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Owls
by Marianne Taylor

From Cornell University Press:

From tiny Elf and Pygmy Owls through the familiar Tawny and Barn Owls to the giant Eagle and Fish Owls, these fierce hunters of dawn, dusk and night have long held a fascination for people around the world. This informative book, covering all owl species found in the northern hemisphere, looks closely at how owls live their lives, and how best to recognize them.

The first part of the book looks in detail at owl biology: how they live, how they breed, and how they feed. The second part includes species accounts for all 47 species of owls that occur in the northern hemisphere, with emphasis on those of Europe and North America. The book is richly illustrated with sensational, full-color photographs of these compelling birds.

The owl family, already well represented by books, gets another entry. The main difference from previous books (such as Owls of North America) is that this one includes species accounts for all the owls of North America, Europe, and most of Asia (the Holarctic region). And it is liberally illustrated with some very nice photographs. Still, that’s not enough to recommend it to those who already have one or more similar owl books. But for those who don’t, this would be a good addition to your library.

Owls
by Marianne Taylor
Hardcover; 224 pages
Comstock Publishing Associates (Cornell University Press); November 6, 2012
ISBN: 978-0801451812
$35.00

Birds of the Masai Mara
by Adam Scott Kennedy

From Princeton University Press:

Birds of the Masai Mara is a remarkably beautiful photographic guide featuring the bird species likely to be encountered by visitors to the popular Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. With an eye-catching layout, easy-to-use format, and no-jargon approach, the book contains more than 300 stunning photographs covering over 200 species of birds and is accessible and informative, rather than purely identification-based. A handy, brief introduction provides visitors with background on the habitats of the national park, and the guide’s habitat-based approach makes it simple to identify any bird species according to where it is found. Based on the firsthand experiences of the author, Birds of the Masai Mara is an ideal companion to all those visiting the national reserve and to bird aficionados interested in learning more about the region.

• The only photographic guide to focus solely on the bird species of the Masai Mara National Reserve
• More than 300 remarkable photographs covering over 200 species
• Accessible text explores bird species behavior and species etymology
• A brief and handy introduction examines the habitats of the Masai Mara
• Easy-to-use habitat-based layout makes exciting birdwatching easy

Designed to be understandable and easy to use, this is a great guide for anyone visiting the Masai Mara in Kenya. Serious birders will also want a more detailed field guide, but I’d definitely take this book with me as well. And don’t forget the companion guide, Animals of the Masai Mara, which covers 65 mammal and 17 reptile species.

Birds of the Masai Mara
by Adam Scott Kennedy
Paperback; 176 pages
Princeton University Press; November 4, 2012
ISBN: 978-0691155944
$27.95

Animals of the Masai Mara
by Adam Scott Kennedy and Vicki Kennedy
Paperback; 152 pages
Princeton University Press; November 4, 2012
ISBN: 978-0691156019
$27.95

Looking for something to get for the bird-lover in your life? You can never go wrong with a good bird book. Here are a few suggestions.

The Bluebird Effect: Uncommon Bonds with Common Birds
by Julie Zickefoose

One of the most beautiful books – both in terms of prose and art – that you’ll ever read. Actually, I think this is a book that would appeal to anyone, not just birdwatchers. (Full review)

• Save the Last Dance: A Story of North American Grassland Grouse
  by Noppadol Paothong and Joel Vance

  Easily one of the finest books of the year. The extraordinary photographs make it a pleasure to look through, and the fact that it’s a book that will actually help out the birds it features makes it a great gift for anyone who cares about birds (a portion of each purchase goes to grouse conservation). (Full review)

• Birds of Paradise: Revealing the World’s Most Extraordinary Birds
  by Tim Laman and Edwin Scholes

  You probably know Birds of Paradise from the unbelievable footage of their courtship display from Planet Earth. The photographs here are just as impressive, and you get some great insight into these birds (and what it takes to document them).

• National Geographic Bird-watcher’s Bible: A Complete Treasury
  edited by Jonathan Alderfer

  This enjoyable introduction to the world of birds and how we relate to them would be a great gift for newer birdwatchers, or even those just somewhat interested in birds. (Full review)

• Hawks in Flight: Second Edition
  by Pete Dunne, David Sibley, and Clay Sutton

  The classic gets updated, expanded, and otherwise improved. New, color photographs + Sibley’s drawings + Dunne’s text = must have.

