Booklist Review
Richly illustrated guides to wildlife prove popular in most general reference collections. Authored by subject experts, Birds of North America is aimed at a nonspecialist audience. Notable for exceptional large-scale color photographs, it focuses on species found in the continental U.S. Color range maps augment each two-page entry. The volume includes a subject index and a brief bibliography. Birds of North America serves as an introduction to the world of birds, focusing on several hundred of the most common species representative of the major groups of birds. The intent of this guide is to introduce the major groups with aspects of their appearance, lifestyle, and habitats. The volume also provides background information on watching, finding, and feeding birds. American Ornithologists' Union standard English names are used for species as well as families. The taxonomically arranged entries follow a standardized format, including number of species, size, identifying characteristics, home range, food, and sounds. Each entry also has a range map. Birds of North America merits inclusion in libraries providing basic books designed to appeal to the student and lay reader. It is intended as an introductory work, and more comprehensive guides may be needed to identify unusual species.--Cannon, Nancy Copyright 2010 Booklist
Library Journal Review
This guide is intended for beginners who wish to identify common birds but do not need to know how to distinguish between a juvenile little blue heron in its white phase from a reddish egret. (For this kind of identification, turn to David Allen Sibley's The Sibley Guide to Birds or volumes in the "Peterson Field Guides" series.) Husband-and-wife conservationists Wood and Sheri Williamson and bird watcher Jeffrey Glassberg (Butterflies of North America) begin with introductory coverage of bird watching, binoculars, bird habitats, bird biology and behavior, and conservation. This is followed by the species guide, which addresses the number of species, species size, distinguishing features, habitats, food, and sounds. An "Etc." category offers historical and behavioral tidbits and identification comparisons. The "World of Birds" section covers flight, feathers, behavior, courtship, nesting, family life, migration-all the beginner basics. Rounding out the text are 240 large and crisp color photographs; the range maps are satisfactory. Birders who want to jump in with both feet might prefer the aforementioned guides; those who would like to start but are not yet keeping life lists with dates, times, and weather will be well served by this guide. Sincerely recommended for public libraries.-Nancy Moeckel, Miami Univ. Science Lib., Oxford, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.