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Books about birds and birdwatching in Delaware.

The books are arranged by publication date with the most recent at the top of the page.



For bird books that cover all, or a large part of, the USA see the following page:

USA bird books

 

Mid-Atlantic Birds: Backyard Guide

Bill Thompson III

Cool Springs Press

2013

"Inside, you'll find profiles of the 55 most common birds in the Mid-Atlantic, complete with large color photos, gender-specific physical descriptions, nesting and feeding information, bird call particulars, and interesting stories about each species. Thompson also introduces the reader to the basics of bird watching: essential gear, bird-friendly food and plantings, housing tips, and observational techniques. This guide covers Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania."

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Life Along the Delaware Bay: Cape May Gateway to a Million Shorebirds

Lawrence Niles, Joanna Burger, Amanda Dey

Photography: Jan van de Kam

Rivergate Books

2012

"The Delaware Bay is the second largest and most diverse bay on the East Coast. It has a rich cultural history, has played an important role in the region's commerce and tourism, and has spectacular and vital natural resources. Birdwatchers gather along its shores to watch the spectacle of thousands of spawning horseshoe crabs, the dense flocks of migrant shorebirds, the fall hawk migration, and the huge migration of monarch butterflies. Life Along the Delaware Bay focuses on the area as an ecosystem, the horseshoe crab as a keystone species within that system, and the crucial role that the bay plays in the migratory ecology of shorebirds. An abundance of horseshoe crabs spawning on the Delaware Bay beaches results in an abundance of eggs brought to the surface, providing a source of high-quality food and bringing hundreds of thousands of shorebirds to the bay to forage in late May and early June. A dramatic decline in horseshoe crabs has resulted in a rapid and dramatic decline in birds, particularly the red knot. This decline has sounded an alarm throughout the world, prompting a host of biologists to converge on the bay each spring, to understand the biology and conservation of red knots and other shorebirds."

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Wildlife of the Mid-Atlantic: A Complete Reference Manual

John H. Rappole

University of Pennsylvania Press

2012: Paperback edition

2007: Hardback edition

"The Mid-Atlantic is a geographically and biologically diverse region, ranging from the sandy coastal beaches and blackwater swamps of southeastern Virginia to the boreal bogs and spruce-fir forests of northern Pennsylvania and the highest peaks of West Virginia's Appalachian Mountains. Scientists identify six distinct geologic provinces in the area, along with four climatic zones. As John H. Rappole explains, these varied landforms and climates create the environment for the variety of wildlife found in the region. This well-illustrated volume is the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide to the wildlife of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Approximately 550 species are described, including all birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians known to inhabit the area, excluding open ocean species. Each species is illustrated and a distribution map is included with every entry. The species accounts contain a physical description, data on habitat and distribution, habits, diet, reproduction, conservation status, and one or more key references. Sections cover the major habitat types in the region (including descriptions and photos), physical geography, climate, and conservation challenges. In addition, the book has a glossary of nearly 400 technical terms."

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Paperback edition

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Hardback edition


Birds of Maryland & Delaware: Field Guide

Stan Tekiela

Adventure Publications

2005

"Learn about and identify birds using Stan Tekiela's state-by-state field guides. The full-page, color photos are incomparable and include insets of winter plumage, color morphs and more. Plus, with the easy-to-use format, you don't need to know a bird's name or classification in order to easily find it in the book. Using this field guide is a real pleasure. It's a great way for anyone to learn about the birds in your state."

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The Naturalist's Guide to the Atlantic Seashore: Beach Ecology from the Gulf of Maine to Cape Hatteras

Scott W. Shurnway

Falcon Press

2008

"From the North Carolina's Outer Banks to Maine's rocky coast, this comprehensive guidebook covers the ecology, wildlife, plants and ocean creatures in full-colour photographs and vivid detail. No other book includes all of the plants, animals, and terrain along this stretch of coastline, making this a must-have for anyone who lives or recreates near the Atlantic. The diverse habitats of the seashore, from the Rocky Shores to Sandy Beaches, Estuaries, Tidal Flats, Salt Marshes, Seagrass Meadows, and the Open Ocean are explored in detail in this user-friendly guide and natural history. The easy-to-use layout, comprehensive index, water-resistant cover and guaranteed binding make this a beautiful volume of natural history and biodiversity."

