Alaska's Birds, A Pocket Guide to Selected Species  •  Robert H. Armstrong FIELD GUIDE •  1994 •  PAPER  • 124 PAGES With its color photographs and profiles of 200 species of birds, this pocket guide to selected species will delight and inform the novice birder. (ALA03, $14.95)
Ambassador to the Penguins, A Naturalist's Year Aboard a Yankee Whaleship  •  Ellie Mathews BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2003 •  HARD COVER  • 353 PAGES Robert Cushman Murphy's much loved 1947 Logbook for Grace, as resurrected, annotated and amplified by his granddaughter. Drawing from the family archives, Ellie Mathews includes along with her narrative a selection of Cushman Murphy's original photographs. Murphy, a budding ornithologist with a new wife back home, sailed aboard the brig Daisy in 1912-13, witness to one of the last wind-powered Yankee whalers. His account of his time among the whalers (and wildlife) at South Georgia is classic. His granddaughter quotes extensively from the original. (ANT200, $29.95)
Antarctic Birds  •  David Parmelee NATURAL HISTORY •  1991 •  HARD COVER  • 203 PAGES A beautifully illusstrated, comprehensive account of the birds of the Antarctic Peninsula featuring Dr. Parmelee's watercolor illustrations and photographs. Dave Parmelee was a veteran of more than a decade sailing among the islands of the Palmer Archipelago aboard the Hero with Captain Lenie and a talented artist and friend. (ANT22, $39.95)
Attu, Birding on the Edge  •  Charles Osgood BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2003 •  PAPER A memoir of 25 years birding on the western fringes of North America, including encounters with rare Asian migrants. Attu, westernmost of the Aleutians -- and nearly 1,500 miles form the mainland, is the place to encounter never before recorded birds in North America. With an annotated checklist, color photographs and maps. Contributors include Larry Balch, Paul Baicich, John Fitchen, Paul Lehman, and Macklin Smith. (ALA169, $35.00)
The Beak of the Finch, A Story of Evolution in our Time  •  Jonathan Weiner NATURAL HISTORY •  1995 •  PAPER  • 332 PAGES An entire book about two biologists studying drab finches on a desert island? This Pulitzer Prize-winning work is an accessible look at the modern debate on the mode and rhythm of evolution-- using the story of Peter and Rosemary Grant and their field work on Daphne Major as an example. The Beak of the Finch is readable, illuminating and authoritative -- a classic example of great science writing. (GPS08, $14.95)
Belize, Travellers' Wildlife Guides  •  Les Beletsky FIELD GUIDE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 492 PAGES An all-around field guide intended for the curious traveler, this book features color illustrations of 200 commonly encountered birds, 50 mammals, 150 coral reef creatures and 80 species of reptiles and amphibians. It also includes a good introduction to Belize, its natural history and conservation. (BLZ04, $27.95)
Between Heaven and Earth, Bird Tales from Around the World  •  Howard Norman  •  Leo Dillon  •  Diane Dillon NATURAL HISTORY •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 88 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) A beautifully illustrated storybook, geared for grades 3 and up, with folktales from Australia, Norway, Sri Lanka, Southern Africa and China, all featuring birds. (BRD34, $22.00)
Bird (Eyewitness Books)  •  David Burnie NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 64 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) An introduction to birds, their evolution, biology and behavior, in the graphic Eyewitness style with hundreds of color photographs and drawings of feathers, wings, nests, eggs (and surprisingly few birds!). It's an excellent introduction to the life of a bird for middle school readers. (BRD04, $15.99)
A Birder's Bug Book  •  Gilbert Waldbauer NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES It's a bird-eat-bug world out there -- and this charming professor of entomology at the University of Illinois tells us why. Apart from the inherent interest in who is eating whom, the book gives an excellent overview of ecology and evolution, particularly co-evolutionary strategies. Some really big bugs have been known to eat birds. (NAT12, $16.95)
Birds  •  Robert Bateman NATURAL HISTORY •  2002 •  HARD COVER  • 176 PAGES A portfolio of 220 strikingly lifelike paintings by prolific wildlife artist Robert Bateman. Each color painting, rendered in exquisite detail, depicts a bird in its habitat. With field notes and commentary. Bateman (who also provided color plats for Mattheissen's Birds of heaven) chooses diverse birds, ranging from those found near his Salt Spring Island home to the Galapagos, Africa and Siberia. (BRD16, $40.00)
