Product Description
Published in association with America's preeminent authority, the Smithsonian Institution, this comprehensive handbook to the birds of North America: Eastern Region includes 706 species ---- all birds known to breed east of the 100th meridian on the United States and Canada, as well as regular visitors and vagrants to this region. The Smithsonian Handbook is the first identification guide that includes details of the bird's life history in a concise and user--friendly format. Each full--page profile combines a precise description, annotated photographs, and artworks to highlight the key field marks of the species in each plumage. Similar species are shown and distinguishing characteristics are noted. Further information on the bird's habits describes the typical song and other vocalizations, behavior, breeding, nesting, population, and conservation concerns. Typical flight patterns and nest locations and shapes are described with clear icons, and amplified in the text. Each bird's range during summer, winter, and on migration is clearly shown on a map. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

informative
My mother recommended this book and I love it! It is informative, and have been able to Identify every bird in my area

Purchased as Gift
The book arrived on time for the event, and as advertised, and in excellent condition.Girlfriend is very happy with it.

Awesome bird book!
I really love this book. I just began bird watching, and this book is really helping me along. Each page is very simple to read and comes with a very detailed amount of information. The pictures are large and stunning also. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to further their knowledge of birds or begin bird watching.

Smithsonian Handbooks: Birds of North America -- Eastern Region (Smithsonian Handbooks)
I bought this book for my husband.He really enjoys it and finds it to be a great reference.Wonderful photos.

Strong on Content, Weak on Construction
This is an outstanding book as far as its content,descriptions,artwork,and overall information. It will satisfy any birdwatching enthusiatist in that respect. However, the the book is poorly constructed in that the weight (very heavy, a lot of pages) of the book and several readings will have the cover and binding coming apart. So be careful, not for younger children. I guess I should have looked for a hard cover edition instead. ... Read more

Product Description
Included in this book are 124 stories (parables) from a variety of traditions, both ancient and modern. Each story is a life lesson that teaches truths about ourselves and our world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

short meditations
Read one story or as many as you wish at one time. This book has a wonderful collection of great examples from life for our meditation.The author believes we learn through stories and he must have been a great storyteller!

I really, really love this book and carry it always please you carry it too and help lighten my load
Having wasted five stars on far lesser works, what meaning do five stars hold here? It is like making so many people saints these past decades, hand over fist, and now we encounter a true saint . . .

Not five stars, but nine to the power of nine to the ninth power of stars, for this simple text.

I really, really love this book, and am so very grateful to the late and very Reverend Father Anthony de Mello for having compiled her, and to the mainstream Roman Catholic Publishing House Image Books for having published it in 1984, with the 1981 Imprimatur of Bishop Gomes and Nihil Obstat of Jesuit Father Edwin Rasquinha.

This is one work to carry in your pilgrim pocket for the long journey ahead to peace, to enlightenment, to ultimate justice, to incarnating truly God's loving and merciful compassion, to the Omega point.

But do not let me make this simple book too complicated, nor embarrass you from reading it with too high a praise.
It's just that I really love this book. Does it show?

During my canonical year in Solesmes in 1974 and 1975, I discovered the wonderful works of the prior there, Dom Lucien Regnault, who did heroic labors in compiling and translating the sayings of the early Christian Desert Fathers, and Mothers, contemplatives monks, hermits and nuns living in the Egyptian desert. Most of these works are now out of print, tragically, and no longer even found through the Solesmes website. We fortunately yet may find here upon the amazon his The Day-to-Day Life of the Desert Fathers In Fourth-Century Egypt: In Fourth-Century Egypt., but his collections of apophthegmes may simply gather dust upon some monastic shelf, such as those in our desert hermitage.

This book reminds me strongly of those wonderful works, as each page bears a tale from various traditions which lead us to enlightenment, grace, peace and compassion.

Consider this commentary by Father de Mello to one of the brief tales in which God is shown to be the friend of an infamous sinner. -God, the friend of a sinner! A statement as dangerous as it is effective. I tried it on myself once. I said, God is far too forgiving to condemn me. And I suddenly heard the Good News - for the first time in my life.

We also read this Sufi tale -A dead man suddenly came to life and began to pound on the lid of the coffin. The lid was raised. He man sat up. -What are you doing? he said to the assembled crowd. I am not dead! HIs words were met with silent disbelief. Finally one of the mourners said, 'Friend, both the doctors and the priests have certified you as dead. So dead you are.' And he was duly buried.

We too are not dead. Do not bury us. This book has returns us to life in all of its fullness. Read this book until it falls apart in your hands, and grows in your heart. This is a great book, which I truly love. Does it show?

See as well the thoughts on the Samaritan woman, our first Christian preacher, and of course on Saint Ignatius Loyola. And please read as much as you can of this great and Reverend Father Anthony de Mello, if ever you should find that you feel you have actually finished this one book! You might also like, or find useful, Anthony De Mello: Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters Series) and Awareness the Way to Love (Awareness The Way To Love).

Excellent Service
Excellent service. I received my book much sooner than I expected and it was in better condition than I anticipated.

If you want spiritual wisdom this is a must for you
Beautiful inspirational book of stories to open the spiritual mind of any body in search of spiritual wisdom

In England, I was given this Book, & the 7 Live CD Program of De Mello Live
This was my first introduction to Beloved Anthony de Mello, a teacher of Wisdom, which radiates through these Stories.

Perhaps more Profound, is the only full-length Conference he ever allowed to be recorded, "Wake Up to Life." It is very Powerful, with a live audience. He tells many stories, answers questions, and available on audio cds.... ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (17)

Birdwatching novel
A delightful suspense novel around birdwatching themes.It will keep you guessing till the last page.

Hair-raising bird-watching in Kenya
I loved this book. I found the concept totally engaging, the humor irresistible, the characters full of surprises. And although birding is the main activity afoot, there's also banditry, politics and romance enough to please the thrill-seeking reader.

The plot is decidedly peculiar. Two men, both of Indian descent, want to invite Rose Mbikwa to the Nairobi Hunt Ball. Mr. Malik is a short, balding, semi-retired businessman. His old school fellow Harry Kahn is a handsome, gregarious playboy. Rose is the lovely white widow of a persecuted black political leader. All of them are mature in years, with fascinating back-stories.

At Mr. Malik's club, it's decided to solve the conflict through a competition. Whoever sees the largest number of bird species in the coming week may invite Rose to the Ball. Rose is to know nothing about it.

Rose leads the Tuesday morning bird walk of the East African Ornithological Society in Kenya. Mr. Malik, whose cardiologist suggested he take up bird watching, has been silently and madly in love with Rose for three years.

The bird watching competition turn out to be anything but dull. Kahn and Malik barely get through it with their lives and liberty. In the process we find out some amazing things about Mr. Malik, an unlikely hero with hidden depths.

Regardless of your feelings for birds, I challenge you not to be enchanted by the birds in this book. Their names alone are pure poetry: hoopoe, hadada, yellow-whiskered bulbul, great blue turaco, red-cheeked cordon-bleu, godwit, whimbrel, purple gallinule... Kenya, we are told, has over a thousand species of birds, more than all of North America can boast.

Nicholas Drayson has been compared to Alexander McCall Smith, but I find his style, aims and attitude altogether different. He's an original.

A charming story told with affection and humor
Mr. Malik, a widower living in Nairobi, loves his Tuesday morning bird walks-and Mrs. Mbikwa-the widow who leads them. Mr. Malik, a shy and modest man, has a dream of dancing with Mrs. Mbikwa at the annual Hunt Club Ball. First, though, he must win the right to invite her by seeing and identifying more birds species within a one week period than does his arch nemesis in life and love, the flashy Harry Khan. While Harry flies around Kenya identifying birds, Mr. Malik stays closer to home and deals with stolen cars, his lively young houseboy, and Somalian kidnappers. Will Mr. Malik's kind and generous heart win his lady love in the end? A charming story told with affection and humor.

Delightful, satisfying, and plain old fun!
Actuarially, I am past middle age. In fact, more than 90% of the world's population is younger than I am. And that shows in the things I care about, read, and buy. Advertisers, take note: Old folks in America are *not lying down to die*! Pay attention to us!

Like the author of this book did. Mr. Malik, a widower and Mrs. Mbikwa, a widow, both of a certain vintage, are the focus of the love story in this book. Each has lost a well-loved spouse, each is living a full, interesting life and each is aware of a...space, an unfilled spot, in life. So what do they do? They go watch birds.

God, doesn't that sound dull? It's not. It's just the starting point for a deft, elegantly made meditation on what love means and how love is transmitted, received, and propagated in ever-larger and more complete circles. Drayson creates Rose Mbikwa, nee Macdonald, as that hardest to portray character: the lively, sad, solitary widow of a charismatic man. Her loss and her life are completely, and concisely, and elegantly drawn in less time than lesser prose stylists take to make minor characters. Mr. Malik, a complex and private man, isn't so much drawn as peeled, layer by later, until the things we think we know about him become...well...iceberg-tips of the cold, sad, lonely sea inside him.

But...and this is the biggest but I can imagine...he's *never* whiny, self-pitying, self-obsessed, nothing like that oh nay nay! He's a force in his own life and he's working on making it, and as much of the world as he touches, a better place.

