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The Living Bird: 100 Years of Listening to Nature
by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Gerrit Vyn

From Mountaineers Books:

Foreword by Barbara Kingsolver
Over 250 images by renowned photographer Gerrit Vyn
Essays by Jared Diamond, John W. Fitzpatrick, Lyanda Lynn Haupt, and Scott Weidensaul

An intimate and stunning exploration of North American birds, The Living Bird celebrates our joyful and complex relationship with birds, through images by renowned wildlife photographer Gerrit Vyn and essays by some of the world’s leading naturalists and bird enthusiasts. In 2015 the Cornell Lab of Ornithology will celebrate its 100th anniversary as one of the world’s most prestigious and oldest institutions devoted to the study of birds. As a cornerstone of those celebrations, the Lab reveals the essence of its work in this visual and experiential journey through the fascinating and beautiful realm of birds. Connecting people with birds is often a first step in opening their eyes to the natural world around them.

Want to see some insanely good bird photographs? Just open this book to any page. It also has several essays celebrating birds from folks like Scott Weidensaul.

The Living Bird: 100 Years of Listening to Nature
by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Gerrit Vyn
Hardcover; 208 pages
Mountaineers Books; September 15, 2015
ISBN: 978-1594859656
$29.95

Buy from Buteo Books
(based in the U.S.)

Buy from NHBS
(based in the U.K.)

Here are the bird book reviews from September, for your reading pleasure.

Birds of South America: Passerines (Princeton Illustrated Checklists)
by Ber van Perlo

From Princeton University Press:

This comprehensive field guide to the birds of South America covers all 1,952 passerine species to be found south of Panama, including offshore islands such as Trinidad, the Galapagos, and the Falklands, and the islands of the Scotia Arc leading to the Antarctic mainland. It features 197 stunning color plates and detailed species accounts that describe key identification features, habitat, songs, and calls. All plumages for each species are illustrated, including males, females, and juveniles. This easy-to-use guide is the essential travel companion for experienced birdwatchers and novice birders alike.

• Combines a clear format with a wealth of detailed information
• Features 197 color plates that aid identification
• Covers key identification features with information on habitat, songs, and calls
• Includes a distribution map for each species

This wouldn’t be a good choice as a primary field guide. For one, it only covers the passerines, which are about 60% of the continent’s birds (for the rest, there is a companion volume – Birds of South America: Non-Passerines). There’s also a similar book – Field Guide to the Songbirds of South America: The Passerines – that has, in my opinion, better illustrations and much more extensive text, which makes it a better reference. But it’s also much larger. So I would recommend this Illustrated Checklist to someone who wants a secondary guide while traveling, particularly to places underserved by other field guides.

Birds of South America: Passerines (Princeton Illustrated Checklists)
by Ber van Perlo
Paperback; 464 pages
Princeton University Press; September 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-0691167961
$29.95

Buy from Buteo Books
(based in the U.S.)

Buy from NHBS
(based in the U.K.)

Behind the Binoculars: Interviews with Acclaimed Birdwatchers
by Mark Avery and Keith Betton

From Pelagic Publishing:

How and why did our most acclaimed birdwatchers take up birding? What were their early experiences of nature? How have their professional birding careers developed? What motivates them and drives their passion for wildlife? How many birds have they seen?

Mark Avery and Keith Betton, passionate birdwatchers and conservationists, interview members of the birdwatching community to answer these and many other questions about the lives of famous birdwatchers. They take you behind the scenes, and behind the binoculars, of a diverse range of birding and wildlife personalities.

Behind the Binoculars includes interviews with: Chris Packham, Phil Hollom, Stuart Winter, Lee Evans, Steve Gantlett, Mark Cocker, Ian Wallace, Andy Clements, Mike Clarke, Debbie Pain, Keith Betton, Roger Riddington, Ian Newton, Steph Tyler, Mark Avery, Stephen Moss, Alan Davies and Ruth Miller, Rebecca Nason and Robert Gillmor.

Brief interviews/biographies of well-known birders is an interesting concept. North American readers should be aware that this book focuses on British birders. Well-read American birders will undoubtedly recognize a name or two from this list, but most will probably be unknown.

Behind the Binoculars: Interviews with Acclaimed Birdwatchers
by Mark Avery and Keith Betton
Hardcover; 250 pages
Pelagic Publishing; September 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-1784270506
$26.99

Buy from Buteo Books
(based in the U.S.)

Buy from NHBS
(based in the U.K.)

I had a really busy summer, so when I realized I hadn’t posted this round-up for July, I thought, “I’ll just double up on July and August.” Well, it’s now 9 days into September and I’m just now posting it. I suck. Sorry.