Birds of Ecuador, A Field Guide  •  Paul Greenfield  •  Robert Ridgely FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 740 PAGES Ecuador has its own field guide -- a comprehensive, exhaustively researched handbook to nearly 1,600 species featuring 96 glorious color plates, all by Paul Greenfield. Two decades in the making, it's an indispensable companion for birdwatching in Ecuador (and adjacent countries). It also weighs in at four pounds. With detailed range maps and descriptions of each species by Bob Ridgely. The same authors have published an accompanying guide to the status, distribution and taxonomy of the birds of Ecuador available separately (EDR07), or as a set (EDR 14). (EDR08, $55.00)
Birds of Ecuador, Vol. 1: Status, Distribution and Taxonomy  •  Paul Greenfield  •  Robert Ridgely FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 848 PAGES An exhaustively researched, comprehensive reference with detailed species accounts covering distribution and abundance, conservation, taxonomy, and range. Interesting or important species often get a full page. While intended as a reference, serious birders will devour the detailed information on individual species, along with the introductory chapters on habitats and centers of endemism in Ecuador. The 30-page gazetteer covers localities, geographic areas and towns mentioned in the text serves as a guide to where to see birds in Ecuador. Also available as a two-volume set (EDR14) with the gorgeously illustrated Field Guide (EDR08). (EDR07, $85.00)
Birds of Edmonton  •  Robin Bovey FIELD GUIDE •  1990 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES A slim guide to the birds of Edmonton and its surroundings, featuring color illustrations, descriptions, identification tips, a checklist, and notes on behavior and habitats. (CND96, $9.95)
Birds of Europe  •  Killian Mullarney  •  Lars Svensson  •  Dan Zetterstrom  •  Peter J. Grant FIELD GUIDE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES • FAVORITE This Princeton Field Guide features 3,500 illustrations by Killian Mullarney and Dan Zetterstrom. Color plates depict every species -- and sometimes several different variants -- for 722 birds found from the Urals to the Atlantic, Scandinavia to the Middle East. (FG47, $29.95)
Birds of Madagascar, A Photographic Guide  •  Pete Morris FIELD GUIDE •  1998 •  HARD COVER  • 224 PAGES An excellent photographic guide to the birds of Madagascar, featuring 500 color photographs and good descriptive text covering 280 species. It includes sections of identification, where to find the species and best birding sites. (MAD16, $45.00)
Birds of Myanmar  •  Kyaw Nyunt Lwin  •  Khin Ma Ma Thwin  •  Aung Thant FIELD GUIDE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 165 PAGES A slim field guide to 350 birds of Burma, featuring 74 full-color plates, descriptive information, and a comprehensive checklist. The Burmese authors and illustrator are associated with BirdLife International. (BMA42, $35.00)
The Birds of South America, The Oscine Passerines, Vol. 1  •  Guy Tudor  •  Robert Ridgely FIELD GUIDE •  1989 •  HARD COVER  • 596 PAGES An authoritative reference, this hefty volume features 31 splendid full-color plates by Guy Tudor covering 700 species of jays and swallows, wrens, thrushes, vireos and wood-warblers, tanagers, icterids and finches. The first of four anticipated volumes on the birds of South America. With distribution maps and species descriptions by ornithologist Robert Ridgely. (FG28, $95.00)
The Birds of South America, The Oscine Passerines, Vol. 2  •  Guy Tudor  •  Robert Ridgely FIELD GUIDE •  1994 •  HARD COVER The second volume of the projected four-volume series, this field guide and handbook covers the flycatchers, antbirds and furnariids. With fine color plates by Guy Tudor and lucid text by Ridgely. (FG29, $95.00)
Birds of Southern South America & Antarctica  •  Martin D. la Pena  •  Maurice Rumboll FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES A handsome, compact guide to all 1,140 bird species of Southern South America and Antarctica, including Patagonia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and much of Brazil. With brief description, range map, identification features and habitat for each species. It's the best guide for the Pantanal. With 97 color plates. (SAM12, $29.95)
Birds of Texas  •  John H. Rappole FIELD GUIDE •  1994 •  PAPER A photographic guide to the birds of Texas featuring 600 color photographs, descriptive information and detailed range maps. The photographs show each bird in its typical habitat. (USW93, $18.95)
Birds of Texas  •  Peterson Field Guides FIELD GUIDE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 304 PAGES The standard guide to the birds of Texas in the Peterson series, featuring color plates of each species. (USW92, $23.00)
Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands  •  Ian Sinclair  •  Olivier Langrand FIELD GUIDE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 184 PAGES A compact field guide to 350 birds of the Indian Ocean Islands, covering Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius, Reunion, Rodrigues and the Seychelles. With color plates, maps and key information by the great Ian Sinclair (Birds of South Africa) and Olivier Langrand (Birds of Madagascar). It's the first field guide to cover the region. Introductory chapters include good maps and where to look for endemic birds. (FG30, $26.95)
