Learn how to identify 150 North American birds From the tiny ruby-throated hummingbird to the powerful bald eagle, there's a fascinating variety of unique and beautiful birds that call North America home. This compact field guide is the perfect introduction to birding. You'll find essential information about 150 North American species and expert advice on how to get started on your bird-watching journey.What sets this book apart from other bird books:The basics of bird watching―Learn important birding terminology, what equipment to have on hand, and how to log and submit your bird sightings.Complete bird profiles―Discover full-color photos and need-to-know details about each species' appearance, behavior, and population range.Easy-to-find information―This book's simple organization makes it the ideal companion for your bird watching adventures, with clearly marked sections for common backyard birds, songbirds, shorebirds and waterbirds, and raptors.Get to know your feathered neighbors with this field guide to the birds of North America. Read more

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A gorgeous, witty account of birding, nature, and the beauty around us that hides in plain sight, written and illustrated by the best-selling author of The Joy Luck Club • With a foreword by David Allen Sibley“Unexpected and spectacular” —Ann Patchett, best-selling author of These Precious Days"The drawings and essays in this book do a lot more than just describe the birds. They carry a sense of discovery through observation and drawing, suggest the layers of patterns in the natural world, and emphasize a deep personal connection between the watcher and the watched. The birds that inhabit Amy Tan’s backyard seem a lot like the characters in her novels.” —David Allen Sibley, from the forewordTracking the natural beauty that surrounds us, The Backyard Bird Chronicles maps the passage of time through daily entries, thoughtful questions, and beautiful original sketches. With boundless charm and wit, author Amy Tan charts her foray into birding and the natural wonders of the world.In 2016, Amy Tan grew overwhelmed by the state of the world: Hatred and misinformation became a daily presence on social media, and the country felt more divisive than ever. In search of peace, Tan turned toward the natural world just beyond her window and, specifically, the birds visiting her yard. But what began as an attempt to find solace turned into something far greater—an opportunity to savor quiet moments during a volatile time, connect to nature in a meaningful way, and imagine the intricate lives of the birds she admired. Read more

National bestseller and fan favorite! This humorous look at 50 common North American dumb birds is a perfect book for the birder and anti-birder alike. For those who have a disdain for birds, or for bird lovers with a sense of humor, this snarky illustrated handbook is equal parts profane, funny, and—let's face it—true. Featuring common North American birds such as the White-Breasted Butt Nugget and the Goddamned Canada Goose (or White-Breasted Nuthatch and Canada Goose for the layperson), Matt Kracht identifies all the idiots in your backyard and details exactly why they suck with humorous yet angry ink drawings. With The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America, you won't need to wonder what all that racket is anymore! ENTERTAINING AND EDUCATIONAL: This uproarious guide to all things wings includes migratory maps, tips for birding, musings on the avian population, and lessons on the ethics of birdwatching. Plus, each entry is accompanied by facts about a bird's (annoying) call, its (dumb) migratory pattern, its (downright tacky) markings, and more. POPULAR AUTHOR: Matt Kracht is an amateur birder, writer, and illustrator who enjoys creating books that celebrate the humor inherent in life's absurdities. Based in Seattle, he enjoys gazing out the window at the beautiful waters of Puget Sound and making fun of birds. Other hilarious titles from Matt include The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole StupidWorld and OMFG, BEES! WELL REVIEWED: Critics recommend this laugh-out-loud funny spoof guide:   "There are loads of books out there for bird lovers, but until now, nothing for those that love to hate birds. The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America fills the void, packed with snarky illustrations that chastise the flying animals in a funny, profane way."—Uncrate   "There are a lot of great bird field identification guides, but after a day afield with The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America, you will never look at birds or birdwatching the same again...You need this book if you want to lighten up your birdwatching."—Northwest Arkansas Democrat GazettePerfect for: Birdwatching and nature enthusiasts People who think birds are creepy or annoying (and people who love birds but also enjoy a good laugh) Anyone looking for the ultimate coffee table book or bar-top conversation starter Gift givers seeking a fun Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthday, or retirement gift Read more

