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North America

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

North American countries

Canada

- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Northwest Territories
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan
- Yukon

Mexico

United States

- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington D.C.
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming

Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and Vultures of North America

Pete Dunne with Kevin T. Karlson

2017

"Always a popular group of birds, raptors symbolise freedom and fierceness, and in Pete Dunne's definitive guide, these traits are portrayed in hundreds of stunning colour photographs showing raptors up close, in flight, and in action – fighting, hunting, and nesting. These gorgeous photographs enhance the comprehensive, authoritative text, which goes far beyond identification to cover raptor ecology, behaviour, conservation, and much more. In returning to his forte and his first love, Pete Dunne has crafted a benchmark book on raptors: the first place to turn for any question about these highly popular birds, whether it's what they eat, where they live, or how they behave."

Pocket Birds of North America, Western Region

American Museum of Natural History

2017

"Profiling more than 400 of the most commonly seen birds in western North America, this handy photographic field guide brings each species to life on the page. From the bald eagle to the California quail to the golden-crowned sparrow, high-quality photographs capture the beauty of the birds and, coupled with concise text, make identification in the wild quick and effortless. Detailed illustrations show typical plumage, comparing juvenile and adult, male and female, and appearance during the winter and summer months. No matter when you want to go birdwatching, American Museum of Natural History: Pocket Birds of North America, Western Region can help you locate where a certain species can be seen throughout the entire year, even during migration season."

Pocket Birds of North America, Eastern Region

American Museum of Natural History

2017

"Profiling more than 350 of the most commonly seen birds in eastern North America, this handy photographic field guide brings each species to life on the page. From the American black duck to the snowy owl to the American Goldfinch, high-quality photographs capture the beauty of these birds and, coupled with concise text, make identification in the wild quick and effortless. Detailed illustrations show typical plumage, comparing juvenile and adult, male and female, and appearance during the winter and summer months. No matter when you want to go birdwatching, American Museum of Natural History: Pocket Birds of North America, Eastern Region can help you locate where a certain species can be seen throughout the entire year, even during migration season."

The North American Perching and Dabbling Ducks

Paul A. Johnsgard

2017

"This volume updates and expands a portion of P. A. Johnsgard’s 1975 Waterfowl of North America. It includes two species of the perching duck tribe Cairinini: the muscovy duck and the wood duck, which forage on the water surface but perch in trees and nest in elevated tree cavities. It also includes the dabbling, or surface-feeding, duck tribe Anatini, that forage on the water surface but nest on the ground. The species that breed in North America include the familiar mallards, wigeons, pintails, and teal. Descriptive accounts of the distributions, populations, ecologies, social-sexual behaviors, and breeding biology of all these species are provided. Five additional Eurasian and West Indian species that have been reported in North America have also been included with more abbreviated accounts. The updated bibliography contains more than 1,000 references. There are 12 maps, 31 drawings, 28 photos, and 58 anatomical or behavioral sketches."

Backyard Birds of Western North America: A Folding Pocket Guide to Common Backyard Birds

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

2017

"Our backyards are home to bird species that have adapted to thrive in close contact with human beings. This guide profiles common urban birds in western North America and was developed in collaboration with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, one of the world's leading institutions on bird life and behavior."

Backyard Birds of Eastern/Central North America: A Folding Pocket Guide to Common Backyard Birds

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

2017

"Our backyards are home to bird species that have adapted to thrive in close contact with human beings. This guide profiles common urban birds in eastern/central North America and was developed in collaboration with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, one of the world's leading institutions on bird life and behavior."

Birds of the Pacific Northwest

John Shewey, Tim Blount

Timber Press

2017

"Birds of the Pacific Northwest describes and illustrates more than 400 bird species commonly encountered in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and British Columbia. This comprehensive, full-color guide is organized to follow the order in which groups and species are presented by the American Union. Range maps for each species provide valuable information for identification."

Natural History of the Pacific Northwest

Daniel Matthews

Timber Press

2017

"Natural History of the Pacific Northwest Mountains is an engagingly written, portable history and identification guide for the flora, fauna, and geology of the region. This guide also includes information about the landscape and weather. Packed with 800 color photographs, this is the perfect overview of the Pacific Northwest if you are looking for a simple way to discover the great outdoors."

Warblers and Other Songbirds of North America: A Life-Size Guide to Every Species

Paul Sterry

2017

"Warblers and Other Songbirds of North America is a breathtaking collection of 285 species of these beautiful, melodious creatures, the largest number of species in a single field guide about North American songbirds. Arranged by region and taxonomic order, every songbird is depicted life-sized; each photograph is accompanied by a short description with essential information on identification and the particular species, habits, and behavior. Every species entry also includes a map showing where the species can be found, as well as a fact grid listing key details such as common and scientific name, length, food, habitat, status, and voice."

Sibley Birds East

David Allen Sibley

2nd edition

2016

"Compact and comprehensive, this guide features 650 bird species, plus regional populations, found east of the Rocky Mountains. Entries include stunningly accurate illustrations--more than 4,601 in total--with descriptive captions pointing out the most important field marks. Each entry has been updated to include the most current information concerning frequency, nesting, behavior, food and feeding, voice description, and key identification features. Here too are more than 601 updated maps drawn from information contributed by 110 regional experts across the continent, and showing winter, summer, year-round, migration, and rare ranges."

Sibley Birds West

David Allen Sibley

2nd edition

2016

"Compact and comprehensive, this guide features 715 bird species, plus regional populations, found west of the Rocky Mountains. Entries include stunningly accurate illustrations--more than 5,046 in total--with descriptive captions pointing out the most important field marks. Each entry has been updated to include the most current information concerning frequency, nesting, behavior, food and feeding, voice description, and key identification features. Here too are more than 652 updated maps drawn from information contributed by 110 regional experts across the continent, and showing winter, summer, year-round, migration, and rare ranges."

Peterson Reference Guide to Woodpeckers of North America

Stephen A. Shunk

Houghton Mifflin

2016

"From the iconic Woody Woodpecker to the ubiquitous Northern Flicker, woodpeckers have long captivated our attention. Their astonishing anatomy makes them one of the most specialized bird families in the world, and their keystone ecological roles in our forests and woodlands makes them some of the most important birds on the continent.This comprehensive and authoritative guide to the natural history, ecology, and conservation of North America s 23 woodpecker species goes far beyond identification. It explores their unique anatomy and their fascinating and often comical behaviors; it covers each species North American conservation status; and it showcases over 250 stunning photographs of woodpeckers in their natural habitats, plus easy-to-read figures and range maps."

The North American Geese: Their Biology and Behavior

Paul A. Johnsgard

2016

"There are eight currently recognized species of North American geese: emperor, greater white-fronted, snow, Ross's, Canada and cackling, barnacle, and brant geese. The North American Geese describes each species' geographic range and subspecies, its identification traits, weights and measurements, and criteria for its age and sex determination. Ecological and behavioural information includes each species' breeding and wintering habitats, its foods and foraging behaviour, its local and long distance movements, and its relationships with other species. Reproductive information includes each species' age of maturity, pair-bond pattern, pair-forming behaviours, usual clutch sizes and incubation periods, brooding behaviour, and postbreeding behaviour. Mortality sources and rates of egg, young, and adult losses are summarized, and the past and current populations of all species are estimated."

Owl: A Year in the Life of North American Owls

Paul Bannick

2016

"In Owl, award-winning photographer Paul Bannick uses his intimate yet dramatic images to follow North American owls through the course of one year and in their distinct habitats. Readers follow along at the nest as each stage in an owl’s life is chronicled: courtship, mating, and nesting in spring; fledging and feeding of young in summer; dispersal and gaining independence in fall; and, finally, winter’s migrations and competitions for food. For owls, every day brings a new challenge to survive, and this book shows readers how owls use the unique resources available to them in their habitat to face those challenges. All 19 species found in Canada and the United States are featured in photos and narrative throughout the book, with a special focus on the Northern Pygmy-Owl, Great Gray Owl, Burrowing Owl and Snowy Owl.

Identifying Birds of Prey: Quick Reference Guide for Eastern North America

Laura Erickson

2016

"An engaging quick-reference guide to the basics of identifying hawks, eagles, falcons, vultures, and kites in flight. Includes color photos and simplified outlines showing key features of each species, as well as range maps and comparison spreads Perfect for the beginning hawk watcher or for any outdoors-lover who wants to know more about daytime birds of prey."

Birds of North America

Editor: François Vuilleumier

Dorling Kindersley

2nd edition

2016

"Updated to reflect all the latest taxonomic data, American Museum of Natural History Birds of North America is the complete photographic guide to the 657 species of birds found in the United States and Canada. Ideal for the armchair bird enthusiast or dedicated bird watcher, this book includes stunning full-color photographs revealing 657 individual species with unrivaled clarity. The 550 most commonly seen birds are pictured with plumage variations, and images of subspecies and information on similar birds are provided to make differentiation easy, from game birds and waterfowl to shorebirds and swifts to owls, flycatchers, finches, and more. You can even discover which species to expect when and where with up-to-date, color-coded maps highlighting habitation and migratory patterns."

Peterson Reference Guide to Owls of North America and the Caribbean

Scott Weidensaul

2015

"Owls are perhaps the most intriguing of all birds instantly recognizable and endlessly fascinating. Whether viewed as symbols of wisdom or bad omens, these unusual birds have had a hold on human imagination for millennia.Heard more often than seen, many owls are best identified by vocalizations; this is the only owl guide to include access to a collection of recordings. It is also the only North American owl book to include the Caribbean, covering 39 species of owls, including many little-known tropical species.With detailed information about identification, calls, habitat, nesting, and behavior, this Reference Guide has the most up-to-date information about natural history, biology, ecology, migration, and conservation status. It is heavily illustrated with hundreds of color photos, and includes the most accurate color range maps ever presented, showing breeding, wintering, and migration routes.This is a definitive work, useful for serious birders and ornithologists but accessible for the non-expert."

Life-Size Birds: The Big Book of North American Birds

Nancy J Hajeski

2015

"John James Audubon would be proud to know that a life-size bird book is alive in the21st century. You won't need Sotheby's auction house to buy this volume, though! Full-size images of beautiful feathered friends offer a detailed look at each North American species, while scaled photographs of larger birds allow you to see the entire animal. Fun facts pepper the pages, and a summary of general information accompanies each avian. Get an up-close, personal look at the world's masters of flight!"

Birds Nearby: Getting to Know 45 Common Species of Eastern North America

John Eastman

2015

"This new bird guide collects Eastman's writings focusing on the birds we see around us in our yards, parks, and neighborhoods every day, and includes stunning new color photos. Explains in clear language how each bird nests, mates, feeds, and migrates Features 45 species of birds, each identified with a beautiful color photograph Includes evolutionary adaptations, name origins, nature lore, and more."

Being a Bird in North America, North of Mexico, Volume 1: Waterfowl to Shorebirds

Robert Alvo

"Each of North America's species is given a full page description of its natural history and conservation in an informal style, including names and classification, conservation status, a color photo, and global distribution map. Each species is accompanied by a humorous illustration. The overall theme of the book, carried through each species account, is conservation. The author describes this as 'The first in a series of books describing the Earth's elements of biodiversity.' A basic premise is that each element (or species) can be used to tell a story, where each story can reveal the tricks used by birds to survive, describe real problems faced by birds, analyze conservation issues, or illustrate ecological characteristics or something else that applies to – or is unique about – the species."

Ecology and Conservation of North American Sea Ducks

Editors: Jean-Pierre L. Savard, Dirk V. Derksen, Dan Esler, John M. Eadie

American Ornithological Society / CRC Press

2015

"The past decade has seen a huge increase in the interest and attention directed toward sea ducks, the Mergini tribe. This has been inspired, in large part, by the conservation concerns associated with numerical declines in several sea duck species and populations, as well as a growing appreciation for their interesting ecological attributes. Reflecting the considerable research recently conducted on this tribe, Ecology and Conservation of North American Sea Ducks examines the 15 extant species of sea ducks from North America......The book presents a comprehensive synthesis of sea duck ecology, documents factors that have caused population declines of some species, and provides managers with measures to enhance recovery of depressed populations of sea ducks in North America. Capturing the current state of knowledge of this unique tribe, it provides a benchmark for where we are in conservation efforts and suggests future directions for researchers, managers, students, conservationists, and avian enthusiasts."