Birds of the Lower Colorado River Valley  •  Kenneth V. Rosenberg FIELD GUIDE •  1991 •  HARD COVER  • 416 PAGES A scholarly, authoritative report on the 400 species of birds occurring along the 200-mile stretch of the Arizona-California border. It features detailed contributions on the status and distribution of local birds, the riperian environment, research, and conservation. Not intended as a field guide, it includes a list of good birding areas, and a few black-and-white photographs. (USW173, $60.00)
The Birds of Tikal, An Annotated Checklist  •  Randall Beavers FIELD GUIDE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 153 PAGES The serious birder will find this annotated list of birds found at Tikal a useful adjunct to a field guide. With a 40-page introduction to the region, a few black-and-white photographs, checklist and notes. (GML08, $12.95)
Birds of Tropical America  •  Steven Hilty NATURAL HISTORY •  2005 •  PAPER  • 312 PAGES An ornithologist and veteran leader of birding expeditions, Hilty serves up short essays on how to find and better appreciate the dizzying variety of neotropical birds, their habits and habitats, diversity and distribution in this favorite book. This is not a field guide, but rather a natural history and an introduction to antbirds, flycatchers, manikins and other typical bird families. With 11 lovely pencil illustrations by Mimi Hoppe Wolfe. Originally published in 1994, this new edition is updated with new references. (CAM39, $19.95)
Birds of Western and Central Africa, Princeton Illustrated Checklist  •  Ber Van Perlo FIELD GUIDE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 384 PAGES An admirably compact, comprehensive guide to 1,500 species throughout Western and Central Africa featuring 109 color plates by Ber Van Perlo. The book covers a huge territory, along the coast and inland, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, The Gambia, Senegal, southern Mali and Burkina. Brief descriptions, key information and illustrations for each species appear on facing pages with a separate section with color range maps. (WAF02, $29.95)
Birds, The Art of Ornithology  •  Jonathan Elphick NATURAL HISTORY •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 335 PAGES An oversize collection of color prints, watercolors, drawings, and paintings of birds taken from the rich archives of London's Natural History Museum. With 212 color reproductions, organized chronologically. (BRD36, $60.00)
Birdsong, A Natural History  •  Don Stap NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 261 PAGES Stap, a professor of English at the University of Central Florida, mixes science and travel narrative in this delightful, informative account of his time in the field with ornithologist Don Kroodsma and his students. Stap is also the author of A Parrot Without a Name. (BRD21, $15.95)
The Birdwatcher's Companion to North American Birdlife  •  Christopher W. Leahy  •  Gordon Morrison NATURAL HISTORY •  2006 •  PAPER  • 1072 PAGES A handsome, fully illustrated survey of the birds of North America, organized A to Z, covering birds, bird biology, conservation and birdwatching. Published in cooperation with the American Birding Association. (NAM21, $19.95)
The Birdwatcher's Guide to Hawaii  •  Rick Soehren FIELD GUIDE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES A guide to the top birding spots throughout the Hawaiian islands. Each site is thoroughly described, including detailed directions, and a description of the birds of greatest interest likely to be found there. (HWI29, $19.95)
The Complete Guide to the Birds of Europe  •  Lars Svensson  •  Peter J. Grant  •  John Mulvaney  •  Dan Zetterstrom FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES An oversized version of the best-selling field edition of Birds of Europe (FG47), featuring 195 stunning color plates. This handsome book would make an excellent addition to the library of any bird watcher. Our colleagues at Worldtwitch call it the world's best bird book (but that may be an exaggeration). (EUR120, $60.00)
Costa Rica, Travellers' Wildlife Guides  •  Les Beletsky FIELD GUIDE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 448 PAGES This outstanding book is a field guide to the natural history of Costa Rica, featuring 350 color illustrations of commonly encountered birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Introductory chapters cover habitats, parks and conservation in Costa Rica. It's an all-around handbook, noteworthy for its color plates. (CRC11, $27.95)
Costa Rican Natural History  •  Daniel Janzen NATURAL HISTORY •  1983 •  PAPER  • 832 PAGES A thorough, prize-winning source reader on all aspects of the natural history of Costa Rica as edited by the iconoclast ecologist Daniel Janzen. This hefty book contains review articles by 174 contributors on birds, mammals, insects, reptiles, geology, climate, ecology and vegetation. It's illustrated, remarkably well written -- and rewarding for the serious general reader. While its audience is tropical ecologists working in Costa Rica, many of the plants and animals described exist throughout Central America. The format of the book invites selective reading on areas of particular interest. The species-by-species accounts are especially recommended. (CAM05, $49.00)
