.

Discover the best places to see birds in the Eastern United States with National Geographic as your guide. Dedicated to beginning and intermediate birders, the National Geographic Guide to Birdwatching Sites takes you to the birding hot spots, both highly visited and lesser known. Features include:

* Special species lists, best seasons to visit, and insider's advice
* Detailed directions and 8 easy-to-read area maps
* Descriptions of birds and their behavior
* 193 vivid color photos and illustrations
* National Geographic Guide to Birdwatching Sites -- Western U.S. also available ... Read more

Book Description

Texas Birds, An Introduction to Familiar Species, is a must-have, reference guide for beginners and experts alike. Whether you're on a nature hike or in your own backyard, you'll want to take along a copy of this indispensable guide. The Pocket Naturalist(tm) series is an introduction to common plants and animals and natural phenomena. Each pocket-sized, folding guide highlights up to 150 species and most feature a map highlighting prominent sanctuaries and outstanding natural attractions. Each is laminated for durability. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Florida's Fabulous Birds
This is an excellent book for the Florida bird watcher. It has large color photographs of the birds in their natural habitats. Often with more than one picture of the species! There is just enough information included to answer common questions. I use this book in my classroom and the elementary aged students find it useful and easy to use.

I have also used Florida's Fabulous Butterflies. Same excellent quaility! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Pigeon Bible!
If you have pigeons - you MUST HAVE THIS BOOK.It is the only resource you need when figuring out diseases or illnesses.SO HELPFUL.Mine is kind of old, but the info is timeless.Get any edition you can find and you won't be disappointed!

Great addition to Encyclopedia of Pigeon Breeds
If ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PIGEON BREEDS could be topped, it would be only by THE PIGEON and only Wendell Levi could have had enough knowledge and love of such a topic as pigeons.

Whatever your interest in pigeons, hobbyist, researcher or commercial production, you will find this a treasure trove to be valued more than most any book in your possession.

Enjoy this book, then order ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PIGEON BREEDS and MAKING PIGEONS PAY - I got all three at Amazon and am grateful to Wendell Levi and his heirs, as well as Amazon, for making such terrific books available in the 21st Century.

Classic reference in the field
This book is clearly the classic reference book for the pigeon fancy.Unfortunately the book is basically unchanged since the 50's.The chapter on diseases and their treatment is severely dated and needs a complete rewrite to address modern treatments and drugs--but there is no author whocan do the job.However, there is a corresponding advantage--the chapteron breeds and varieties could not be done as well these days.In theintervening years, with the changes in society and interests, the qualityof many of the rarer breeds has declined markedly.Still, this is the bookthat everybody with an interest in the pigeon fancy must have!

spanish pouters
spanish pouters by ralfh buch brag

Best English lanquage reference available anywhere.
The Pigeon by Wendell Levi is without doubt the best, most authoritative, English language publication on domesticated pigeons. It belongs in every pigeon breeder's library from novice to expert. This book, tome, has been in publication since 1941, and has seen no rivals. It covers everything in depth, including chapters covering housing, feed, breeding, behavior, health, exhibitions, anatomy, physiology, breed varieties, history, and genetics. While still substantially correct, the sections on genetics and health are the most dated. Not that they are wrong, but rather that great strides have been made in these areas. Medications are much improved, and much more has been learned about pigeon genetics. The descriptions of various diseases and preventative actions remain on the mark, but recommended medications are out of date. After pinpointing the cause of the disease, check with your local supplier for the proper, up to date, medicine rather than those recommended in this book. *In a five star scale, four stars. Nothing in my book gets five stars. I want to leave something to strive for ... Read more

Book Description

Birding is one of the fastest-growing activities in America, and this book is aimed at the millions of birders who want not only to identify birds but also to understand them. Key features of this comprehensive and indispensable handbook include: coverage of every species found in North America - more than 900 species, including accidentals and exotics - as well as the larger genus and family groupings; vividly written, detailed descriptions of each species, genus, and family: personality, habitat, feeding habits, nesting habits, migratory patterns, characteristic displays, and conservation status; color photographs and range maps for the more than 600 species regularly seen in North America; an introduction to birds and birding. Just as a Peterson Field Guide(tm) is an essential tool for birding in the field, Kenn Kaufman's Lives of North American Birds is an essential reference for anyone interested in birds in particular or nature in general. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A great book from one of the best!