Birds of Prey

Todd Telander

Falcon Press

2015

"A field guide to the 55 birds of prey in North America. Anatomically correct illustrations of the birds in flight and on the ground and detailed descriptions about each bird's prominent physical attributes and natural habitat make it easy to identify birds in your backyard, favorite parks, and wildlife areas. Informative and beautiful to peruse, this is the essential resource when you're out in the field."

The New Birder's Guide to Birds of North America

Bill Thompson III

2014

"What a new birder needs is a field guide that shows most of the birds he or she is going to see but doesn't overwhelm with rarities unlikely to be seen. This is that book. Covering 300 of the most common birds in the United States and Canada, The New Birder's Guide to Birds of North America has just the right amount of information about how to identify birds, where and when to look for them, what they sound like, and how they behave. The New Birder's Guide includes easy-to-understand descriptions and maps, clear photos, drawings of common and interesting behaviors, and fun "Wow!" facts for each bird, plus expert advice on identification basics, how to get started, and how to improve your birding skills."

The Sibley Guide To Birds

David Sibley

2nd edition

2014

Published in the UK by Bloomsbury as The North American Bird Guide

"The publication of The Sibley Guide to Birds in 2000 quickly established David Allen Sibley as the author and illustrator of the nation's supreme and most comprehensive guide to birds. Used by millions of birders from novices to the most expert, The Sibley Guide became the standard by which natural history guides are measured. The highly anticipated second edition builds on this foundation of excellence, offering massively expanded and updated information, new paintings, new and rare species, and a new, elegant design. The second edition of this handsome, flexibound volume offers a wealth of improvements and updates: ll illustrations reproduced 15 to 20 percent larger for better detail; includes nearly 7,000 paintings digitally remastered from original art for enhanced print quality; expanded text includes habitat information and voice description for every species and more tips on finding birds in the field; more than 600 new paintings, including illustrations of 115 rare species and additional paintings of common species and regional populations; more than 700 updated maps of ranges, showing winter, summer, year-round, migration, and rare ranges; 85 bird family pages now cross-referenced to species accounts; and revised taxonomic order and most current common names for every species."

The North American Bird Guide

David Sibley

2nd edition

2014

This is the UK publication of the US book The Sibley Guide To Birds

"The Sibley Guide is one of three major North American field guides, and is widely considered by many to be the best of them. This highly anticipated second edition builds on this foundation of excellence, offering massively expanded and updated information, new artwork, new and rare species, and a new elegant design. There are hundreds of new paintings and all previously used art has been re-digitised following much modification by David Sibley to reflect the latest information; in addition, there are new maps throughout, new text, larger images and a new higher page count of 624 pages. This important work brings the genius of David Sibley to the world once again in a thoroughly updated and expanded volume that every birder must own. It is set to cement its reputation as the North American equivalent of the Collins Bird Guide."

Ducks, Geese, and Swans of North America

Guy Baldassarre

Introduction: Richard E McCabe

Second Edition (2 volumes in slipcase)

Johns Hopkins University Press

2014

"Ducks, Geese, and Swans of North America has been hailed as a classic since the first edition was published in 1942. A must-have for professional biologists, birders, waterfowl hunters, decoy collectors, and wildlife managers, this fully revised and updated edition provides definitive information on the continent’s forty-six species. Maps of both winter and breeding ranges are presented with stunning images by top waterfowl photographers and the acclaimed original artwork of Robert W. (Bob) Hines. Originally authored by F. H. Kortright and later revised by Frank Bellrose, this latest edition, which has been meticulously updated by renowned waterfowl biologist Guy Baldassarre, continues the legacy of esteemed authors. Each species account contains in-depth sections on: identification; distribution; migration behaviour; habitat; population status; breeding biology; rearing of young; recruitment and survival; food habits and feeding ecology; molts and plumages; conservation and management. To facilitate identification, the species accounts also include detailed illustrations of wings. An appendix contains comparative illustrations of ducklings, goslings, and cygnets."

The Stokes Essential Pocket Guide to the Birds of North America

Donald & Lilian Stokes

2014

"Pocket-size, brilliantly colourful, and easy to use, THE STOKES BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO THE BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA contains everything you need to identify and enjoy birds in your backyard and beyond. Whether you're age 9 or 90, whether you're a novice or advanced birder, this book will help you identify birds quickly and accurately. It offers more than 580 stunning colour photographs, coverage of more than 250 species, key identification clues, descriptions of songs and calls, notes on feeding and nesting behaviour, advice on selecting bird feeders and binoculars, important behavioural information and key habitat preferences, and up-to-date range maps. The culmination of many years of research, observation, and study, this book is factually, visually, and organisationally superior to any other beginner's guide on the market."

Complete Birds of North America

Editor: Jonathan Alderfer

2014

"The revised edition of National Geographic Complete Birds of North America is an astonishing resource that covers every bird species found in North America as well as all the seasonal visitors. Entries are organized by family group, the taxonomic organization newly updated to match current American Ornithologists' Union guidelines. Within a family, each separate bird entry has dozens of tips and illustrations on species' gender, age group, behavior, habitat, nesting and feeding habits, and migration routes. Providing full information on more than 1000 species, National Geographic Complete Birds of North America features hundreds of range and migration maps, cutting-edge information on identification, and more than 4000 annotated illustrations by expert bird artists."

North American Songbirds

Noble S Proctor

2014

"In North American Song Birds, Dr. Noble Proctor spotlights the 100 most common song bird species in North America, featuring unique QR codes for each species that link your smartphone directly to audio recordings of each bird's call."

Feeder Birds of Eastern North America: Getting to Know Easy-To-Attract Backyard Visitors

Sandy Allison

2014

"This perfect guide introduces 30 North American birds most likely to appear at your feeder, including sparrows, finches, chickadees, woodpeckers, nuthatches, titmice, and cardinals. Concise text and beautiful color photos and drawings help you identify these common visitors, both male and female. Each account offers details about the birds' fascinating lives in the wild."

Birds of the Rocky Mountains

Todd Telander

Falcon Press

2014

"A field guide to more than 250 of the most common and sought-after bird species in the region. Anatomically correct illustrations and detailed descriptions about each bird's prominent physical attributes and natural habitat make it easy to identify birds in your backyard, favorite parks, and wildlife areas."

Birds of the Pacific Northwest

Todd Telander

Falcon Press

2013

A field guide that highlights 300 of the most common and sought-after bird species in the region.

Pocket Guide to the Birds of North America

Laura Erickson and Jonathan Alderfer

2013

"This pocket guide takes the authority and reputation of National Geographic's top-selling Field Guide to the Birds of North America and turn it short and sweet. Here is a book that meets the same standards of excellence, trimmed down in size and content, tailored to the needs of an eager beginner who may not want to invest in a more comprehensive field guide. Affordable, beautifully illustrated, and easy to carry, this entry-level birding title will welcome newcomers to an activity enjoyed by millions."

The New Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Western Region

Donald & Lilian Stokes

2013

"The culmination of many years of research, observation, and study, The New Stokes Field Guide To Birds: Western Region is factually, visually, and organizationally superior to any other photographic field guide available. This easy-to-use guide features 636 North American bird species and more than 2,000 stunning color photographs."

The New Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Eastern Region

Donald & Lilian Stokes

2013

"The culmination of many years of research, observation, and study, The New Stokes Field Guide To Birds: Eastern Region is factually, visually, and organizationally superior to any other photographic field guide available. This easy-to-use guide features 545 North American bird species and more than 2,000 stunning color photographs. And yet it's portable enough to fit in your pocket! The photographs cover all significant plumages, including male, female, summer, winter, immature, morphs, important subspecies, and birds in flight."

Marine Birds of the Eastern United States and the Bay of Fundy

Ian C.T. Nisbet, Richard R. Veit, Sasha A. Auer, Timothy P. White

2013

"This monograph reviews the distribution and numbers of 83 marine species (31 breeding species) that occur regularly along the east coast of the US, in the Bay of Fundy, or in waters of the continental shelf. It assesses trends in numbers since 1970, threats, and research and conservation needs. It compiles data from many published and unpublished sources and has a bibliography of more than 600 entries, which should make it an invaluable reference work."

Rare Birds of North America

Steve N. G. Howell, Ian Lewington, Will Russell

2013

"Rare Birds of North America is the first comprehensive illustrated guide to the vagrant birds that occur throughout the United States and Canada. Featuring 275 stunning color plates, this book covers 262 species originating from three very different regions - the Old World, the New World tropics, and the world's oceans. It explains the causes of avian vagrancy and breaks down patterns of occurrence by region and season, enabling readers to see where, when, and why each species occurs in North America. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, taxonomy, age, sex, distribution, and status."

The Crossley ID Guide: Raptors

Richard Crossley, Jerry Liguori, Brian Sullivan

2013

"Part of the revolutionary Crossley ID Guide series, this is the first raptor guide with lifelike scenes composed from multiple photographs - scenes that allow you to identify raptors just as the experts do. Experienced birders use the most easily observed and consistent characteristics - size, shape, behavior, probability, and general color patterns. The book's 101 scenes - including thirty-five double-page layouts - provide a complete picture of how these features are all related. Even the effects of lighting and other real-world conditions are illustrated and explained. Detailed and succinct accounts from two of North America's foremost raptor experts, Jerry Liguori and Brian Sullivan, stress the key identification features. This complete picture allows everyone from beginner to expert to understand and enjoy what he or she sees in the field. The mystique of bird identification is eliminated, allowing even novice birders to identify raptors quickly and simply. Comprehensive and authoritative, the book covers all thirty-four of North America's diurnal raptor species (all species except owls). Each species is featured in stunning color plates that show males and females, in a full spectrum of ages and color variants, depicted near and far, in flight and at rest, and from multiple angles, all caught in their typical habitats. There are also comparative, multispecies scenes and mystery photographs that allow readers to test their identification skills, along with answers and full explanations in the back of the book. In addition, the book features an introduction, and thirty-four color maps accompany the plates."

The North American Breeding Bird Survey 1966–2011: Summary Analysis and Species Accounts

John R. Sauer, William A. Link, Jane E. Fallon, Keith L. Pardieck, David J. Ziolkowski Jr

Fish And Wildlife Service

US Department Of The Interior

2013

From the abstract:

The North American Breeding Bird Survey is a roadside, count-based survey conducted by volunteer observers. Begun in 1966, it now is a primary source of information on spatial and temporal patterns of population change for North American birds. We analyze population change for states, provinces, Bird Conservation Regions, and the entire survey within the contiguous United States and southern Canada for 426 species using a hierarchical log-linear model that controls for observer effects in counting. We also map relative abundance and population change for each species using a spatial smoothing of data at the scale of survey routes. We present results in accounts that describe major breeding habitats, migratory status, conservation status, and population trends for each species at several geographic scales. We also present composite results for groups of species categorized by habitats and migratory status. The survey varies greatly among species in percentage of species’ range covered and precision of results, but consistent patterns of decline occur among eastern forest, grassland, and aridland obligate birds while generalist bird species are increasing.

Field Guide to the Birds of North America

Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer

6th edition

2011

"The 6th edition contains the most all-new material since the first edition was published more than 25 years ago. The latest edition includes the following: 200 new art figures; first ever subspecies maps in a field guide; inclusion of extensive migrations information overlaid on species maps; field-mark labels on all artwork; text updates to include new species; reorganisation reflecting taxonomic changes in the bird community; redesign of layout for greater clarity, organisation, readability; and, increased page count (from 504 to 576) allows for flexible layout redesign and inclusion of new maps."

Birds: North America

Norman Arlott

Harper Collins

2011

"A comprehensive illustrated field guide to the birds of North America, ideal for the travelling birdwatcher. Covering most of North America, including Canada and Greenland, the latest Collins Field Guide focuses on the rich and diverse birdlife of what is known as the Nearctic region. Every species found in the area is illustrated in every plumage in which they can be seen in the wild. The accompanying text concentrates on the specific characteristics and appearance of each species that allow identification in the field, including voice and distribution maps."

Birds of North America and Greenland

Norman Arlott

Princeton University Press

2011

"The Nearctic region, which spans most of North America, including Canada and Greenland, is home to an incredibly rich diversity of birdlife. This illustrated guide covers more than 900 bird species yet is succinct, compact, and easy to use, making it the essential companion for birders and travelers alike. Birds of North America and Greenland features 102 stunning color plates that depict every species and every type of plumage in males, females, and juveniles. Concise species accounts describe key identification features, with information on habitat, songs, and calls. This field-ready guide also includes color distribution maps."

