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

From Houghton Mifflin Harcourt:

Julie Zickefoose lives for the moment when a wild, free living bird that she has raised or rehabilitated comes back to visit her; their eyes meet and they share a spark of understanding. Her reward for the grueling work of rescuing birds—such as feeding baby hummingbirds every twenty minutes all day long—is her empathy with them and the satisfaction of knowing the world is a birdier and more beautiful place.

The Bluebird Effect is about the change that’s set in motion by one single act, such as saving an injured bluebird—or a hummingbird, swift, or phoebe. Each of the twenty-five chapters covers a different species, and many depict an individual bird, each with its own personality, habits, and quirks. And each chapter is illustrated with Zickefoose’s stunning watercolor paintings and drawings. Not just individual tales about the trials and triumphs of raising birds, The Bluebird Effect mixes humor, natural history, and memoir to give readers an intimate story of a life lived among wild birds.

I can’t wait to start reading this beautiful book. And congratulations to Julie and Houghton Mifflin – The Bluebird Effect is featured on Oprah’s blog!

The Bluebird Effect: Uncommon Bonds with Common Birds
by Julie Zickefoose
Hardcover; 378 pages
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; March 20, 2012
ISBN: 9780547003092
$28.00

Now you can create and submit eBird checklists from your iPhone anywhere in the world – BirdsEye BirdLog – Worldwide.

The Kirtland’s Warbler: The Story of a Bird’s Fight Against Extinction and the People Who Saved It
by William Rapai

From University of Michigan Press:

At a time when the world is seeing its species rapidly go extinct, the Kirtland’s warbler is not just a survivor, it’s a rock star. The Kirtland’s warbler is the rarest warbler species in North America and will always be rare because of its persnickety nesting preferences. But when the total population fell below 400 birds in the 1970s and 1980s—driven largely by a loss of habitat and the introduction of a parasite—a small group of dedicated biologists, researchers, and volunteers vowed to save the Kirtland’s warbler despite long odds. This is the story of the warbler’s survival and gradual recovery, the people and policies that kept it from extinction, and the ongoing challenges that may again jeopardize the bird’s future.

In The Kirtland’s Warbler, William Rapai explores the bird’s fascinating natural history as well as the complex and evolving relationships between the warbler, its environment, its human protectors, and state and federal policies that today threaten to eradicate decades of work done on the species’ behalf. Beginning with an account of the warbler’s discovery in the mid-nineteenth century and ornithologists’ desperate hunt for information on the elusive new species, the book goes on to examine the dramatic events that quickly led to the warbler’s precarious status and its eventual emergence as a lightning rod for controversy.

The Kirtland’s warbler is often described as a “bird of fire” for its preference for nesting in areas cleared by wildfire. But it also warrants the name for the passion it ignites in humans. Both tragic and uplifting, the story of this intriguing bird is a stirring example of how strong leadership, vision, commitment, sustained effort, and cooperation can come together to protect our natural world.

The Double-Crested Cormorant: Symbol of Ecological Conflict
by Dennis Wild

Also from University of Michigan Press:

This is the story of the survival, recovery, astonishing success, and controversial status of the double-crested cormorant. After surviving near extinction driven by DDT and other contaminants from the 1940s through the early 1970s, the cormorant has made an unprecedented comeback from mere dozens to a population in the millions, bringing the bird again into direct conflict with humans. Hated for its colonial nesting behavior; the changes it brings to landscapes; and especially its competition with commercial and sports fishers, fisheries, and fish farmers throughout the Great Lakes and Mississippi Delta regions, the cormorant continues to be persecuted by various means, including the shotgun.

In The Double-Crested Cormorant, Dennis Wild brings together the biological, social, legal, and international aspects of the cormorant’s world to give a complete and balanced view of one of the Great Lakes’ and perhaps North America’s most misunderstood species. In addition to taking a detailed look at the complex natural history of the cormorant, the book explores the implications of congressional acts and international treaties, the workings and philosophies of state and federal wildlife agencies, the unrelenting efforts of aquaculture and fishing interests to “cull” cormorant numbers to “acceptable” levels, and the reactions and visions of conservation groups. Wild examines both popular preconceptions about cormorants (what kinds of fish they eat and how much) and the effectiveness of ongoing efforts to control the cormorant population. Finally, the book delves into the question of climate and terrain changes, their consequences for cormorants, the new territories to which the birds must adapt, and the conflicts this species is likely to face going forward.

Anyone interested in these species, or conservation in general, should check out these books.

The Kirtland’s Warbler: The Story of a Bird’s Fight Against Extinction and the People Who Saved It
by William Rapai
Hardcover; 216 pages
University of Michigan Press; February 8, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-472-11803-8
$24.95

The Double-Crested Cormorant: Symbol of Ecological Conflict
by Dennis Wild
Hardcover; 274 pages
University of Michigan Press; February 8, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-472-11763-5
$27.95

You can now create and submit eBird checklists directly from your iPhone with BirdsEye BirdLog. This version will only work in North America – a worldwide version will be available in about a week according to BirdsEye. Here’s a video demo if you want to see how it works.