There are so many books about birds one wonders which are the best .There is no answer to that question.I have over 1000 'bird books' and I felt this one was worth buying.It is written by one of the most knowledgeable and dedicated birders in North America today.
His 'Birds of North America'is one of the best field guides for a birder to buy to carry with him to help learn about and identify birds.He particularly had the non-expert in mind when he wrote it.
His 'Kingbird Highway' is one of the best books around about his experiences as a 16 year old trying to beat the record of seeing the most species in North America in one year.
His 'Advanced Birding' was written for expert birders having difficulty sorting some of the toughest birds to identify.
Now he gives us a book filled with much more detailed information on each bird. He covers habitat,feeding,behavior,nesting,migration and the conservation status.He has also included up-to date range maps.He has written all this material in a very easy to understand manner.
One would not probably want to buy this as their first or only bird book;but it would be a great book to buy after having an identification book.It's a great book for any birder whether just getting started or been birding for some time.It is too large to take with you in the field (birding);but excellent to have at home for reference.

An Excellent Book
A lot of you that may see this book and it's dimensions and may think, a coffee table book. Or a book to put on a shelfand collect dust with. I'm here to say that that is definitely NOT the case. I have this book myself, of course, and I have suprisingly find myself reading this book merely for entertainment. I have learned a LOT from this book. You should see the marks and stains I have on mine. The Author, a great man with a great history (check his autobiography Kingbird Highway)
Must have done a LOT of research on all these birds and knows alot of them personally, to create this book with all the info on a single bird and well laid out with all the info you may need
on it (Except for the birds call, but I'm not holding him back on it.) For instance you have a picture of the bird in nature, a map of where it is red for summer, blue in winter and purple all year round resident. It has an intro on the bird, it's habitat, feeding, hunting behavior, nest, how many eggs, migration info and at last but not least, Conservation status. The book also shows info on foreign birds that occasionally enter the US from afar, but does not have all the info on an american bird, and doesn't have a picture. But still, there is a lot of information in this book. And if you ask why someone would make a book on how birds live, well, he has a very good reason. Read Kingbird Highway. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Excellent!!
Great book to have onhand.I also have Sibley's book, The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior and I love them both - they're very different and while they may overlap to some degree, they're definitely different.Lives of N. Amer. Birds has great photographs of the birds, each bird entry has an intro paragragh about the bird, then is followed by habitat they prefer/can be found in, Feeding to include diet as well as how the bird finds/hunts for food, Nesting to include typical nest sites, how they're built, number of eggs and what they look like, care oft he young.There is also a section on each bird that talks to conservation issues for the bird.Latin names are also provided.I think this is a great reference book.I like to augment my reading with the Sibley guide as well as some ofthe stokes books on bird behavior.

Accessible Species Accounts, a basic not to be without
The real advantage of Kenn Kaufman's book is its accessibility. Next to the Birder's Handbook, which tried several funky organizational and icongraphic systems at once, Kaufman is pure readability. The attractive,intelligent presentation here is immediately appealing. This serves doubleduty as a coffee table book and reference.

I read both this and theBirder's Handbook when I see something new. Kaufman gives you a solidaccount of each bird, but he's limited to individual species. (There arebrief family introductions, written about at the level of the family introsin a field guide.) The essays in Birder's Handbook are very pleasing tobrowse into; in Kaufman, once you've read a species, you're on to anotherspecies. Kaufman has nothing to say, for example, about mobbing behavior.Birder's Handbook has a long essay, naming several species and discussingthe state of research on the subject.

Kaufman is also less clear aboutwhat's missing about a bird. Birder's Handbook is held to its schematicapproach, so you immediately know when there's a question mark in alocation that's usually got a little symbol. Kaufman occasionally mentionsthat something isn't well known, but you have to read into the essay tofind that.

As complements to a field guide, both this and The Birder'sHandbook are useful and enjoyable. I personally wouldn't be happy withouteither one.

An extremely useful book for general information
Kenn Kaufmann has provided a nice, highly readable, first place to lookfor general information on any North American bird. The informationprovided is somewhat more extensive, in most cases, than can be found insimilar Birder's Handbook by Ehrlich, Dobkin, and Wheye. Unfortunately,however, Kaufmann omitted notes and bibilographical information (which wereincluded in the Birder's Handbook). Had the bibliographical informationbeen included, this book would easily have rated 5 stars. As it is, thereader is frustrated in the search for more detailed information. I shouldalso mention that the visual presentation of this book is nothing short offirst class. Although not a book of fine-art photography, it is nonethelessan aesthetically pleasing volume printed on high-quality paper. ... Read more