Diary of a Left-Handed Birdwatcher  •  Leonard Nathan NATURAL HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES A meditation on birdwatching, life etc. Wonderful. (GEN66, $10.00)
The Dodo And Mauritius Island, Imaginary Encounters  •  Harri Kallio NATURAL HISTORY •  2005 •  HARD COVER  • 128 PAGES A beautifully illustrated pictorial salute to the extinct dodo and its island home, accompanied by Kallio's winning photographs. (MTS07, $45.00)
Eyewitness Books, Eagles and Birds of Prey  •  Jemima Parry-Jones  •  Frank Greenaway NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 64 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) An oversize illustrated survey of the ecology and diversity of raptors for middle schoolers featuring hundreds of color photographs. (GEN189, $15.99)
Field Guide to Mexican Birds  •  Roger Tory Peterson  •  Edward Chalif FIELD GUIDE •  1973 •  PAPER  • 298 PAGES This easy-to-carry field guide covers 1,000 birds that have been reported in Mexico, Belize and El Salvador but only illustrates those species not already included in one of the Peterson North American bird guides, which you may also want to carry. The guide also covers northwest Costa Rica. (FG12, $22.00)
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia  •  Ken Simpson  •  Nicholas Day FIELD GUIDE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 440 PAGES A handbook and field guide to Australia's birds with 2,000 vivid color illustrations, each accompanied by a brief description and revised range map. This more compact seventh edition features 16 new or revised color plates, new maps and condensed information. (AUS06, $39.50)
A Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe  •  Guy Mountfort FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 212 PAGES Every birder has their favorite field guide, but you can't go wrong with this classic in the Peterson series: compact, illustrated and convenient, covering 698 species. With range maps. (EUR15, $22.00)
A Field Guide to the Birds of China  •  John MacKinnon  •  Karen Phillipps FIELD GUIDE •  2000 •  PAPER  • 586 PAGES A comprehensive field guide to the birds of China, featuring 128 color plates illustrating 1,300 species of birds, with introductory chapters on the history of ornithology in China, biogeography and conservation. Range maps are organized on adjacent pages to the illustrations. The book also includes a list of endemic, threatened and endangered species. Principal author John MacKinnon has also written "Wild China", "A Photoguide to the Birds of China" and "A Field Guide to the Birds of Borneo, Sumatra, Java, and Bali." (CHN85, $116.25)
A Field Guide to the Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific  •  H. Douglas Pratt FIELD GUIDE •  1987 •  PAPER  • 409 PAGES An outstanding field guide to the region with long introductory chapters on the islands and habitats, superb color plates and a checklist of birds by island group. (HWI32, $45.00)
A Field Guide to the Birds of Peru  •  James Clements  •  Noam Shany  •  Dana Gardner  •  Eustace Barnes FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 283 PAGES A comprehensive field guide to the birds of Peru with color plates by Eustace Barnes and Dana Gardner illustrating almost 1,800 species. It covers the diversity of birds and habitats from the Amazon to Andes and Pacific coast. Admirably compact, short descriptions of each species focus on identification, habitat and distribution. With a gazetteer of localities and both English and Spanish names. You can preview (and buy) examples of the color plates at the artist's website: gardnerbirds.com. (PRU21, $60.00)
Field Guide to the Birds of Southern Africa  •  Ian Sinclair  •  Phil Hockey  •  Warwick Tarboton FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 447 PAGES With over 900 species and legions of bird watchers, Southern Africa supports as many popular bird guides as North America. Here's a comprehensive field guide by eminent ornithologist Ian Sinclair, a third edition of the popular SASOL guide. The text and 200 color plates by Peter Hayman and Norman Arlott are integrated, making this book a pleasure to use in the field. (SAF12, $35.00)
A Field Guide to the Birds of The Gambia and Senegal  •  Clive Barlow  •  Tim Wacher  •  Tony Disley FIELD GUIDE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES A guide to 660 species of birds of Senegal and the Gambia, featuring 48 color plates and short descriptions on the facing pages. With several paragraphs about each species with its description, song, habitat, status and distribution. (WAF03, $42.00)