The spirals Drayson spins as Mr. Malik and Mrs. Mbikwa orbit each other are always tightening and yet never constricting or confining our perceptions...this is good stuff, ladies and gentlemen! Good, good craftsmanship and an excellent storytelling eye.

I'd say do yourself a favor and read this book. It's short, only about 200pp, and it's fun, and it's got great substance. Most highly recommended.

Charming
This is a lovely, charming story in which nothing much happens -- certainly nothing very serious. I enjoyed reading its 200 pages and was sorry when it was over. ... Read more

Product Description
Essential, comprehensive, and easy to use, National Geographic Complete Book of Birds is an astonishing resource that covers every bird species in North America, as well as all the migrants that fly through. The entries are organized by family groups-an incredible 82 are included-according to the American Ornithological Union guidelines. Within a family, each separate bird entry has dozens of tips and illustrations on species' genders, age groups, behavior, habitats, nesting and feeding habits, and migration routes. Readers will also find unique features, such as:

• A quick-find index for the most common bird groups and a full glossary
• Straightforward, accessible text by numerous birding experts, including National Geographic's resident birding consultantJonathan Alderfer
• Hundreds of range and migration maps from renowned ornithologist Paul Lehman with National Geographic cartographers
• State-of-the-art, updated bird illustrations by expert artists, including Jonathan Alderfer
• New and original photographs from well-known bird photographers Kevin Karlson and Brian Small

Customer Reviews (15)

Bird Book
I purchased for our family to review as we had birds feed from our yard feeders. Our children really enjoyed seeing birds in the yard and then trying to locate info. in the book about them.

Joyful Surprise
We were looking for a good reference book to use when looking at the birds in our back yard.This book more than met the bill.The big plus was the quality of the book itself.For a price that was less than what most paper backs cost we received this awesome work bound in leather like a fine Bible.Great deal to say the least.

Exclusive Edition
I was given an copy of this book with a yellow banner across the top with black text that reads" Exclusive Edition," so I am not sure what the differences are between my copy and this edition.

When I really need detailed information about bird species, I use a guide specifically written about warblers, hawks, sparrows, etc.

However, when I need more detail on birds when I do not have a specialized reference, I use the National Geographic's Complete Birds of North America. Its range and migration maps have proven to be very useful to me. Although much too large and heavy to be used as a field guide, this desk reference gets five stars from me.

The only complaint I have is the index in my editon is not at the back of the book. There's another 32 pages of articles at the end of the book after the index, and I need to hunt for the index each time.

Marshall Faintich, author of "A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Wintergreen"

Review of BIRDS from National Geographic
As you would expect from a National Geographic publication, this is an exceptionally complete and easily used reference book.We keep it close by to identify birds in our area.

Incredible compendious book
I mistakenly bought this book (I was looking for the field guide version) but it is so beautiful and informative I had to keep it. If you are a birder, this is a must-have. Great drawings and photographs and lots of info to keep you going. The book sits by our back garden sliding door and is a great reference book to have at your fingertips. ... Read more

Product Description
Enjoy birding like never before. A complete guide to birds with superb color photography, up-to-date and detailed range maps, clear and concise text, and a DVD of birdsongs. 1.50 inches tall x 6.00 inches long x 8.00 inches wideAmazon.com Review

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.

Customer Reviews (70)

The disc with bird sounds is worth the price by itself!
The overall contents of the book makes it just another fair book about birds but the disc included with multiple bird sounds makes it worth buying.

Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds
I received the book in a timely manner, and I was very pleased with the book!

Great Stuff
I love this bird book.It's very detailed and the pictures are great with detail! JR

Great Book
I need pictures not drawings for identification of birds.I have Peterson's Field Guide but it doesn't have all the wonderful information which this book has. The intro at the beginning of book, and at each group of birds is extremely helpful for a new bird watcher like me.

A great guide
This guide is an excellent home reference - a bit too heavy to take in the field, but very useful. I really enjoy the color photos of birds, although field marks are often difficult to see compared with drawings. The range maps are too small for local birding. I picked this book over a similar photographic guide because of the DVD of bird songs, but did not find the DVD to be of much use.

Marshall Faintich, author of"A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Wintergreen" ... Read more

Product Description
Introduced in 1977 and completely revised in 1994, these bestselling photographic field guides have become the birding bibles of more than four million enthusiasts. Virtually every bird found in North America is brought to life in a full-color photograph and with textual information on the bird's voice, nesting habits, habitat, range, and interesting behaviors. Accompanying range maps; overhead flight silhouettes; sections on bird-watching, accidental species, andendangered birds make these the most comprehensive field guides to birds available.

Note: the Western Edition covers the Rocky Mountain range and all the states to the west of it, while the Eastern Edition generally covers states east of the Rocky Mountains. Amazon.com Review
A favorite of birdwatchers (especially those who preferphotographs to illustrations), this field guide, revised for 2000,accounts for the 544 bird species that live in the region west of theGreat Plains. The clearly printed color photographs capture birds atrest and in flight; preceded by black-and-white silhouettes, theplates are organized by visually based, intuitivecategories--"hawk-like birds," "pigeon-like birds," and "perchingbirds," for example--that make on-the-fly identification a fairlysimple matter. The images are matched by clearly written text thatdescribes a given bird, gives an approximation of its voice, anddetails its habitat, range, nests, and behavior. Sized to fit in ajacket or backpack pocket, this is a valuable companion for anybirding outing in the region. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Birding...
I have always favored NAS guides and this book is another reason why I value them so highly.It is easy to use, comprehensive in its scope and small.I would recommend this to anyone who has any interest in birds, novice or expert.

Great purchase!
I recently purchased National Audobon's Field Guide for Birds - Western Region and couldn't be more pleased with it. The book was in "like new" condition and was delivered in a very short time.Thanks Amazon!

great field guide
I love these books. I have found with field guides that it is always good to have more than one because they all lack information, but this is definitely a good one to have. Very small and lightweight.

National Audubon Society Field Guide To Birds--Western Region
I have been bird watching for over 25 years. I am far from a professional ornithologist, but I do keep yearly lists of birds I have seen.I lived on the pacific flyway for a few years and enjoyed the diversity of birds I saw daily with my family.I still struggle with the flycatchers and as Patrick F. McManus called them in his story "Tough Guys Don't Bird" (Real Ponies Don't Go Oink!), "the little drab birds."This is due to my lack of familiarity with them.Keep this in mind as you read the rest of my review!

For ease of use it would be a "5 Star" product.Birds are categorized by type (gull-like birds, perching birds, etc.) with an easy to identify symbol.Some categories of birds (like the perching birds)are further divided into color phases that help to find the bird by color.Photos are in color and are linked (by page #) to a geographic map of the species range (with a written description of their range), written physical description of the species, common name and genus/species is also provided, identification by call (somewhat useful--I'd by audio examples if you are interested in ID by voice-- it is more helpful), habitat, and nesting.Additional helps are found in the introduction, Parts of a Bird (black and white plate with each part of the bird identified), How to Use This Guide section, and an Index of all birds with corresponding page numbers.IT IS A GREAT RESOURCE THAT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN IDENTIFYING BIRDS OF THE WESTERN US.(My older kids <9-12 yrs old> can navigate the book and find the birds they have seen)

The only complaint I have is some of the photos (maybe 1-2%) aren't as helpful as they could be (remember the LITTLE DRAB BIRDS). Color isn't as vibrant in the photo, specific characteristics are hard to see, and you only get one angle of view of the bird.I use a Sibley Field Guide To Birds of Western NA to help ID birds I am struggling with.It provides numerous color plates (painted) of each species with additional angles of view (flying and standing) that help to see the bird from other positions.Because they are painted the attention to detail is AWESOME and really helps with the harder to identify birds.It is a great resource in its own right!I would recommend buying both resources!

GReat Gift
This was purchased as a Christmas gift for my daughter, so it's hard to review.Service was great and the book arrived as promised. ... Read more

Product Description
The universally respected NPR journalist and bestselling memoirist Scott Simon makes a dazzling fiction debut. In Pretty Birds, Simon creates an intense, startling, and tragicomic portrait of a classic character–a young woman in the besieged city of Sarajevo in the early 1990s.

In the spring of 1992, Irena Zaric is a star on her Sarajevo high school basketball team, a tough, funny teenager who has taught her parrot, Pretty Bird, to do a decent imitation of a ball hitting a hoop. Irena wears her hair short like k. d. lang’s, and she loves Madonna, Michael Jordan, and Johnny Depp. But while Irena rocks out and shoots baskets with her friends, her beloved city has become a battleground. When the violence and terror of “ethnic cleansing” against Muslims begins, Irena and her family, brutalized by Serb soldiers, flee for safety across the river that divides the city.

If once Irena knew of war only from movies and history books, now she knows its reality. She steals from the dead to buy food. She scuttles under windows in her own home to dodge bullets. She risks her life to communicate with an old Serb school friend and teammate. Even Pretty Bird has started to mimic the sizzle of mortar fire.

In a city starved for work, a former assistant principal offers Irena a vague job, “duties as assigned,” which she accepts. She begins by sweeping floors, but soon, under the tutelage of a cast of rogues and heroes, she learns to be a sniper, biding her time, never returning to the same perch, and searching her targets for the “mist” that marks a successful shot. Ultimately, Irena’s new vocation will lead to complex and cataclysmic consequences for herself and those she loves.

