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Rhode Island

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

USA

USA bird books

Birds of New England

Todd Telander

Falcon Press

2014

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

Northeastern Birds: Backyard Guide

Bill Thompson III

2013

"Inside, you'll find profiles of the 55 most common birds in the Northeast, complete with large color photos, gender-specific physical descriptions, nesting and feeding information, bird call particulars, and interesting stories about each species. Thompson also introduces the reader to the basics of bird watching: essential gear, bird-friendly food and plantings, housing tips, and observational techniques. This guide covers New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine."

Field Guide to Nature of New England

Kenn Kaufman and Kimberly Kaufman

2012

"Whether you're walking in the woods or along the beach, camping, hiking, canoeing, or just enjoying your own backyard, Kaufman Field Guide to Nature of New England will help identify all your nature discoveries. With authoritative and broad coverage, using nontechnical and lively language and more than 2000 color photographs, Kaufman Field Guide to Nature of New England is an essential reference for nature lovers living in or visiting New England."

The Wildlife of New England: A Viewer's Guide

John S. Burk

2011

"his guide to discovering and viewing the wildlife of New England covers the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. It provides information on more than 80 wildlife-viewing areas that represent the diversity of New England's natural landscape. Organized by state, the entries for each area detail the natural habitats and their unique features, identify characteristic species to watch for and when to see them, and list recommended trails, auto roads, and driving directions. In addition, the author offers informative introductions to 60 of the region's iconic animals organized by their natural habitats."

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

Scott W. Shurnway

2008

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

Birds of New England

Wayne Petersen and Roger Burrows

2004

"Full of interesting facts and useful information, "Birds of New England" is a field guide geared to both the casual backyard observer and the experienced naturalist. The book features 320 of New England's most abundant or notable bird species, each one illustrated in color. You'll also find a Quick Reference Guide, organized into color-coded family groupings, as well as a map of the best birding sites and descriptions of a number of New England's most notable viewing locations. The book includes a glossary of terms, birder's checklist and separate indexes for scientific and common names. There is also a color-coded guide to the bird groups on the back cover."

Rhode Island Birds: An Introduction to Familiar Species

2003

A laminated, fold-out guide to commoner Rhode Island birds.

Birds of New England

Fred J. Alsop

DK Publishing

2002

"The most comprehensive series of field guides to North American birds ever. Smithsonian Handbooks are the most comprehensive field guides to North American birds on the market. Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, these amazing guides are an absolute staple for any birder or amateur ornithologist. Each local species receives its own profile, along with descriptions of habitats and annotated photographs that highlight specific characteristics and other points of interest."

New England Birds: An Introduction to Familiar Species

2001

"New England Birds is a portable reference guide featuring over 100 species of birds found in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. This richly illustrated and detailed guide is printed on durable material and folds for convenience."

Field Guide to New England

Peter Alden, Brian Cassie

Taylor Trade Publishing

1998

"Filled with concise descriptions and stunning photographs, the National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England belongs in the home of every New England resident and in the suitcase or backpack of every visitor. This compact volume contains: an easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the region's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more; a complete overview of New England's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns and night sky; and an extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others."

The Smithsonian Guides to Natural America: Southern New England: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island

Robert Finch

1996

"A photographic tour of the natural wonders and seasonal recreational opportunities of southern New England encompasses more than two hundred sites of ecological and geographical significance in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island."

Bird Walks in Rhode Island: Exploring the Ocean State's Best Sanctuaries

Adam J. Fry

1992

Bird Finding in New England

Richard K. Walton

1988

The Warblers Of New England

C.J. Maynard

Published in 6 parts between 1901 and 1904

From the prospectus:

"This work contains descriptions of ail of the species of American Warblers which are found in New England. The book is illustrated with twelve hand-colored plates on which are figured a male and female of each species. THIE TEXT. The Family characters are first given, both external and internal, followed by a comparison with allied families. Generic characters are then defined in a clear, concise manner, and descriptions of species follow. The size is first given, then the characteristic markings, the time of migration and breeding range. This portion of the text is in large type. Following this, in smaller type, is a detailed description of the adult male and female, then of the young, and when known, of the nestling. Dimensions are next given; then comparisons with allied species, a feature particularly valuable to those who are comparatively unfamiliar with birds. Careful descriptions of the nests and eggs are given. The text on habits is in large type. This is a general account of the species, a more detailed account of the song, migration, and breeding range follows. ILLUSTRATIONS. One of the advantages of this book are the illustrations; many of the characters mentioned are explained by wood cuts, engraved by the author. PLATES. There are twelve plates, on each of which are given life-sized heads of both sexes of all of our warblers. These plates are engraved and hand-colored by the author."