A Field Guide to the Cascades and Olympics  •  Stephen Whitney FIELD GUIDE •  2004 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES A compact field guide to 600 species of plants and animals found in Washington's Cascades and Olympics, featuring 36 color and 53 black-and-white plates. It's also a good field guide for the entire region. (PNW20, $19.95)
A Field Guide to the Grand Canyon  •  Stephen Whitney FIELD GUIDE •  1996 •  PAPER  • 268 PAGES A compact guide to the natural history of the Grand Canyon with 71 handsome color plates, maps and illustrations. Bring it along. (USW06, $19.95)
The Flight of the Red Knot  •  Brian Harrington NATURAL HISTORY •  1995 •  HARD COVER  • 240 PAGES Subtitled "A Natural History Account of a Small Bird's Annual Migration From the Arctic Circle to the Tip of South America and Back," this fascinating book tells the epic story of a small sandpiper (so named for its salmon color during the breeding season). Harrington and free-lance writer Charles Flowers folow the fate of the bird, which migrate each year 18,000 miles between Brazil and Hudson Bay. (GEN67, $29.95)
Florida's Birds, A Handbook and Reference  •  Herbert Kale  •  David Maehr FIELD GUIDE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 288 PAGES Comprehensive and with excellent color plates, this book is the definitive guide to Florida's many birds. (FLA13, $21.95)
Galapagos, A Natural History  •  Michael H. Jackson NATURAL HISTORY •  1995 •  PAPER  • 316 PAGES • BEST SELLER • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE This comprehensive overview of the habitats, plants, birds, and animals of the islands, written with the curious visitor in mind, is practically mandatory reading. It's the single best overview of the archipelago. Jackson also includes a useful bibliography, wildlife checklists and a list of plants by vegetation zone. Illustrated with many charts and maps, we refer to the book often. (GPS03, $29.95)
The Ghost with Trembling Wings  •  Scott Weidensaul NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 352 PAGES The search for lost species, not a quixotic as it seems, absorbs Scott Weidensaul (Living on the Wind) in this unexpected series of encounters on the trail of beasts as varied as the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, coelacanth, Cone-billed Tanager and the Loch Ness monster. Weidensaul presents his triumphs and diappointments with wit and considerable insight into evolution and ecology. (CON24, $16.00)
Guide to Birds of Madagascar  •  Olivier Langrand FIELD GUIDE •  1990 •  HARD COVER  • 456 PAGES For those seriously interested in birds, this comprehensive guide is a worthwhile investment. Thoroughly researched and beautifully illustrated, it shows and describes in detail all of the island's bird life. The excellent introductory chapters include a discussion of evolution and ecology, check-lists by region and an overview of habitats, parks and the avifauna. (MAD06, $80.00)
Guide to the Birds of Alaska  •  Robert Armstrong FIELD GUIDE •  2008 •  PAPER  • 364 PAGES A handsome photographic field guide to Alaskan birds, illustrating all 443 species. This is a very good, specialized guide. We think the National Geographic Guide to Birds of North America (FG09), featuring color paintings and excellent range maps, is just as useful. (ALA09, $26.95)
A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica  •  F. Gary Stiles  •  Alexander Skutch  •  Dana Gardner FIELD GUIDE •  1989 •  PAPER  • 511 PAGES A masterfully researched and comprehensive field guide to the birds of Costa Rica, including an overview of geography, habitats and avifauna. With 52 handsome color plates at the center of the book, all by Dana Gardner, covering 800 species, enhanced by crystal clear descriptions of the bird, habitat and behavior. No serious birder will want to be without it. (CRC05, $39.95)
A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America  •  Stephen Howell  •  Sophie Webb FIELD GUIDE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 849 PAGES Serious birders will want this definitive guide to the 1,070 bird species found in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and western Nicaragua. It may be awkward to carry but it covers, in detail, all the birds you will see in the region in a single volume. (FG15, $49.95)
A Guide to the Birds of Panama with Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras  •  Robert Ridgely  •  J.A. Gwynne FIELD GUIDE •  1992 •  PAPER  • 534 PAGES A comprehensive field guide, recently updated and masterfully researched. This sturdy edition covers additional species occurring in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica -- and a handy checklist by country. We like the descriptions and color plates better than "Birds of Costa Rica" (which is also very good). (CAM07, $49.95)
A Guide to the Birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands  •  Herbert Raffaele FIELD GUIDE •  1989 •  PAPER  • 220 PAGES A compact field guide to the birds of the Virgin Islands, with 25 handsome color plates, including winter visitors. The book also includes a good introduction to the natural history of the birds of the region. (CRB17, $32.95)