As a journalist, Scott Simon covered the siege of Sarajevo. Here, in a novel as suspenseful as a John le Carré thriller, he re-creates the atmosphere of that place and time and the pain and dark humor of its people. Pretty Birds is a bold departure, and the auspicious beginning of yet another brilliant career for its author.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Compelling and convincing
This is the story of Irena, a sniper for the besieged Bosnians, who is 17 and would really rather be playing basketball, reading fan mags, smoking and drinking coffee with her pals. Instead, because Sarajevo has been besieged by the Serbs, she is living in the apartment of her grandmother (shot dead the first day of the war) with her mom and increasingly depressed dad, rarely going out because the streets are so dangerous.

Simon's depiction of the place and time is utterly convincing. You feel like you are stuck in that apartment with them. He also does a decent job getting into the head of a 17-year-old girl, following her evolution into a sniper under the tutelage of a former high school principal turned insurgent commander.

The only flaw is that, unrealistically, every darned character in the book is just as frigging clever as Scott Simon! No conversation is less than sparkling, no description is less than threefold depth. This got on my nerves after a while.

Still, overall, an entertaining, heartbreaking, and mostly convincing book.

Great book, weak ending?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm a radio fan of Scott Simon and can see his point of view here. The story is a page turner but I was a little let down by the ending. It seemed a little too convenient. I would have liked to see something more challenging for the final chapter. I love a good coming-of-age novel and appreciated the historical information as a bonus.

Sad little bird!
I found this book to be interesting for what appeared to be a realistic description of the war in Sarajevo.My family comes from that ethnic region and I know the character of the people was very realistically portayed!The story does not follow a 'cliche' script so you must read to the end to find out how it ends!Thank you Scott Simon.

A difficult story to read, but well worth it
After reading "Pretty Birds" I can say it must have been author Scott Simon's intent to empathize with the people of Sarajevo who suffered profoundly under the siege.His characters - primarily a Bosnian Muslim middle-class family - are not strangers in rags running in a desolate land. Rather, the Zarics resemble the family two doors down: Irena, the Air Jordan-wearing high school basketball star who signs to Madonna and reads Vogue; her parents - Dalila and Milo - who were idealistic college kids swept up in the myriad movements of the 1960s.

As their world deteriorates into chaos, each reacts in their own way. Milo remains inventive in conserving candlewax and rainwater. Dalila combats the ennui of mere survival by looking after her older neighbors in their bombed-out apartment building. Irena becomes a sniper, and much of her internal dialogue is a debate between justifying the retaliatory murders of the Serbian besiegers and appealing to a higher morality that compels her to aim just above their heads.

This book is well-written and would be a quicker read if one did not have to stop every so often as a character after character is brutally silenced by a mortar or a sniper's clever shot. Simon spares no agony here in his brutal illustration of the horrors of war upon a very familiar civilian populace. Nor does he ever let the victims be seen as statistics, going to lengths to describe their personalities as a seasoned journalist knows how to do. I came away from "Pretty Birds" with a tragically personal sense of the thousands of losses the students, managers, clerks, clerics, businessman and housewives endured under the crush of civil war.

Poorly written - okay story
I like Scott Simon on NPR and I really wanted to like this book, but I was disappointed. Character development is poor and I was unable to picture the scenes that Simon was writing about. Descriptions are not clear. There is a lot of dialogue but I didn't find it particularly interestingor engaging. I do enjoy listening to the author a lot on the radio. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Christmas stories; Family; Christmas; Literary Criticism / Children's Literature; Religion / Holidays / Christmas ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

This edition is a travesty
This looks like a workbook with the text taking up 18 pages and the rest of the book filled with fifteen 8.5 x 11 blank pages.No illustrations.No break between chapters.How can I give this as a gift.They have wrecked this wonderful tale with this terrible packaging.I'm sending it back.

Super Story
The Birds' Christmas Carol was not a familiar story to me.Iexpected it to be about the birds I find at our feeders.It wasn't.It is a lovely sentimental 'tear-jerker.' It was short, sweet and not entirely predictable. It will be a story that hope will be a Christmas tradition for reading to my grandchildren.

Thank heaven for frugal grandmothers
My grandmother threw no children's books out ever since she had figured out that a new audience came along every few years. She read me The Bird's Christmas Carol in installments when I was around seven, I think. Later I inherited the book, which was the edition from the 1880's (old when Grandmother was young!). Yes, it is sentimental, bathetic, and Carol a little unbelievable but it's also a great Christmas story. The Ruggles's dialect is tough slogging but extremely funny once you figure out the style AND it's a good picture of poverty in the 1880's, should anyone be interested. The book is a wonderful period piece.

Not a Happy, Cheerful Christmas tale
I own the 1941 edition of this book, given to me by some friends.It is charmingly illustrated - I'm not sure if that holds true for other editions.
As one might expect from books of this age, there is a heavy moral tone.It is not a cheerful book, nor would I recommend reading it at Christmas.I find it better as a take on the time period rather than an actual story.
The story concerns two families, the Birds and the Ruggles.The Birds are a well-to-do family; the Ruggles live in "the little house at the end of the back garden."They are poor.
Carol Bird is the main character in this story.She is a young child afflicted with an unnamed illness that leaves her invalid.However, she is plucky and cheerful and always thinks of doing well for others.One year, she gets it into her head to invite the Ruggles over for Christmas. It's sheer treacle afterwords - the Birds are nobless oblige, the Ruggles are pitifully grateful.
SPOILER: This is a children's book.However, before you buy it or read it to a child, you should know that Carol Bird dies in the end.
I found the interactions between the Birds and the Ruggles very interesting as a modern reader looking back to that time; there is quite a difference in class / social standing between the two families.As a story, however, it is quite cloying.

Sweet, sad, story
I first read this story on Christmas day when I was ten years old and never forgotten it.It is perhaps trite in this day and age but I loved it and read it to my children and then my grandchildren.It is a story of compassion and caring. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (13)

Birds of East Asia
I recently used this book in Japan. Most of the birds were found easily. Even with this book it helps to have a working knowledge of bird classes, such "I wonder what kind of warbler this." I found the pictures very realistic and useful.

Great layout, but covers only the birds of far northeast Asia
In contrast to the "Field Guide to Birds of China" tome by MacKinnon and Phillipps, this field guide is less comprehensive but much more user-friendly.Species drawings, maps, and descriptions are given on the same page, and this guide is small enough to slip into a jacket pocket.However, the coverage of the two guides overlaps for only the easternmost sliver of China.Brazil's guide barely gets west of Beijing and south of Hong Kong, but it adds Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the easternmost part of Russia.So if your Far East tour includes those countries and only the major eastern cities in China (Beijing, Shanghai), then Brazil's guide is the way to go.If, however, you are going to venture farther inland in China, you'll need to haul MacKinnon and Phillipps' guide.

Great Guide, But Perhaps Too Ambitious
As others have noted from their respective corners of eastern Asia, range maps might be a little off, and I can add eastern Russia to that list.I restrict this review to that geographical area.I suspect that the Kamchatka range maps are good, and many of the songbirds appear to be properly represented throughout the Russian Far East, but for the southern Russian Far East some of the maps of key low-density raptors (Saker falcon, Mountain hawk eagle, Monk vulture) are way off.

Although the author clearly relied on the knowledge of regional experts who did not always give him the best or most current information regarding species distribution, the bottom line, I think, is that this is the best guide (at least in both English and Russian) for the Russian Far East.Just don't rely too much on the range maps.

Birds of East Asia
I bird internationally two or three times a year, and therefore own a library of birding books.This book ranks in the higher level of books for its quality.The illustrations are excellent.It is laid out nicely with range maps alongside the descriptions of the birds.Descriptions are slightly more detailed than are usually found in birding books, which is a good feature.This book only ventures into the eastern regions of China and Russia, but for those birding eastern Russia, this is the book to have.For Japan and Taiwan, the range maps tend to be on the small side, although I think the quality illustrations and the descriptions make up for this. I highly recommend this book.

EASTERNmost East Asia
I am leaving for China in one week and will be taking this book, which looks to be an excellent guide.However, I was cross-referencing the birds in it with those found in Sichuan and Yunnan provinces in the southwest of China, and most birds are lacking.As hinted at by the inclusion of Japan and Russia in the title, this book covers birds of easternmost east Asia.It does not cover Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan, Hong Kong, and southern China.Moreover, the species maps only show distributions in the easternmost provinces of China, regardless if they are in fact further west. ... Read more

Product Description
Costa Rica, a country of no larger than West Virginia, hosts more than 830 species of birds, more than in all of North Amerian north of Mexico. It may well be the only country in the world with as many bird species and habitats to be found in such a small area. Within two hours' drive from San Jose, one can see quetzals in highland forests, antbirds in lowland forests, or shorebirds and ibises in mangrove swamps.

This lavishly illustrated book is the most comprehensive treatment of a rich tropical avifauna ever presented in a single volume suitable for its use in the field. With is full coverage of waterbirds and migrants as well as resident tropical species, and its coverage of such topics as plumages, vocalizations, food habits, nesting, and distribution, it is truly a guide to the birds themselves, not merely a guide to their identification.