A Guide To The Birds Of New England And Eastern New York

Ralph Hoffman

Houghton Mifflin & Co

1904

From the introduction:

There is something infectious in the enthusiasm of a student of birds. To hear him talk about the excitement of seeing a new bird, to read his account of it, or, best of all, to go afield with him on a May morning, is often enough to awaken a new interest, which enriches life to a surprising degree. The study of birds presents plenty of difficulties, which add fuel to the flame of real enthusiasm; there are sloughs of despond beyond which the faint-hearted never get. A guide who knows the way, its pitfalls and short cuts, is always welcome, and almost necessary in these days when our only weapon is the opera-glass. In spite of the fact that many excellent books are now available, the author offers another, both in the belief that there can never be too many good guides, and in the hope that this book has been especially adapted to the growing class of beginners in bird study. The book is the result of experience with many field-classes. Every effort has been made to emphasize the aspect of birds as seen out of doors, to describe their general or most prominent colors rather than any mark difficult to see on the living bird, and to call attention to their characteristic habits and haunts, and thus to enable the conscientious student to answer, with as much certainty as possible, the question, "What is the bird that I have seen?" The keys and the illustrations have been prepared with this end in view. There has been no attempt to give a complete description of the plumage, as it would look if the bird were held in the hand, nor does the book contain anything like full biographies of each species. Minute descriptions of the plumage and full accounts of the lives of the birds are to be found in many excellent books, some one of which may well be used to supplement this Guide. Notes and songs have been carefully described, and as far as possible expressed in English syllables. The author is well aware that another listener might express the same sounds by very different syllables; he has not attempted to convey to any one unfamiliar with the song anything more than an idea of its length and accent, and perhaps a suggestion of the quality of its tone. It is hoped, however, that the songs as transcribed will be useful in identifying doubtful species, that any one comparing the transcripts in the book with his own field-notes, or, better still, with the songs themselves, will recognize their likeness to that of one species and their unlikeness to that of another.

A Supplement To The Birds Of Rhode Island

Reginald Heber Howe and Edward Sturtevant

From the preface:

"The present supplement compiled over three years after the publication of The Birds of Rhode Island in October, 1899, endeavors to bring up to date the present knowledge of Rhode Island avifauna, and to correct that work both in misstatements and typographical errors. Much aid has been rendered to the authors in the compilation of this supplement by those interested in Rhode Island ornithology, and the State can now claim, for a period of two years. Major Edgar A. Mearns as a resident ornithologist, well known as a distinguished scientist; and who in two years with his son's aid added much to the knowledge of Rhode Island birds and mammals."

The Birds Of Rhode Island

Reginald Heber Howe and Edward Sturtevant

From the preface:

"This volume on the Birds of Rhode Island, containing the first complete list of the birds of the State, is offered with the hope that it will lead to the further study of ornithology within Rhode Island, and that it will give a basis on which to build such work."

Handbook Of The Sparrows, Finches, etc., Of New England

C.J. Maynard

From the introduction:

"My reason for writing a book upon birds with such a limited scope as the present, is because 1 am sure, from a somewhat extended experience, that it is better for those beginning the study of ornithology to first become thoroughly acquainted w4th some one group of birds, than to acquire a smattering knowledge of many. I have therefore selected the largest and in some ways the most important family of our New England birds, partly, because it is the most extended, but more particularly, because there is no season of the year, when some members of it are not to be found with us. In my walks in the fields and woods with my many pupils, I have found that some experience great difficulty m learning to distinguish birds, either by sight or by hearing their songs. This difficulty, it appears to me, is really due to the fact that the observer is trying to grasp an entirely new, and too vast a subject without a sufficient training of eye and ear. This being undoubtedly the case with so many, it appears best to begin with a group of birds, most of which are of a sufficient size to be readily seen and which not only have prominent, characteristic markings, but which also have songs which are readily distinguishable."