by Ted Floyd (598.072 Flo)
As a relative newcomer to birdwatching, I appreciated the unusual format of this guide on how to identify the birds, as each of the 200 entries is a one-page set-piece built around a particular species of bird that, yes, does indeed identify the formal characteristics of the avian in question, but also uses said bird as a departure point to discuss larger issues of bird behavior, the science of ornithology, and the ecological impact humans have on the world that we share with our wild feathered friends.
Reading the book brought new levels of context to my birdwatching, I noticed, even though thoroughly understanding how seasonal molt variation and species hybridization affects positive IDs will continue to be out of reach (that’s expert level stuff).
How to Know the Birds does not replace standard ID indexes such as the Sibley and Peterson field guides but expands upon them in clear language, touching on whatever main points author and birding expert Ted Floyd thinks are important to mention, thus potentially saving the reader from spending many hours poring over multiple scientific texts. Naturalistic pencil sketches of the species in their environment augment the book’s holistic approach.
[If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior by David Sibley or Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America by Roger Tory Peterson.]
[ publisher’s official How to Know the Birds web page ] | [ Ted Floyd’s official American Birding Podcast ]
Recommended
by Eric
S.
Walt Branch Library
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