Gary Stiles and Alexander Skutch first set the stage for the birds by briefly describing the landforms, vegetation, and climates of Costa Rica. For those who want to take "that second long look" to interpret what they see, the authors discuss some aspects of evolution, ecology, and behavior of Costa Rican birds, and report on the costly and courageous conservation efforts the country is making in face of discouraging odds. The family and species accounts that follow, covering some 400 pages, make up the bulk of the book, with 52 magnificent color plates illustrating virtually ever species of Costa Rican bird, migrants as well as residents. There are also practical tips for trips in the field and descriptions of good birding locations, with specific directions for travel by car, public transport, and on foot, as well as three maps.

A highly readable, portable encylopedia to the fascinating, ever-surprising birds of Costa Rica, this book will be welcomed by birders and other naturalists, professional and amateur ornithologists, ecologists, travelers, and conservationlists throughout the northern Neotropics.

F. Gary Stiles is Profess or Biology and Curator of Birds, Museum of Zoology, at the University of Costa Rica.Alexanda F. Skutch has lived in Costa Rica for more than 50 years and has dedicated his professional life to studying the breeding biology of Neotropical birds. He is the author of many books, including Life of the Woodpecker and Life of the Tanager (Cornell University Press)Dana Gardner, who is with the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, has extensive field experience in Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia. He has illustrated a number of books on birds and tropical nature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

Fabulous
This book is a bird lover's God send. On our trip to Costa Rica, it was extremely useful, given its full illustrations of thousands of exotic species to be found in that glorious tropical climate. We were especially delighted to experience sightings of the rare Quetzel and Toucan. A fabulous guide for anyone visiting Costa Rica, or those simply wishing to live vicariously.

Not up to North American quality, but...
gotta have one for going to Costa Rica. All the color plates are in the center of the book, with the written descriptions spread out.Come to think of it, for a medium birder in a strange place, that might work out ok for checking out the pictures quickly to match with a new bird.I'll give it a try.Planning on buying another book, since I'm going to Panama as well.

nothing compares
Yes, it's too big for the field.Yes, it was published in 1989, and no update is imminent (presumably).But no birder traveling to Costa Rica should do so without this work (and Amazon offers a great price).It's also true that Garrigues and Dean have now offered a much more portable guide that can (and should) be carried in the field, and for that I'm especially grateful.But when puzzles arise (as they invariably do), the encyclopedic information from Stiles & Skutch must be readily available (in the car or hotel room).The supplementary information offers an insightful view of a country that for many of us is the ultimate tropical prototype.The species profiles are detailed and yet concise, and the illustrations are both beautiful and representative.If you're a birder going to Costa Rica, don't leave home without it.

One additional note - I did buy an inexpensive, worn used copy from which I had a copy service separate the plates from the text and bind each separately.The plates will accompany me in the field.Those plates will probably help me narrow down my diagnostic choices more quickly.For examples, in Garrigues-Dean I have twelve plates for woodcreepers and antbirds, while I have to peruse only four plates from Stiles-Skutch.

Costa Rica Bird Book
Outstanding bird guide;accurately illustrate birds allowing me to identify birds that I had never seen before.The book is full of information as to the clima, geography, avian habitats and identifies the names of the birds both in Spanish and English.A must have!

Outstanding field guide
This guide to the birds of Costa Rica contains a wealth of information on where to find the birds, apart from their habits, how to identify them easily in the field, and their typical habitat in Costa Rica.The colored plates are good, although in the case of one or two species, a little on the small side.Overall, outstanding value for money and a tribute to years of painstaking research in the field. ... Read more

Product Description
Transform your backyard into birdland with this A-to-Z compendium of useful information and tips. Best-selling author Sally Roth covers everything you need to know, from migration patterns and feeding to territorial fights and water gardens. Kids and adults will find fascinating lore throughout and be inspired to try one of the many projects right away. -Learn how to identify more than 50 varieties of birds and understand their behavior and songs -Learn what to do when you find a baby bird that's fallen from its nest -Tips and plans for building all sorts of feeders, nesting boxes, and birdbaths. Create your own bird caf! -Recipes for custom blends of birdseed plus special treats like Chickadee Doughnut Delights and Christmas trees for birds -Discover why birds love yards with moss -Find out what you need to plant a birdseed garden and discover the 25 best plants for birds -Plans for bird-friendly water gardens, flower gardens, and hummingbird gardens ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

very informative
I enjoy the book a great deaL, It has helped me know what type of feedI need to get to attract several species of birds. It does exactly what I bough it for.

Most informative!
This is a most informative book! Well worth the money. A great reference book to have.

Very informative for the newbie bird lover.
This is an excellent book.It explains the habits of the different varieties of birds, and offers tips on how to attract them to your yard. The topics are well arranged, and it is easy to read.

Everything you need to know in one place
A birder friend of mine said this book had everything and he was right. Easy to read front to back, but equally easy to find something specific.

Feathered Friends
I really liked the book. It is a Christmas present to me from my husband.I will be happy to wrap up and read it this winter.I was pleased how fast the order was filled. ... Read more

Product Description
Praise for Lecturing Birds On Flying

"Finally, a book taking a critical look at quantitative finance models, illuminating both their flawed fantasy assumptions as well as the uncritical use of such models on Wall Street, in many cases, leading to billion dollar losses. Pablo Triana knows both the financial industry and the academic community from the inside. A must-read for anyone interested in finance."
—Dr. Espen Gaarder Haug, trader, thinker, and author of Derivatives Models on Models

"A thoroughly readable explanation of the problems that have beset the models and quantitative techniques that have underpinned so much of finance in recent years. If only the bankers had heeded this message a few years before, we might not be in such a big mess today."
—Gillian Tett, Assistant Editor of the Financial Times, overseeing global financial markets coverage, and author of Fool's Gold

"Pablo Triana dismembers quantitative finance, in theory and in practice, with expertise, anger,and an excellent eye for the illuminating anecdote. By the time he has finished marshalling his evidence, his call to replace complex equations with something more like common sense sounds like, well, common sense."
—Edward Hadas, Assistant Editor at Breakingviews.com; and author of Human Goods, Economic Evils: A Moral Approach to the Dismal Science

"Pablo Triana is an entertaining and engaging writer, even on the dry subject of finance theory. His debunking of conventional wisdom is a treat."
—Pauline Skypala, Editor, FTfm, Financial Times

"Triana's book is an unrelenting fusillade of detailed and irrefutable arguments against financial theorems and those who teach them. It should, by rights, spark a revolution in both investment banks and business schools. But, at the very least, it is required reading for anyone who would regulate the finance industry."
—Felix Salmon, Finance Blogger, Reuters ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Awkward language lesson
I was, and continue to be, interested in the ideas presented in this book, but finished only about 75%. Unfortunately, it is one of the most poosly written pieces of text I have ever purchased. Almost too poorly written to understand. Tenses and pluralities wrong, words used incorrectly and frequently made up. I was left wanting my money back. Certainly no editor was employed. It reads like a first draft. Perhaps someone that can write will take on this subject.

great read
i fell asleep trying to read this book, the writing can improve and the content is still quite useful

this pretty is about questioning the teacher,

it is somewhat of a trend for ignorant teachers to ridicule their students in front of the class enough so they dont ask anymore questions, happened to a girl in my class, she was consistent, and she kept raising important questions, and the teacher kept personally attacking her, now she just sits there quietly

in my opinion, that kills creativity

pretty useful book, recommended

The worst book on risk management ever written
This book is the risk management equivalent of someone who says automobiles are useless because a few drivers crashed.The author has absolutely no understanding of risk management in either theory or practice.Don't waste your money.

An awkward book...
I bought this book because the title and the foreword by Taleb suggest that it contains an original contribution to the critical discussion in the aftermath of the big financial crisis. When reading through the author's lengthy foreword I could not help asking myself again and again: How could Mr. Taleb (who stands for lucid and concise writing, original insights and thorough understanding of his subjects and the respective background) endorse a piece like that? Triana sounds like an undergraduate student who just failed his quantfin 101 class and now he hates the "professors" with their "excessive analyticialization" and their "self-serving theorizing" (quotes).

As for the main point(s) of the author: BSM is wrong. Right. Academic literature is full of empirical and theoretical accounts of the failings and possible extensions of the formula. Triana battles the normal distribution assumption, he does not even make it to the more subtle (and critical) assumptions of the theory: perfect liquidity, frictionless markets, continuous trading and the absence of systemic events as we have seen it during the crisis.

As a remedy for the problems the author seems to suggest something like "practice without theory" (only natural given that he seems to be a third-tier practitioner who has not mastered the theory), lacking the most basic insight that EVERYBODY acts on theory be it formal or not. Interestingly, as a first witness he quotes Jim Simons from Renaissance Technologies who only hires top mathematicians and scientists for his hedge fund saying "that there is no fundamental, set-in-stone truth in the markets". The author (mis-)interprets this as to mean that formal thinking is harmful in financial markets. So, Mr. Triana, what do you imagine top scientist do at Renaissance? I bet, there is some heavy analyticalization going on there...