A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago  •  Richard Ffrench FIELD GUIDE •  1991 •  PAPER  • 426 PAGES A specialized, comprehensive guide to the birds of Trinidad and Tobago with handsome color illustrations and nine additional full-page portraits of trogons, motmots, tanagers and other showy birds of the islands. The guide covers 433 species and includes introductory chapters on biogeography, climate, vegetation and conservation. (CRB16, $39.95)
A Guide to the Birds of Venezuela  •  Steven Hilty  •  Guy Tudor  •  J.A. Gwynne FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 929 PAGES A thoroughly overhauled, revised edition of the classic South American bird guide, with an entirely new and expanded text by Steve Hilty (who also wrote Birds of Colombia). This hefty book (more than a field guide) features many of the same excellent color plates by Guy Tudor as the 1978 classic with new detailed information on habitats and distribution. Too bad it weighs four pounds, two ounces because it is terrific. John Gwynne provided most of the additional plates, 67 in all. 1,400 species have been recorded in the diverse habitats of Venezuela, almost half of the birds found throughout the mountains, forests and plains of all South America. (FG13, $59.50)
The Hand Guide to the Birds of New Zealand  •  Derek Onley  •  Barrie Heather  •  Hugh Robertson FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 168 PAGES A revised, compact edition of the classic field guide to the birds of New Zealand featuring 74 color plates by Derek Onley. Brief descriptions, range maps and illustrations are integrated on facing pages for easy reference in the field. It combines the two sections (field guide and details) of the 1997 edition. (NZL05, $59.95)
Hawaii, Travellers' Wildlife Guides  •  Les Beletsky FIELD GUIDE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 350 PAGES An all-around field guide intended for the curious traveler, this handbook features color illustrations of commonly-encountered birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and coral reef creatures. It also includes a good introduction to Hawaii, its natural history and conservation. It's a well written overview of just about everything natural you are likely to see, which like the other volumes in the series, showcases the author's ostentatiously bad sense of humor. It's rife with puns. (HWI50, $27.95)
Herons and Egrets of the World, A Photographic Journey  •  James Hancock NATURAL HISTORY •  1999 •  PAPER  • 208 PAGES A photographic survey of all 47 species and subspecies of herons by a lifelong advocate. With range maps, large color photographs and detailed descriptions. (BRD09, $29.95)
Kaufman Birds of North America  •  Kenn Kaufman FIELD GUIDE •  2005 •  PAPER  • 392 PAGES Another entry in the North American bird guide sweepstakes: compact, boldly organized -- and featuring 2,000 digitally enhanced color photographs. Range maps, short descriptions and illustrations are integrated on opposite for easy reference. The book is touted as "The Easiest Guide fot he Fastest Identification." (NAM03, $18.95)
Kingbird Highway, The Story of a Natural Obsession That Got a Little Out of Hand  •  Kenn Kaufman BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  2006 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES Kaufman's absorbing account of coming-of-age as a Wichita teenager on the road in 1973 with a summer's pay in his pocket and the goal of seeing as many birds as he could in a year. He tallied 671, impressive by any account and extraordinary if you count birds per buck. He did it all for $1,000. This cult classic was originally published in 1973. (BRD27, $14.00)
The Life of Birds  •  David Attenborough NATURAL HISTORY •  1998 •  HARD COVER  • 320 PAGES A companion book to the PBS series. (GEN77, $35.00)
Lives of North American Birds  •  Kenn Kaufman NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  FLEXI-BOUND  • 640 PAGES A Peterson Natural History Companion, this handbook fully describes, and illustrates with color photographs, the 600 species of birds that regularly occur in North America. It's an excellent reference for birders with detailed descriptions, range maps and color photographs. (BRD01, $25.00)
Mac's Field Guide to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, Birds and Mammals  •  Craig MacGowan FIELD GUIDE •  1999 •  PLASTIC CARD This double-sided, laminated card features color drawings of the birds and mammals commonly found in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. It's waterproof and small enough (7.5" by 11.5") to slip into your backpack. (USW195, $4.95)
National Audubon Society Field Guide to African Wildlife  •  Peter Alden FIELD GUIDE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 988 PAGES A compact introduction to the landforms, wild areas, mammals, birds, reptiles and insects of Africa, featuring contributions by experts and almost 600 color photographs. Most of the book is a field guide to commonly encountered birds, mammals and other creatures of the African continent. (AFR25, $23.95)
