"In carved and painted wood, bird decoys capture the dynamic spirit of the creatures they represent. Originating as humble tools of the hunter's trade, antique decoys are now treasured as a uniquely North American folk-art form. In this comprehensive reference, expert Robert Shaw chronicles the evolution of hand-carved decoys form 1,500 years ago, when decoys were first crafted by Native American hunter-artist, up through the last great decoy carvers of the twentieth century. Featuring 300 illustrations--including beautiful shot images of decoys from around the United States and Canada, as well as numerous historic paintings and photographs -- this book will appeal to sportsmen, birders, and folk-art enthusiasts alike" --Cover, p. 4.

Joel Barber spent 20 years studying and collecting wild fowl decoys from Nova Scotia to North Carolina. Mr. Barber's authoratative volume is the only text written for the true collector and contains all there is to be known on the subject: how to recognize the locality from which a decoy comes, the world of famous decoy makers, the scarcity of certain types of decoys and more.

Includes material on phalaropes, snipes, woodcocks, sandpipers, godwits, willets, oyster catchers, tattlers, plovers, curlews, and others.