| Description |
vii, 512 pages : color illustrations, color maps ; 21 cm + 1 DVD (4 3/4 in.) |
| Contents |
Machine derived contents note: Contents -- Introduction 1 -- Identifying birds 1 -- Coverage 2 -- Group Accounts 4 -- Species Accounts 5 -- Names 5 -- Measurements 5 -- Natural Variation 5 -- Habits and Ecology 5 -- Vocalizations 7 -- Range Maps 7 -- Photographs and Caption Text 7 -- Natural History of Birds 8 -- Where to Look for Birds 8 -- Forests and Woodlands 8 -- Prairies and Meadows 9 -- Deserts and Shrublands 10 -- Alpine and Arctic Tundra 10 -- Wetland and Aquatic Habitats 11 -- Human Habitats 13 -- Bird Behavior 13 -- Food and Foraging 13 -- Bird Vocalizations 14 -- Courtship and Breeding 15 -- Flight and Migration 16 -- Parts of a Bird 17 -- Parts of a Duck 17 -- Parts of a Songbird 18 -- Parts of a Raptor 18 -- Parts of a Shorebird 20 -- Parts of a Gull 20 -- Plumage and molt 21 -- Sex-related plumage differences 21 -- Age-related plumage differences 21 -- Seasonal plumage differences 21 -- Molt strategies 22 -- Other Differences in Appearance 23 -- How to Identify Birds 24 -- Conservation and Ethics 28 -- Waterfowl 29 -- Whistling-ducks, Geese & Swans, and Ducks -- Upland Game Birds 57 -- Chachalacas, Grouse & Allies, and New World Quail -- Loons 71 -- Grebes 75 -- Tubenoses 80 -- Albatrosses, Shearwaters & Petrels, and Storm-petrels -- Pelicans & Allies 94 -- Tropicbirds, Boobies & Gannets, Pelicans, Cormorants, Darters, and Frigatebirds -- Herons, Ibises & Spoonbills, and Storks 104 -- Flamingos 114 -- Escapes from Captivity or Natural Vagrants? 114 -- New World Vultures, Hawks, and Falcons 116 -- Rails, Limpkin, and Cranes 138 -- Plovers 145 -- Oystercatchers, Stilts & Avocets, and Jacanas 152 -- Evolutionary Relationships 152 -- Sandpipers & Phalaropes 155 -- Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers 183 -- Skuas & Jaegers 207 -- Polymorphism 207 -- Auks, Murres, and Puffins 212 -- Pigeons & Doves 222 Parrots & Parakeets 229 -- Documenting Exotic Birds 229 -- Cuckoos & Allies 233 -- Owls and Nightjars 238 Swifts and Hummingbirds 252 Trogons and Kingfishers 263 -- Biogeography 263 -- Woodpeckers 267 -- Tyrant Flycatchers 282 -- Mobbing 295 -- Shrikes 301 -- Population Dynamics 301 -- Vireos 303 -- Patterns of Geographic Variation 310 -- Jays & Crows 311 -- Larks 322 -- Subspecies 322 -- Swallows 324 -- Chickadees, Verdin, Long-tailed Tits, Nuthatches, and Creepers 330 -- Wrens and Dippers 341 -- Bulbuls 347 -- Established Exotics 347 -- Kinglets and Old World Warblers & Gnatcatchers 348 -- Thrushes 352 -- Nocturnal Migration 361 -- Babblers 363 -- Mimic-Thrushes and Starlings & Mynas 364 -- Wagtails & Pipits 371 -- Waxwings and Silky-Flycatchers 375 -- Olive Warbler and Wood-Warblers 378 -- Long-distance Migration 397 -- Tanagers 409 -- Sparrows & Allies 413 -- Buntings & Allies 445 -- Conservation Goals 452 -- Blackbirds & Allies 452 -- Brood Parasitism 453 -- The Diversity Paradox 467 -- Finches 468 -- Weaver-Finches 479 -- Acknowledgments 481 -- Recommended References and Resources 483 -- Photo Credits 484 -- Smithsonian Field Guide to Birds of North America Birdsong DVD 491 -- Glossary of Terms 495 -- American Birding Association Checklist 499 -- Species Index 505 |
| Summary |
"This new field guide provides a suite of modern tools to effectively aid in the identification of more than 750 species of birds across North America. It introduces a "whole bird" approach by concisely gathering a collection of information about birds into one portable and well-organized volume." "2,000 stunning color photographs of birds in natural habitats show the most important field marks, regional population differences, life stages, and behaviors." "700-plus detailed and up-to-date color range maps show summer, migration, winter, year-round, and rare but regular occurrences of every major species." "A DVD of birdsongs for 138 major species (587 vocalizations in all for 5 1/2 hours of play); each high-quality MP3 file is embedded with an image of the bird, perfect to view on home computers and portable MP3 players." |
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"Concise descriptions of habits and ecology, age-related and seasonal differences, regional forms, vocalization, and informative captions pointing out the most important aspects of the bird." "46 group essays with information outlining taxonomy, feeding, migration, habitats, behaviors, and conservation status." "A thorough and accessible introduction to birds and birding includes sections on parts of a bird, plumage and molt, food and feeding, migration, habitats, conservation, tips on bow to become a better birder, and more." "A detailed glossary of terms, species checklist, and quick index." "The new Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America is perfectly designed to give birders the most powerful and user-friendly collection of information to carry into the field or wherever they enjoy learning about birds and nature."--BOOK JACKET |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (page 483) and indexes |
| Subject |
Birds -- North America.
|
| Author |
Hess, Paul, 1940-
|
|
Scott, George.
|
| LC no. |
2008001395 |
| ISBN |
0061120405 |
|
9780061120404 |
|
