NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS
IDENTIFICATION AND REFERENCE
Review by Barb & Ron Kroll
Book of North American Birds
(Reader's Digest) ISBN 978-0762105762 0762105763
Book of North American Birds is an easy-to-read source of basic information on the 600 most common species of North American birds.
The Gallery section divides more than 450 species into eight groups by type and habitat. On each page, a painting depicts the more colorful breeding male and occasionally, the female. A short essay describes unique habits and activities of the bird.
Bird range maps
References detail size, color, and markings of males and females, habitat, nesting and feeding information. A map provides information on winter, summer and year-round range. Black and white sketches depict unique behaviors and appearance.
The Special Collection lists 117 rare, or limited-range species, with two or three to a page. A painting portrays each species along with common name, scientific name, a brief description, recognition information, habitat, nesting details, food sources and a range map.
Best viewing locations
The Traveler's Guide provides a list of more than 350 prime locations for bird sightings organized by U.S. states and Canadian provinces and territories. It includes addresses, national parks, wildlife refuges, swamps, sea shores and best viewing times.
Detailed color paintings depict each bird species. A map of North America uses colors to illustrate the winter/summer range of habitat. Smaller black and white sketches show a characteristic feature of the bird.
How to identify birds, nests and eggs
The full-color paintings and black and white sketches are very helpful for bird identification.
Readers will learn what birds and their nests look like, what they eat, where they live, when they migrate, mating behavior, breeding ranges, how to identify eggs, incubation period and when the chicks hatch and fledge. More detailed information on songs and sound patterns would be helpful.
Examples of species in Book of North American Birds
Golden Eagle. Red-tailed Hawk. Great Gray Owl. Rock Dove. Greater Roadrunner. Belted Kingfisher. Eastern Bluebird. Song Sparrow. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Pileated Woodpecker. Brown-headed Nuthatch. Hermit Thrush. Gray Catbird. Black-throated Blue Warbler. Northern Waterthrush. Evening Grosbeak. Common Loon. Snow Goose. American Coot. Franklin's Gull. Elegant Tern. Cattle Egret. Long-billed Curlew. Pectoral Sandpiper. Altamira Oriole.
Contents
- GALLERY
- Birds of Prey
- Large Land Birds
- Smaller Open Country Birds
- Smaller Woodland Birds
- Duck-like Birds
- Gull-like Birds
- Large Wading Birds
- Shorebirds
- SPECIAL COLLECTION
- Traveler's Guide
- Parts of a Bird
- Index of Scientific Names
- General Index
- Credits