The Crossley ID Guide: Eastern Birds

Richard Crossley

2011

"This stunningly illustrated book from acclaimed birder and photographer Richard Crossley revolutionizes field guide design by providing the first real-life approach to identification. Whether you are a beginner, expert, or anywhere in between, The Crossley ID Guide will vastly improve your ability to identify birds. Unlike other guides, which provide isolated individual photographs or illustrations, this is the first book to feature large, lifelike scenes for each species. These scenes - 640 in all - are composed from more than 10,000 of the author's images showing birds in a wide range of views - near and far, from different angles, in various plumages and behaviors, including flight, and in the habitat in which they live. These beautiful compositions show how a bird's appearance changes with distance, and give equal emphasis to characteristics experts use to identify birds: size, structure and shape, behavior, probability, and color. This is the first book to convey all of these features visually - in a single image - and to reinforce them with accurate, concise text. Each scene provides a wealth of detailed visual information that invites and rewards careful study, but the most important identification features can be grasped instantly by anyone. By making identification easier, more accurate, and more fun than ever before, The Crossley ID Guide will completely redefine how its users look at birds. Essential for all birders, it also promises to make new birders of many people who have despaired of using traditional guides."

Boreal Birds of North America: A Hemispheric View of Their Conservation Links and Significance

Editors: Jeffrey V. Wells

Cooper Ornithological Society

2011

"Reaching from interior Alaska across Canada to Labrador and Newfoundland, North America's boreal forest is the largest wilderness area left on the planet. It is critical habitat for billions of birds; more than 300 species regularly breed there. After the breeding season, many boreal birds migrate to seasonal habitats across the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. This volume brings together new research on boreal bird biology and conservation. It highlights the importance of the region to the global avifauna and to the connectivity between the boreal forest and ecoregions throughout the Americas. The contributions showcase a unique set of perspectives on the migration, wintering ecology, and conservation of bird communities that are tied to the boreal forest in ways that may not have been previously considered."

The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America

Donald and Lillian Stokes

2010

"The culmination of many years of research, observation, and study, the new Stokes Field Guide includes more species, more photographs, and more useful identification information than any other photographic field guide. The guide features 853 North American bird species and more than 3,400 stunning color photographs. And yet it's portable enough to fit in your pocket! The photographs cover all significant plumages, including male, female, summer, winter, immature, morphs, important subspecies, and birds in flight. Also included: the newest scientific and common names and phylogenetic order; special help for identifying birds in flight through important clues of behavior, plumage, and shape; detailed descriptions of songs and calls; important behavioral information; key habitat preferences of each species; the newest range maps, detailing species' winter, summer, year-round ranges, and migration routes; and a special downloadable CD with more than 600 bird sounds (from Lang Elliott and Kevin Colver) and 150 photographs: the calls and songs of 150 common North American species."

Birds of North America

Editor: François Vuilleumier

Dorling Kindersley

2010

"Birds of North America" is the ultimate family reference on the birds of the United States and Canada, in an accessible format that is perfect for field use. Written by a team of more than 30 birders and ornithologists, each an expert on certain species or family bird groups, "Birds of North America" brings a whole new level of expertise to the birder's library, all in one category-killing volume. Information on behavior, nesting, and habitat, omitted from many field guides, is included throughout, while books on behavior don't include the wealth of identification information, in as accessible a format, as does this book."

Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Western North America

Roger Tory Peterson

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

4th edition

2010

"With all-new range maps, updated text, and 40 new paintings, the completely revised editions of two classic Peterson Field Guides are sure to be valuable additions to any birder's pocket or daypack. At a trim size of 5 x 8, they are portable but also beautifully illustrated. Photographs, while modern looking and colorful, capture just one moment in time. The paintings in these guides, however, show all of a bird's key field marks and use the Peterson Identification System to make bird identification easier for beginning and intermediate bird watchers. A team of professional birders has updated the text, the maps, and the art for these authoritative guides. Expert birders also created 35 entertaining and easy-to-use video podcasts, which are available to download. They make fun and educational viewing on a computer desktop or MP3 player. Last updated in 1990, the Peterson Field Guide to Western Birds covers nearly 600 species on 176 color plates, with 588 comprehensive range maps, now included with the illustrations. Every bird watcher in western North America will want to own this long-awaited, up-to-date fourth edition."

Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Eastern And Central North America

Roger Tory Peterson

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

6th edition

2010

"With all-new range maps, updated text, and 40 new paintings, the completely revised editions of two classic Peterson Field Guides are sure to be valuable additions to any birder's pocket or daypack. At a trim size of 5 x 8, they are portable but also beautifully illustrated. Photographs, while modern looking and colorful, capture just one moment in time. The paintings in these guides, however, show all of a bird's key field marks and use the Peterson Identification System to make bird identification easier for beginning and intermediate bird watchers. A team of professional birders has updated the text, the maps, and the art for these authoritative guides. Expert birders also created 35 entertaining and easy-to-use video podcasts, which are available to download. They make fun and educational viewing on a computer desktop or MP3 player. The best-selling field guide since 1934, the Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Eastern and Central North America is now in its sixth edition. With clear, succinct accounts of more than 500 species, accurate and beautiful paintings on 159 color plates, and 512 maps annotated with extensive range information, this is the most up-to-date and accessible field guide for bird watchers in eastern North America."

Waterfowl Of North America

Paul A. Johnsgard

2010

Originally published in 1975. This 2010 edition is a revised, electronic edition. It includes a supplement "North America’s Ducks, Geese and Swans in the 21st Century"

"Bird lovers and sportsmen will treasure and learn from every page of this information- packed, up-to-date, and lavishly illustrated volume, written by one of the world’s foremost authorities on waterfowl. Professional biologists, ornithologists, conservationists, and others concerned with the breeding and management of waterfowl will find it the most comprehensive and authoritative compendium of data in print for all of the nearly sixty species of ducks, geese, and swans known to breed in North America."

Grassland and Desert Birds of North America: A Guide to Observing, Understanding and Conservation

Scott Leslie

2010

Birds of Eastern North America: A Photographic Guide

Paul Sterry and Brian E. Small

2009

"Combining informative and accessible text, up-to-date maps, and - above all - stunning color photographs, this is the best and most lavishly illustrated photographic guide to the birds of eastern North America. All of the images have been carefully selected to convey both the sheer beauty and the key identification features of each bird, and many of the photos are larger than those found in other guides. Wherever possible, a variety of plumages are pictured, providing visual coverage and usefulness matching any artwork-illustrated field guide. And many of the images are state-of-the-art digital photographs by Brian Small, one of North America's finest bird photographers. These pictures, many seen here for the first time, reproduce a previously unimaginable level of detail. Finally, the ranges of nearly all species are shown on maps from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, the authority on North American birding."

Birds of Western North America: A Photographic Guide

Paul Sterry and Brian E. Small

2009

"Combining informative and accessible text, up-to-date maps, and - above all - stunning color photographs, this is the best and most lavishly illustrated photographic guide to the birds of western North America. All of the images have been carefully selected to convey both the sheer beauty and the key identification features of each bird, and many of the photos are larger than those found in other guides. Wherever possible, a variety of plumages are pictured, providing visual coverage and usefulness matching any artwork-illustrated field guide. And many of the images are state-of-the-art digital photographs by Brian Small, one of North America's finest bird photographers. These pictures, many seen here for the first time, reproduce a previously unimaginable level of detail. Finally, the ranges of nearly all species are shown on maps from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, the authority on North American birding."

Grass, Sky, Song: Promise and Peril in the World of Grassland Birds

Trevor Herriot

2009

"Facing the demise of the very creatures that he has always depended on for his sense of home, Herriot sets out to discover why birds are disappearing and what, if anything, we can do to save them. He takes us out to local pastures where a few prairie songbirds sing and nest, as well as to the open rangeland where doomed populations of burrowing owls and greater sage-grouse cling to survival. In a narrative that is at once profound, intimate and informative, we meet passionate bird researchers and travel in the footsteps of 19th-century botanist John Macoun, the last naturalist to see the Great Plains in its pre-settlement grandeur. In the spirit of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and Bruce Chatwin's The Songlines, this arresting book fills the heart with wonder and reveals that any hope for the endangered wildness in North America's heartland depends on people making the right choices – on farms, in legislatures and in board rooms, and even at the supermarket. Beautifully illustrated with the author's own drawings, Grass, Sky, Song awakens our senses to the glory of all birds and calls for a renewed bond between culture and nature."

The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behaviour

David Sibley

2009

"This work is a follow-up and companion volume to the "North American Bird Guide". It looks in detail at all aspects of bird behaviour, ecology, taxonomy and conservation, considering each of the 80 American bird families in turn. The introductory sections cover ecological and biological concepts such as anatomy, aerodynamics, evolution, migration, habitats and population dynamics. The volume is illustrated throughout with David Sibley's artwork, and the text, from a team of 44 authors, draws on a variety of ornithological experience."

Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America

Ted Floyd

2008

"This field guide to North American birds, written by the foremost birding writers, delivers a power-punch of innovation and usability never before brought to together in one reference. With 730 new color maps based on the latest range information (more than any other previous field guide), this title emphasizes on bird behaviour and a 'whole bird' philosophy of field identification. It contains informative essays on each bird group giving vital information regarding behaviour and id tips and robust introduction to birds and birding precedes the species accounts with sections on species I.D., conservation, bird morphometrics, topography, and migration. Vocalisations on the accompanying CD are clearly organised in separate tracks for each species - this is a fantastic advantage that no other collection like this has ever provided. In the past, CD recordings ran species vocalizations together in one long track. The DVD format allows for hundreds of separate tracks - users can listen to a particular vocalization easily and quickly. This is key for learning to I.D. birds by song and for use in the field."

Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America

Roger Tory Peterson

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

2008

"In celebration of the centennial of Roger Tory Peterson's birth comes a historic collaboration among renowned birding experts and artists to preserve and enhance the Peterson legacy. This new book combines the Peterson Field Guide to Eastern Birds and Peterson Field Guide to Western Birds into one volume, filled with accessible, concise information and including almost three hours of video podcasts to make bird watching even easier. Includes: 40 new paintings; digital updates to Peterson's original paintings, reflecting the latest knowledge of bird identification; all new maps for the most up-to-date range information available; text rewritten to cover the U.S. and Canada in one guide; larger trim size accommodates range maps on every spread and a URL to register for access to video podcasts."

Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America

Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer

2008

"This new regional field guide offers in-depth coverage of every North American bird officially recorded west of the Rocky Mountains. The guide includes illustrated accounts of the different plumages and life stages for an estimated 750 western species, along with 600 (est) new range maps. In addition, there are illustrated accounts for more than 100 Casual and Accidental birds, along with an appendix listing records for 55 western rarities.National Geographic has packed this guide with a number of new and unique features that set it apart from the existing, a Visual Index, printed on the inside front and back covers, which lets readers access the content visually. This feature will be especially helpful to the beginning-and-intermediate birding audience. It also features: extensively annotated art, which highlights the birds' key physical features, facilitating identification; identification tip boxes, which help with the most challenging identifications; thumbtabs, to help readers find information fast; 600 (est) new range maps and 70 new art figures; and, durable cover and quick-reference flaps that double as placemarkers."

Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America

Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer

2008

"This new regional field guide offers in-depth coverage of every North American bird officially recorded east of the Rocky Mountains. The guide includes illustrated accounts of the different plumages and life stages for 619 eastern species, along with 560 new range maps. In addition, there are illustrated accounts for 85 Casual and Accidental birds, along with an appendix listing records for 70 Eastern rarities.This title features a Visual Index, printed on the inside front and back covers, which enables readers to access the content visually. This feature, unique to NGS, will be especially helpful to the beginning-and-intermediate birding audience. It also features: an extensively annotated art, which highlights the birds' key physical features, facilitating identification; identification tip boxes, which help with the most challenging identifications; thumbtabs, to help readers find information fast; 560 new range maps and 70 new art figures; and, durable cover and quick-reference flaps that double as placemarkers."

Owls of North America

Frances Backhouse

Hardback: 2008

Paperback: 2013

"Owls are almost everywhere. These distinctive birds populate every continent except Antarctica and survive in everything from arid desert to arctic tundra to dense rain forest. Frances Backhouse provides an in-depth yet lively study of these fascinating birds on the North American continent. Topics include anatomy and adaptations, mating behaviours, egg laying and chick rearing, feeding habits, communication displays and location. Superbly designed birds of prey, owls are equipped with highly effective tools for killing and dismembering their prey: strong feet with curved, stiletto-like talons and a sturdy hooked bill with razor-sharp cutting edges. What makes owls unique is that most of them hunt in darkness from dusk to dawn using their keen hearing, enhanced low-light vision and sound-muffling structures on their flight feathers. With detailed profiles of and range maps for all 23 species, along with 70 colour photographs illustrating key behavioural characteristics, Owls of North America is a solid reference for bird watchers, naturalists and general readers."