A new edition of the classic, best-selling field guide from Peterson Field Guides For decades, the Peterson Field Guide to Birdsof Eastern and Central North America has been a popular and trusted guide for birders of all levels, thanks to its famous system of identification and unparalleled illustrations. Following the Spring 2020 update to Peterson Field Guide to Birds of North America, this guide will feature updated text and range maps, and art updated to reflect current knowledge in ornithology.  Read more

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING ILLUSTRATOR    From the creator of Floriography and the Woodland Wardens Oracle Deck comes this beautifully illustrated exploration of the folklore, mythology, and history surrounding our favorite winged companions.Birds have inspired us since the dawn of time: their elegance in flight, captivating colors, and delicate mannerisms spark hope, joy, and delight. Cultures around the world have historically looked to birds as sacred messengers, intermediaries between earth and sky, including them in myths and legends and using them to teach moral lessons and historical truths.   In Jessica Roux’s Ornithography, each of 100 entries focuses on one bird species, featuring a full-page color illustration in her detailed, darkly romantic style and the lore behind each bird.   The perfect gift for birdwatchers, gardeners, and history buffs, as well as all readers who appreciate nature, mythology, and art, Ornithography is as intriguing and playful as the feathered muses that fill its pages. Read more

Renowned ornithologist Les Beletsky introduces you to 250 birds of North America, brought to life with colorful illustrations and a digital audio player that provides each bird’s distinctive song. Drawing from the collection of the world-renowned Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Bird Songs presents the most notable North American birds—including the rediscovered ivory-billed woodpecker—in a stunning format. Features include:   A succinct description of each of the 250 birds profiled, with an emphasis on their distinctive songs, written by ornithologist Les Beletsky Lavish full-color illustrations accompanying each entry A sleek, built-in digital audio player holding 250 corresponding songs and calls A foreword by North American bird expert and distinguished natural historian Jon L. Dunn, who shares insights gained from a lifetime of passionate study Complete with the most up-to-date and scientifically accurate information, Bird Songs is the first book to capture the enchantment of these beautiful birds in words, pictures, and song. Read more

A beginner's guide to ruling the roost and raising happy backyard chickensThe Beginner's Guide to Raising Chickens makes it easy to start keeping these surprisingly smart birds right in your own backyard. From constructing coops to rearing chicks, you'll learn everything you need to know to make sure your chickens stay happy and healthy all year round.Which breed of chicken is right for you? What's the best bedding material? What sort of feed should you use? Expert chicken keeper Anne Kuo answers these questions―and many others―in this fun and friendly reference book that will get you excited to raise your new feathered friends.This book on raising chickens guides you through:Getting from the chicken to the egg―Find out how to raise chicks, keep your birds safe from predators, introduce new birds to the flock, and more.Creating a custom coop―Build the perfect home for raising chickens with detailed backyard coop construction guides.Expert care advice―Learn how to identify different behaviors in your chicken, help solve egg shortages, and navigate a range of potential surprises with confidence.Get your first flock started successfully with The Beginner's Guide to Raising Chickens. Read more

