Book News

Warblers and Other Songbirds of North America: A Life-size Guide to Every Species
by Paul Sterry

From Harper Design:

A stunning full-color photographic field guide of 285 species of North American songbirds and warblers, captured in glorious life-sized detail and featuring concise descriptions, location maps, and useful facts for both experienced birdwatchers and armchair ornithologists alike.

Birds such as the Acadian Flycatcher, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Indigo Bunting, Northern Mockingbird, Pyrrhuloxia, Rock Wren, Song Sparrow, Tree Swallow, and the Yellow Throated Warbler are known for their elaborate songs produced by their highly developed vocal organs. Warblers and Other Songbirds of North America is a breathtaking collection of 285 species of these beautiful, melodious creatures, the largest number of species in a single field guide about North American songbirds.

Arranged by region and taxonomic order, every songbird is depicted life-sized; each photograph is accompanied by a short description with essential information on identification and the particular species, habits, and behavior. Every species entry also includes a map showing where the species can be found, as well as a fact grid listing key details such as common and scientific name, length, food, habitat, status, and voice. Inside you’ll find fun facts, including:

• Songbirds are members of the order Passeriformes, the most varied group of birds both in terms of numbers of species and diversity of appearance and habit preferences.
• Songbirds have feet that allow them to perch with ease, with three toes pointing forward and one facing back.
• Songbirds are extremely vocal; some male species are among the finest songsters in the bird world.

Every photograph is gloriously detailed and chosen to show each species’ unique identification features and typical postures. Packed in a convenient portable size, Warblers and Other Songbirds of North America is ideal for the experienced birdwatcher, the aspiring naturalist, and every bird lover.

“Life-size” guides seem to be a trend, this is the third such book in as many years (see also Life-Size Birds and Hummingbirds: A Life-size Guide to Every Species). This one, though, works a little better than its predecessors. It’s visually stunning and can actually work as an identification guide. However, despite the title, it does not include every songbird that regularly occurs in North America (north of Mexico).

Warblers and Other Songbirds of North America: A Life-size Guide to Every Species
by Paul Sterry
Hardcover; 352 pages
Harper Design; May 16, 2017
ISBN: 9780062446817
$29.99

The Australian Bird Guide
by Peter Menkhorst, Danny Rogers, Rohan Clarke, Jeff Davies, Peter Marsack, and Kim Franklin

From Princeton University Press:

The Australian avifauna is large, diverse, and spectacular, reflecting the continent’s impressive habitats and evolutionary history. Looking at more than 900 species, The Australian Bird Guide is the most comprehensive field guide on Australian birds available, and contains by far the best coverage of southern seabirds. With 249 color plates containing 4,000 stunning images, this book offers a far more in-depth treatment of subspecies, rarities, and overall plumage variation than comparative guides. The artwork meets the highest standards, and the text is rigorously accurate and current in terms of identification details, distribution, and status. The Australian Bird Guide sets a new bar for coverage of Australia’s remarkable avifauna and is indispensable to all birders and naturalists interested in this area of the world, including the southern oceans.

• Brand-new guide with an attractive look and design
• 249 color plates containing 4,000 superb images by some of the most talented illustrators working in Australia today
• Every bird species in Australia is covered (more than 900), including subspecies and rarities
• Up-to-date maps reflect the latest information on distribution
• Accurate and detailed text

The Collins Guide down under. In terms of format, content, quality, and overall feel, this new guide is very similar to the Collins Bird Guide (aka Birds of Europe). That is a very high compliment. This is the field guide to have with you in Australia. And by “have with you”, I mean in the car. It’s a little too large and heavy to comfortably carry. But that’s not a drawback in my book.