Deeply unsettling insider account
A deeply unsettling insider account of how bogus mathematics overtook finance and was a key contributor to the financial collapse of 2008-2009 and also the 25% losses Wall Street suffered in the crash of 1987.Pablo Triana, like his fellow iconoclastic options trader Nassim Taleb who wrote the foreword, seeks to reform financial markets by dumping most of the mathematical models and the academic "quants" who invaded Wall Street since the 1980s.

With deep insight, Triana deconstructs the "pillars" of mathematical finance: the capital asset pricing model, the Black Scholes Merton options pricing model, dynamic hedging, value at risk and many other foundational assumptions about "efficient markets" equilibrium, normal distributions that comprise the kit-bag of financial economics taught in elite business schools.

Like Nassim Taleb, celebrated author of The Black Swan (2007), Triana is calling for major surgical reform of such business schools' curricula.Like me and my colleagues Peter Nobel, Ralph Abraham, Robert Nadeau and other mathematicians and scientists, Triana and Taleb are calling for the de-linking of the Bank of Sweden Prize from the real Nobels.

An important addition to our deeper understanding of how finance must be reformed.
... Read more

Product Description
"Of all the people I play against, the only one I truly fear is Larry Bird."--Magic Johnson, from the Foreword.

The heart and soul of a champion: his life, his career, his game. To understand basketball, you have to understand Larry Bird. Arguably the greatest all-around player the game has ever known, he led the Boston Celtics from the basement to three world championships, collecting three NBA Most Valuable Player awards along the way. Yet, despite these massive accomplishments, Bird has rarely talked to the press, and much about the man has remained a mystery. Now in Drive, the long-silent superstar sets the record straight, revealed a side of himself-and of basketball-you've never see before. Inside, you'll learn Bird's most private feelings about: The momentous decision to transfer from Bobby Knight's Indiana University to Indiana State. The heartbreak of his father's suicide and his own failed marriage. The single-minded discipline that tumed a small-town hero into a national superstar. The Boston Garden and the legendary Celtic charm. The Isiah Thomas controversy and the fierce Celtic-Laker rivalry. The great players of the NBA: including Magic Johnson, Dominique Wilkins, and Michael Jordan, and much more. here is the book that puts a basketball legend-and his game-on the line. And scores! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (37)

Story of a Celtic Legend
Larry Bird is one of the legends of the game of basketball, and this 1989 autobiography is a great overview of Bird's life.Bird discusses growing up in French Lick, Indiana, recalling how he became enamored with basketball but also discussing some of the hard times he had as a youth.Bird temporarily put Indiana State on the national college basketball map, and the Sycamores' road to the 1979 title matchup against Magic Johnson and Michigan State is traced.

Bird's NBA career is recalled, including the stories of the banner-raising '81, '84 (when they beat the Kareem-Magic Lakers), and '86 title teams, as well as the unforgettable and inspirational '87 team that never quit and fought hard to the bitter end, outlasting Milwaukee and Detroit and taking the Lakers to six games despite its many injuries.Bird closes his autobiography by offering observations on NBA cities, referees, fans, and Red Auerbach.

Informative & Insightful
This is primarily a jock biography, but a nicely engaging one.Despite a lack of speed, Larry Bird was one of the greatest NBA players ever due to intelligent play, hard work, and constant practice.In short, he had lots of drive.Here he tells his story, beginning in rural French Lick (and West Baden Springs) Indiana where he group up in a poor home with five siblings.Young Larry favored baseball, but his love for hoops grew in his teen years as did his height and overall ability.Bird describes playing briefly at Indiana (and Bob Knight), before switching to Indiana State, where he led the Sycamores to the final game of the 1979 NCAA tournament (losing to Magic Johnson and Michigan State).Then it was on to the Boston Celtics, who had actually selected him in the draft before his final year.On Boston he soon emerged as one of the league's top stars - arguably it's best player before injuries slowed him down.Bird provides an insightful view of life on the great Celtics teams of the 1980's, playing alonside such stars as Tiny Archibald, Kevin McHale, (Chief) Robert Parrish, Bill Walton, etc.The Celtics won three NBA titles (1981, 1984, 1986) and were runners-up in1985 and 1987.Bird provides an inside look at each series.In fact, he focuses heavily on the playoffs.Nor does this modest star shy away from his shortcomings, both on and off the court.Published in 1989, this book is no deeply analytical treatise, but readers should enjoy the sporting insights from this modest yet very talented player.

Good read for Bird fans
My 12 year old son enjoyed this book about the life of Larry Bird. I purchased this book for a very low price & it was money well spent. This book will stay on his shelf for years to come.

Account of a life, a bit drab but enlightening none the less for Bird fans
Book outlines apparently the life as Larry Bird as written by him. Pretty basic stuff here. A good read if you were a Bird fan back in the past. Of course I emmulated my game after him while playing in two leagues as a teenager, now don't care much about basketball. So for me, it was somewhat of an enjoyable read. Didn't take long went right through it. Some interesting things about him was that his dad killed himself, and Bird's deep attitude about not being superficial I found especially interesting. However, he tries not to make any enemies here and there's nothing to controversial to be found. Interesting to see how someone of his stature kept his head together.

Bland; lacking any of Bird's famed wit
As a fan of Larry Bird, I found that this book did not meet my expectations.As one of the best trash talkers in the game, I anticipated a larger degree of wit among this writing.Unfortunately, although detailed, Bird's story comes off somewhat bland and does not encompass much of Bird's state of mind; instead focusing merely on citing the events in his life.

For those seeking to learn about the life of one of the NBA's greatest champions and who also have an interest in basketball, there are some good nuggets of information available.When Bird first came into the league, for instance, he considered the three point shot as something that was well out of his range, the distance too great.Revelations such as this will come as a surprise to those who only know of his champion style heroics.Had the book contained a more significant amount of this new and fascinating information, it certainly would have rated higher.

Bird certainly provides a behind the scenes look into basketball; however it lacks any noteworthy reflection from Bird on the topic.If you are looking for an inspirational piece from the mindset of one of sports great champions, you will be rather disappointed.
... Read more

Product Description
Learn about and identify birds using Stan Tekiela's state-by-state field guides. The full-page, color photos are incomparable and include insets of winter plumage, color morphs and more. Plus, with the easy-to-use format, you don't need to know a bird's name or classification in order to easily find it in the book. Using this field guide is a real pleasure. It's a great way for anyone to learn about the birds in your state. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Exactly as stated on line
This book was delivered within a few days and was in tip top shape.Will definitely order from this vendor again

THE reference book on birds
I was in my favorite specialty store on birds a year ago and was told by the owner that this is THE reference book on birds that is sold the most in their shop.A comfortable size to keep on a table or ledge of a window, the pictures are very good.I've used it to identify a pair of red-tailed hawks that a family of crows was going after (it helped that I had a pair of binoculars and the book showed a picture of what the bird looked like while soaring).Who'd have thought four crows were that brave but I witnessed it.

I've used the book to determine two species of woodpeckers that we have.I seem to have a mental block identifying this bird!I've also read up on bluebirds and we now have three pairs that live near our home.The most amazing thing that has happened is that whenever one of our adult kids visit and sees me looking out the window in the morning they want to know what birds we have.If I am not sure one of them will pick up this reference book and tell me what they think. The hobby has spread to their houses.One now has two birdbaths in her yard and the other lets me know what is living in her hedge.Even our twenty-year-old son lets me know what he sees in our yard.Of course, my young grandsons just love to see any birds in general.So parents, it is never too late to start this hobby.

Packed with wonderful basic information, colorful pictures of males (and females if they look different) and little tidbits of knowledge that many may not know, it is a enjoyable book.Whether you use it at home, take it to the park or pack it up when you head to the beach, the facts it contains will help you.If nothing else the comfortable size makes it easy to drop in a purse or carry in a large pocket and should remind you that you are not alone.

A++ Great book for youth
My 4th grader used this in conjuction with Jeannie Fullbrights Apologia Zoology 1. This is a wonderful book and it is very easy to use and is laid out by color. You can identify a bird quickly with this book and it gave my daughter a love of the different breeds. The book also has many helpful notes like if the bird is a native or migratory and more. It's the perfect identification book for any age.

Spotting Birds
This book is great for taking into the field to help identify the birds, especially for beginners.

Excellent Photos - Best Bang for your Buck!!!
I picked up this little marvel of a field guide at the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary gift shop in Florida. In fact they informed me that this is the definitive guide their bird rescuers use when out on call to help them identify a bird.
If you are looking for a clear, concise guide with great photos and solid information at an amazing price - get this field guide, you will love it!

There are two ways to use this guide - find your bird by color, the pages are all color coded. The other way is to go to the alphabetical listing in the back of the book and find your bird that way.

If it is a Florida bird you will find it in this book!
I was impressed with the clear, sharp images, every photo is a perfect Kodak moment and makes it easy to recognize Florida birds. Male, female - breeding colors and juveniles are all included. What more can you ask for?

Every page has a mini Florida map outline indicating where you may find a particular bird, telling you if the birds are here for the winter, all year or migratory.

In the three weeks I've had this guide I've used it at least twenty times already and learned a great deal more about birds in the process. I'm so glad I didn't spend my money on a huge coffee table book.