National Geographic Birder's Journal  •  National Geographic Society FIELD GUIDE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 504 PAGES A sturdy journal with a checklist of every bird species in North America, organized by family. It's an excellent companion for any enthusiastic birder, especially when used alongside the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America (Item no. FG09). (BRD44, $16.95)
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America  •  National Geographic FIELD GUIDE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 502 PAGES From Alaska to Baja California, this field guide published by the National Geographic Society, now in its fifth edition (with tabs!), is the one to carry. Practical to use in the field, it has maps, illustrations and descriptions of the birds on facing pages. The scale of the maps changes with the range of the bird, which means you get a more detailed regional map for those birds with a restricted range. This fully revised fifth edition features nearly 700 color range maps, bigger and better than ever. (FG09, $24.00)
Natural History of the Waterfowl  •  Frank Todd REFERENCE •  1997 •  HARD COVER  • 450 PAGES • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE A comprehensive illustrated survey of waterfowl of the world by the indomitable Frank Todd, a popular lecturer and author. It features 700 of Frank's excellent photographs, maps and essays on the natural history of each species. (BRD06, $80.00)
A Naturalist in Costa Rica  •  Alexander Skutch NATURAL HISTORY •  1992 •  PAPER  • 382 PAGES Originally published in 1971, this book recounts Skutch's 35 years of living and studying ornithology in the Pacific hills of Costa Rica. Warm, nostalgic and extremely knowledgeable, Skutch was one of the greats in tropical ornithology. He thoughtfully includes an index by species -- along with a bird checklist, eight-page curriculum vitae and list of his awards. Rather rich to read in one sitting, we turn to this book for his portraits of individual bird species. For those who become addicted to his graceful, gentlemanly prose and detailed knowledge of the tropics, this is just one of his dozen popular books. (CAM09, $24.95)
Naturalist's Big Bend, An Introduction to the Trees, Shrubs, Wildflowers, Mammals, Birds, Reptiles  •  Roland H. Wauer FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 149 PAGES A guide to commonly encountered plants and animals of Big Bend by the park's former chief naturalist with wildlife checklists, good descriptive information on the park and an extensive bibliography. Since it has few illustrations and most of those in black-and-white, the book is most useful as an introduction to the natural history of the park. (USW82, $15.95)
Newman's Birds of Southern Africa  •  Kenneth Newman FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 527 PAGES With over 900 species and legions of birdwatchers, South Africa supports as many bird guides as does the United States. This classic field guide features hundreds of large color plates, a comprehensive checklist, and revised information on habitats and distribution. Maps, text and illustrations are grouped together for easy reference. This is the book to carry anywhere south of the Zambezi. Fully revised (and with a snazzy new yellow cover), now in its Eighth Edition. (SAF29, $23.95)
Notes of a Provincial Wildfowler  •  Sergei Timofeevich Aksakov NATURAL HISTORY •  1998 •  HARD COVER  • 216 PAGES A celebrated drama critic and man of letters in 19th-century Moscow, Aksakov was also a keen observer of nature, and especially of birds. Organized by species, this book collects his notes on the natural history of Russian birdlife, including detailed observations on behavior, ecology and landscapes. A wonderfully literate book, this is the companion volume to Notes on Fishing. (RUS60, $39.00)
Photographic Guide to Birds of the Himalayas  •  B. Grewal FIELD GUIDE •  1999 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES A pocket guide to 250 birds found from the foothills up to high elevations ranging from the Hindu Kush and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh in the Eastern Himalayas. With brief descriptive information, maps and 260 full-color illustrations. (HML31, $15.95)
A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Borneo  •  Geoffrey Davidson FIELD GUIDE •  1995 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES A pocket field guide illustrating 250 species of the more common or spectacular species of birds found on Birds of Borneo, Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan. Arranged systematically, the book features full-color photographs, identification and habitat notes, and range maps. One of a series. (BRN07, $15.95)
A Photographic Guide to the Birds of China  •  John MacKinnon  •  Nigel Hicks FIELD GUIDE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES A slim pocket guide to 252 of the most conspicuous birds of China, featuring color photographs, concise descriptions and range maps. 2nd edition. (CHN29, $15.95)