National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Birds of North America

Edward S' Brinkley

2007

"From the National Wildlife Federation comes the most up-to-date, all-photographic field guide to North American birds. Birders will find it indispensable: this single, portable volume features more than 750 species, along with more than 2,000 stunning images by leading nature photographers showing birds in their natural habitats. Captions highlight important field marks, and comprehensive species accounts describe habitats, behavior, flight, migration, songs, and plumages. Other features include: more than 600 maps showing bird distribution in every season; strategies for watching and identifying birds; a complete species index plus a quick-flip index; a glossary of terms; and a checklist of birds. The guide's unique waterproof cover makes it especially valuable for use in the field."

Birder's Conservation Handbook: 100 North American Birds at Risk

Jeffrey V. Wells

2007

"Until now there has been no single, comprehensive resource on the status of North America's most threatened birds and what people can do to help protect them. Birder's Conservation Handbook is the only book of its kind, written specifically to help birders and researchers understand the threats while providing actions to protect birds and their habitats. Jeffrey Wells has distilled vast amounts of essential information into a single easy-to-use volume-required reading for anyone who loves birds and wants to ensure they are protected. At-a-glance species accounts cover in detail North America's one hundred most at-risk birds; each account is beautifully illustrated by today's top bird artists. The text includes status, distribution, ecology, threats, conservation actions and needs, and references. A distribution map accompanies each entry. Chapters discuss birds as indicators of environmental health, the state of North American bird populations, major conservation issues, and initiatives now underway to improve the health of North America's birds."

Raptors of Eastern North America

Brian K. Wheeler

Princeton University Press

2007

"The Wheeler Guides will help birders and biologists navigate the pitfalls of raptor identification, including raptors' often extreme variation by age and sex as well as the existence of numerous "confusion" species. The plumage section discusses more plumage variations - and in greater consistency, depth, and clarity - than any previously published guide. The text - informed by years of study and consultation with local, state, provincial, and regional experts - covers all aspects of raptor biology in an easy-to-read and consistent format. It provides the most up-to-date information available on status and distribution, taking into account the recent alteration of some species' ranges due to pesticide bans and introduction programs."

Raptors of Western North America

Brian K. Wheeler

Princeton University Press

2007

"The Wheeler Guides will help birders and biologists navigate the pitfalls of raptor identification, including raptors' often extreme variation by age and sex as well as the existence of numerous "confusion" species. The plumage section discusses more plumage variations - and in greater consistency, depth, and clarity - than any previously published guide. The text - informed by years of study and consultation with local, state, provincial, and regional experts - covers all aspects of raptor biology in an easy-to-read and consistent format. It provides the most up-to-date information available on status and distribution, taking into account the recent alteration of some species' ranges due to pesticide bans and introduction programs."

Field Guide to the Birds of North America

Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer

5th edition

2006

"The essential reference for field identification and the cornerstone of any birder's library. This is the ultimate, indispensable bird field guide - comprehensive, authoritative, portable, sturdy, and easier than ever to use. Among the the new edition's key elements and practical improvements: Every North American species - more than 960, including a new section on accidental birds - classified according to the latest official American Ornithologists' Union checklist 4,000 full-color illustrations by the foremost bird artists at work todayand newly updated range maps that draw on the latest data New durable cover for added protection against adverse weather, plus informative quick-reference flaps that double as placemarkers New reader-friendly features like thumbtabs that make locating key sections faster and easier, and a quick-find index to direct users straight to the information they need."

The Birdwatcher's Companion to North American Birdlife

Christopher W. Leahy

Princeton University Press

2006

"The quintessential A-Z guide, this is a book that anyone interested in birds will want to have close at hand. First published more than twenty years ago, this highly respected reference volume has been fully revised and updated. It captures the fundamental details as well as the immense fascination of North American bird life in a style that is authoritative, yet fresh, witty, and eminently readable. Both a practical handbook for amateurs and a handy reference for seasoned birders, it provides accounts of the basic elements of birdlife, as well as a wealth of easy-to-access information on such subjects as bird physiology and anatomy, terms and jargon, name definitions and etymology, and ornithological groupings. Readers will discover everything from the color of a dipper's eggs (glossy, white, and unmarked) to the number of species of woodpeckers in the world (216). They will also find more than one hundred of the best-known and most colorful colloquial names for birds, alphabetized and briefly defined. Collective nouns relating to birdlife - for example, "an exaltation of larks" - are included in the "Nouns of Assemblage" section. Biographical sketches of persons responsible for describing or naming a significant number of North American species are also included, as well as handsome and accurate illustrations by Gordon Morrison."

Flyways: A Celebration of Waterfowl and Wetlands

Gary Kramer

2006

"Flying south in the fall and north in the spring, waterfowl have followed travel routes in the sky for centuries. These migrations are repeated year after year as ducks and geese pass from one region or climate to another for feeding or breeding. Wildlife biologists call these migration corridors flyways, and each flyway-Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and Pacific-is as varied as the birds that inhabit them. This book is a photographic and informative journey across North America, from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the tundra to the tropics, following the ebb and flow of waterfowl and other wildlife as they travel along these ancestral routes known as flyways."

Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America

Kenn Kaufman

2005

"In 2000 Houghton Mifflin first published the Kaufman Focus Guide to the Birds of North America. Critically acclaimed for its innovative design, the Kaufman guide began introducing a new generation to birding. In 2005, this new Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America is now the most up-to-date field guide, including dozens of changes by the American Ornithologists' Union in official names of birds; the addition of new species to reflect the latest scientific discoveries; and dozens of updated range maps. Additional information helps beginning birdwatchers get started, all in the same compact format that has made this guide the easiest to use for fast identification in the field."

A Guide to the Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds

Paul J. Baicich & J. O. Harrison

Princeton University Press

2nd edition

2005

"A Guide to the Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds, Second Edition provides a thorough, species-by-species guide to the breeding biology of the birds of North America. Some 670 breeding species are described in full, covering the birds of a vast area, from the Arctic to the southern boundary of the continental United States. The main text presents complete basic information on the breeding cycle of each species, summarized in a natural sequence: nest habitat, nest-site, nest construction, breeding season, eggs, incubation and nesting and nestling period. More than 700 color and line illustrations provide valuable information on the identification of the nests, eggs, and nestlings of 597 species. The book covers perhaps the most fascinating aspects of North American bird life, their reproduction and the care of their young, essential elements in the survival of any species. The book summarizes all that is known of this crucial part of a bird's life cycle, and by omission, points to what is yet unknown and may yet be discovered by the scientific ornithologist and birder alike. If your fascination in the nests, eggs, and nestlings of North American birds centers on identifying them in the field, you will find this book essential. If conservation is also a concern, you will appreciate the value of understanding the breeding requirements and biology of even the most common of species."

The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America

David Sibley

Christopher Helm

2004

"This field guide covers the avifauna of eastern North America using detailed artworks, maps and text. Lighter than the original "North American Bird Guide", the book is designed to be suitable for regular field use and has a fully integrated format allowing quick and easy reference."

The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America

David Sibley

Christopher Helm

2004

"This field guide covers the avifauna of western North America using detailed artworks, maps and text. Lighter than the original "North American Bird Guide", the book is designed to be suitable for regular field use and has a fully integrated format allowing quick and easy reference."

The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America

David Sibley

2003

"Compact and comprehensive, this new guide features 650 bird species plus regional populations found east of the Rocky Mountains. Accounts include stunningly accurate illustrations - more than 4,200 in total - with descriptive caption text pointing out the most important field marks. Each entry contains new text concerning frequency, nesting, behavior, food and feeding, voice description, and key identification features. Accounts also include brand-new maps created from information contributed by 110 regional experts across the continent."

The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America

David Sibley

2003

"Compact and comprehensive, this new guide features 703 bird species plus regional populations found west of the Rocky Mountains. Accounts include stunningly accurate illustrations - more than 4,600 in total - with descriptive caption text pointing out the most important field marks. Each entry contains new text concerning frequency, nesting, behavior, food and feeding, voice description, and key identification features. Accounts also include brand-new maps created from information contributed by 110 regional experts across the continent."

A Photographic Guide to North American Raptors

William S. Clark and Brian K. Wheeler

2003

"North America boasts a great and bewildering variety of eagles, vultures, true hawks, buteonine hawks and falcons. This book illustrates all 42 diurnal raptors found in North America at rest and in flight, in male, female, adult, juvenile and sub-adult plumages, with all usual colour morphs depicted. This array of photographs is backed up by a concise text which highlights key fieldmarks, covers potential confusion species and gives other relevant information such as measurements, range and flight style."

Field Guide to the Birds of North America

4th edition

2002

"National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America continues to be the most sought-after, the most authoritative, and the easiest to access field guide to birds on the market. Now in its 4th Edition, revisions include 250 updated range maps, and new classification information National Geographic is reissuing the Field Guide to the Birds of North America in the 4th edition, focusing on its accuracy and easy use in the field. This is the ultimate birders field guide - sturdy, easy to carry and use, and featuring the most complete information among bird guides. It features all species known to breed in North America, including those that are regular visitors to our continent or that drop in occasionally - more than 800 in all. The edition is lavishly illustrated with specially commissioned full-colour illustrations, plus newly updated range maps and detailed descriptions. A superb new index allows birders in the field to quickly identify a species."

Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Eastern And Central North America

Roger Tory Peterson

5th edition

2002

"Roger Tory Peterson had already made his mark with his innovative field guide when he conducted DDT research during World War II. His friend and fellow naturalist Rachel Carson built on these efforts and eventually wrote Silent Spring, a landmark text that, along with Peterson's field guide, jump-started the modern environmental movement. By combining the tireless observation of a scientist with the imaginative skills of an artist and writer, Peterson created a field guide that Robert Bateman, in his foreword to the fifth edition, says was the doorway for millions of people into the wonderland of natural history. The Peterson Identification System has been used in the more than fifty books that make up the Peterson Field Guide series. Peterson's magnum opus, now in its fifth edition, created the trail for countless field guides to follow. They are still following year by year, but his is the standard by which all other field guides are judged."

The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behaviour

David Sibley

2001

"This work is a follow-up and companion volume to the "North American Bird Guide". It looks in detail at all aspects of bird behaviour, ecology, taxonomy and conservation, considering each of the 80 American bird families in turn. The introductory sections cover ecological and biological concepts such as anatomy, aerodynamics, evolution, migration, habitats and population dynamics. The volume is illustrated throughout with David Sibley's artwork, and the text, from a team of 44 authors, draws on a variety of ornithological experience."

Birds of North America: Western Region

Fred J. Alsop III

Dorling Kindersley

2001

"This comprehensive handbook to the birds of North America: Eastern Region includes 706 species - all birds known to breed west of the 100th meridian on the United States and Canada, as well as regular visitors and vagrants to this region. The Smithsonian Handbook is the first identification guide that includes details of the bird's life history in a concise and user-friendly format. Each full-page profile combines a precise description, annotated photographs, and artworks to highlight the key field marks of the species in each plumage. Similar species are shown and distinguishing characteristics are noted. Further information on the bird's habits describes the typical song and other vocalizations, behavior, breeding, nesting, population, and conservation concerns. Typical flight patterns and nest locations and shapes are described with clear icons, and amplified in the text. Each bird's range during summer, winter, and on migration is clearly shown on a map."

Birds of North America: Eastern Region

Fred J. Alsop III

Dorling Kindersley

2001

"This comprehensive handbook to the birds of North America: Eastern Region includes 706 species - all birds known to breed east of the 100th meridian on the United States and Canada, as well as regular visitors and vagrants to this region. The Smithsonian Handbook is the first identification guide that includes details of the bird's life history in a concise and user-friendly format. Each full-page profile combines a precise description, annotated photographs, and artworks to highlight the key field marks of the species in each plumage. Similar species are shown and distinguishing characteristics are noted. Further information on the bird's habits describes the typical song and other vocalizations, behavior, breeding, nesting, population, and conservation concerns. Typical flight patterns and nest locations and shapes are described with clear icons, and amplified in the text. Each bird's range during summer, winter, and on migration is clearly shown on a map."

