Birding for Beginners: A Comprehensive Introduction to the Art of Birdwatching (Revised, Updated)

by Sheila Buff

Book Overview

The essential companion to any birder's field guide

Birdwatching is for everyone. No other outdoor pursuit yields so much knowledge of nature's ways with so little effort--if one knows what to look for. Birding for Beginners opens the world of birding to the novice in this complete guide to getting the most out of birding.

This updated edition includes a new chapter on birding online and features detailed chapters on equipment,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 159921914X
• ISBN13: 9781599219141
• Release Date: May 2010
• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Length: 201 Pages
• Weight: 0.84 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.3" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Excellent introduction to birding!

I am a neophyte birder and this book was perfect as a beginning guide in identifying and recognizing common birds in the western region. The other bird guides I have purchased (National Geographic and Audubon) were exceptional, but for a novice, they presented too much information and too many birds. This book struck a nice, comfortable compromise. The photos of each bird are excellent and provide you a good look at the features and characteristics of each. They also tell you succinctly where the habitat would be and where you would most likely see each bird.The best feature was that each bird was divided by color. So if you see a Wilson's warbler in your backyard but don't know for certain if your call is correct, you can quickly thumb to the "yellow" section of the book and see all the yellow birds. Thus you can quickly confirm your identification. This book would have limited, or no value to an experienced birder, but for the beginning birder, this is a fine introduction to the hobby of birding.

Not "just for the birds"!

This bird book is for you! I saw it at a friend's home and knew it was the beginner's book for me. The illustrations are colorful and the information on the many birds is well organized. I found it not to be overwhelming, but easy to use. This is the book to inspire you to start birding--alone or with a friend or child, at your window or outdoors. With this book as a reference you can satisfy your curiosity and develop your skills at identification.