Book News

Birdmania: A Remarkable Passion for Birds
by Bernd Brunner

From Greystone Books:

There is no denying that many people are crazy for birds. Packed with intriguing facts and exquisite and rare artwork, Birdmania showcases an eclectic and fascinating selection of bird devotees who would do anything for their feathered friends.

In addition to well-known enthusiasts such as Aristotle, Charles Darwin, and Helen Macdonald, Brunner introduces readers to Karl Russ, the pioneer of “bird rooms”, who had difficulty renting lodgings when landlords realized who he was; George Lupton, a wealthy Yorkshire lawyer, who commissioned the theft of uniquely patterned eggs every year for twenty years from the same unfortunate female guillemot who never had a chance to raise a chick; George Archibald, who performed mating dances for an endangered whooping crane called Tex to encourage her to lay; and Mervyn Shorthouse, who posed as a wheelchair-bound invalid to steal an estimated ten thousand eggs from the Natural History Museum in Tring.

As this book illustrates, people who love birds, whether they are amateurs or professionals, are as captivating and varied as the birds that give flight to their dreams.

A wide-ranging look at some fascinating people – from Aristotle to con-men to Kenn Kaufman – who have succumbed to birdmania.

Birdmania: A Remarkable Passion for Birds
by Bernd Brunner
Hardcover; 228 pages
Greystone Books; October 24, 2017
ISBN: 9781771642774
$29.95

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Birding Without Borders: An Obsession, a Quest, and the Biggest Year in the World
by Noah Strycker

From Houghton Mifflin Harcourt:

Traveling to 41 countries in 2015 with a backpack and binoculars, Noah Strycker became the first person to see more than half the world’s 10,000 species of birds in one year.

In 2015, Noah Strycker set himself a lofty goal: to become the first person to see half the world’s birds in one year. For 365 days, with a backpack, binoculars, and a series of one-way tickets, he traveled across forty-one countries and all seven continents, eventually spotting 6,042 species—by far the biggest birding year on record.

This is no travelogue or glorified checklist. Noah ventures deep into a world of blood-sucking leeches, chronic sleep deprivation, airline snafus, breakdowns, mudslides, floods, war zones, ecologic devastation, conservation triumphs, common and iconic species, and scores of passionate bird lovers around the globe. By pursuing the freest creatures on the planet, Noah gains a unique perspective on the world they share with us—and offers a hopeful message that even as many birds face an uncertain future, more people than ever are working to protect them.

Over 5,000 birds in one year – sounds fun! And thankfully for us, Strycker’s story is also a fun read.

Birding Without Borders: An Obsession, a Quest, and the Biggest Year in the World
by Noah Strycker
Hardcover; 336 pages
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; October 10, 2017
ISBN: 9780544558144
$27.00

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National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 7th Edition
by Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer

From National Geographic:

This fully revised edition of the best-selling North American bird field guide is the most up-to-date guide on the market. Perfect for beginning to advanced birders, it is the only book organized to match the latest American Ornithological Society taxonomy.

With more than 2.75 million copies in print, this perennial bestseller is the most frequently updated of all North American bird field guides. Filled with hand-painted illustrations from top nature artists (including the ever-popular hummingbird), this latest edition is poised to become an instant must-have for every serious birder in the United States and Canada. The 7th edition includes 37 new species for a total of 1,023 species; 16 new pages allow for 250 fresh illustrations; 80 new maps; and 350 map revisions. With taxonomy revised to reflect the radical new American Ornithological Society taxonomy established in 2016, the addition of standardized banding codes, and text completely vetted by birding experts, this new edition will top of the list of birding field guides for years to come.

Wow, has it really been six years since the 6th edition? Well, this venerable field guide is back with a new edition. More birds, new illustrations, new maps, and, of course, an ever-new taxonomy. I’ll be posting a detailed look at the changes soon.