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Report On The Migration Of Red Knots Calidris Canutus Rufa And Turnstone Arenaria Interpres Passing Through Delaware Bay In 2003

N.A. Clark, P.W. Atkinson, J.A. Clark, S. Gillings & R. Robinson

BTO Report 351

British Trust For Ornithology

2004

A 40 page report.

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Arrival and Weight Gain of Red Knot Calidris Canutus, Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria Interpres and Sanderling Calidris Alba Staging in Delaware Bay in Spring

R.A. Robinson, P.W. Atkinson, and N.A. Clark

British Trust For Ornithology

2003

A 50 page report which analyses patterns of weight gain in three species of shorebirds over a six year period between 1997 and 2002. Birds were caught in May of each year on both the Delaware and New Jersey sides of the Bay using cannon nets.

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Red Knots Calidris Canutus in Delaware Bay 2002: Survival, Foraging and Marking Strategy

P.W. Atkinson

British Trust For Ornithology

2003

A 40 page report.

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Birds of the Mid-Atlantic Region and Where to Find Them

John H. Rappole

Johns Hopkins University Press

2002

"With its dramatic range of habitats, from the beaches of the Atlantic to the wetlands of the Chesapeake Bay and the alpine forests of the Appalachians, the Mid-Atlantic region is home to 346 species of birds. For amateur and experienced birders alike, few areas offer so many opportunities to see such a rich variety of avian life. Birds of the Mid-Atlantic Region and Where to Find Them is the only comprehensive field guide to bird life in the area (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia) that also directs readers to public sites where each species can be found. Noted ornithologist John H. Rappole provides extensive information about every species: description, identification details for distinguishing similar species, habitat preference, vocalization, range, and Mid-Atlantic seasonal occurrence, abundance, and distribution. Each entry is accompanied by a color photograph, making identification easy for amateur bird watchers, and by a range of maps. A helpful guide to sites lists the best places to spot specific birds, from common species to rarities, and how to reach the sites by car."

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Birds Of Delaware

Gene K. Hess, Richard L. West, Maurice V. Barnhill, Lorraine M. Fleming

Pitt Series in Nature and Natural History

University of Pittsburgh Press

2000

"Delaware's location in the mid-Atlantic region on the Atlantic flyway, as well as the geologic evolution of Delaware's Piedmont and Coastal Plain, have resulted in a great variety of bird life - virtually all species regularly encountered in the East. Birds of Delaware is the first comprehensive book on birds in the state, containing accounts of 418 species, and the first state book to integrate breeding bird atlas survey results with all other available information on a state's wild birds. Destined to be a definitive reference work for years to come, Birds of Delaware includes innovative graphic presentations on breeding and seasonal distribution, relative abundance of species, nesting season, and winter population changes."

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Field Guide to the Mid-Atlantic States

National Audubon Society

1999

"Filled with concise descriptions and stunning photographs, the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Mid-Atlantic States belongs in the home of every Mid-Atlantic resident and in the suitcase or backpack of every visitor. This compact volume contains: an easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the state's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more; a complete overview of the Mid-Atlantic region's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns, and the night sky; and an extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others. The guide is packed with visual information - the 1,500 full-color images include more than 1,300 photographs, 18 maps, and 16 night-sky charts, as well as more than 100 drawings explaining everything from geological processes to the basic features of different plants and animals. For everyone who lives or spends time in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, or Washington, D.C."

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Finding Birds in the National Capital Area

Claudia Wilds

Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press

2nd edition

1992

"In the second edition of Finding Birds in the National Capital Area, Claudia Wilds updates her classic guide with new maps, directions, and descriptions, providing information on birding from Delaware to North Carolina accessible to the notice and detailed enough for the experienced birder."

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Seasonal Guide to the Natural Year: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, D.C

Scott Weidensaul

Fulcrum

1992

"These comprehensive guides offer a unique approach to travel for naturalists of all stripes, providing information on where to go and when to go. Month-by-month listings enable nature lovers to explore and behold the spectacular natural events that occur in these regions through the seasons. Whether birder, photographer, wildflower buff, or eco-traveler, you will find the Seasonal Guides essential resources for viewing nature's best shows."

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Birding the Delaware Valley Region

A Comprehensive Guide to Birdwatching in Southeastern Pennsylvania, Central and Southern New Jersey and North Central Delaware

John J. Harding & Justin J. Harding

Temple University Press

1981

"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."

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Last updated December 2013