How to be a Better Birder
by Derek Lovitch

From the publisher (Princeton University Press):

This unique illustrated handbook provides all the essential tools you need to become a better birder. Here Derek Lovitch offers a more effective way to go about identification–he calls it the “Whole Bird and More” approach–that will enable you to identify more birds, more quickly, more of the time. He demonstrates how to use geography and an understanding of habitats, ecology, and even the weather to enrich your birding experience and help you find something out of the ordinary. Lovitch shows how to track nocturnal migrants using radar, collect data for bird conservation, discover exciting rarities, develop patch lists–and much more.

This is the ideal resource for intermediate and advanced birders. Whether you want to build a bigger list or simply learn more about birds, How to Be a Better Birder will take your birding skills to the next level.

• Explains the “Whole Bird and More” approach to bird identification
• Demonstrates how to use geography, habitats, ecology, and the weather to be a better birder
• Shows how to bird at night using radar, collect conservation data, develop patch lists–and more
• Offers essential tools for intermediate and advanced birders

I like what I’ve read so far; it covers some subjects in detail that other birding books barely mention, if at all.

How to be a Better Birder
by Derek Lovitch
Paperback; 204 pages
Princeton University Press; March 25, 2012
ISBN: 9780691144481
$19.95

David Sibley reported on his blog some news regarding his Sibley eGuide app, including a price drop and free “lite” version. Check it out!

Here are some new bird apps for iPhones and Android devices, including what’s probably the two most highly anticipated functions. I haven’t had the chance to use these much (yet!), so I can’t speak to how well they work. I’ll post updates as soon as possible.

• BirdsEye Bird Log
  $9.99
  iPhone; Android
  Website

  Birders have been eager for a way to enter eBird checklists from the field. Finally, here’s a way! Bird Log is an app that will allow you to create and submit checklists directly from a mobile device. It is currently available for Android phones, with an iPhone version available soon. I, for one, am very much looking forward to having this capability.

• idIt
  $2.99
  iPhone
  Website

  This app, for the iPhone and related devices only, claims to be able to ID bird sounds in the field. This highly wanted functionality has been announced before, but as far as I know, this is the first app to claim to deliver. The main catch is that you have to first load it with your own prerecorded sounds (like from bird song CDs). If it works, it will be a great tool for birders.

• Bird Codes
  $0.99
  iPhone
  Website

  This app allows you to quickly look up the bird for any alpha (banders’) codes you come across, or to learn codes by searching on the birds’ name. Very handy if you find yourself using these codes often.

• Lifebirds Journal
  $4.99
  iPhone
  Website

  An app for recording bird sightings. It includes all of the world’s birds, as well as options to export lists, including to eBird.

Birding Trails Texas: Prairies, Pineywoods, and Panhandle
by Jim Foster

From the publisher (Wilderness Adventures Press):

Texas is one of the outstanding birding states, with over 400 species of birds. Texas Birding Trails features 220 birding trails and locations. Jim Foster, a noted birder, describes each trail with a list of key birds, the best time of year to visit the site, directions, terrain and size of the area, and complete directions to each trail. There are over 200 full-color photos of the key species of birds and over 30 trail maps and a birder’s check list.

The Panhandle has 51 birding sites with a number of key birds: Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Bald Eagle, Sandhill Crane, Scissor-tail Flycatcher, Pyrrhuloxia, Burrowing Owl as well as 20 species of ducks and many more birds.

The Prairies and Pineywoods – West has 90 trails or sites with many key birds such as the Spotted Towhee, Yellow-throated Vireo, Tundra Swan, Bewick’s Wren, Orchard Oriole, the Western Kingbird and many more.

The Prairies and Pineywoods -East has 79 birding trails and an opportunity to see the Pileated Woodpecker, Red-shouldered Hawk, Greater Roadrunner, Red-eyed Vireo, Greater-crested Flycatcher and many more.

Texas Birding Trails is a “must” book for both Texas and non-resident birders who want to see and record the many unusual birds.

This is an attractive and informative guide to some great birding spots.

Birding Hot Spots of Central New Mexico
by Judy Liddell and Barbara Hussey

From the publisher (Texas A&M University Press):

From pine forest to desert scrub, from alpine meadow to riparian wetland, Albuquerque and its surrounding area in New Mexico offer an appealing variety of wildlife habitat. Birders are likely to see more than two hundred species during a typical year of bird-watching. Now, two experienced birders, Judith Liddell and Barbara Hussey, share their intimate knowledge of the best places to find birds in and around this important region.