Each bird is identified by it's English and Latin name. I liked that the author included which foods they eat and whether the bird will even come to a backyard bird feeder or if they are ground feeders etc. Every page has a "Stan's Notes" section with interesting facts and observations as well as a reference to former names of the same bird.

P.S. Whomever wrote the comment titled "Where are the Birds?" and gave this book a rating of one is all wrong. Of course this book includes the whooping crane - hello, it's called a Sandhill Crane - just look under C for crane in the back and it will give you the page number - 263 if you happen to be looking for it.

As far as a hair in the soup or critique I would say that I would have liked a plastic sleeve cover for the paperback. It's sturdy, but if you tend to drag the book around with you an extra cover would be a good idea.

Overall this is an amazing value for the price - the photography is outstanding! I highly recommend this book and would give it ten stars if I could.
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Product Description

Although Gerd Heinrich, a devoted naturalist, specialized in wasps, Bernd Heinrich tried to distance himself from his "old-fashioned" father, becoming a hybrid: a modern, experimental biologist with a naturalist's sensibilities.

Customer Reviews (20)

Good but...
This was an interesting and well-written book for nature lovers; the historical element blends well also. But I think the author could have put the minutiae of his research and dissertation in an appendix. This really threw me off and I had a difficult time wanting to finish the book, though I did.

A memoir of nature and a father
The author weaves a story of his love of nature and his father, whose influence was pervasive, and at times, difficult.In addition, a harrowing account of the author and family's experiences during WWII.For those of us who seldom read history, this part of the novel was very illuminating.I also found his father's expeiences during his expeditions very interesting to read about.

Wonderful book and writer
I have never read any of his books before or knew anything about him.I would say this is an important book to read before all others as it gives his life story and his father's, to understand how he related to his father and the work he did, as well as how the war's hardships influenced his early life.It is most interesting in all aspects; I will say there were a very few places where some research he was doing went into a little too tedious detail for me, but I just skipped those few paragraphs without losing any of the story.It turned into a pageturner for me and I eagerly anticipated when I could next sit down and read more, and soon I was finished, before I wanted it to be over.I will read more of his books definitely.I highly recommend this one to start with.

Biography, History and Biology
To understand how the practice of biology has changed in the last century, how biology shapes our thinking today, how real people contribute to the advance of science and how the workday world has changed in 100 years. This is actually light and enjoyable biography, good for vacation reading.

An amazing life, both of father and son, and a love letter to Maine
I have read several of Bernd Heinrich's books about ravens and the woods of Maine, and was eager to read this book about his father's life and his own.I didn't expect it to be half as wonderful a book as it was, though.His father, Gerd, lived a life few people could imagine, with riches to rags stories, war stories, romance all over, travels and always, collecting bird, mammal and especially insect specimens.

My favorite part of this book, though, is once the family moves to Western Maine.I can't imagine a better love letter to Maine than the middle of the book, where a young Bernd starts a new life in the US in the woods of Maine.It almost made me cry.The kindness of their Maine neighbors, the beauty and abundance of the woods, the dream life of a young boy who loves nature, all was written about in a masterful way.I also loved hearing about Bernd's years at the University of Maine---my own alma mater.In this world of striving for name brand colleges, it was lovely to read about the joys of life on the most beautiful campus in the world---UM Orono, and to know first hand the dorms, the Bear's Den, Pat's, all the places mentioned.

I was so happy to see a quote from my favorite Maine author (and distant relative) Louise Dickinson Rich contained in these pages.She also wrote of the woods of Western Maine, and I am sure she would have loved Bernd.

If you have any interest in one of many subjects (World War I or II, Germany, Poland, insects, Maine, ravens, running, boarding schools, bees...I could go on and on!) this is a book you will want to read. ... Read more

Product Description
When Steve Howell first visited Mexico in November of 1981, he arrived armed with a strong background of birding in Britain and the Western Palearctic, and an even stronger enthusiasm for the diverse and exotic birds of Northern Central America.But he also arrived without an adequate field guide.Indeed, to his surprise, he found that relatively little was known (and even less written) about the myriad of bird species that inhabit the region stretching from the U.S.-Mexican border to Nicaragua.And so, after eleven years of research in Northern Central America, and with the essential collaboration of Sophie Webb--a biologist and one of the most talented ornithological illustrators working today--we now have the definitive guide to birds of this fascinating region. drop rest as varied as the Laysan Albatross, the Blue-footed Booby, the Collared Trogon, even the rare Guadalupe Storm-Petrel.

A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America is astonishingly comprehensive, covering the identification, status, and distribution of all 1,070 birds species known from Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, and western Nicaragua.No other book approaches the thoroughness of this unique field guide.Beautifully illustrated with seventy-one color plates and thirty-nine black and white drawings, the guide shows 750 species and includes many plumages never before depicted.Of special interest are illustrations of some of the most notoriously difficult groups to portray, such as raptors in flight, owls, and nightjars.In addition, superb, easy-to-read maps help the traveling birder locate particular--even rare--species, and the entries describing individual birds detail their appearance, voice, habitat, behavior (including nesting and eggs), and distribution. With the U.S. birder in mind, the guide also includes birds that can be seen north of the border, showing these American migrants on plates when they could be confused with similar Mexican species, thus enabling the birder to make quick and ready comparisons in the field.And, with readable and fascinating presentations of the natural history of Central American birds, this guide will be welcomed not only by seasoned birders, but by any traveler exploring the rain forests, coastlines, and deserts of Mexico and the Central American isthmus.

Sponsored by the distinguished Point Reyes Observatory in California, A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America is a wonderful addition to the library of birders, nature enthusiasts, and travelers alike.With its lavish illustrations, clear writing, and unprecedented range, it offers hours of compelling reading and pleasant browsing for anyone intrigued by the colorful diversity of birds and the wild, largely unspoiled world next door. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Authoritative reference
I'm a fan of bird photographing in El Salvador, so I bought this book as a general guide and mostly as a reference to identify the birds I take pictures of. According the only book I have found about birds in Salvador, this book is the widest guide about birds in the region. I think its right, the book is an extensive 1,000 pages guide masterly organized: You can identify a specific bird in any of 71 plates, each presenting up to 19 species. Right at the opposite page to the plate there's a short description of every specie and references to the page of the book where you can find the complete description of the bird, including maps of where it inhabits. The guide is really ample and easy to use. I wish there could be a website to accompany the book with pictures and sounds of the birds. (The plates contain drawings, not birds, but there beautiful). I definitely recommend you to buy the book if you are interested in the field.

An excellent book for SERIOUS birders
We selected this book at the recommendation of our Mexican bird guide. We ordered the book six months in advance so I'd have time to study the book and develop lists (based on range maps and frequency info) of birds we are are most lifely to see. The bird guide warned us this was not a typical field guide, not easy to carry in a pocket or backpack. It's large, heavy, and has a lot of detailed information. But on the plus side, it has the very best pictures of the birds, very detailed range maps, and an immense arount of information.

The guide explained that he took his book apart. He carries the 71 pages of beautiful color plates with brief information (English and Latin names, length in inches and cm, and descriptive information to help in identification. The rest of the 850 page book, he has put tegether and leaves it at home or in his car. This seemed very practical. I decided I'd use this book to study the birds and rely on his colored plates and well as the guide when I have difficulty identifying a bird.

The black and white range maps communicate a great deal of helpful information. They indicate Permanent Residents, Breeding Residents (You should know these birds are usually gone the rest of the year), winter or summer residents, former residents, transient visitors, non-breeding visitors, location of breeding colonies, etc.

Most of the accompanying information is quite clear.

ID (identifcation) describes the bird in detail including differences in male and female, breeding plumage, and juvenile birds. It also includes a section describing the birds voice, and a section describing its preferred habitat incluing altitude.

SS (Similar Species) helps you separate this bird in relation to similar species that might be in the area.

SD (Status and Distribution) Status here means frequency. The distribution clarifies the frequency in various parts of the range map. For example, the bird might be a permanent resident over a wide area, but common in parts of that area and rare in other parts. But I must warn you. This section takes some serious effort to translate. You must first read introduction to the book and study the books. It includes some information as "Hepatica: C to F resident (1000-3000 m to 150 m in Ithmus)from Son and Coah to N. Chis:"and that's only half of the sentence. Abbreviations used for Mexican states are familiar to Mexicans but confusing to the rest of us. It's like saying NY - FL in th United States. A long introduction explains the abbreviations and provides a number of helpful maps.

There's also a long section in the back of the book,listing more important island groups, with symbols showing what birds you might find there with frequency and time of year.

If you are looking for a simple, light weight bird guide to carry with you in the field. This is NOT the book you want.

If you are a serious birder, looking for the kind of detailed information this book provides, and for the best possible pictures, I feel certain this book is exactly the right book for you.

not illustrated
I bought this book and returned it.I did not make a scientific count, but it appears that about 1/2 or more of the birds covered are "not illustrated".I am a casual birder and need a picture to get started.The 2 birds I had hoped to identify for certain, a possible cuckoo and ovenbird, were "not illustrated".