Birding for the Curious: The Easiest Way for Anyone to Explore the Incredible World of Birds
by Nate Swick

From Page Street Publishing:

There’s something about birds that fascinates people and invites us to pause, look and listen to the beautiful, natural world around us. But do you always recognize what you see and hear? With this book, you’ll get started. Birding for the Curious is a beginner course in birding for every nature and animal lover out there. With it, you’ll learn what birding is all about, what birders do and how you can become one. You’ll also learn how to:

• Find more birds
• Identify the birds you see
• Attract more birds to your yard and feeders

Birding for the Curious is the perfect gift for the nature-lover in your life, or an excellent introduction to birding for you. It won’t be long before you can easily recognize and name the common birds in your area. With this book, you will enjoy nature at a whole new level.

Are you wondering what this birding thing is all about? Or do you know someone else who is? Then this book is for you. It first makes the case why someone would want to watch birds, and proceeds to provide information and tips on how to start and get the most out of the hobby.

Birding for the Curious: The Easiest Way for Anyone to Explore the Incredible World of Birds
by Nate Swick
Hardcover; 176 pages
Page Street Publishing; September 15, 2015
ISBN: 978-1624141188
$21.99

Buy from Buteo Books
(based in the U.S.)

Buy from NHBS
(based in the U.K.)

I’m sorry for the lack of reviews lately. This summer has been very busy with work and family stuff. So I wanted to mention some recent books that I haven’t reviewed yet. If you’re particularly interested in one or more of these, please let me know and I’ll prioritize it.

• The Merlin
  by Richard Sale

  I love falcons, but I must admit that I have a tendency to overlook Merlins. Not that I ignore them in the field, but I don’t think of them on the same level as kestrels or, especially, Peregrines or Gyrfalcons. This book is changing that. Its purpose is to sum up the current ornithological research on the species, so is intended for a more technical, professional audience. But it’s still very readable and enjoyable for birders. I’d recommend it to anyone interested in this bird (or who ought to be more than they are).

• Birds and Animals of Australia’s Top End: Darwin, Kakadu, Katherine, and Kununurra
  by Nick Leseberg and Iain Campbell

  This Princeton/WildGuide field guide follows the same plan as the others in the series (to various regions in Africa, which I reviewed on Nature Travel Network). And it will be just as useful to anyone traveling in the region. Birders will appreciate that it also includes mammals, reptiles, and amphibians likely to be encountered, especially since Australia has some really cool creatures.

• Field Guide to the Neighborhood Birds of New York City
  by Leslie Day

  This is not a book for visiting birders – you’ll find minimal information on birding hotspots or where to find certain species. Rather, this is for residents of New York. It should facilitate the identification of most birds seen within the city. But even more importantly, I hope that it will be an eye-opener to residents, many of whom I’m sure have no idea as to the diversity of birds that they can see in the neighborhoods around them.

• On a Wing and a Prayer: One Woman’s Adventure into the Heart of the Rainforest
  by Sarah Woods

  Framed around the author’s goal of seeing a Harpy Eagle in the wild, this book takes you to many places in Central and South America. Despite the goal, and the mention of many other birds, this isn’t a “birding book”. The places, and the people inhabiting them, are much more prominent. But that’s ok, this book is still plenty interesting! If you have any interest at all in this region – how can you be a birder and not? – this is a worthwhile read.

American Birding Association Field Guide to Birds of California
by Alvaro Jaramillo and Brian E. Small

From Scott & Nix, Inc.:

California has it all for birders—lush coastal coniferous forests, dry chaparral, oak woodlands, grasslands, alpine slides, riparian valleys, watered suburbs, and desert scrubs. Hundreds of types of birds nest in the Golden State or stop by seasonally on migration routes. California has one of the largest state and federal parks programs, as well as extensive protected wildlife areas, which preserve and protect bird habitats. From geese and ducks, herons and storks, eagles, hawks, and owls to hummingbirds, warblers, and sparrows, California is one of the finest birding destinations on earth. The American Birding Association Field Guide to Birds of California includes more than 300 species birders are most likely to see in the state. Illustrated with nearly 450 crisp, color photographs, it includes clearly written descriptions along with tips of when and where to see birds penned by an expert Californian birder. It’s the perfect companion for anyone interested in the amazing diversity and beauty of California’s birds.

If you’ve read my review of the American Birding Association Field Guide series, you know that I like these field guides. This new volume on California is no exception. Intended for beginning and intermediate birders, I would recommend this to any such residents of California, or, perhaps especially, to any Californian who would like to be more knowledgeable about the birds around them.

American Birding Association Field Guide to Birds of California
by Alvaro Jaramillo and Brian E. Small
Flexicover; 352 pages
Scott & Nix, Inc.; September 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1935622505
$24.95

Buy from Buteo Books
(based in the U.S.)

Buy from NHBS
(based in the U.K.)