Covering the Rio Grande corridor, the Sandia and Manzano Mountains, Petroglyph National Monument, and the preserved areas and wetlands south of Albuquerque (including crane and waterfowl haven Bosque del Apache), Birding Hotspots of Central New Mexico offers twenty-nine geographically organized site descriptions, including maps and photographs, trail diagrams, and images of some of the birds and scenery birders will enjoy. Along with a general description of each area, the authors list target birds; explain where and when to look for them; give driving directions; provide information about public transportation, parking, fees, restrooms, food, and lodging; and give tips on availability of water and picnic facilities and on the presence of hazards such as rattlesnakes, bears, and poison ivy.

The book includes a “helpful information” section that discusses weather, altitude, safety, transportation, and other local birding resources. The American Birding Association’s code of birding ethics appears in the back of the book, along with an annotated checklist of 222 bird species seen with some regularity in and around Albuquerque.

For more information, please visit http://birdinghotspotscentralnm.com

A very detailed guide that I can’t wait to use someday!

Birding Trails Texas: Prairies, Pineywoods, and Panhandle
by Jim Foster
Paperback; 392 pages
Wilderness Adventures Press; December 1, 2011
ISBN: 9781932098907
$28.95

Birding Hot Spots of Central New Mexico
by Judy Liddell and Barbara Hussey
Flexicover; 221 pages
Texas A&M University Press; October 12, 2011
ISBN: 9781603444262
$24.95

…in 2013! Yep, David Sibley is working on a revision to his Sibley Guide to Birds. I can’t wait! In the meantime, you can check out a plate for the new guide at Sibley’s Facebook page (you don’t have to have a Facebook account to view it).

This seems like a good time to remind you that there is also a Birder’s Library Facebook page, where you’ll find updates and news (like this about the Sibley guide).

Cotingas and Manakins
by Guy M. Kirwan and Graeme Green

From the publisher (Princeton University Press):

The New World tropics are home to the richest avifauna on the planet, with more than 4,000 species, many of them endemic. Two groups found exclusively in this region are the cotingas and the manakins. Few other families of birds have such widespread appeal. They are much sought after by birders for their colorful displays, unusual plumages, and, in some cases, great rarity. Their natural history and behavior offer fascinating case studies for evolutionary biologists, while the intriguingly elusive relationships of these birds are of profound interest to taxonomists.

Cotingas and Manakins is the definitive work on these jewels of the Neotropics, covering more than 130 species. These range from some of the rarest and most enigmatic birds in the world to some of the best studied of all tropical species. Many are breathtakingly colorful and ornate while some are plain and difficult to see. This stunning volume features 34 color plates by Eustace Barnes, who has observed many of these species in the field, as well as distribution maps and approximately 400 color photographs that cover all but a tiny handful of species. Complete with detailed species accounts describing key identification features, Cotingas and Manakins is the authoritative illustrated guide to these magnificent Neotropical birds.

• Covers more than 130 species of cotingas and manakins
• Features 34 color plates and about 400 color photos
• Includes detailed species accounts and distribution maps
• The must-have illustrated guide to these colorful and exotic birds

This is a gorgeous book, with both painted plates and photographs. This is easily one of the most attractive family monographs that I’ve seen.

Petrels, Albatrosses, and Storm-Petrels of North America: A Photographic Guide
by Steve N. G. Howell

From the publisher (Princeton University Press):

Petrels, albatrosses, and storm-petrels are among the most beautiful yet least known of all the world’s birds, living their lives at sea far from the sight of most people. Largely colored in shades of gray, black, and white, these enigmatic and fast-flying seabirds can be hard to differentiate, particularly from a moving boat. Useful worldwide, not just in North America, this photographic guide is based on unrivaled field experience and combines insightful text and hundreds of full-color images to help you identify these remarkable birds.

The first book of its kind, this guide features an introduction that explains ocean habitats and the latest developments in taxonomy. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features such as flight manner, plumage variation related to age and molt, seasonal occurrence patterns, and migration routes. Species accounts are arranged into groups helpful for field identification, and an overview of unique identification challenges is provided for each group. The guide also includes distribution maps for regularly occurring species as well as a bibliography, glossary, and appendixes.

• The first state-of-the-art photographic guide to these enigmatic seabirds
• Includes hundreds of full-color photos throughout
• Features detailed species accounts that describe flight, plumage, distribution, and more
• Provides overviews of ocean habitats, taxonomy, and conservation
• Offers tips on how to observe and identify birds at sea

A long-awaited guide to these fascinating, but confusing, seabirds. I can’t wait to use this on a pelagic trip in two weeks!

Cotingas and Manakins
by Guy M. Kirwan and Graeme Green
Hardcover; 624 pages
Princeton University Press; February 5, 2012
ISBN: 9780691153520

Petrels, Albatrosses, and Storm-Petrels of North America: A Photographic Guide
by Steve N. G. Howell
Hardcover; 506 pages
Princeton University Press; January 24, 2012
ISBN: 9781400839629