A Birder's Guide to Metropolitan Areas of North America

Editor: Paul Lehman

American Birding Association

2001

Includes sites in Albuquerque, Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Calgary, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Halifax, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Montreal, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Washington, and Winnipeg

Hawks Of North America: Peterson Field Guides

William S. Clark and Brian K Wheeler

2001

This guide includes all 39 species of North American hawks and other diurnal raptors, including eagles, falcons, and vultures. Color paintings and photographs show each species in various color morphs and plumages, which are aso described in detail.

Estimates of shorebird populations in North America

R.I.G. Morrison; R.E. Gill, Jr.; B.A. Harrington; S. Skagen; G.W. Page; C.L. Gratto-Trevor; S.M. Haig

2001

From the abstract: "Estimates are presented for the population sizes of 53 species of Nearctic shorebirds occurring regularly in North America, plus four species that breed occasionally. Population estimates range from a few tens to several millions. Overall, population estimates most commonly fall in the range of hundreds of thousands, particularly the low hundreds of thousands; estimated population sizes for large shorebird species currently all fall below 500,000."

The Sibley Guide to Birds

David Sibley

2000

"The Sibley Guide to Birds provides a wealth of new information: captioned illustrations show many previously unpublished field marks and revisions of known marks; nearly every species is shown in flight; measurements include length, wingspan, and weight for every species; subspecies and geographic variants are covered thoroughly; complete voice descriptions are included for every species; maps show the complete distribution of every species: summer and winter ranges, migration routes, and rare occurrences. Both novice and experienced birders will appreciate these and other innovative features: an introductory page for each family or group of related families makes comparisons simple; clear and concise labels with pointers identify field marks directly; birds are illustrated in similar poses to make comparisons between species quick and easy; and illustrations emphasize the way birds look in the field. With The Sibley Guide to Birds, the National Audubon Society makes the art and expertise of David Sibley available to the world in a comprehensive, handsome, easy-to-use volume that will be the indispensable identification guide every birder must own."

Kaufman Focus Guides: Birds of North America

Kenn Kaufman

2000

"World-renowned birder Kenn Kaufman addresses a long-running paradox of bird field guides with his Focus Guide. While beginning birdwatchers prefer photographic guides like those by Donald Stokes, the physical traits that make identification easier are more readily discerned in the idealized paintings of illustrative guides like those by Roger Tory Peterson and National Geographic. Kaufman's groundbreaking work combines the best of both approaches by digitally enhancing photographic images to show the characteristics that are sometimes not apparent in photographs. Some other distinguishing features include: the guide is organized by bird family groupings rather than strict taxonomic classification; text descriptions and range maps for each species appear on the page facing the plate of respective bird images; important field marks are highlighted; color-coded tabs identify each grouping of birds (waders, warblers, sparrows, etc.) for quick thumb indexing. Kaufman's efforts follow the auspicious tradition of Roger Tory Peterson, whose portable field guide system was the first of its kind to meet the needs of the average birdwatcher. "It's the guide I've always wanted," says Kaufman, "and I suspect most birders will feel the same way."

The North American Bird Guide

David Sibley

2000

"A major field guide to the birds of North America. Fully describes 800 species showing between 6 and 8 paintings for each species depicting male, female and juvenile birds in flight and at rest. There is additional information about sub-species, variants and accidental. In total 1100 birds are covered by the guide. There is a distribution map for each species showing summer and winter ranges, breeding grounds, migration routes, and locations where migrants have been identified."

Field Guide to the Birds of North America

3rd edition

1999

"The field reference of choice for serious birders since its inception, the third edition has been updated to reflect new bird ranges in North America as well as the always controversial reclassifications of species and subspecies. The expanded text includes even more notes on identification, behavior, habitat, and song, while the illustrations - now revised and sharpened - depict individual species in varying plumage, often with habitat cues in the background. Like the first two editions, the guide combines accurate illustrations with useful maps and text in a portable format. Beginners and experts alike will flock to this handy field guide."

Birds of North America

Jack Griggs

Collins

1998

"The new guide to all the birds of the United States and Canada, produced in association with the American Bird Conservancy. Features include: covers every species found in the United States and Canada; fully-keyed and colour-coded for instant identification; every species is shown in the major plumages, with details in flight, feeding, nesting and chicks; each species has a complete entry covering distribution, identification, songs and calls; and a distribution maps is included with every entry."

Birdfinder: A Birder's Guide to Planning North American Trips

Jerry A. Cooper

American Birding Association

1995

"This book is based on the premise that birders can successfully plan to find a vast number of species of birds in North America, as long as they are armed with information about where to go, when to go, and what to expect. Birdfinder outlines nineteen key trips designed to produce a list of over 650 species in North America. Jerry Cooper makes this possible both economically and efficiently. Cooper summarizes the Key, Possible, Probable, and Remotely Possible birds to be seen on each of the nineteen trips, with details on transportation, accommodations, special equipment, and the birdfinding guides you will need. The specialties and key species for each of these trips are outlined in detail. This is a planning guide, illustrating a strategy for successful North American birdfinding."

The Summer Atlas of North American Birds

Jeff Price, Sam Droege and Amy Price

1995

"The North American Breeding Survey comprises a network of regularly censused, road-based survey routes and constitutes the most comprehensive set of data on the relative abundance and population trends of these birds during the summer months. In this book, Jeff and Amy Price and Sam Droege have used these data to create detailed, computer-generated maps showing the relative abundance of 449 species that summer in the contiguous United States and southern Canada. Tabular information on distribution hotspots for these, and an additional 50 species too local in occurrence to map effectively, are also presented. The maps provide a baseline for future and more regionally based studies. Supporting chapters provide details on the survey methodology, the mapping procedures used, and some current concerns in North American bird conservation. The maps provide an unprecedented level of information, and far surpass the general picture given by distribution maps in field guides. For the first time, detailed occurrence and relative abundance of each species is provided."

Long-legged Wading Birds of the North American Wetlands

Mark Riegner

1993

A study of the long-legged wading birds of North American with colour photographs by Lucian Niemeyer.

Hawks, Eagles and Falcons of North America

Paul A. Johnsgard

1990

Reprint 2002

"A comprehensive reference discusses all aspects of raptors, including their biology, habitat, and behavior, and offers identification information."

Handbook of North American Birds, Volume 4, Diurnal Raptors (Part 1)

Editor: Ralph S. Palmer

Yale University Press

1988

Handbook of North American Birds, Volume 5, Diurnal Raptors (Part 2)

Editor: Ralph S. Palmer

Yale University Press

1988

Magnificent Voyagers: Waterfowl Of North America

Albert H. Hochbaum

1988

Waterfowl in Winter

Editor: Milton W. Weller

1988

47 papers on aspects of wintering waterfowl primarily in North America plus workshop discussion reports.

The Wading Birds of North America: A Definitive Work Covering The United States And Canada

Allan W. Eckert

Weathervane Books / Random House

1987

Covers Herons, egrets, bittern, ibises, spoonbills, flamingos, cranes, limpkins, rails, gallinules, and coots.

The Waterfowl of North America: The Complete Ducks, Geese and Swans

Robin Hill

Technical Text: Paul A. Johnsgard

Morris Communications

1987

Wild Ducks and Geese of North America

Sandra Romashko

Windward Publishing

1978

"As a complete field guide to the 45 species of waterfowl found in North America, this book, which is illustrated by renowned wildlife and marine artist Russ Smiley, includes summer and winter range charts and information on the feeding habits and flyaways of wild ducks and geese."

Handbook of North American Birds, Volume 3, Wildfowl (Part 2)

Editor: Ralph S. Palmer

1976

560 pages with 4 colour plates.

Covers Eiders. Wood Ducks. Diving Ducks. Mergansers. Stifftails.

Handbook of North American Birds, Volume 2, Waterdfowl (Part 1)

Editor: Ralph S. Palmer

1976

520 pages with 4 colour plates.

Covers Whistling Ducks. Swans. Geese. Sheld-Ducks. Dabbling Ducks.

The Birds Of The Beaufort Sea

Stephen R. Johnson and Dale R. Herter

1975

A second edition was published in 1989.

Waterfowl Of North America

Paul A. Johnsgard

1975

Handbook of North American Birds, Volume 1, Loons Through Flamingos

Editor: Ralph S. Palmer

1961

567 pages with 6 colour plates and many other illustrations and range maps.

Covers Loons, Grebes, Albatrosses, Shearwaters and allies, Storm Petrels, Tropicbirds, Pelicans, Boobies, Gannet, Cormorants, Anhingas, Frigatebirds, Herons, Bitterns, Wood Stork, Ibises, Spoonbills, & Flamingos.

Quails and Partridges of North America: A Bibliography

Charles G. Crispens

1960

Pheasants in North America

Editor: Durward L. Allen

1956

490 pages with many b/w plates, drawings and maps plus a colour frontispiece from a painting by Bob Hines.

The Birds Of North And Middle America: A Descriptive Catalogue

Part XI: Family Catharidae - The American Vultures, Family Accipitridae - The Hawks, Eagles, Kites, Harriers, and Old World Vultures, Family Pandionidae - The Ospreys, Family Falconidae - The Falcons and Caracaras

Herbert Friedmann

Smithsonian Institution

United States National Museum

1950

From the preface:

"In the 11 volumes thus far published there have been treated in detail (that is, with full descriptions and synonymies), besides the families above mentioned and higher groups to which they belong, 732 genera and 2,919 species and subspecies, besides 241 extralimital genera and 692 extralimital species and subspecies whose principal characters are given in the keys and whose principal synonymy is given in footnotes. ....... As in Part X, the author has made extensive use of the manuscript notes left by the late Robert Ridgway. His notes covered the diagnoses of genera and higher groups and partial synonymies for many of the species and subspecies. Wherever possible his manuscript has been included with a minimum of change (other than addition to synonymies) permitted by more recent data. However, unlike the procedure followed in Parts IX and X the present author has not felt constrained to keep the work as largely Ridgway's as possible and has deleted some of his accounts of genera no longer considered valid and has attempted to bring the whole account more in Une with cm*- rent taxonomic opinion. Where any of Ridgway's manuscript has been incorporated it has been thoroughly studied with the specimens and the literature; nothing has been accepted merely because was already written. As in the previous two parts of this series the author has felt himself responsible for the entire contents and has not considered himself as an editor of an unpublished work."

The Birds Of North And Middle America: A Descriptive Catalogue

Part X: Family Cracidae - The Curassows, Guans, and Chachalacas, Family Tetraonidae - The Grouse, Ptarmigan, etc., Family Phasianidae - The American Quails, Partridges, and Pheasants, Family Numididae - The Guineafowls, Family Meleagrididae - The Turkeys

Robert Ridgway continued by Herbert Friedmann

Smithsonian Institution

United States National Museum

1946

From the preface:

"In the ten volumes thus far published there have been treated in detail (that is, with full descriptions and synonymies), besides the families above mentioned and higher groups to which they belong, 695 genera and 2,756 species and subspecies, besides 237 extralimital genera and 638 extralimital species and subspecies whose principal characters are given in the keys and whose principal synonymy is given in footnotes. ...... As in Part IX, the author has made extensive use of the manuscript notes left by the late Robert Ridgway. His notes covered the diagnoses of genera and higher groups and partial synonymies for many of the species and subspecies. Wherever possible his manuscript has been included with the minimum of change (other than addition to synonymies) permitted by more recent data. In fact, it has been, and still is, the present author's feeling that this work should be as largely Ridgway's as possible; thus, for instance, he has kept and included Ridgway's diagnoses of certain genera now relegated to the position of subgenera, and where Ridgway's manuscript gave extensive synonymies for extralimital forms, he has retained them without attempting to supply equally detailed accounts for other extralimital forms. However, all such manuscript material has been thoroughly studied with the specimens and the literature; nothing has been accepted merely because it was written. From the start, the author has felt himself responsible for the entire contents of this volume and has not considered himself as an editor of an unpublished work."

