If you’ve ever wondered what goes on in bird nests, or what happens after a fledgling leaves the nest, come along on Julie’s sensitive exploration of often-uncharted ornithological ground. This beautiful book is as much an art book as it is a natural history, something readers have come to expect from Julie Zickefoose. More than 400 watercolor paintings show the breathtakingly swift development of seventeen different species of wild birds. Sixteen of those species nest on Julie's wildlife sanctuary, so she knows the birds intimately, and writes about them with authority. To create the bulk of this extraordinary work, Julie would borrow a wild nestling, draw it, then return it to its nest every day until it fledged. Some were orphans she raised by hand, giving the ultimate insider’s glimpse into their lives. In sparkling prose, Julie shares a lifetime of insight about bird breeding biology, growth, and cognition. As an artist and wildlife rehabilitator, Julie possesses a unique skill set that includes sketching and painting rapidly from life as well as handling delicate hatchlings. She is uniquely positioned to create such an opus, and in fact, nothing like it has ever been attempted. Julie has many fans, and she will gain many more with this unparalleled work.

"All birds are born to fly," thinks Baby Bird, watching the other hatchlings leave the nest. "I suppose it’s now or never…" But one of Baby’s wings is twisted and shrunken and not at all like the other one. Instead of flying, Baby plummets to the ground. There, Baby makes a new friend, and learns that sometimes you have to find unexpected ways to achieve your dreams. A moving story about the power of friendship and the importance of accepting yourself just the way you are, this lovely watercolor picture book shows how friends can help you overcome difficulty.

"Baby Birds describes and illustrates the development of young robins from hatching to leaving the nest. The other three titles in the series present information on different types of birds. Readers examine various eggs, nests, and family groupings. The close picture-text matches in this series support early readers. This series explores and supports the standard "The Living Environment: Diversity of Life," as required by Benchmarks for Science Literacy: Project 2061.

"A comprehensive resource for identification of nestlings, fledglings, and precocial chicks of North America. Includes over 400 species accounts, 335 illustrations, 66 photographs, an illustrated glossary, and a systematic process to identify and assess the age of a baby bird"-

Provides information on natural and artificial incubation, feeding, proper nutrition, hand-feeding, and health problems faced by baby birds.

Joshua and his sister watch a mother bird feeding its babies. On board pages.

Literacy focus: vocabulary, initial consonants, final consonants, word endings, drawing conclusions and noting details. Science focus: looks at the things a baby bird needs to survive.