Thalia Field’s third book with New Directions is a tour de force of blending literary genres (poetry, prose, essay, and drama) and examining our control of the natural world. Bird Lovers, Backyard continues Thalia Field’s interrogation of the act of storytelling and her experimentation with literary genre. Field’s illuminating essays, or stories, in poetic form, place scientists, philosophers, animals, even the military, in real and imagined events. Her open questioning brings in subjects as diverse as pigeons, chat rooms, nuclear testing, the building of the Kennedy Space Center, the development of seaside beaches, Konrad Lorenz, the American author and animal trainer Vicki Hearne, and the Swiss zoologist Heini Hediger. Throughout, she intermingles fact and fiction, probing the porous boundaries between human and animal, calling into question “what we are willing to do with words,” and spinning a world where life is haunted by echoes. Story and event survive through daring language, and the elegies of history.

“A chatty, appealing introduction. . . . Small and accessible, this is jam-packed with accurate information likely to increase any potential birder’s enthusiasm and knowledge.” — Kirkus Reviews(starred review) This conversational, humorous introduction to bird-watching encourages kids to get outdoors with a sketchbook and really look around. Quirky full-color illustrations portray dozens of birds chatting about their distinctive characteristics, including color, shape, plumage, and beak and foot types, while tongue-in-cheek cartoons feature banter between birds, characters, and the reader. Interactive and enjoyable tips bring an age-old hobby to new life for the next generation of bird-watchers, and eighteen new pages of activities, including drawing, mapmaking, and a scavenger hunt, make this paperback edition a must-have.

Describes the physical characteristics, behavior, voices, and habitats of a variety of common birds, arranged by their color. Includes the Peterson System of identifying birds by their unique markings.

Offers advice on how to create home gardens that attract birds, discusses the rewards of backyard birds, provides instructions for building birdhouses and feeders, ponds, perches, and other features, identifies feed and seed options, and includes tips on bird watching and an encyclopedia of seventy-five flowers, trees, and shrubs.

"Attract, feed, and shelter 50 of your favorite species!"--Cover.

You don't have to be an experienced birder to enjoy this guide! With hundreds of illustrations and a user-friendly format, you'll soon be spotting and identifying birds in your locale in no time. The updated text highlights the latest trends in birding and the most up-to-date ornithological information. -- adapted from back cover

An informative and eye-catching reference book for beginner and intermediate backyard bird enthusiasts The Backyard Birdwatcher's Bible is that rare type of book, one that is as packed with information as it is pleasing to look at. The latest in a successful line of "bibles," following The Beekeeper's Bible and TheBotanical Bible, this new volume has the broadest appeal yet. An elegant aesthetic is paired with practical tips on identifying, attracting, and caring for backyard birds, as well as crafting bird-friendly gardens and bird houses. With additional sections focused on everything from the bird life cycle to bird behavior, symbolism, and meaning in art, this authoritative book is brimming with engaging answers to all of your birdwatching questions.