• The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds
  by John Muir Laws

  Anyone who’s ever picked up pen or brush to draw birds, or even thought about doing so, will appreciate this book.

• The Unfeathered Bird
  by Katrina van Grouw

  The perfect gift for the birder who has everything, because I guarantee they don’t have anything like this! This is a bird-art book like none other, as it shows birds as they look like without feathers and even as skeletons. Yes, it sounds a little weird, but it’s oddly beautiful. And educational too, as the author goes into bird anatomy and physiology in a very readable manner. (Note: this book may not be available until just after Christmas. But it’ll be worth the wait.)

And remember, you can’t go wrong with giving a birder a field guide or identification book. Even if we already have a guide for a particular place or group of birds, we always like more!

National Geographic Birds: Field Guide to North America

Update [11/27/2018]: This app is no longer available for purchase and will not work with the latest versions of Apple operating systems.

National Geographic Handheld Birds was one of the first field guide apps for the iPhone. But, from all accounts, it didn’t work well since it was a direct port from another platform. But now they’ve completely redesigned it to work with the iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch, and updated the content as well. Here’s the description from National Geographic:

National Geographic Birds is a one-stop resource for any bird enthusiast. With more than 995 species and 3,000 gorgeous illustrations of birds of North America, this app is the most comprehensive birding guide on the market. Available for iPhone and iPod touch.

From its detailed illustrations to its easy-to-use interface, this app makes spotting, identifying, and understanding birds easier than ever before.

• Check out 995 species—more than any other app—accompanied by gorgeous full-color illustrations and field-mark annotations
• Find birds in each season with more than 800 up-to-date range maps
• Quickly and easily locate species of interest with our robust search/sort/filter functionality with real-time results
• Track all of your sightings in the My Journal section by adding location details, weather descriptions, photos, notes, and more
• Start your own life list and peruse numerous lists compiled by National Geographic, including longest-distant migrants, endangered species, and species most likely to be spotted in regional hot-spots such as Cape Hattaras and Madera Canyon
• Test your birding knowledge and increase your identification skills, with custom-created quizzes, curated by the experts at National Geographic
• Learn about birding ethics and must-have gear
• View exclusive videos of bird songs and calls from the field

This app definitely has some great content, including the illustrations and range maps from the latest NatGeo print guide (sixth edition), plus many new things such as sounds, quizzes, lists, and more. It’s definitely worth the current $9.99 price, especially for those who favor the National Geographic guide. (Be on the lookout for some more details on this app in my updated iPhone Field Guide Comparison, coming soon.)

One bird book review to rule them all…

The Unfeathered Bird
by Katrina van Grouw

From Princeton University Press:

There is more to a bird than simply feathers. And just because birds evolved from a single flying ancestor doesn’t mean they are structurally all the same. With over 385 stunning drawings depicting 200 species, The Unfeathered Bird is a richly illustrated book on bird anatomy that offers refreshingly original insights into what goes on beneath the feathered surface. Each exquisite drawing is made from an actual specimen and reproduced in sumptuous large format. The birds are shown in lifelike positions and engaged in behavior typical of the species: an underwater view of the skeleton of a swimming loon, the musculature of a porpoising penguin, and an unfeathered sparrowhawk plucking its prey. Jargon-free and easily accessible to any reader, the lively text relates birds’ anatomy to their lifestyle and evolution, examining such questions as why penguins are bigger than auks, whether harrier hawks really have double-jointed legs, and the difference between wing claws and wing spurs. A landmark in popular bird books, The Unfeathered Bird is a must for anyone who appreciates birds or bird art.

• A unique book that bridges art, science, and history
• Over 385 beautiful drawings, artistically arranged in a sumptuous large-format book
• Accessible, jargon-free text–the only book on bird anatomy aimed at the general reader
• Drawings and text all based on actual bird specimens
• Includes most anatomically distinct bird groups
• Many species never illustrated before

The Unfeathered Bird is surprisingly beautiful and informative. And one of the most unique bird books that I’ve ever seen.

The Unfeathered Bird
by Katrina van Grouw
Hardcover; 300 pages
Princeton University Press; November 25, 2012
ISBN: 978-0691151342
$49.95

May the bird book reviews be with you.