The Australian Bird Guide
by Peter Menkhorst, Danny Rogers, Rohan Clarke, Jeff Davies, Peter Marsack, and Kim Franklin
Flexibinding; 576 pages
Princeton University Press; May 16, 2017
ISBN: 9780691173016
$39.95

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A Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh
by Bikram Grewal, Sumit Sen, Sarwandeep Singh, Nikhil Devasar, and Garima Bhatia

From Princeton University Press:

This is the only comprehensive photographic field guide to the birds of the entire Indian subcontinent. Every distinct species and subspecies–some 1,375 in all–is covered with photographs, text, and maps. The guide features more than 4,000 stunning photographs, many never before published, which have been carefully selected to illustrate key identification features of each species. The up-to-date facing-page text includes concise descriptions of plumage, voice, range, habitat, and recent taxonomic changes. Each species has a detailed map reflecting the latest distribution information and containing notes on status and population density. The guide also features an introduction that provides an overview of birdlife and a brief history of ornithology in India and its neighbors. The result is an encyclopedic photographic guide that is essential for everyone birding anywhere in the subcontinent.

• Covers all 1,375 subcontinental bird species
• Features more than 4,000 stunning photographs to aid quick field identification
• Includes up-to-date facing-page text and range maps
• Contains concise descriptions of plumage, voice, habitat, and much more

This is a very attractive guide, filled with lots of great pictures (wow, those minivets are amazing!). It’s more suited to be a reference rather than field guide, though. That’s mainly due to its size (thick and heavy) and small, nearly inscrutable maps.

A Photographic Field Guide to the Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh
by Bikram Grewal, Sumit Sen, Sarwandeep Singh, Nikhil Devasar, and Garima Bhatia
Flexibound; 792 pages
Princeton University Press; April 25, 2017
ISBN: 9780691176499
$45.00

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Best Places to Bird in British Columbia
by Russell Cannings and Richard Cannings

From Greystone Books:

In this unique guidebook that will appeal to novice and experienced birders alike, the authors of acclaimed Birdfinding in British Columbia explore their 30 favorite birding sites in the diverse landscape of Canada’s westernmost province. More detailed and more personal than the Cannings’ previous books, and illustrated with more than 30 color photographs of birds and locales, and 28 maps, Best Places to Bird in British Columbia introduces some sites that will be familiar favorites for readers, while others may come as a surprise.

Readers can choose their destination by species—each chapter has a list of “Specialty Birds,” the ornithological highlights of a trip to the area in question—or by geography—each chapter is named for its region and includes detailed information not only on how to get there but also on how to make the most of being there. Personal anecdotes, historical background, and ornithological information make this an indispensable guide to exploring the best birding sites B.C. has to offer and learning more about its bird population.

I don’t know if I would go so far as to say this guidebook is “unique”, as the publisher’s blurb does, but this is certainly a different kind of birdfinding guide. But a good different. It’s very personal, with the authors sharing their experiences birding these locations, as well as the more traditional information like how to get there, birds to expect, etc. It would certainly be helpful for planning a trip to B.C., though I wish it had more basic information on the province and an annotated list of target birds for someone like me who’s never been there. (To be fair, such information may be present in the authors’ previous Birdfinding in British Columbia, which I have not seen.)

Best Places to Bird in British Columbia
by Russell Cannings and Richard Cannings
Paperback; 224 pages
Greystone Books; May 16, 2017
ISBN: 9781771641661
$19.25

Where to Watch Birds in Morocco
by Patrick Bergier and Fedora Bergier

From Pelagic Publishing:

Morocco is a paradise for birdwatchers with its coasts, islands, wadis, plains, forests, mountains and deserts creating conditions that are often very different from those found in Europe. The richness of these habitats is clearly illustrated by the 452 species which have been recorded so far. This is a very short period in the dynamics of bird communities, but a very long period in a country that has developed so quickly. The Government is encouraging development and tourism, for example in the Atlantic West Sahara, which opens up great new sites for birdwatchers. The most important, and easily accessible of these new sites have been included in this second edition, and the original 15 sites have been increased to at least 50. This book is not a field guide to species, rather it a guide to the sites of key ornithological importance in Morocco. It contains information and detailed maps to enable you plan a visit and provide guidance when you are on your trip. In addition, the book provides an overview of travel in Morocco, information about climate and habitats, when to go, and a full checklist of species.

This book is a reprint of The Prion Birdwatchers’ Guide to Morocco (2nd Edition, 2003, ISBN: 1871104092).