The Birds Of North And Middle America: A Descriptive Catalogue

Part IX: Family Gruidae - The Cranes, Family Rallidae - The Rails, Coots, and Gallinules, Family Heliornithidae - The Sun-grebes, Family Eurypygidae - The Sun-bitterns

Robert Ridgway continued by Herbert Friedmann

Smithsonian Institution

United States National Museum

1941

From the preface:

"In the nine volumes thus far published there have been treated in detail (that is, with full descriptions and synonymies), besides the families above mentioned and higher groups to which they belong, 667 genera and 2,578 species and subspecies, besides 220 extralimital genera and 626 extralimital species and subspecies whose principal characters are given in the keys and whose principal synonymy is given in footnotes. ....... The author takes this opportunity to explain the status of his own position in this work. On the death of Robert Ridgway, the late Dr. Charles W. Richmond gathered together all the former's manuscripts he could find and carefully filed them for future use. Ridgway's notes covered the diagnoses of genera and higher groups and partial synonymies for many of the species and subspecies. Whenever possible, his manuscript has been included with the minimum of change (other than addition to synonymies) permitted by more recent data. In fact, it has been the present author's feeling that this work should be as largely Ridgway's as possible; thus, for instance he has kept and included Ridgway's diagnoses of certain genera now relegated to the position of subgenera, and where Ridgway's manuscript gave extensive synonymies for extralimital forms, he has retained them without attempting to supply equally detailed accounts for other extralimital forms. However, all such manuscript material has been thoroughly studied with the specimens and the literature; nothing has been accepted merely because it was written. From the start, the author has felt himself responsible for the entire contents of this volume and has not considered himself as an editor of an unpublished work."

Hawks Of North America

John Bichard May

National Association of Audubon Societies

1935

Birds Of The Pacific Coast

Willard Ayres Eliot

G.P. Putnam's & Son

1923

From the preface:

"Birds of the Pacific Coast is intended as a fieid book, giving the distribution and habitat, and illustrating one hundred and eighteen birds which are more or less common to all of the Pacific Coast states and British Columbia, and only a few that are rare or of local occurrence. Many of the birds described in this book may be found as far east as the Rocky Mountains, and some as far as the Mississippi Valley. The migratory habits of many of our strictly western birds do not seem to be as pronounced as among members of the same families along the Atlantic seaboard. This seems especially true of many of the warblers, bluebirds, thrushes, vireos, robins, wrens and purple finches. It would seem that our milder winter climate has something to do with this retarded movement of our birds during their southward migration in the fall. The plates are colored to show the males in full breeding plumage, and where the females differ radically in color from the males they are shown whenever practicable. Many birds go through a seasonal change of plumage which requires special study and observation on the part of the amateur bird student. No attempt is made to describe the plumage except to call attention to some striking patch of color that will serve as a distinct field mark."

Birds Of American

Editor In Chief: T. Gilbert Pearson

The University Society Inc

1923

Published in 3 volumes.

Opening lines of preface:

The actual and urgent need for this book is apparent to the large and steadily increasing number of persons who are intelligently interested in American ornithology. This need is due to the fact that in all the literature of that subject there is no single work which presents a complete review of what is known to-day about American birds. The task of preparing a comprehensive account of the bird life of a continent is far too great to be accomplished in a natural lifetime by any individual working alone; and until recently there has been no systematic cooperation between students of our native birds. It is inevitable, therefore, that continued study of the subject, aided by such cooperation, should have revealed many errors of commission and omission in the labors of Wilson, Audubon, Bonaparte, and the other earlier students of this difficult and complex science. Nevertheless, it is clear that the work of these men laid the foundation of American ornithology; for their labors not only furnished much material of scientific value, but encouraged interest in and sympathy for birds, and thereby inspired further study of these beautiful and useful forms of animate life."

The Birds Of North And Middle America: A Descriptive Catalogue

Part VIII: Family Jaoanidae - The Jacanas, Family Cadiciiemidae - The Thick-knees, Family Haematopodidae - The Oyster-oatohers, Family Arenariidae - The Turnstones, Family Aphrizidae - The Surf Birds, Family Oharadriidae - The Plovers, Family Scolopacidae - The Snipes, Family Phalaropodidae - The Phalaropes, Family Recurvirostridae - The Avocets and Stilts, Family Rynohopidae - The Skimmers, Family Sternidae - The Terns, Family Laridse - The Gulls, Family Stercorariidae - The Skuas, Family Alcidae - The Auks

Robert Ridgway

Smithsonian Institution

United States National Museum

1919

From the preface:

"In the eight volumes thus far published have been treated in detail (that is, with full descriptions and synonymies), besides the Families above mentioned and higher groups to which they belong, 651 genera and 2,507 species and subspecies, besides 213 extralimital genera and 602 extralimital species and subspecies whose principal characters are given in the Keys and their principal synomyny full synomymy in case of the genera) given in footnotes. Certain subspecies (mostly among the Limicolae) recognized by other authors have not been admitted in the present work. This does not necessarily mean that they are not worthy of recognition, but that the material examined (usually wholly inadequate for determination of the question) did not warrant subdivision of the species. ....... Measurements of specimens for use in the preparation of the present volume were made by Mr. Riley and Miss Celestine B. Hodges, and the orignal drawings of the outline figures illustrating the generic characters (fig. I-XXXIV), except those previously published, were made by Mr. E. R. Kalmbach, of Washington. It may be added that printing of the present volume has been greatly retarded by exigencies resulting from prosecution of the World War, now happily ended."

The Birds Of North And Middle America: A Descriptive Catalogue

Part VII: Family Cuculidae, Family Psittacidae, Family Columbidae

Robert Ridgway

Smithsonian Institution

United States National Museum

1916

From the preface:

"The seven volumes thus far published are treated in detail (that is, with full descriptions and synonymies), besides the Families above mentioned and the higher groups to which they belong, 564 genera and 2,319 species and subspecies, besides 191 extralimital genera and 561 extralimital species and subspecies whose diagnostic characters are given in the 'Keys' and their principal synonymy (full synonymy in case of the genera) given in footnotes. Acknowledgments are due to the same individuals and institutions as those mentioned in previous volumes for the loan of specimens needed in the preparation of the present one; also to the State University of Iowa (through Prof. C. C. Nutting) for the privilege of examining a series of 16 specimens of the Louisiana Parroquet from the Indian Territory. To Dr. Charles W. Richmond, Acting Curator of the Division of Birds, U. S. National Museum, the author is indebted for the privilege of free access to his unique and extremely valuable card-catalogue collection of references to the first publication of generic, specific, and subspecifio names, for information concerning puzzling questions of nomenclature, and invaluable help in reading proof sheets; and to Mr. J. H. Riley, Aid in the Division of Birds, for assistance in various ways. Measurements of specimens for use in the preparation of the present volume were made by Miss Celestine B. Hodges, and the original drawings of the outline figures illustrating generic details (Fig. I-XXIV), except those previously published, were made by Miss Helen E. Lewis, both of Washington, D. C."

A Field Ornithology Of The Birds Of Eastern North America

C.J. Maynard

From the preface:

"Among the many books written on birds it will be difficult to find one which deals wholly with these beautiful and interesting creatures as they are seen in the field. Professional ornithologists must, of course, study external and internal characters of birds from the specimens themselves in the hand, but today there is another class of ornithologists, who by far outnumber the professional, and who want to know living birds as they appear among the foliage of woodlands and shrubbery, on the shore, or upon the waters of lake, pond, and river, or upon the wide ocean. This class want a book that shall teach them how they can identify these birds as they perch, or fly, or swim. It is evident that such a book, in order to fulfill its mission, should be written by one who has had a wide experience with living birds."

The Birds Of North And Middle America: A Descriptive Catalogue

Part VI: Family Picidae - The Woodpeckers, Family Oapitonidae - The Baaets, Family Ramphastidae - The Toucans, Family Buooonidae - The Puff Birds, Family Galbdlidae - The Jacamars, Family Aloedinidae - The Kingfishers, Family Todidae - The Todies, Family Momotidae - The Motmots, Family Oapkimulgidae - The Goatsuckers, Family Ntctibidae - The Potoos, Family Tttonibae - The Barn Owls, Family Bubonidae - The Eared Owls

Robert Ridgway

Smithsonian Institution

United States National Museum

1914

From the preface:

"More than one-third of the present volume (pp. 1-309, inclusive) was printed in 1911, having been intended for Part V; but, as stated in the Preface to that volume, could not be included therein without unduly increasing the bulk. The matter has, however, been revised, and to a large extent reset, in order to bring the subject up to date. A similar fate has befallen two large groups intended for the present volume, namely, the Coccygifonnes (Cuckoo-like Birds) and Psittaciformes (Parrots); the former having been left out at the last moment (for the same reason as were the Woodpeckers from Part V), after having been entirely put in type, the latter in large part completed in manuscript. ……. In these six volumes are treated, in detail (that is, with full synonymies and descriptions), besides the Families above mentioned and the higher groups to which they, respectively, belong, 520 genera, 2111 species and subspecies, besides 155 extralimital genera and 478 extralimital species and subspecies whose diagnostic characters are given in the 'keys', and their principal synonymy (full synonymy in case of the genera) given via footnotes. ……. The original drawings of the outline figures illustrating generic details (Pis. I-XXXVI), except those previously published, were made by Miss Ruth G. Collette, of Washington, D. C.."

Distribution And Migration Of North American Herons And Their Allies

Wells W. Cooke

Biological Survey Bulletin 45

US Department of Agriculture

Government Printing Office

1913

From the introduction:

The herons have attracted wide attention during late years, particularly because of the earnest efforts that have been made to prevent the utter destruction of the aigrette-bearing members of the family. The horrors necessarily attending the collection of the aigrettes have aroused bird lovers to unprecedented activity. As a result, in some parts of the Union stringent laws have been enacted, and the State machinery for bird preservation has been supplemented by large private subscriptions. Probably no family of birds ever had fuller protection on the statute books than is now enjoyed by the herons, while certainly no birds have ever been the recipients of more zealous care than is now accorded to the remaining colonies of the larger and smaller egrets. The friends of the birds became aroused none too soon. The large breeding colonies of egrets have been completely destroyed, and only a few scattered remnants exist to serve as centers for reestablishing the species.

Illustrated Bird Dictionary And Note Book

Water Birds, Game Birds And Birds Of Prey

Charles A. Reed

1912

Preface: "Following the well known motto of the author, "A good illustration is worth pages of text, you will find that nearly all the birds mentioned in this book are shown by small but, nevertheless quite correct pen and ink drawings. These drawings of course do not, neither are they intended to compare with the colored ones used in 'Bird Guide' and other books by the author, yet they do show the markings of birds as they are, as well as forms and attitudes and these features are sufficient to identify nearly all species. The student is supposed to have more complete works with colored illustrations in his library for home use, while this little volume is to be taken into the field for identification and as a handy note book. For this reason it has been so designed that it can be sold for the price of a good note book while it is hoped that the descriptive and pictorial features will make its value to the student many times that of blank pieces of paper."

Handbook Of Birds Of Eastern North America

Frank M. Chapman

Drawings in text: Tappan Adney and Ernest Thompson Seton

D. Appleton And Company

Revised edition

1912

From the introduction:

In preparing a revised edition of the Handbook, it was decided that any increase in size which would remove it from the ranks of true handbooks was not to be considered for a moment. The question, then, with which I have been confronted, was, how, within given hmits, to meet the wants of the bird student of today, who demands, primarily, information concerning the bird in nature. To add materially to the space given to each of the species contained in the first edition would result in widely overstepping the bounds set by necessity. But, if it were not possible to present a complete biography of every bird, at least a suggestive biography of the bird could be given, and the expansion in size permitted has been largely used for this purpose. This added material will be found in the introductory pages, which number 116, as compared with 31 in the original edition.

Distribution And Migration Of North American Shorebirds

Wells W. Cooke

U.S. Department of Agriculture

1912

From the introduction:

"Shorebirds form a valuable national resource, and it is the plain duty of the present generation to pass on to posterity this asset undiminished in value. Consistent and intelligent legislation in favor of any group of birds must be founded on extended, accurate information, and must include knowledge of the breeding and distribution of the birds - where they spend the summer, whither they retire in winter, and when and by what routes they migrate. The present bulletin supplies this needed information so far as it is now available.

The Birds Of North And Middle America: A Descriptive Catalogue

Part V: Family Pteroptochidae - The Tapaeuloa, Family Dendrocolaptidae - The Woodhewers, Family Formicariidae - The Antbirds, Family Trochilidae - The Humming Birds, Family Furnariidae - The Ovenbirds, Family Micropodidae-The Swifts, Family Trogonidae - The Trogons

Robert Ridgway

Smithsonian Institution

United States National Museum

1911

From the preface:

"Circumstances have retarded the completion of the present volume, chief among which were interruption by field work (including a second visit to Costa Rica), occasional periods of illness, and the specially- difficult character of some of the included groups; furthermore, one large family (the Woodpeckers, Picidae) was worked up and even set in type, but was finally omitted because its inclusion would increase the bulk of the volume far beyond a convenient size. It will, therefore, be included in Part VI. ……. The present volume contains the Tracheophone Mesomyodi, represented by the Families Pteroptochidae (Tapaculos), Formicariidae (Antbirds), Furnariidae (Ovenbirds), and Dendrocolaptidae (Woodhewers), together with the Macrochires, containing the Families Trochilidae (Humming Birds) and Micropodidae (Swifts), and the Heterodactylae, represented only by the Family Trogonidae (Trogons). The number of species and subspecies described in the five volumes is 2,038, with 351 additional extralimital forms characterized in the 'keys.' About 1,150 to 1,200 forms remain to be treated in subsequent parts of the work. Acknowledgments for the loan of specimens for use in the preparation of the present volume are due to the same individuals and public institutions as have already been named in previous volumes; also to Mr. C. H. Lankester, of Cachi, Costa Rica, who kindly placed the Tracheophones of his fine collection of Costa Rican birds at the author's service."