From writer Maria Popova, creator of The Marginalian, comes a gorgeous and inspiring book of cards: one hundred “divinations” for daily living, partway between poem and koan yet neither, collaged from the texts and illustrations of 19th-century ornithological books.How do we live with uncertainty? How can we come to know ourselves, to trust our own secret knowledge? Maria Popova was navigating a challenging season of being, longing for guidance, when this improbable project arrived one morning as a fully formed idea fusing her love of birds and her love of language, her skepticism about tarot and her compassion for the basic human yearning to be shown the way through, and her faith in constraint as a powerful catalyst of creativity.Originally intended as a gift to her friends for her fortieth birthday, she set out to create a sort of avian alternative to tarot—a deck of cards less for telling the future than for making sense of the present, for finding grace in the complexities and confusions of our human lives. Each night before sleep, she chose a single bird to work with from a favorite 19th-century ornithological book—from John James Audubon’s Birds of America to John and Elizabeth Gould’s Birds of Europe—letting her wakeful mind seize a handful of words and phrases from the page, then handing them over to her unconscious to wrestle with in the land of dreams. Each morning, she would read over the text and a kind of message would come to enflesh the skeleton of the noted words—not a poem, not a prescription, but a way of eavesdropping on the conversation between logic and intuition, between knowledge and mystery, between the part of us that already knows how to live through any perplexity and the part that forgets in the overwhelming act of living. Presented as a deck of cards tucked into book-safe in the style of a 19th-century ornithology tome, An Almanac of Birds gathers one hundred of these poetic collages for readers to savor and shuffle into relevance to their own lives, offering consolation, inspiration, and assurance for the daily perplexity of living. Read more

Get the New Edition of Michigan’s Best-Selling Bird GuideLearn to identify birds in Michigan, and make bird-watching even more enjoyable. With Stan Tekiela’s famous field guide, bird identification is simple and informative. There’s no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don’t live in your area. This book features 118 species of Michigan birds organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don’t know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out. Book Features: 118 species: Only Michigan birdsSimple color guide: See a yellow bird? Go to the yellow sectionCompare feature: Decide between look-alikesStan’s Notes: Naturalist tidbits and factsProfessional photos: Crisp, stunning full-page imagesThis new edition includes more species, updated photographs and range maps, revised information, and even more of Stan’s expert insights. So grab Birds of Michigan Field Guide for your next birding adventure—to help ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see.   Read more

COMPLETELY REVISED AND UPDATED: Perfect for the field! The most authoritative on-the-go guide to the birds of the East •From renowned birder, illustrator, and New York Times best-selling author David SibleyCompact and comprehensive, this guide features 650 bird species, plus regional populations, found east of the Rocky Mountains. Entries include stunningly accurate illustrations—more than 4,600 in total—with descriptive captions pointing out the most important field marks. Each entry has been updated to include the most current information concerning frequency, nesting, behavior, food and feeding, voice description, and key identification features. Here too are more than 600 updated maps drawn from information contributed by 110 regional experts across the continent, and showing winter, summer, year-round, migration, and rare ranges.This revised edition includes:• Updated habitat, description, behavior, and conservation text for each species account and all family pages.• New and revised illustrations of species and regional forms.• New design featuring species accounts in columns, allowing for better comparison and more illustrations and text. • Current taxonomic order and up-to-date common names. • All maps revised to reflect the most current range information. • More species and rarities included Read more

Get the New Edition of Florida’s Best-Selling Bird GuideLearn to identify birds in Florida, and make bird-watching even more enjoyable. With Stan Tekiela’s famous field guide, bird identification is simple and informative. There’s no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don’t live in your area. This book features 146 species of Florida birds organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don’t know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out. Book Features: 146 species: Only Florida birdsSimple color guide: See a yellow bird? Go to the yellow sectionCompare feature: Decide between look-alikesStan’s Notes: Naturalist tidbits and factsProfessional photos: Crisp, stunning full-page imagesThis new edition includes more species, updated photographs and range maps, revised information, and even more of Stan’s expert insights. So grab Birds of Florida Field Guide for your next birding adventure—to help ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see. Read more

