National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America

by Dunn, Jon L.; Alderfer, Jonathan

• ISBN13: 9780792253143
• ISBN10: 0792253140
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-11-07
• Publisher: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY

Summary

Birding is the fastest growing wildlife-related activity in the U.S., and even conservative estimates put the current number of U.S. birders at 50 million. According to theNew York Times,some authorities predict that by 2050 there will be more than 100 million--and theNational Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North Americawill be the essential reference for field identification and the cornerstone of any birder's library. This is the ultimate, indispensable bird field guide--comprehensive, authoritative, portable, sturdy, and easier than ever to use. Among the the new edition's key elements and practical improvements: Every North American species--more than 960, including a new section on accidental birds--classified according to the latest official American Ornithologists' Union checklist 4,000 full-color illustrations by the foremost bird artists at work todayand newly updated range maps that draw on the latest data New durable cover for added protection against adverse weather, plus informative quick-reference flaps that double as placemarkers New reader-friendly features like thumbtabs that make locating key sections faster and easier, and a quick-find index to direct users straight to the information they need.

Author Biography

Jon L. Dunn, a leading expert on the identification and distribution of North American birds, has served as chief consultant on all four previous editions of this book. He is also a consultant for the American Birding Association magazine, Birding, and the former chair of the ABA Checklist Committee, as well as a member of the California Bird Records Committee and the AOU Committee on Taxonomy and Nomenclature. He lives in Bishop, California.

Jonathan Alderfer, chief consultant for National Geographic's Birding Program, is a widely published author and field guide illustrator. One of the nation's foremost birding artists, he is well known for his expertise as a field ornithologist and an authority on North American birds. He was a general consultant, art consultant, and contributing artist for the NG Field Guide to the Birds of North America 3rd and 4th editions, and the lead editor of NG's Complete Birds of North America. A former Associate Editor of Birding, the ABA magazine, he also served on the Maryland/D.C. Bird Records Committee. He lives in Washington, D.C.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 6
Ducks, Geese, Swans	p. 20
Curassows, Guans	p. 56
Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys, Old World Quail	p. 56
New World Quail	p. 66
Loons	p. 70
Grebes	p. 74
Albatrosses	p. 78
Shearwaters, Petrels	p. 82
Storm-Petrels	p. 94
Frigatebirds	p. 98
Tropicbirds	p. 98
Boobies, Gannets	p. 100
Pelicans	p. 102
Darters	p. 104
Cormorants	p. 104
Herons, Bitterns, Allies	p. 108
Storks	p. 114
Flamingos	p. 114
Ibises, Spoonbills	p. 116
New World Vultures	p. 118
Hawks, Kites, Eagles, Allies	p. 118
Caracaras, Falcons	p. 136
Limpkins	p. 146
Rails, Gallinules, Coots	p. 146
Cranes	p. 152
Lapwings, Plovers	p. 154
Jacanas	p. 160
Oystercatchers	p. 160
Stilts, Avocets	p. 160
Sandpipers, Phalaropes, Allies	p. 162
Gulls, Terns, Skimmers	p. 198
Skuas, Jaegers	p. 228
Auks, Murres, Puffins	p. 232
Pigeons, Doves	p. 242
Lories, Parakeets, Macaws, Parrots	p. 248
Cuckoos, Roadrunners, Anis	p. 252
Owls	p. 256
Goatsuckers	p. 266
Swifts	p. 270
Hummingbirds	p. 272
Trogons	p. 278
Kingfishers	p. 280
Woodpeckers, Allies	p. 282
Tyrant Flycatchers	p. 294
Shrikes	p. 312
Vireos	p. 314
Crows, Jays	p. 320
Larks	p. 328
Swallows	p. 330
Babblers	p. 334
Chickadees, Titmice	p. 334
Penduline Tits, Verdins	p. 338
Long-tailed Tits, Bushtits	p. 338
Creepers	p. 340
Nuthatches	p. 340
Wrens	p. 342
Dippers	p. 344
Kinglets	p. 346
Old World Warblers, Gnatcatchers	p. 346
Old World Flycatchers	p. 350
Thrushes	p. 352
Mockingbirds, Thrashers	p. 362
Bulbuls	p. 366
Starlings	p. 366
Accentors	p. 368
Wagtails, Pipits	p. 368
Waxwings	p. 372
Silky-flycatchers	p. 372
Wood-Warblers	p. 374
Olive Warbler	p. 398
Tanagers	p. 400
Bananaquit	p. 402
Emberizids (Sparrows)	p. 402
Cardinals, Saltators, Allies	p. 436
Blackbirds	p. 442
Fringilline and Cardueline Finches, Allies	p. 454
Old World Sparrows	p. 464
Weavers	p. 464
Estrildid Finches	p. 464
Accidentals, Extinct Species	p. 466
AOU and ABA Checklist Differences; Greenland; Bermuda	p. 480
Index	p. 482
Art Credits	p. 500
Acknowledgments	p. 502
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