The Birds Of North And Middle America: A Descriptive Catalogue

Part IV: Family Turdidae - Thrushes, Family Mimidae - Mockingbirds, Family Alaudidae - Larks, Family Sturnidae - Starlings, Family Ploceidae - Weaver Birds, Family Oxyruncidae - Sharpbills, Family Tyrannidae - Tyrant Flycatchers, Family Pipridae - Manakins, Family Cotingidae - Chatterers

Robert Ridgway

Smithsonian Institution

United States National Museum

1907

From the preface:

"The present volume comprises the Turdidae (Thrushes), Mimidae (Mockingbirds), Alaudidae (Larks), Family Sturnidae (Starlings), Family Ploceidae (Weaver Birds), Family Oxyruncidae (Sharpbills), Family Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers), Family Pipridae (Manakins), and Cotingidae (Chatterers). Part V, which is partly done, includes the Formicariidae (Ant Birds), Dendrocolaptidae (Wood-Hewers), Furnariidae (Oven Birds), Pteroptochidae (Taparolas), Trochilidffi (Humming Birds), Micropodidae (Swifts), Caprimulgidae (Goatsuckers), and Picidae (Woodpeckers). In the four volumes published there have been described 1,675 species and subspecies, or somewhat more than half the total number of North and Middle American Birds. Acknowledgments are due for the loan of specimens used in the preparation of this volume to those individuals and public institutions mentioned in preceding volumes; also to the Carnegie Museum, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania (through Mr. W. E. Clyde Todd, in charge of the bird collection); the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Massachusetts (through Mr. William Brewster); Dr. Louis B. Bishop, of New Haven, Connecticut; Mr. J. II. Fleming, of Toronto, Canada, and Mr. Arthur T. Wayne, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. The specimens from the Carnegie Museum were especially helpful, consisting of fine series of beautifully prepared specimens, mostly from Costa Rica. ……. The illustrations in this volume not previously published were mostly made by Mr. H. W. Hendley, of Washington, District of Columbia, and the measurements of specimens were made chiefly by Mr. J. H. Riley, of the Division of Birds."

Directory To The Birds Of Eastern North America

C.J. Maynard

From the introduction:

"This manual is intended to aid students in identifying birds in the field; hence external characters are chiefly used and, as far as possible, those only which are conspicuous enough to be seen by the aid of a bird glass at a reasonable distance; while the author has endeavored to avoid using any characters not absolutely necessary for identification. Characteristic habits and the manner of flight are mentioned; the song, and other notes and cries are also given."

The Warblers Of North American

Frank M. Chapman

D. Appleton & Company

1907

Includes 24 colour plates. From the preface:

The warblers have been described as "our most beautiful, most abundant, and least known birds." The knowledge that at certain seasons our woods, and even the trees of our larger city parks are thronged with an innumerable host of birds, the brilliancy of whose plumage rivals that of many tropical species, comes to the bird student with the force of a surprising discovery. One never forgets one's first Warbler! Highly migratory, the extended journeys of Warblers are nevertheless performed with regularity which makes their appearance in the spring a fixed calendar event. The very essence of the season is in their flitting forms and lisping voices; without them May would seem a dreary month and the migration of birds lose half its charm. But these dainty, fascinating sprites of the tree-tops are elusive. Years of observation may be required to add to one's list of field acquaintances the last of the thirty-odd species which, in eastern North America, may be found at a single locality. In this quest the field-glass student is handicapped. The small size of Warblers, their activity, the nature of their haunts, their rapid journeys, marked seasonal changes in plumage, and the general resemblance in the song of many species all tend to render recognition in life unusually difficult. This book has, therefore, been prepared with the cooperation of other ornithologists, to meet the demand for a fully illustrated work which will serve as an aid to the field identification of Warblers and to the study of their life-histories.

Distribution And Migration Of North American Ducks, Geese, And Swans

Wells W. Cooke

U.S. Department of Agriculture

1906

From the introduction: "Wild fowl are distributed over the whole world. From time immemorial ducks, geese, and swans have been held in high esteem by mankind, and everywhere they have been eagerly pursued for sport or for food. Passing by the purely aesthetic value of the birds as beautiful and welcome denizens of our waters and as lending the charm of life and animation to our otherwise desolate ponds and lakes; passing by, too, their importance to thousands of men who are lured from business cares to pursue them and who derive from their pursuit both health and pleasure, their economic value and importance as food are very great. The flesh not only is palatable and nutritious, but is so different from that of domestic fowls as to form a most welcome addition to the table both of the rich and the poor.

The Birds Of North And Middle America: A Descriptive Catalogue

Part III: Family Motacillidae - Wagtails and Pipits, Family Hirundinidae - Swallows, Family Ampelidae - Waxwings, Family Ptilogonatidee - Silky Flycatchers, Family Dulidee - Palm Chats, Family Vireonidae - Vireos, Family Laniidae - Shrikes, Family Corvidae - Crows and Jays, Family Paridae - Titmice, Family Sittidae - Nuthatches, Family Certhiidae - Creepers, Family Troglodytidae - Wrens, Family Cinclidae - Dippers, Family Chamacidae - Wren-Tits, Family Sylviidae - Warblers

Robert Ridgway

Smithsonian Institution

United States National Museum

1904

From the preface:

"Although nearly five hundred pages of the present volume were printed during the year 1903, the author's inability to complete the manuscript in time necessitated suspension of presswork until July, 1904; hence publication of the volume has been delayed much beyond the anticipated date. ……. The present volume comprises the Motacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits), Hirundinidae (Swallows), Ampelidae (Waxwings), Ptilogonatidee (Silky Flycatchers), Dulidee (Palm Chats), Vireonidae (Vireos), Laniidae (Shrikes), Corvidae (Crows and Jays), Paridae (Titmice), Sittidae (Nuthatches), Certhiidae (Creepers), Troglodytidae (Wrens), Cinclidae (Dippers), Chamacidae (Wren-Tits), and Sylviidae (Warblers). Part IV, which is about half completed, includes the Turdidae (Thrushes), Mimidae (Mockingbirds), Alaudidae (Larks), Sturnidae (Starlings), Ploceidae (Weaver Birds), Oxyruncidae (Sharpbills), Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers), Pipridae (Manakins), and Cotingidae (Chatterers.) In the three volumes which have been published there have been described about twelve hundred and fifty species and subspecies, or about two-fifths of the total number of North and Middle American birds. Acknowledgments are due for the loan of specimens used in the preparation of this volume to those individuals and public institutions mentioned in Parts I and II. ….. Measurements in the present volume not made by the author were taken by Mr. J. H. Riley, of the Division of Birds."

Distribution And Migration Of Warblers

Wells W. Cooke

U.S. Department of Agriculture

1904

From the introduction:

"The warblers are birds of wide distribution. They occur in summer in greater or less abundance over nearly the whole of North America except the arid lands of the Southwest and the Barren Grounds of the far North. Though of small size they are brightly colored, and during the migrations they come in such numbers, both of species and individuals, that they often form the most conspicuous part of a bird wave, and their return is awaited with eagerness by students of migration. In spring the lover of the beautiful finds among them brilliant colors in multiple variety; the practiced ear is taxed to distinguish their faint songs dropping from the tree tops; and the experienced ornithologist feels a pleasurable excitement in scanning each individual of the passing host as he seeks the rarity that will more than repay the time spent in the search. In the fall, when the same bands in less conspicuous garb return with the season's offspring, even the skilled observer finds himself perplexed to identify every species as it passes - singly, by twos and threes, in restless flocks, or in the swarming numbers of the bird wave.

Color Key To North American Birds

Frank M. Chapman

Doubleday, Page & Company

1903

Preface:

To learn to call a bird by its right name is the first step in the study of ornithology. We may propose to investigate the structure, food, and habits of the birds of the world, or desire merely a superficial knowledge of the species found in our garden, but in either case we are at once confronted by this question of identification. From the scientific point of view there is but one satisfactory way to identify a bird. A specimen of it should be in hand in order that its form, color, and size may be accurately determined, when, with the aid of analytical keys, with which most text-books are provided, it is a simple matter to ascertain the bird's name. Wide experience has shown the writer, however, that where one dead bird is identified, hundreds of attempts are made to name the living bird in nature. This is to be expected. It is the natural outcome of the recent remarkable interest in the study of birds which, fostered by Audubon Societies and nature study teachers, has assumed an ethical and educational importance of the first magnitude. We cannot place a gun in the hands of these thousands of bird- lovers whom we are yearly developing; indeed most of them would refuse to use it. Specimens, therefore, are rarely available to them and we should make some special effort to meet their peculiar wants. The present volume has been prepared with this end in view. Identification of the bird in the bush is its sole end; an end, however, which we trust will prove but the beginning of a new and potent interest in nature.

The Birds Of North And Middle America: A Descriptive Catalogue

Part II: Family Tanagridae - The Tanagers, Family Icteridae - The Troupials, Family Coerebidae - The Honey Creepers, Family Mniotiltidae - The Wood Warblers

Robert Ridgway

Smithsonian Institution

United States National Museum

1902

Preface:

"The present volume is the second of a series which will probably require eight volumes for completion. It contains the following families: Tanagridae (Tanagers), Icteridae (Troupials), Coerebidae (Honey Creepers), and Mniotiltidae (Wood Warblers). Part I, issued in 1901, included the Family Fringillidae (Finches) alone. Part III, which is well under way, will include the Motacillidae (Wagtails and Pipits), Hirundinidae (Swallows), Vireonidae (Vireos), Ampelidae (Waxwings), Ptiliogonatidae (Silken Chatterers), Dulidae (Palm Chatterers), Laniidae (Shrikes), Corvidae (Crows and Jays), Paridae (Titmice), Sittidae (Nuthatches), Certhiidae (Creepers), Troglodytidae (Wrens), Cinclidae (Dippers), Chamaeiidae (Wren-tits), and Sylviidae (Kinglets, etc.), and will probably go to press some time during the present year. The remaining volumes are all in a more or less advanced stage of preparation and it is hoped that these may follow at the rate of two a year. Acknowledgments for the loan of material for use in the preparation of the present volume are due to the persons and public institutions mentioned in Part I (pages xii, xiii), and also to Dr. A. K. Fisher, Mr. William Palmer, and Mr. Paul Bartsch, of Washington, District of Columbia. Both Dr. Fisher and Mr. Palmer should have been mentioned in Part I in this connection, and the inadvertent omission of their names is much regretted. Most of the measurements of specimens for the present volume were made by Mr. J. H. Riley, Mr. Sidney S. Wilson, and Miss Frances E. Swett."

The Birds Of North And Middle America: A Descriptive Catalogue

Part I: Family Fringillidae - The Finches

Robert Ridgway

Smithsonian Institution

United States National Museum

1900

From the preface:

"Although preparations for the present work have been more or less actively conducted for some twenty years past, as time and opportunity permitted, the actual work of putting together the vast amount of material accumulated during that period was not begun until September, 1894, when the author was directed by Dr. G. Brown Goode, Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, in charge of the National Museum, to consider of paramount importance among his official duties the task of 'making available, through publication, the results of the ornithological work of the Government, as represented in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution.' The labor of collating references pertaining to more than 3,000 species of birds, verifying citations of original descriptions, measuring many thousands of specimens, and other time-consuming details connected with the preparation of such a work has necessarily delayed the beginning of its publication; but most of this drudgery having been disposed of, it is hoped that future progress may be more rapid. In the following pages the attempt is made to describe every species and subspecies, or definable form, of bird found on the continent of North America, from the arctic districts to the eastern end of the. Isthmus of Panama, together with those of the West Indies and other islands of the Caribbean Sea (except Trinidad and Tobago), and the Galapagos Archipelago; introduced and naturalized species being included, as well as accidental or casual visitors. The classification presented is essentially that of the most recent and advanced authorities, with such minor modifications as in the judgment of the present author seem desirable. The imperfection of our knowledge concerning the internal structure of many groups of birds, however, makes an entirely satisfactory classification impossible at the present time, and that here adopted must therefore be considered as provisional only. An entirely sound classification of birds is a matter of the future, requiring vastly extended investigations in the field of avian anatomy and the expenditure of an enormous amount of time and labor in elaborating the results."