If you’re planning a trip to Morocco, this looks to be a great resource. Besides the 58 sites described in detail, there is extensive information on how to get around the country and other touristy information. There are even checklists for mammals, dragonflies, and other animals (and birds, of course).

Where to Watch Birds in Morocco
by Patrick Bergier and Fedora Bergier
Paperback; 176 pages
Pelagic Publishing; March 7, 2017
ISBN: 9781784271442
$26.99

The New Neotropical Companion
by John Kricher

From Princeton University Press:

The New Neotropical Companion is the completely revised and expanded edition of a book that has helped thousands of people to understand the complex ecology and natural history of the most species-rich area on Earth, the American tropics. Featuring stunning color photos throughout, it is a sweeping and cutting-edge account of tropical ecology that includes not only tropical rain forests but also other ecosystems such as cloud forests, rivers, savannas, and mountains. This is the only guide to the American tropics that is all-inclusive, encompassing the entire region’s ecology and the amazing relationships among species rather than focusing just on species identification.

The New Neotropical Companion is a book unlike any other. Here, you will learn how to recognize distinctive ecological patterns of rain forests and other habitats and to interpret how these remarkable ecosystems function–everything is explained in clear and engaging prose free of jargon. You will also be introduced to the region’s astonishing plant and animal life.

Informative and entertaining, The New Neotropical Companion is a pleasurable escape for armchair naturalists, and visitors to the American tropics will want to refer to this book before, during, and after their trip.

• Covers all of tropical America
• Describes the species and habitats most likely to be observed by visitors
• Includes every major ecosystem, from lowland rain forests to the high Andes
• Features a wealth of color photos of habitats, plants, and animals

Pretty much anything you want to know about the ecology and natural history of the neotropics (tropical America) can be found in this book. Short, but information-packed, sections make it easy, and even fun, to browse. One of these is called Brightly Banded Snakes: Some of These Can Kill You, Some Are OK. How can you not read that? I couldn’t resist. And then I read more, and more again. If you’re planning on traveling to this wonderful region, reading this guide beforehand will add immensely to the experience.

The New Neotropical Companion
by John Kricher
Paperback; 448 pages
Princeton University Press; March 7, 2017
ISBN: 9780691115252
$35.00

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Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird
by Katie Fallon

From ForeEdge (University Press of New England):

Turkey vultures, the most widely distributed and abundant scavenging birds of prey on the planet, are found from central Canada to the southern tip of Argentina, and nearly everywhere in between. In the United States we sometimes call them buzzards; in parts of Mexico the name is aura cabecirroja, in Uruguay jote cabeza colorada, and in Ecuador gallinazo aura. A huge bird, the turkey vulture is a familiar sight from culture to culture, in both hemispheres. But despite being ubiquitous and recognizable, the turkey vulture has never had a book of literary nonfiction devoted to it—until Vulture.

Floating on six-foot wings, turkey vultures use their keen senses of smell and sight to locate carrion. Unlike their cousin the black vulture, turkey vultures do not kill weak or dying animals; instead, they cleanse, purify, and renew the environment by clearing it of decaying carcasses, thus slowing the spread of such dangerous pathogens as anthrax, rabies, and botulism. The beauty, grace, and important role of these birds in the ecosystem notwithstanding, turkey vultures are maligned and underappreciated; they have been accused of spreading disease and killing livestock, neither of which has ever been substantiated. Although turkey vultures are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which makes harming them a federal offense, the birds still face persecution. They’ve been killed because of their looks, their odor, and their presence in proximity to humans. Even the federal government occasionally sanctions “roost dispersals,” which involve the harassment and sometimes the murder of communally roosting vultures during the cold winter months.

Vulture follows a year in the life of a typical North American turkey vulture. By incorporating information from scientific papers and articles, as well as interviews with world-renowned raptor and vulture experts, author Katie Fallon examines all aspects of the bird’s natural history: breeding, incubating eggs, raising chicks, migrating, and roosting. After reading this book you will never look at a vulture in the same way again.

I was especially looking forward to this because the author’s previous work, on Cerulean Warblers, was awesome. I’ve only read a little of this one, but so far it has not disappointed. Anyone who enjoys good writing about birds should give it a chance.