An invaluable resource for birding Mexico
If you are visiting Mexico for birding, this book is a MUST HAVE. but you will need to bring a second guide to cover all of the birds you may see. This book at 851 pages is not a field guide, but a guide and reference to all of the birds of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Western Nicaragua. The amount of information included for each species is both highly detailed and useful. the first 82 pages of the book describe the area covered ,Geography and bird distribution,a history of birding in the area, taxonomy, molt and plumage, and a glossary of terms. There are 5 maps of the area showing area covered, political divisions, and biogeographic regions. Not exactly info you'd use in the field, but still of use for birding the area.
The written species accounts really are the strength of this book.The descriptions are detailed and clear, for all plumages for each species. Similar species are described and differences listed. Something I found very helpful with identifying hummingbirds whose appearance is variable with the light. Species range, abundance and habitat are accompanied by a range map of the area showing distribution. and nearly every species has a voice description as well. Very often I used the text more than the illustrations to identify birds in the field.
The Illustrations are well done , but not exceptional, and again not all of the species of The area are included for example of the 66 wood warblers found in the area, 24 are illustrated on the colour plates. So when birding I suggest bringing one of the North American field guides along as well as this book. There are 71 colour plates that detail the species not found in North America.The plates are well organised and species are clearly illustrated to show differences and details to help with identification. With such a large amount of species some of the plates do get a bit crowded, for example one of ther hummingbird plates has 34 individual birds of 16 species illustrated. But adding more plates would make an already large book that much larger.
This book is not perfect, but it is still worth bringing along on your trip. No other guide for the area covered will be as helpful or as informative as this one, it's well worth the extra weight in your pack. Good Birding !

Not complete
I purchased this book in 2008, looking for a definitive guide to Mexican birds.

On a positive note, the illustrations are excellent.
The text takes a bit of getting used to because of the number of abbreviations that are used, but once you get used to the abbreviations, it is well set out and informative.
The distributions are quite exhaustive which is an achievement for a country as diverse as Mexico.

Now for the negative.
I was disconcerted to find that not all bird species are illustrated. This seems to be particularly true of waterfowl and some migratory species. What this means is that you have to have an additional bird book with you at all times, which is a pain.

One of the previous reviewers rated this as the most complete regional guide he had encountered. It is very good but I think this is excessive over evaluation. I have wide knowledge of available guides in North America, southern Africa and the UK. For me the yardstick for excellence remains "Roberts Birds of South Africa."

I hope that when this book goes into a second addition the illustrations will be updated. ... Read more

Product Description
New enthusiasts are flocking in record numbers to the fascinating pastime of birding. National Geographic has been meeting their need for clear and accurate information for 25 years with our million-selling Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Now, to better serve the expanding market, we’ve customized our field-guide format to offer unique coverage for birders east or west of the Rocky Mountains. These new volumes deliver in-depth information on every bird officially recorded in the specified area, with illustrated accounts of the different plumages and life stages, along with hundreds of color-coded range maps.

Unique features set these guides apart from the competition and promise to win a new generation of readers: A full-color visual index, printed on the inside covers, makes the content accessible visually —a real boon to beginning and intermediate birders. Annotated artwork highlights birds’ key physical features, making identification easier. Thumb-tabs help readers find information fast. Durable covers stand up to outdoor use, with integrated quick-reference flaps that double as place-markers.Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America offers 750 regular species, 600 new range maps, 100 casual and accidental birds, and 55 rarities. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

bird field guide
I upgraded from a 1961 edition of Peterson's and couldn't be happier with the quality of the images for identification.

New standard in birding field guides!
Well - I wrote an in-depth review and this site or IE lost it. So, here is the short version.

Simply a new standard in birding field guides! Will absolutely replace all other field guides I might take with me out into the field while birding in NA. The new features are outstanding, useful, and thoughtfully designed.

The construction quality of the book is outstanding. Paper and covers of high quality.

Combines all the best features (and then some) from all the best field guides.

Must buy!

Some great strides forward, some strides backward
Comparison to the previous 5th edition:

The good:Extensive annotations have been added to the plates.This vastly increases the amount of information in the book and corrects one of the major flaws of earlier editions which was a failure to actually mention the critical field marks.A huge improvement (although the type can get small and dense at times)

The bad.

1) The new split editions are about the same size as the old combined version.Since this volume covers 905 species and the full one covers 967, it seems like the split edition was a marketing gimmick.Many comparisons of E and W species are no longer included (Wood-Pewees is an example) and will make it harder to ID vagrants.

2) There are very few updates to the plates or accompanying text.Many of the plates are looking old and dated.

3) The overwhelming strength of this book was its treatment of vagrants.In the new edition many vagrants that received full coverage in the previous edition have been shunted to the appendix with much smaller illustrations.Eastern vagrants get even less treatment.if you want full coverage of vagrants, you need to carry both E and W books (and maybe the old combined editions as well)!This means the split editions make things harder, not easier, to carry in the field.This relegation of vagrants to an appendix must have been done to appeal to the masses but will make the book much less valuable to seasoned birders.It would be OK to have a separate vagrants sections, but the birds there deserve full treatment.

Overall, Sibley is still the best field guide for North America.The quality of the illustrations is just unsurpassed and the simplicity of presentation of complex information is amazing (time for a new edition however!).Sibley's weakness however is that he treats few vagrants.The revisions have made the NatGeo guides closer to Sibley for regular birds but the reduced treatment of vagrants has weakened its greatest strength.Therefore a mixed bag.


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Product Description
Includes sustainable gardening methods from seed preparation to harvest, including the ceremonies, songs, and stories required for a bountiful harvest. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

I love this book
This is one of my favorite books ever. I don't even know how to review it, I like it so much. Basically it's the story of pre-white contact Hidatsa agriculture from a Hidatsa woman as told to a fairly enlightened missionary. The missionary worked with her to make very nice schematics of the agricultural methods. Where she doesn't know things, she just said "I don't know" and the missionary did the same. It's very honest and interesting. It's a priceless piece of Hidatsa culture that should really come in handy to the Three Affiliated Tribes today.

How to grow corn -- Indian style
This is a unique and irreplaceable book.In the early 20th century, the author interviewed Buffalo Bird, an old Hidasta Indian woman about Indian farming methods in the mid 19th century.The result is a primer on how the Indians grew corn and other crops on the Great Plains.Interspaced with the explanation of agricultural techniques are charming stories, songs, recipes, and ancedotes told by Buffalo Bird. She also describes how the Indians preserved their crop.

The Hidasta lived in North Dakota and this book is a primer on how to garden in the State without recourse to chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or motor powered equipment. The Hidasta grew five crops: corn, beans, squash, sunflower seeds, and tobacco.Their methods of cultivation, storage, and usage of each crop is described, usually with enough detail to be copied by the modern low-impact sustainable agriculturalist. A large number of illustrations and photographs supplement the text and show how the Indians built fences, dug storage pits, dried squash, and laid out their fields.

A good introductory essay introduces the Hidasta, Bird Woman, and the author to the reader.The whole book is only about 150 pages, but there's a wealth of cultural and agricultural information here presented in a charming and easy-to-digest format.

Smallchief

Hidatsa Gardening Techniques
A "must have" for anyone who is interested in doing a garden using authentic Native American practices, as used in the tribes in the Missouri Valley area.Details on laying out the garden, maintaining it, food storage, construction of tools, etc. are all included with sufficient clarity for reproduction.

An unique & enduring contricution to Native American studies
Originally published in 1917, reissued in 1987, now released again with a new introduction by Jeffrey R. Hansen, Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden presentsan agricultural calendar year's activities as remembered by Buffalo BirdWoman, an accomplished Hidatsa gardener born around 1839.Buffalo BirdWoman's Garden was a doctoral dissertation by a man who believed "Itis of no importance that an Indian's war costume struck the Puritan as theDevil's scheme to frighten the heart out of the Lord's annointed.What wewant to know is why the Indian donned the costume, and his reasons fordoing it (p.xix)."Wilson also went on to write Goodbird the IndianHis Story and Waheenee: An Indian Girl's Story (biography of Buffalo BirdWoman, 1839-1921).Using biography to study a culture was effectivebecause it highlighted the variety of traumatic cultural shifts, changes,and transmutations painfully experienced by Buffalo Bird Woman and herfamily.The use of empathy informs the dated, 'superior' dominant cultureoutlook.Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden has been called a classicanthropological document.It certainly is that and more.As a model ofrespectful viewing and learning, as a mirror of the complex lifeway of ;theagricultural Plains Indians, as a chronicle of human adaptation, survivaland ingenuity in the face of cultural disenfranchisement, Buffalo BirdWoman's Garden sets the bar for the standard.In addition, it giveseloquent testimony to one of the enduring gifts of the Hidatsa - theirvarieties of corn, squash, beans, and sunflowers.Even more enduring,perhaps, is the contribution highlighted by Jeffrey Hanson: "buffaloBird Woman's Garden is not the end, but the beginning.It is a foundation,a viewpoint, and it presents a cultural relationship with nature that wecan all appreciate and from which we can all derive benefit. (p.xxiii). Buffalo Bird Woman's Garden describes planting, preparation, cultivating,harvesting and storing practices, as well as traditional songs and prayerssung to honor and encourage the garden's yield.Beautifully detaileddrawings byher son Edward Goodbird illustrate Buffalo Bird Woman'sdescriptions of gardening and storing produce and other activities.It iseasy to see that modern ethnologists and authors such as W. Michael andKathleen O'Neal Gear drew fairly heavily from the information presented inBuffalo Bird Woman's Garden.This is an enduring testament to a lifewayrevalued today perhaps more as it should be.