The Wild Fowl Of The United States And British Possessions : Or, The Swan, Geese, Ducks, And Mergansers Of North America

Daniel Giraud Elliot

1898

From the preface:

"The Swan, Geese, and Ducks naturally become the subjects for the third volume of what may be called the series, or trilogy of "North American Game Birds." While engaged upon this book, I felt that I was writing the history of a rapidly vanishing race, whose serried hosts, at a time not far distant, were spread over the entire length and breadth of the continent as they winged their swift flight in the annual migrations. But incessant persecution and unrestrained slaughter have been waged against these fowl, in all manner of ways: by killing the mated birds in the spring on their way to the breeding grounds, by robbing the nests, by murdering the young perhaps even unable to fly, and by continued shooting during their southern journey and in their winter residence - until to-day but a remnant is left of the myriad fowl that at one time fairly darkened the air with their mighty legions. And although it is apparent to all, save those who will not see, that only a brief period can elapse, if the same conditions continue, before, like the buffalo, our Water Fowl will mostly disappear, yet little is done to save them from destruction, and the ruthless slaughter goes gayly on."

How To Know The Shore Birds (Limicolæ) Of North America

All The Species Being Grouped According To Size And Color

Charles B. Cory

1897

From the preface:

"The present work is intended to meet the wants of a large number of persons, especially sportsmen, who are interested in birds and would like to know their names, but often find it no easy task to identify them by the 'bird books.' To all such I offer this Key, in which the species are arranged in groups according to size, and believe it will enable any one unfamiliar with birds to identify with comparative ease any species of our North American Shore Birds. Birds vary so much in size that the length of any one specimen cannot be accepted as a standard for others of the same species. The length measure is, nevertheless, of value to enable us to form an approximate idea of the size of the bird. The length of the wing is, however, much less variable, and is an important aid to the identification of many species. In fact, the variation is so small and constant that, allowing for possible extremes, they may be arranged in groups according to length of wing. The identification of any species then becomes a very simple matter, as usually the birds contained in each group are so few in number that characteristic differences in each species' are easily indicated."

Key to North American Birds

Elliott Coues

4th edition

1896

Preface:

"Tn presenting a new edition of the Key to those who are interested in North American Birds, the publishers desire the author to add a word by way of preface. But little need be said of a book which speaks for itself in passing through several editions to supply that demand for a standard textbook of ornithology which this work has itself done much to create, by stimulating and satisfying an interest in one of the most delightful departments of Natural History. The part which the Key has taken in the evolution of the subject since 1872 is sketched in the 'Historical Preface', first introduced in the Second Edition, 1884. Since the founding of the American Ornithologists' Union in 1883 the impetus then given to the study of birds has resulted in a momentum directly proportionate to the number of workers in this field and to the length of time these have been engaged. I could wish the fruits of such unparalleled activity were all sound and ripe, but they are not; growth has been forced to some extent in rival hot-houses, and the familiar parable of wheat and tares finds a fresh illustration. Too quick transition from an old to a new order of things in the technicalities of our subject has brought disorder, as usual. Till the pace slackens somewhat, so that we can see where we stand, I do not think it would be wise to recast the Key, Therefore, the only change in the present edition is the addition of a Second Appendix, beginning page 897."

Handbook Of Birds Of Eastern North America

Frank M. Chapman

1895

From Chapter II:

Whether your object be to study birds as a scientist or simply as a lover of Nature, the first step is the same you must learn to know them. This problem of identification has been given up in despair by many would-be ornithologists. We can neither pick, press, net, nor impale birds; and here the botanist and the entomologist have a distinct advantage. Even if we have the desire to resort to a gun its use is not always possible. But with patience and practice the identification of birds is a comparatively easy matter, and in the end you will name them with surprising ease and certainty. There is generally more character in the flight of a bird than there is in the gait of a man. Both are frequently indescribable but perfectly diagnostic, and you learn to recognize bird friends as you do human ones by experience. If you confine your studies to one locality, probably not more than one third of the species described in this volume will come within the field of your observation. To aid you in learning which species should be included in this third, the paragraphs on Range are followed by a statement of the bird's standing at Washington, D. C., Sing Sing, N. Y., and Cambridge, Mass., while the water-birds of Long Island are treated specially. Take the list of birds from the point nearest your home as an index of those you may expect to find. This may be abridged for a given season by considering the times of the year at which a bird is present.

The water birds of North America, Volume I

S.F. Baird, T.M. Brewer and R. Ridgway

Little, Brown, and Company

1884

From the introduction:

"As this work will in all probability fall into the hands of those who have not seen the ornithological volume issued as a part of the Publications of the State Geological Survey of California, it is proper that the origin and connection of these two contributions to this branch of American natural history should be here explained. The Act authorizing a geological survey of the State of California, which became a law in 1860, required of the State Geologist, in addition to the topographical and geological work usually expected on such a survey, ' a full and complete description of the botanical and zoological productions of California.' In accordance with this requirement, the efforts of the head of the Survey were, from the time of the beginning of the work, directed toward the collection of such material as would be of value for use in the preparation of Reports in the various departments of the natural history of California and the adjacent regions of the Pacific coast. The establishment of a State museum of geology and natural history was also contemplated - although not provided for - in the Act authorizing the Survey, as supplementary to the preparation of such Reports on the various branches of science as should make possible the study of geology, botany, and zoology in the schools and colleges of California and the adjacent States and Territories."

The water birds of North America, Volume II

S.F. Baird, T.M. Brewer and R. Ridgway

Little, Brown, and Company

1884

From the first description:

"This genus is very readily distinguished from Querquedula by the very different form of the bill, which is more like that of Dafila, but much smaller, being much more depressed terminally, and proportionally deeper through the base than in Querquedula; while the lower edge or maxillary tomium is either gently convex throughout (as in the southern species), or straight anteriorly and decided]y convex posteriorly (as in the northern forms); the lamellae being thus completely hidden. In Querquedula, on the other hand, the terminal portion of the tomium is strongly convex, and the posterior half cut away, as it were, so as to fully expose the lamella;. Through the forms occurring in the southern hemisphere, this genus leads directly to Poecilonetta, which in turn is intermediate between Nettion and Dafila."

The Coues Check List Of North American Birds

Elliott Coues

2nd edition

1882

From the introductory note:

"The purpose of the present Check List is thus distinctly seen to be twofold: First, to present a complete list of the birds now known to inhabit North America, north of Mexico, and including Greenland, to classify them systematically, and to name them conformably with current rules of nomenclature; these being ornithological matters of science. Secondly, to take each word occurring in such technical usage, explain its derivation, significance, and application, spell it correctly, and indicate its pronunciation with the usual diacritical marks; these being purely philological matters, affecting not the scientific status of any bird, but the classical questions involved in its name."

Nomenclature Of North American Birds Chiefly Contained In The United States National Museum

Robert Ridgway

United States National Museum

Government Printing Office

1881

From the introduction:

"Since the publication, in 1859, of the last Smithsonian catalogue of North American birds, so many important changes have been made in the nomenclature of the species, and so numerous have been the accessions to the fauna, that the wants of ornithologists require a new list which shall bring the subject fully up to date. It also appears desirable that an analysis should be given of the principal points of variance, numerical and otherwise, between the list which is herewith presented and that which has for so many years been the standard of reference; while, in order to further increase the utility of the list, a brief review of the revisions of nomenclature which have been adopted, the species added to the fauna, and other matters of like interest, is given under appropriate headings on pages 59-84."

The Birds Of Eastern North America

C.J. Maynard

From the preface:

"In June, 1879, the publication of THE BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA was commenced. This work is remodeled on the old 'Birds of Florida' but, as it includes all the birds which occur between the Arctic Circle and Gulf the of Mexico, east of the Mississippi River, its scope is very much enlarged. An entirely new edition of plates has been prepared for this book, all of which have been drawn on stone by the author. Some few changes have been made in the text but, as it has not been thought expedient to repage the hook, the reader will find that the first 128 pages treat, with some few exceptions, solely of the birds which occur in Florida, but descriptions of the few which have been omitted are to be found in the appendix. Some species which are only stragglers in the region of which I write which are not given in their proper places, are also described in that portion of the work; therefore it will be well for the reader to consult the index when he wishes to find the account of any particular species."

A catalogue of the birds of North America

Robert Ridgway

Proceedings of The United States National Museum

1880

Opening lines:

"During the interval of twenty-one years which ha« elapsed since the publication of the last Smithsonian catalogue, a great advance has naturally been made in our knowledge of North American ornithology; and so numerous and important are the changes which have resulted, through additions of new species, rectifications of synonymy, etc., that a new list seems desirable to take the place of the old one."

A Check List Of North American Birds

Elliott Coues

1879

From the introductory note:

"The species are numbered consecutively from 1 to 635. Stragglers have the number in brackets. Varieties bear the number of the species to which they belong, with a, &, c, etc., unless a variety is our only representative of the species, when it is separately enumerated. Obscure or doubtful species are marked with a note of interrogation after the number. Each species is followed by the original describer's name; when this is not also the authority for the nomenclature adopted the name of such authority is added, the former being retained in parenthesis. A similar practice is observed in the cases of varieties; when, as in most instances, they were originally described as species they are followed by the authority for their reduction to varieties, as well as by the name of the describer; the latter in parenthesis."

A History Of North America Birds

Land Birds, Volume I

S.F. Baird, T.M. Brewer and R. Ridgway

1874

From the preface:

"The present work is designed to meet the want, which has long been felt, of a descriptive account of the Birds of North America, with notices of their geographical distribution, habits, methods of nesting, character of eggs, their popular nomenclature, and other points connected with their life history.

For many years past the only systematic treatises bearing upon this subject have been The American Ornithology of Alexander Wilson, finished by that author in 1814, and brought down to the date of 1827 by George Ord; the Ornithological Biography of Audubon, bearing date of 1838, with a second edition, Birds of America, embracing a little more of detail, and completed in 1844; and A Manual of the Ornithology of the United States and Canada, by Nuttall, of which a first edition was published in 1832 and a second in 1840. Since then no work relating to American Ornithology, of a biographical nature, has been presented to the public, with the exception of some of limited extent, such as those of Giraud, on the Birds of Long Island, in 1844; De Kay's Birds of New York, 1844; Samuels's Ornithology and Oology of New England, 1868, and a few others; together with quite a number of minor papers on the birds of particular localities, of greater or less moment, chiefly published in periodicals and the Proceedings of Societies."

A History Of North America Birds

Land Birds, Volume II

S.F. Baird, T.M. Brewer and R. Ridgway

1874

A History Of North America Birds

Land Birds, Volume III

S.F. Baird, T.M. Brewer and R. Ridgway

1874

Field Ornithology

Elliott Coues

1874

From Preliminary and Explanatory:

"Both author and publisher of the 'Key to North American Birds' intended that the work should contain instructions for collecting and preparing birds, and that a Check List, according with the author's views, should appear simultaneously with the volume. This proved impracticable: partly because the work so far overran the original estimates, that the additional expense and risk, which the publisher, an accomplished naturalist, generously offered to assume, seemed to the author unjustifiable; and partly because the writer's unexpected call to another field of official duty suddenly threw such a pressure of other engagements upon his hands that he could not just then find time to write out even so slight a treatise as this. The Check List and Manual of Instruction are therefore now presented together, as a Supplement to the Key."

Key to North American Birds

Elliott Coues

1872

From the introduction:

"Science (Lat. scire, to know) is knowledge set in order; knowledge disposed after the rational method that best shows, or tends to show, the mutual relations of observed facts. Such orderly knowledge of any particular class of facts - such methodical disposition of observations upon any particular set of objects -constitutes a Special Science. Thus, Ornithology (Gr. ornithios, of a bird, logos, a discourse) is the Science of Birds. Ornithology consists in the rational arrangement and exposition of all that is known of birds. Ornithology treats of the physical structure, physiological processes, and mental attributes of birds; of their habits and manners; of their geographical distribution; of their relations to each other and to other animals. The first business of Ornithology is to define its ground; to answer the question What is a bird?"