A gorgeous, witty account of birding, nature, and the beauty around us that hides in plain sight, written and illustrated by the best-selling author of The Joy Luck Club With a foreword by David Allen Sibley“Unexpected and spectacular”—Ann Patchett, best-selling author of These Precious Days"The drawings and essays in this book do a lot more than just describe the birds. They carry a sense of discovery through observation and drawing, suggest the layers of patterns in the natural world, and emphasize a deep personal connection between the watcher and the watched. The birds that inhabit Amy Tan’s backyard seem a lot like the characters in her novels.”—David Allen Sibley, from the forewordTracking the natural beauty that surrounds us, The Backyard Bird Chronicles maps the passage of time through daily entries, thoughtful questions, and beautiful original sketches. With boundless charm and wit, author Amy Tan charts her foray into birding and the natural wonders of the world.In 2016, Amy Tan grew overwhelmed by the state of the world: Hatred and misinformation became a daily presence on social media, and the country felt more divisive than ever. In search of peace, Tan turned toward the natural world just beyond her window and, specifically, the birds visiting her yard. But what began as an attempt to find solace turned into something far greater—an opportunity to savor quiet moments during a volatile time, connect to nature in a meaningful way, and imagine the intricate lives of the birds she admired.This audiobook includes a downloadable PDF of images and resources from the bookPLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio. Read more

Bring the diversity and drama of the bird world to life with this encyclopedic new edition.A must-have for every avian enthusiast, this catalogue showcases thousands of bird species pictured in their native environment. Shot by photographers around the globe, the vivid images are accompanied by in-depth introductions to all 40 of the world's newly reclassified bird orders. Compiled by a team of experts and revised by BirdLife International, Bird provides the most up to date and comprehensive photographic tour of the wondrous world of birds. Dive in and you will find: -A bird by bird catalogue of more than 1,280 species, each with a description, data file, and distribution map-An introduction describing bird biology in beautiful visual detail. -Feature spreads showcasing the planet's most impressive sites for birdwatching -Photographic essays that display the best in bird photography Discover the world of the skies!Unrivaled in scope for a single-volume reference work, Bird's photographic catalogue features species from hummingbirds to monkey-eating eagles, organised in taxonomic order. Immerse yourself in the life of birds; read about their migrations, anatomy, feeding and breeding. All this, and special features on the world's most sought after bird watching locations, make this "A must-have reference for every bird enthusiast" - BBC Wildlife Magazine.Whether you're an avian expert who knows your Accipitriformes (birds of prey) from your Falconiformes (falcons and caracaras), or are simply a nature lover wanting to learn more, you won't find a more detailed or comprehensive photographic bird book than this. What's new? After a major reclassification of all birds, this new edition is the only guide currently in print covering the new system of 40 bird orders and 140+ families, including an updated catalogue with newly discovered species. Reviewed by the experts at BirdLife International, you can be sure that you are getting the latest knowledge of bird biology and classification. Read more

Professional birding amateur and national bestselling author Matt Kracht has had it with these goddamn birds. His new book is a warning, a field guide to help you identify and stay away from the absolute worst birds ever to plague planet Earth. Featuring an all-new scientific scale devised by the author that proves how awful birds really are. We can all agree—birds are terrible. They're stupid and won't shut up. Featuring fifty of the absolute worst birds to fly the earth, Kracht identifies each of their most terrible qualities, details exactly why they suck, and shows you why with furious (but actually quite lovely) full-color drawings. Including all-new, all-worst fowl, such as: The absolute waste of feathers Cruddy Turdstone (Ruddy Turnstone) The utter a-hole Blank Staring-Eyes Flycrapper (Black Paradise Flycatcher) The outright loser Dowdy Woodfucker (Downy Woodpecker) And many more   Even the author's previous bird takedown guides are no preparation for this hilariously harrowing collection of squawking, conceited, trash-eating, and even murderous idiots. The horror. The horror . . .LOVE BIRDS? HATE BIRDS?: For those who hate birds and for bird lovers everywhere with a sense of humor, this illustrated handbook is equal parts profane and funny, and—let's face it—true. BESTSELLING AUTHOR: Matt Kracht is the author of the bestselling Field Guide to Dumb Birds series, including The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America, The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole Stupid World, and The Big Dumb Bird Journal, and (in a startling turn of enthusiasm) OMFG, BEES! ENTERTAINING AND EDUCATIONAL: This uproarious guide to all things wings includes migratory maps, tips for bird identification, musings on the avian population and classification, and more. Plus, each entry is accompanied by facts about a bird's (annoying) call, its (dumb) migratory pattern, its (downright tacky) markings, and more.   TRULY THE WORST BIRDS---A MUST-HAVE GUIDE: Even if you're familiar with the winged disasters from Matt's previous guidebook/warnings, buckle up. From the introduction: "Birds are TERRIBLE. I have spent years, YEARS, of my life studying birds. Watching them. Analyzing their behaviors. Determining their ‘contributions’ to the world. I am an expert, so believe me when I tell you this: Birds are horrible people. And the birds included in THIS book are, by far, the worst of the lot. Of all the shit-eating birds that I’ve had the misfortune to catalog over the course of my career as a scientist and professional bird critic, THESE birds take the absolute SHIT-CAKE!"   GREAT GIFT FOR BIRD LOVERS: Pair with The Field Guide to Dumb Birds Sticker Book to create the perfect present for full-on bird experts and amateur birders alike.Perfect for: Birdwatching and nature enthusiasts People who think birds are creepy or annoying (and people who love birds but also enjoy a good laugh) Anyone looking for the ultimate coffee table book or bar-top conversation starter Gift givers seeking a fun, quirky gift for their favorite bird enthusiast or animal lover Read more