Vulture: The Private Life of an Unloved Bird
by Katie Fallon
Hardcover; 248 pages
ForeEdge; March 7, 2017
ISBN: 9781611689716
$27.95

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Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and Vultures of North America
by Pete Dunne, with Kevin T Karlson

From Houghton Mifflin Harcourt:

Always a popular group of birds, raptors symbolize freedom and fierceness, and in Pete Dunne’s definitive guide, these traits are portrayed in hundreds of stunning color photographs showing raptors up close, in flight, and in action—fighting, hunting, and nesting.

These gorgeous photographs enhance the comprehensive, authoritative text, which goes far beyond identification to cover raptor ecology, behavior, conservation, and much more.

In returning to his forte and his first love, Pete Dunne has crafted a benchmark book on raptors: the first place to turn for any question about these highly popular birds, whether it’s what they eat, where they live, or how they behave.

This is not an identification guide, but rather a sort-of companion to raptor ID guides (such as Dunne’s own Hawks in Flight). It is a summary of raptor natural history, but with something extra: the author’s considerable experience with these birds and his sheer writing ability. These accounts are, simply put, fun to read. So even if you already have a shelf full of raptor books or access to online resources like BNA, this book is still worth having.

Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and Vultures of North America
by Pete Dunne, with Kevin T Karlson
Hardcover; 320 pages
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; April 25, 2017
ISBN: 9780544018440
$26.00

Raptors of Mexico and Central America
by William S. Clark and N. John Schmitt

From Princeton University Press:

Raptors are among the most challenging birds to identify in the field due to their bewildering variability of plumage, flight silhouettes, and behavior. Raptors of Mexico and Central America is the first illustrated guide to the region’s 69 species of raptors, including vagrants. It features 32 stunning color plates and 213 color photos, and a distribution map for each regularly occurring species. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, age-related plumages, status and distribution, subspecies, molt, habitats, behaviors, potential confusion species, and more.

Raptors of Mexico and Central America is the essential field guide to this difficult bird group and the ideal travel companion for anyone visiting this region of the world.

• Covers all 69 species of raptors found in Mexico and Central America
• Features 32 color plates and hundreds of color photos
• Provides multiple illustrations of each species
• Depicts and describes variations in plumage by individual, morph, age, and region
• Describes behavior, food preferences, hunting strategies, vocalizations, and molt
• Covers rare and extralimital species
• Includes distribution maps and flight silhouettes

Tons of information, extensive plates, and lots of large, impressive photos. Its fairly large size means it is more suited for reference rather than field use. Visiting birders may even wish to leave it at home, where it will make an excellent reference to either study beforehand or sort out identifications afterward.

Raptors of Mexico and Central America
by William S. Clark and N. John Schmitt
Hardcover; 272 pages
Princeton University Press; March 28, 2017
ISBN: 9780691116495
$39.95

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Birds of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East: A Photographic Guide
by Frédéric Jiguet and Aurélien Audevard

From Princeton University Press:

Birds of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East is the first comprehensive pocket-sized photographic field guide to every bird species in Europe–this includes winter visitors and common migrants but also all rarities to the region, even if they have been recorded only once. The guide also covers hypothetical species–those that have a good chance of being recorded due to such factors as range expansion and changing weather patterns.

The book’s 2,200 stunning color photographs mean that every species is pictured, making field identification quick and easy. Succinct text covers key identification features, voice, habitat, and distribution, and distribution maps are provided for regular breeding species. Particular attention and details are given to help differentiate similar-looking species.

Lavishly illustrated, up-to-date, and wide-ranging, Birds of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East is an essential field guide for every naturalist and birder.

• First comprehensive field guide to all species recorded in Europe: resident, winter visitor, common migrant, and rarity
• 860 species covered using 2,200 photographs
• Includes every species from North Africa and the Middle East to have occurred in Europe

This compact field guide looks like it would make a good companion to the Collins Bird Guide, or even serve as a primary guide if necessary.

Birds of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East: A Photographic Guide
by Frédéric Jiguet and Aurélien Audevard
Paperback; 448 pages
Princeton University Press; March 21, 2017
ISBN: 9780691172439
$29.95

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