National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 7th Edition
by Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer
Flexicover; 592 pages
National Geographic; September 12, 2017
ISBN: 9781426218354
$29.99

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The Crossley ID Guide: Waterfowl
by Richard Crossley, Paul Baicich, and Jessie Barry

From Crossley Books:

The Crossley ID Guide: Eastern Birds, published in 2011, revolutionized birding and books by providing the first real-life approach to ID. The Crossley ID Guide: Waterfowl, the fourth of these user-friendly guides, is for both hunters and birders.

Unlike other guides, which provide isolated individual photographs or paint illustrations, this book features large, lifelike scenes that are ‘painted in pixels.’ Nearly 300 pages of waterfowl scenes – showing waterfowl in a wide range of views – near and far, from different angles, in various plumages and behaviors, including flight, and in the habitat in which they live. These beautiful compositions show how a bird’s appearance changes with distance, and give equal emphasis to characteristics experts use to identify birds: size, structure and shape, behavior, probability, and color. This is the first book to convey all of these features visually – in a single image – and to reinforce them with accurate text. Each scene provides a wealth of detailed visual information that invites and rewards careful study.

By making identification easier, more accurate, and more fun than ever before, The Crossley ID Guides redefine how readers look at nature. Essential for anyone interested in waterfowl, it also promises to make new birders of many people who have despaired of using traditional guides.

This waterfowl guide also carries a strong underlying conservation message. If all the readers of this book come together as one, we can better protect the things we love.

• Covers all of North America’s ducks, geese, and swans
• More than 5,000 photos in Crossley-style scenes – seen near and far, from different angles, and in various plumages and behaviors, including flight
• Includes other wildlife, beautiful scenery, and wing cutouts. Good teachers are fun, create
reaction, and are interesting!
• Lots of mystery photos to challenge you
• Painting with pixels, rather than a paint brush, created apples to apples imagery
• Friendly, interactive writing style, cutting-edge ID, conservation, fun facts… and everything between

I’m a big fan of the Crossley ID Guides (if you’re not familiar with them, see my reviews of his guides to Eastern NA and Raptors). They’re excellent “workbooks”, as the author calls them, designed to help you learn the bird before going into the field. This latest volume on the ducks, geese, and swans of North America is no exception. There are tons of images, including the mystery plates that I love so much, and a surprising amount of information.

The Crossley ID Guide: Waterfowl
by Richard Crossley, Paul Baicich, and Jessie Barry
Flexibound; 510 pages
Crossley Books; June 22, 2017
ISBN: 9780692900352
$39.95

The Birds of the Falkland Islands: An Annotated Checklist
by Robin W. Woods

From British Ornithologists’ Club:

This new checklist of the birds of the Falkland Islands is the most comprehensive ever published. Meticulously researched and fully referenced, it represents the culmination of decades of fieldwork by the author and others. It brings together everything that is known about the status and distribution of birds in this fascinating archipelago.

A full introduction covers all the expected biogeographical and ecological ground, with strong emphasis on the history of human–avian interactions and the development of wildlife conservation – both among the author’s special interests. The systematic list covers all 205 species whose occurrence in the Falklands is well-evidenced, plus another 54 species that require further confirmation. Seven appendices and 32 pages of colour photographs complete the work. This definitive account of Falklands birds will be an essential reference for all those with an interest in the amazing wildlife of the South Atlantic.

This is not a field guide. There are 32 pages of nice color photographs, but if you are only interested in identifying the birds you see in the Falklands, this is not the book for you. If, however, you are at all interested in the birds of the Falklands, then this is most definitely a book that you want. The species accounts are highly detailed, focusing on the status and background of the bird in the Falklands. The introduction is detailed as well, covering the islands’ geography, habitats, human impacts, ornithological history, avifauna, and more.

