This first birdfinding guide to Alabama will be an indispensable reference for the many birdwatchers and natural history enthusiasts living in or visiting the state. According to the National Audubon Society, more than 54 million Americans name birdwatching as a favored activity, making it one of the country's most popular hobbies. In locating sites productive for the viewing of a diversity of bird species and numbers, birdwatchers rely on location guides such as this one, written by local experts who know firsthand the terrain, seasonal profile, and makeup of bird species in their areas. Alabama plays host to a great number and variety of birds. The combination of its diverse natural habitats-from the Gulf coastline to Appalachian piedmont to the Tennessee River Valley-and its location in the eastern migratory flyway make it a wonderful place to observe birds in all seasons. Nearly 400 species have been positively identified in state records-almost half the total species recognized by the American Birding Association for the entire continental U.S. With the publication of A Birder's Guide to Alabama, that amazing diversity has been made more accessible for the casual birder as well as the avid "life-lister." A first of its kind for Alabama, this guide covers the best birding spots throughout the state, dividing them into four distinct geographic sections. Each section is covered by expert birders from that region and includes a general description of the area, access, the "hot spots" for viewing, the species expected to be seen and when, and details on the closest accommodations. The guide includes over 50 maps, as well as line drawings and photographs of different bird species. Spiral-bound for convenience in the field, it also offers helpful bar charts describing the frequency and distribution for all the bird species recognized for Alabama. This book will appeal to both novices and experienced birders, hikers, outdoorspeople, eco-tourists, and anyone interested in Alabama's rich biodiversity. Whether one hopes to witness the breathtaking "fall-out" of exhausted spring migrants on Dauphin Island following a coastal storm front or to gaze in awe from behind a blind at the massing of winter waterfowl at Joe Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, the user of A Birder's Guide to Alabama will find it a constantly referred-to source of information and a handy, practical field companion.

A highly visual guide to identifying birds in the field based on the important, unchanging features of size, shape, structure, and behavior Birding is an extremely rewarding and fun hobby, but some situations can be frustrating or unsuccessful because of a variety of challenging viewing conditions. This guide to identifying birds offers the holistic “birding by impression” method, which not only helps with these difficult conditions, but also develops an efficient mental identification process using left- and right-brain skills. It begins with a conscious assessment of a bird’s unchanging physical characteristics, including general size, body shape, structural features (bill, legs, neck, and wings), and behavior. Using this approach, birders can quickly assess all birds and distinguish new and uncommon species from familiar ones. They can then examine more detailed field marks to fine-tune the identification. Rather than a traditional field guide, this book presents an interactive how-to approach to a more complete identification process.

This book is based on the premise that birders can successfully plan to find a vast number of species of birds in North America, as long as they are armed with information about where to go, when to go, and what to expect.Birdfinder outlines nineteen key trips designed to produce a list of over 650 species in North America. Jerry Cooper makes this possible both economically and efficiently. Cooper summarizes the Key, Possible, Probable, and Remotely Possible birds to be seen on each of the nineteen trips, with details on transportation, accommodations, special equipment, and the birdfinding guides you will need. The specialties and key species for each of these trips are outlined in detail. This is a planning guide, illustrating a strategy for successful North American birdfinding.If you have unlimited time, you can follow the whole itinerary, trip after trip, in chronological order. Most birders, however, will pick and choose among the nineteen trips to suit the times they are free to travel. In either case, your birding experiences and lifelist will benefit greatly.Each of the nineteen trips in Birdfinder has at least one map to highlight the birding route. Another important feature of this guide is a special chart summarizing all the species to be seen on these major trips.As a bonus, an additional "Baker's Dozen" locations are included in a special chapter.Birdfinder: A Birder's Guide to Planning North American Trips will serve the dedicated birder as an essential companion to regular birdfinding guides.

This book is your key to unlocking the mysteries and complexities of bird behavior. Written in an informal, conversational style, with technical jargon kept to a minimum, John Kricher takes the "observation-explanation" approach. After noting particular behaviors that you might easily observe in the field, he explains the science and adaptation underlying those actions. Birds think; their actions are purposeful, not random. Why is that bird doing what it is doing? After a brief primer on how to watch behavior in birds and an overview of their biology, the remainder of the book highlights the most distinctive behaviors you will likely observe as you encounter and watch birds of various families. Many of these behaviors are shown in the nearly 400 color photographs throughout the book. Once you have learned how to have birds tell you about their lives by carefully observing and thinking about their actions, birds will become far more compelling than merely names to be marked on a checklist. Peterson Reference Guides offer authoritative, comprehensive information, including detailed text, maps, and superior illustrations. Written by expert authors, the guides are an unparalleled resource for understanding specific groups of animals. Book jacket.

From the award-winning birder and author of Birds of Prey, an authoritative, information-packed guide to distinguishing North American birds. In this book, bursting with more information than any field guide could hold, the well-known author and birder Pete Dunne introduces readers to the “Cape May School of Birding.” It's an approach to identification that gives equal or more weight to a bird's structure and shape and the observer's overall impression (often called GISS, for General Impression of Size and Shape) than to specific field marks. After determining the most likely possibilities by considering such factors as habitat and season, the birder uses characteristics such as size, shape, color, behavior, flight pattern, and vocalizations to identify a bird. The book provides an arsenal of additional hints and helpful clues to guide a birder when, even after a review of a field guide, the identification still hangs in the balance. This supplement to field guides shares the knowledge and skills that expert birders bring to identification challenges. Birding should be an enjoyable pursuit for beginners and experts alike, and Pete Dunne combines a unique playfulness with the work of identification. Readers will delight in his nicknames for birds, from the Grinning Loon and Clearly the Bathtub Duck to Bronx Petrel and Chicken Garnished with a Slice of Mango and a Dollop of Raspberry Sherbet.

Until now there has been no single, comprehensive resource on the status of North America's most threatened birds and what people can do to help protect them. Birder's Conservation Handbook is the only book of its kind, written specifically to help birders and researchers understand the threats while providing actions to protect birds and their habitats. Jeffrey Wells has distilled vast amounts of essential information into a single easy-to-use volume-required reading for anyone who loves birds and wants to ensure they are protected. At-a-glance species accounts cover in detail North America's one hundred most at-risk birds; each account is beautifully illustrated by today's top bird artists. The text includes status, distribution, ecology, threats, conservation actions and needs, and references. A distribution map accompanies each entry. Chapters discuss birds as indicators of environmental health, the state of North American bird populations, major conservation issues, and initiatives now underway to improve the health of North America's birds. Birder's Conservation Handbook is an indispensable resource for birdwatchers, researchers, naturalists, and conservationists. Reading it will inspire you to become an active steward of our birds and the habitats we share. A comprehensive guide to North America's one hundred most at-risk birds and how to protect them Compact and easy to use, with beautiful illustrations and data organized for convenient, at-a-glance reference Detailed species accounts, including distribution maps Practical advice on conservation Information on leading conservation agencies and resources