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Identifying
birds can sometimes be easy and, other times, an exercise
in frustration. Good field guides can help make the process
easier. These are my personal favorites. If you wish to
add these field guides to your library, please click on
the image and purchase the books through Amazon.com.
Sales of these field guides through my web site help me
fund this web site.
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The
Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America. This
my #1 primary field guide. I have two copies: one I take in
the field with me and one I keep at home in better condition.
In my opinion, this is the best organized and best illustrated
of the field guides. The author describes and illustrates
more local species variation than the other field guides and
lists more exotic bird species that may occur as captive escapees.
I would feel naked in the field without this guide with me. |
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The
Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America.
This is the Eastern North America version for those who live
east of the Mississippi River. ;) |
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National
Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 4th
edition. I have found that different illustrators have
different perceptions of colors, shapes, and poses for the
various species of birds. I like to have a second illustrated
field guide handy to compare to the Sibley's (above) if I
am having a difficult time identifying a bird. What better
guide could you want than one produced by the illustrators
of National Geographic? |
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Smithsonian
Birds of North America.
This is the reference book I grab when artist's renderings
of birds don't match my photographs. It is too large to carry
in the field but makes a fine reference for home use. Wherever
possible the birds are illustrated by photographs rather than
artist's renderings and I can often make a positive ID of
a bird by comparing my photographs to theirs. |
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Smithsonian
Handbooks, Birds of North America, Western Region.
This is a little more in keeping with a field guide but is
still too big to carry in the field. I often carry this guide
book in my truck when I'm in the field. |
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Smithsonian
Handbooks, Birds of North America, Eastern Region. Again,
this is the version you would purchase if you live east of
the Mississippi River. ;) |
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Peterson
Field Guides: Hummingbirds of North America. Hummingbirds,
especially juvenile hummingbirds, can be very tough to ID.
Illustrated with photographs, this field guide takes away
a lot of the confusion. Many of the photographic plates present
side-by-side comparisons of the different species by age class.
A "must have" if you photograph or observe hummingbirds. |
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Peterson
Field Guides: Hawks of North America. Hawks
can be as confusing, if not more confusing, than hummingbirds
to ID. This field guide relies more on artist's illustrations
than photographs but the illustrations are full of field ID
marks. Again, there are side-by-side comparisons of closely
appearing species of different age classes. |
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Dragonflies
Through Binoculars.
This is a great introductory field guide for those of you
contemplating watching dragonflies. Watching dragonflies is
becoming almost as popular as bird watching! |
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Dragonflies
of North America.
If you want to do more than scratch the surface of dragonfly
identification, then this book is a requirement in your library.
This the classic book on dragonfly and damselfly identification. |
You
can also search on Amazon.com for other nature related field guides...
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Good
binoculars are a "must have" item for brid watching
and a good pair of binoculars "shouldn't break the bank".
Nikon is world reknowned for producing quality optics. The
Nikon Action 10x50 binoculars makes an affordable pair of
binoculars for viewing birds from your back porch or to take
with you on bird walks. I keep a pair of 10x50 binoculars
with me everywhere I go in my truck. |
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When
I'm in the field photographing birds I always carry a small
pair of lightweight binoculars for finding birds before they
spot me. A pair of these Nikon Travelite V 7470 - Binoculars
8 x 25 binoculars would make an ideal pair of binoculars to
carry in the field without "breaking the bank". |
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A
lot of serious birders use spotting scopes for bird watching,
especially for those hard to approach species. A spotting
scope can provide higher magnifications than can be comfortably
had with binoculars. The Nikon 16-48X60mm Spotting Scope XL
II Outfit makes for an affordable entry-level kit that includes
everything needed to begin viewing birds. |
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This
is the same, fine spotting scope as featured on the left but
in a camoflage finish for all of you "spot-and-stalker"
bird watchers. |
You
can also search on Amazon.com for other brands and models of binoculars
and spotting scopes...
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Unless
you spend a lot of time in the field it is very difficult
to learn the bird songs such that you can identify what's
calling. Bird call tapes are the next best thing to being
in the field. I do not, however, condone the practice of
using the bird calls to ure birds within photographic distances,
especially during mating and nesting times. Please, use
bird calls responsibly.
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Stokes
Field Guide to Bird Songs: Eastern Region The Stokes recordings
are recognized as the best in recorded bird songs. The field
guide comes in a set of 3 CDs plus a guide booklet. Please,
use bird song recordings responsibly! |
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Stokes
Field Guide to Bird Songs: Western Region This is the
same great set of CDs and guide booklet as the Eastern edition
but has songs for birds found in the Western United Dtates. |
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Hummingbird
feeders are a fun way to attract these colorful flying jewels
to your yards. However, be responsible in where you hang
your feeders and be sure to keep the feeders clean. Multiple
hummingbird feeders should be hung 100' apart. Male hummingbirds
are very territorial and will defend a feeder against other
male hummingbirds. Keeping feeders separated by 100' minimizes
territorial fights among male hummingbirds. Also, change
the nectar frequently if it is not all drunk in a reasonable
amount of time. Hummingbird nectar can become contaminated
with a black fungus that can make your hummingbirds sick.
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Opus
Garden Ballet Hummingbird Feeder Mobile I immediately
fell in love with the delicate appearance of this unique looking
humminbird feeder. |
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Avant
Yarde Lantern Style Hummingbird Feeder This is another
fun hummingbird feeder. I have one of these hanging on my
back patio! |
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Aspects
Hummingbird Hummzinger Feeder This is a more traditional
design that holds 8 ozs of nectar and has 3 feeding ports.
The red color of the feeder attracts the hummingbirds so you
will not need to add red coloring to the nectar. |
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Aspects
Hummingbird Hummzinger Feeder This is a more traditional
design that holds 16 ozs of nectar and has 6 feeding ports.
Use this feeder only if you have large numbers of hummingbirds
coming in to feed, otherwise the nectar will spoil before
it is all drunk. Again, the red color of the feeder attracts
the hummingbirds so you will not need to add red coloring
to the nectar. |
You
can also search on Amazon.com for other brands and models of hummingbird
feeders...
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This
is another fun way to attract birds to your home and yards.
Bird houses can come in all sorts of fun designs so I am
only offering a couple of basic designs. Be sure to search
Amazon.com for all of the fun styles of bird houses. Just
be sure to hang or mount your new bird house out of the
reach of cats!
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Noble
Bird House Kit This is about as basic of a bird house
you can buy. This kit comes with everything you need to assemble
your own bird house. |
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Stokes
Select Bluebird House This basic bluebird house is just
the ticket for those of you who live in bluebird country! |
Be
sure to search Amazon.com for other unique and fun styles of bird
houses...
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OK...OK...I
know, bats aren't birds but they do fly! Bats across the
country have been in serious decline over the last few decades.
Bats are not the awful creatures of the night so popularized
by cheap, second grade horror movies. Bats are responsible
for keeping insect populations in check and, in the southwest
US, pollinate various species of Yucca plants. Let's do
our part to help stem the decline of bats and provide homes
for these most important of flying mammals.
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Starter
Bat House A simple, 3-chambered bat house with plenty
of room. |
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This
is a large, single chamber bat house made of red cedar to
repel bugs. |
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Looker
OBC Bat-Triple Chamber House This bat house should be
called a bat mansion! This bat house will house up to 300
bats! |
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Be
sure to search Amazon.com for other unique and fun styles of bird
houses...
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