The Birds of the Falkland Islands: An Annotated Checklist
by Robin W. Woods
Paperback; 288 pages
British Ornithologists’ Club; August, 2017
ISBN: 9780952288664
£29.99

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Wildlife of Ecuador: A Photographic Field Guide to Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, and Amphibians
by Andrés Vásquez Noboa, photography by Pablo Cervantes Daza

From Princeton University Press:

Mainland Ecuador’s spectacular wildlife makes it a magnet for nature tourists, but until now there hasn’t been a go-to, all-in-one guide geared to the general reader. With this handy and accessible guide, visitors now have everything they need to identify and enjoy the majority of birds and animals they are likely to see. Written and illustrated by two of Ecuador’s most experienced nature guides and photographers, this book covers more than 350 birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. It features over 400 stunning color photographs and includes a range map for each species, as well as a brief account of the country’s natural history and biogeography. With its extensive coverage, attractive and easy-to-use layout, beautiful photographs, and nontechnical text, this is an essential guide for anyone who wants to explore the natural wonders of Ecuador.

• An essential all-in-one guide to mainland Ecuador’s amazing wildlife
• Unique and attractive layout with more than 400 stunning color photographs
• Covers more than 350 of the most frequently seen birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians
• Uses a habitat-based approach to aid identification
• Accessible text provides key information on identification, behavior, biology, and conservation
• Photos, maps, and text are presented together for ease of use

Any nature-loving visitor to Ecuador could make use of this relatively small guide to help identify the mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians most likely to be seen. Birders will still want a more complete, dedicated bird guide, but this one would still be worth having for other wildlife.

Wildlife of Ecuador: A Photographic Field Guide to Birds, Mammals, Reptiles, and Amphibians
by Andrés Vásquez Noboa
Flexicover; 288 pages
Princeton University Press; May 30, 20172
ISBN: 9780691161365
$29.95

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Cages
by Sylvia Torti

From Schaffner Press:

Two neurologists are engaged in divergent quests: one to locate the source of memory and the other to study speech patterns in humans by analyzing and manipulating bird vocalization. Both men use experiments on live songbirds in a laboratory on a university campus, and both become romantically intertwined with a woman lab assistant who takes issue with their methods. Overshadowing this trio are significant figures from their individual pasts—a distant mother, a former girlfriend, a best friend and ornithological expert who dies tragically while conducting field research in the Amazon, and a mentor turned lover and nemesis. This is a subtly layered novel rich in natural description and sense of place that grapples with serious philosophical and moral themes, peopled by characters who must confront the emotional truths in their lives in order to be released from their own, individual cages.

It’s nice, every now and then, to read something different. And this novel certainly looks different from the bird books I normally read. But it does still have birds!

Cages
by Sylvia Torti
Paperback; 302 pages
Schaffner Press; May 1, 2017
ISBN: 9781943156184
$16.95

Great Horned Owlets Rescue: Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
by Cheryl Aguiar

From Cheryl Aguiar:

Cheryl Aguiar has a strong connection with wildlife and a great love for exploring nature. This is the story of how she gains the trust of one of Mother Nature’s most magnificent and mysterious creatures…the Great Horned Owl. These majestic birds known as raptors have a reputation of being extremely aggressive, but show a different side when struck by tragedy. With some help from her husband, Cheryl’s devotion and determination to help this family of owls turns out to be one of the most gratifying decisions she has ever made. The strong-willed adult owl parents accept help from humans to keep their family safely together. Cheryl gives us an unprecedented look into the life of these wild birds while she closely documents the journey of these two adorable owlets as they grow and experience life in the wild. Through this experience, she witnesses the struggles of survival, the amazing bond of a family and the gift of gratitude. What makes this story special is to see how animals and humans from two different walks of life can co-exist and discover that we are not so different after all. By trusting each other, working together and showing each other respect, the family of owls allow her into their world; now, they have become a part of hers. Together, Cheryl, her family and these magnificent birds have proven ever more, the statement…Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way.

Short, but interesting-looking, story of helping a Great-horned Owl family through a time of crisis.

Great Horned Owlets Rescue: Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
by Cheryl Aguiar
Paperback; 85 pages
Cheryl Aguiar; December 17, 2016
ISBN: 9780998360515
$15.99

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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