A Photographic Guide to the Birds of India and Nepal  •  B. Grewal FIELD GUIDE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES A slim pocket guide to 252 of the most conspicuous birds of India and Nepal featuring color photographs, concise descriptions and range maps. (IDA46, $15.95)
A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Thailand  •  Michael Webster FIELD GUIDE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES A slim pocket guide to 252 of the most conspicuous birds of Thailand, featuring color photographs, brief descriptions and range maps. (TLD18, $15.95)
Pocket Guide to the Birds of Britain and North-West Europe  •  Chris Kightley FIELD GUIDE •  1998 •  PAPER  • 299 PAGES A compact field-friendly guide to the birds occurring in the British Isles and the Faroes, Scandinavia and Northwest Europe from France and Germany to the Alps. Many of the 385 species covered get a full page with several illustrations, key features and a range map. (EUR50, $25.00)
Return of the Whooping Crane  •  Robin W. Doughty NATURAL HISTORY •  1989 •  HARD COVER  • 192 PAGES The story of the whooping crane's recovery from the brink of extinction. Lavishly illustrated, this book presents crane biology, historical anecdotes and conservation efforts of scientists. Doughty also documents the wild flock migrating between Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada and the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas. With character sketches of individual birds, color photos, maps and summary tables. (TEX18, $24.95)
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America  •  David Sibley FIELD GUIDE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 432 PAGES A compact, geographically-specific version of the Sibley Guide with all-new range maps, the same glorious illustrations and expanded, extremely valuable descriptions of each bird with status, habitat, range, voice and identifying marks. It includes 20 pages on the many and confusing species of wood warblers. This is the book we are now using. For birders living west of the Rockies, you'll want to use Sibley's "Birds of Western North America" (USW418). (USE262, $19.95)
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America  •  David Sibley FIELD GUIDE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 474 PAGES A compact, geographically-specific version of the Sibley Guide with all-new range maps, the same glorious illustrations and expanded, extremely valuable descriptions of each bird with status, habitat, range, voice and identifying marks. The book covers 703 species of birds occurring west of the Rockies, including Alaska, the western Canadian provinces, Baja California and portions of northern Mexico. Maps show the range throughout North America. For birders living east of the Rockies, you'll want to use Sibley's "Birds of Eastern North America" (USE262). (USW418, $19.95)
The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior  •  David Sibley NATURAL HISTORY •  2001 •  HARD COVER  • 608 PAGES The companion volume to Sibley's Guide to Birds, featuring an expert overview of how birds live and what they do -- and hundreds of Sibley's signature color illustrations. (BRD13, $45.00)
Sibley's Birding Basics  •  David Sibley FIELD GUIDE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 154 PAGES Organized thematically -- and featuring 200 color paintings -- this compact book will help most anyone improve their skills at finding and identifying birds. With chapters on wing patterns and feathers, bills, voice, habitat, confusing species, and sketching. (BRD17, $15.95)
Southern African Birds, A Photographic Guide  •  Ian Sinclair FIELD GUIDE •  1990 •  PAPER  • 144 PAGES A pocket guide to the 265 most conspicuous birds south of the Zambezi River featuring color photographs, with brief descriptions and range maps. (SAF14, $15.95)
The Verb to Bird, Sightings of an Avid Birder  •  Peter Cashwell NATURAL HISTORY •  2003 •  PAPER  • 269 PAGES A memoir of the birding life, its pleasures, obsessions and pitfalls. Based in the Carolinas (where he teaches English), Cashwell recounts in these essays the birds he's encountered, the why and wherefores of the birding life and some very entertaining anecdotes. Along the way, Cashwell traces his own development from casual novice to life lister (with a desire to see all the birds of North America). (BRD26, $14.95)
The Wildlife of Southern Africa, A Field Guide to the Animals and Plants of the Region  •  Vincent Carruthers  •  Kenneth Newman FIELD GUIDE •  2008 •  PAPER  • 320 PAGES • BEST SELLER • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE A handsomely illustrated field guide to the birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, insects, fish and plants of Southern Africa, all in one compact volume. It features 2,000 illustrations and short descriptions of each species, including habitat and range. With contributions by experts and good color plates. A nice overview for even the keen naturalist; it covers -- for example -- over 600 of the 900 species of birds found in the region. (SAF59, $29.95)