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More bird-book-review goodness. A big thanks to all who post reviews online. As always, if you have written one not included here, please post a link in the comments or otherwise let me know.

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.

Field Guides

Birdwatchers can never have enough field guides (to the delight of publishers everywhere). I’m not going too far out on a limb when I say that the only way either of these wouldn’t be a hit is if the recipient already has a copy.

• National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Sixth Edition
  Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer

  The National Geographic guide has long been considered one of the best North American field guides, and with this new sixth edition is updated and improved. It’s perfect for any birder, from beginner to expert.

• The Crossley ID Guide: Eastern Birds
  Richard Crossley

  The Crossley guide is one of the most beautiful and innovative guides to come along in a while. The only problem is that it’s been out almost a year now, so many may already have it. But if they don’t, it’s worth having for anyone interested in North American birds.

For Children

• For the Birds: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson
  Peggy Thomas (Author) and Laura Jacques (Illustrator)

  This book is worth sharing just for the gorgeous illustrations. But it also tells the story of Roger Tory Peterson’s life, while encouraging children to pay attention to nature and the birds around them. That makes this the perfect gift for kids ages eight and up.

For more suggestions for kids, please see this list of Children’s Bird Books.

Other Books

• Avian Architecture: How Birds Design, Engineer, and Build
  Peter Goodfellow

  One of my favorite books this year, Avian Architecture not only shows the various kinds of nests birds make, but how they make them. Just take a look at all the cool stuff it includes!

• The Birds of America
  John James Audubon

  No birder’s library is complete without a copy of Audubon’s masterpiece. At the current price ($42.01 as I’m writing this), this is a bargain, and recommended for those who don’t have the room (on shelf or in the budget) for the larger, more expensive baby elephant folio edition.

• The Atlas of Birds: Diversity, Behavior, and Conservation
  Mike Unwin

  This attractive, well-designed book presents a LOT of information about all the kinds of birds, how and where they live, and their conservation. While any birder can learn from it, it is perfect for someone just getting into birds.

• Arctic Autumn: A Journey to Season’s Edge
  Pete Dunne

  One of birding’s best authors takes us to the northern edge of the continent. Although not all (or even mostly) about birds, it’s still a very good read that any birdwatcher will likely enjoy.

Looks great!

It’s been kind of busy around here with the holidays and, oh yeah, the birth of our second child. Everyone is doing great, and we’re slowly getting back to “normal”. I’m slowly getting caught up with work (and sleep!), so more reviews will be coming soon. But in the meantime, here are some interesting items worth sharing.

I greatly enjoyed Simon Barnes’ How to Be a Bad Birdwatcher, so I’m looking forward to his new one, Birdwatching With Your Eyes Closed, especially after John Riutta’s review at The Well-read Naturalist. Be sure to check out a series of podcasts about the book this week.

Looking for some extra special bird books? Here are Ian “Birdbooker” Paulsen’s best bird books from the last few years.

Finally, the American Birding Association is getting in on the post-Thanksgiving deals with their 48 hour sale on membership. Until midnight (Mountain), Nov 30th, 2011, save $10 on a new membership or renewal. I’ve already written about why you should join the ABA, and this offer only sweetens the deal.

Cerulean Blues: A Personal Search for a Vanishing Songbird
by Katie Fallon

From the publisher (Ruka Press):

In her new book Cerulean Blues, author Katie Fallon describes the plight of the cerulean warbler, a tiny migratory songbird, and its struggle to survive in ever-shrinking bands of suitable habitat. This elusive creature, a favorite among bird watchers (recently seen on the cover of Jonathan Franzen’s novel Freedom) and the fastest-declining warbler species in the United States, has lost 3% of its total population each year since 1966. This precipitous decline means that today there are 80% fewer ceruleans than forty years ago, and their numbers continue to drop because of threats including deforestation, global warming, and mountaintop removal coal mining.

With scientific rigor and a sense of wonder, Fallon leads readers on a journey of more than two thousand miles—from the top of the forest canopy in the ancient mountains of Appalachia to a coffee plantation near troubled Bogotá, Colombia—and shows how the fate of a creature weighing less than an ounce is vitally linked to our own.

It’s hard to pick a favorite warbler, but if I had to, Ceruleans would be a strong contender. I’m looking forward to reading this!

Cerulean Blues: A Personal Search for a Vanishing Songbird
by Katie Fallon
Paperback; 224 pages
Ruka Press; November 1, 2011
ISBN: 0983011117