Nancy Lorraine, Reviewer

Re-enactors and gardeners alike will LOVE this book!
This is a Minnesota Historical Society reprint of the anthropological study done by Gilbert Wilson in 1917, originally published as "Agriculture of the Hidatsa Indians: An Indian Interpretation." Wilson was among the first of a new school of American anthropologists thatfelt Indian cultures should speak for themselves, and not be spoken for by"white man's" interpretations.Consequently, the book really is,as the subtitle says, "an Indian interpretation."Most of thetext is translated directly from Buffalo Bird Woman's own words, completewith stories, jokes, and personal anecdotes about village life.By thetime you are done reading it, you will feel as if you met her personally.

I bought it because I am a Minnesota gardener, so I wanted to see whattips I might pick up from the ways of the indigenous people.The book isrich with useful gardening lore, including diagrams of various tools andstructures, along with detailed descriptions of the different kinds ofbeans, corn, and squash that the Indians grew.Plus, there are nativerecipes you can try.

I was surprised to learn that, when the Indiansdried squash, they didn't use mature fruits with hard skins like we dotoday, but preferred to cut them when they were 4 days old -- at about 31/2 inches diameter.They were more tender that way, easier to slice, andthey dried better.The best squashes were marked in the field and allowedto mature for seed.

I also found it interesting that the Indians keptthe different colors of corn separate, not like the multi-colored"Indian corn" we buy today for fall decorations.AlthoughBuffalo Bird Woman did not understand the science behind genetics, she andher fellow Hidatsa gardeners did notice that corn varieties will"travel" (her word) from one patch to another if different colorsare planted too closely together.So, women with adjoining fields wouldagree to plant the same varieties side-by-side, to help prevent this"traveling."

The Hidatsa women also understood theprinciples of good seed-saving techniques, and carefully chose seed fromthe very best squashes and corn ears in the crop, thereby improving theirstrains from year to year.Composting, however, was apparently unknown. Leaves and brush were burned, not composted, and they regarded manure as adirty substance to be removed from the garden.But the Hidatsa did knowthe value of fallowing, and would allow a less-productive field rest aminimum of two years to renew itself.

Some of the techniques in thisbook are still quite useful today.I have begun pre-spouting my squashseeds, and planting them in the SIDES of the hills instead of on top, tohelp prevent the heavy rains from damaging the seedlings.Some of thefencing designs have found their way into myrustic Minnesota garden, too.

This book is also a priceless resource for "living history"re-enactors or "back to the land" homesteaders who might want toknow how to build atraditional corn-drying platform, a food-storagecache, a homemade rake, or any of the other tools used successfully formany centuries before the Europeans came here.Simply a delightfulbook!

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Product Description
Marked by its superb natural beauty, Costa Rica has the greatest percentage of preserved land of any nation worldwide; nearly a third of the country is protected in national parks, reserves, and refuges. The wildlife that abounds in these tropical areas includes a stunning diversity of more than 820 bird species. In A Bird-Finding Guide to Costa Rica, Barrett Lawson offers detailed information that makes it easy for both expert and novice birders to plan and enjoy an exciting trip to this birders' paradise.

Lawson describes fifty-three of the best birding destinations in Costa Rica. Birders will appreciate the detailed descriptions of how to bird each area, as well as the site-specific lists-"Target Birds" and "Species to Expect." The site descriptions are structured for ease of use and clarity; each provides a general introduction, exact driving directions, road maps, and lodging information. Other important elements include a general introduction to Costa Rica, an overview of tropical birds, sample itineraries, a comprehensive checklist to the birds of the country, and information about the best locations to find endemics and other sought-after species. The sites are grouped into six regions that reflect general patterns of avian distribution; this helps readers understand Costa Rica's complex bird diversity as well as plan a dynamic trip.

* Features fifty-three top birding locations from across the country.
* "Species to Expect" lists inform readers of birds that can be found at featured sites; especially common birds are presented in bold.
* "Target Birds" lists alert birders to rare and exciting species.
* All bird lists include plate references to the two most respected field guides, A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica by F. Gary Stiles and Alexander F. Skutch and The Birds of Costa Rica: A Field Guide by Richard Garrigues and Robert Dean (both also published by Cornell).
* Eight sample itineraries and 107 maps are accompanied by information-birding times, driving times, and road indications-that will help readers customize their own itineraries.
* Includes a complete checklist to the birds of the country with abundance ratings for eight representative sites. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Just what I was looking for and more!
I have been hoping for a long time to get to Costa Rica for some outstanding birding.I purchased this book after reading other positive reviews and I'm very glad I did.This book gave us the information and the confidence to schedule a three week trip in 2010 that includes the Caribbean Slope, the mountains, the Pacific slope, and the Pacific Coast.Detailed, current, and right to the point.Great maps, driving directions, bird lists, and pointers. Our kudos and thanks to the author.

Update:We just came back from our 20 day trip to five different Costa Rica locations!We had a wonderful time.We saw 188 species of birds, explored mountains, remote beaches (including Corcovado), and various rain forest habitats. I can definitively say that the reason everything went so smoothly was in part because of the detail, thoroughness and accuracy of this book.Even if you are going on a guided trip arranged for you by someone else, I would read and bring this book! ... Read more

Product Description
To most observers, molt seems an overwhelming subject. But birders use many aspects of molt more than they realize to distinguish juvenile birds from adults, to pick out an individual hummingbird from among dozens visiting a feeder, and much more. For those whose interest goes beyond simply identifying birds, questions such as What triggers molt to start? How fast do feathers grow? and How long do they last? offer a fascinating window into the lives of birds. Put plainly, molt relates in some way to everything a bird does, including where it lives, what it eats, and how far it migrates. Here, for the first time, molt is presented for the nonscientist. Molt is very orderly and built on only four underlying strategies: simple basic, complex basic, simple alternate, and complex alternate. This book clearly lays out these strategies, relates them to aspects of life history, such as habitat and migration, and makes this important subject accessible. 0.80 inches tall x 7.30 inches long x 10.20 inches wideAmazon.com Review
Product Description
To most observers,molt seems an overwhelming subject. But birders use many aspects of molt more than they realize--to distinguish juvenile birds from adults, to pick out an individual hummingbird from among dozens visiting a feeder, and much more.

Customer Reviews (3)

Ground-breaking work, a must for any birder
Steve Howell has contributed much to our understanding of birds including pioneering works on the Birds of Mexico, Gulls, and Hummingbirds. In this book, he again breaks new ground by synthesizing, organizing, and distilling patterns of molt across all North American bird families. One should read this book for the introduction alone, which takes an incredibly complex topic (molt), and makes it understandable for birders of all levels. Molt is an important process in the lives of birds, and as such is one that should be observed and understood at a basic level by all birders. I'm not often moved to write reviews, but this book is a stand-out among recent bird references. It should be on the shelf of every birder, not just in North America, but around the world.

The single most important bird book of the year
The significance of this splendid book extends far beyond merely helping us distinguish the eastern crows or the western empids. With his characteristic clarity, completeness, and good humor, Steve Howell has given the birding world an entree into one of the great mysteries of bird biology, and the time spent studying Molt-and molt-will be more than rewarded by the increased sophistication and enjoyment with which we will be able to look at even the commonest birds. Molt, says the author, "offers a fascinating window through which to appreciate how the lives of birds are built." Many thanks to Steve Howell for opening that window to the rest of us.

An incredible resource and a great read.
This is the first book I have ever taken the time to review, and the only book I have ever pre-ordered on Amazon.I usually wait for a few reviews to roll in before ordering a book, but I bought this one before the publication date based largely on the strength of Howell's other books.I'm happy to say this one is destined to be a classic, just like his other books.It does a masterful job balancing detail with big picture relevance, making it very accessible for the average birder, yet scholarly enough for a field ornithologist.You can use it as a reference book to look up details of molt in various bird families or species, or just sit down and read it cover-to-cover.It is definitely a great read, with a thorough and very interesting introduction on molt patterns and terminology, and very lucid descriptions of what once seemed like very confusing topics to me (such as stepwise wing molt).

The book is profusely illustrated with high quality photographs illustrating all the molt features discussed in the text.This greatly enhances the clarity of the points being made, and makes it much easier to go out and observe these features in the field.

The only minor criticism I have is with the slightly cumbersome referencing system.References are cited as superscript numbers in the text.Once you have the number, you go to the end of the chapter to get the author last name and year of publication, then you have to go to the bibliography at the end of the book to get the full reference.Most readers won't even notice it, but I'm a bit of a reference junkie.This minor issue is more than offset by a several things that enhance the quality and usefulness of the book.First, there are no typographical errors anywhere (at least that I could find in a normal careful reading).The page numbers and taxa being discussed appear on the lower corners of the pages, making it very easy to look things up or to just thumb through the book to find particular sections.And for the bibliophile, I'm happy to say the quality of the paper, printing, and binding is excellent.

This is definitely the most thorough, scholarly, yet completely accessible book on molt ever written and would be a worthy addition to any birder's library. ... Read more