“Undoubtedly the finest guide to North American birds.”—Guy McCaskie, Birding The publication of The Sibley Guide to Birds, First Edition quickly established David Allen Sibley as the author and illustrator of the nation’s supreme and most comprehensive guide to birds. Used by millions of birders from novices to the most expert, The Sibley Guide became the standard by which natural history guides are measured. The highly anticipated second edition builds on this foundation of excellence, offering massively expanded and updated information, new paintings, new and rare species, and a new, elegant design. The second edition of this handsome, flexibound volume offers a wealth of improvements and updates: • All illustrations reproduced 15 to 20 percent larger for better detail.• Includes nearly 7,000 paintings digitally remastered from original art for enhanced print quality.• Expanded text includes habitat information and voice description for every species and more tips on finding birds in the field.• More than 600 new paintings, including illustrations of 115 rare species and additional paintings of common species and regional populations.• More than 700 updated maps of ranges, showing winter, summer, year-round, migration, and rare ranges.• 85 bird family pages now cross-referenced to species accounts. • Revised taxonomic order and most current common names for every species.The Sibley Guide to Birds, second edition, brings the genius of David Allen Sibley to the world once again in a thoroughly updated and expanded volume that every birder must own. Read more

An informative and eye-catching full-color reference book for backyard bird enthusiasts, The Backyard Birdwatcher’s Bible is beautiful enough to be a coffee table book and practical enough to be a guide for both beginner and expert birders alike. Here, an elegant aesthetic is paired with practical tips on identifying, attracting, and caring for backyard birds, as well as crafting bird-friendly gardens and birdhouses. Did you know that the red-bellied woodpecker “is an opportunistic feeder, taking a wide range of invertebrates, seeds, and nuts, also fruits (it drinks from oranges) and sap”? Photographs include images of both males and females, and maps explain the range of the species. Packed with information and beautiful full-color photography and art, bird experts and artists Paul Sterry, Christopher Perrins, Sonya Patel Ellis, and Dominic Couzens flock together to offer a cornucopia of information: Species profiles: how to identify species, their habitats, their diets, and their status. Birdwatching for beginners: expert information about the life cycle of a bird, from hatchling to adult. Information about birdsongs, details about territories and nests and eggs, and much more, including essential practical advice for birdwatchers in the field. Creating a bird-friendly backyard: information on birdfeeders, breeding shelters, and flowers and shrubbery to plant in order to entice the winged visitors to visit and stay.A lively lesson on birds in art: beautiful and educational, with classic and modern art, and photographs. From Audubon to Taiichiro Yoshida, who creates delicate metal work to create bird images, the art is inspiring. This is the perfect gift for any birder, and one that birders will buy for themselves and refer to again and again. Read more

The most comprehensive identification guide to the birds of North America, Eastern Region.Discover 706 species of birds known to breed east of the 100th meridian in the United States and Canada with this indispensable reference guide to birdwatching! Published in association with America’s preeminent authority, the Smithsonian Institution, this birdwatching book includes:    • Full-page profiles that combine precise descriptions, annotated photographs and artworks to highlight the key field marks of the species in each plumage    • Similar species are shown and distinguishing characteristics are noted    • Further information on the bird’s habits describes the typical song and other vocalizations, behavior, breeding, nesting, population and conservation concerns.    • Typical flight patterns, nest locations, and shapes are described with clear icons and amplified in the text. Each bird’s range during summer, winter and migration is clearly shown on a map. From the Eastern Bluebirds and American Kestrel to the Blue Jay and Carolina Wren, this bird identification book reveals each species’ characteristics and behavior in unprecedented detail. It also details each bird’s life history in a concise and user-friendly format.The most commonly seen birds are shown in clear, full-color photographs along with images of similar bird species to make differentiation easy. You’ll also learn more about rare birds and vagrants that occasionally stray into this region.Handbooks: Birds of North America - Eastern Region is the perfect bird field guide for both armchair bird enthusiasts and dedicated bird watchers in the United States and Canada. Read more

Now completely revised and updated, the authoritative guide to over 700 birds of the American West from renowned birder, illustrator, and New York Times bestselling author David SibleyCompact and comprehensive, this guide features 715 bird species, plus regional populations, found west of the Rocky Mountains. Entries include stunningly accurate illustrations—more than 5,046 in total—with descriptive captions pointing out the most important field marks. Each entry also  includes the most current information concerning frequency, nesting, behavior, food and feeding, voice description, and key identification features. This improved edition includes:• Updated habitat, description, behavior, and conservation text for each species account and all family pages.• New and revised illustrations of species and regional forms.• New design featuring species accounts in columns, allowing for better comparison and more illustrations and text.• Current taxonomic order and up-to-date common names.• All maps revised to reflect the most current range information.• More species and rarities included. The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America contains more than 652 updated maps drawn from information contributed by 110 regional experts across the continent, and shows winter, summer, year-round, migration, and rare ranges. Read more

Get the New Edition of Minnesota’s Best-Selling Bird GuideLearn to identify birds in Minnesota, and make bird-watching even more enjoyable. With Stan Tekiela’s famous field guide, bird identification is simple and informative. There’s no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don’t live in your area. This book features 123 species of Minnesota birds organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don’t know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out. Book Features: 123 species: Only Minnesota birdsSimple color guide: See a yellow bird? Go to the yellow sectionCompare feature: Decide between look-alikesStan’s Notes: Naturalist tidbits and factsProfessional photos: Crisp, stunning full-page imagesThis new edition includes more species, updated photographs and range maps, revised information, and even more of Stan’s expert insights. So grab Birds of Minnesota Field Guide for your next birding adventure—to help ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see.   Read more

With contagious enthusiasm and fascination for her backyard chickens, best-selling author Melissa Caughey shares her unique observations of her flock—how they sense the world, communicate impending danger, and establish pecking order—along with scientific facts and entertaining tidbits. Best-selling author Melissa Caughey knows that backyard chickens are like any favorite pet — fun to spend time with and fascinating to observe. Her hours among the flock have resulted in this quirky, irresistible guide packed with firsthand insights into how chickens communicate and interact, use their senses to understand the world around them, and establish pecking order and roles within the flock. Combining her up-close observations with scientific findings and interviews with other chicken enthusiasts, Caughey answers unexpected questions such as Do chickens have names for each other? How do their eyes work? and How do chickens learn? Foreword INDIES Silver Award Winner Read more