The Sibley Guide to Birds

by NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETYSIBLEY, DAVID ALLEN

• ISBN13: 9780679451228
• ISBN10: 0679451226
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-10-01
• Publisher: Knopf

Summary

David Allen Sibley, America's most gifted contemporary painter of birds, is the author and illustrator of this comprehensive guide. His beautifully detailed illustrationsmore than 6,600 in alland descriptions of 810 species and 350 regional populations will enrich every birder's experience. The Sibley Guide's innovative design makes it entirely user friendly. The illustrations are arranged to facilitate comparison, yet still capture the unique character of each species. The Sibley Guide to Birdsprovides a wealth of new information: Captioned illustrations show many previously unpublished field marks and revisions of known marks Nearly every species is shown in flight Measurements include length, wingspan, and weight for every species Subspecies and geographic varients are covered thoroughly Complete voice descriptions are included for every species Maps show the complete distribution of every species: summer and winter ranges, migration routes, and rare occurrences Both novice and experienced birders will appreciate these and other innovative features: An introductory page for each family or group of related families makes comparisons simple Clear and concise labels with pointers identify field marks directly Birds are illustrated in similar poses to make comparisons between species quick and easy Illustrations emphasize the way birds look in the field WithThe Sibley Guide to Birds, the National Audubon Society makes the art and expertise of David Sibley available to the world in a comprehensive, handsome, easy-to-use volume that will be the indispensable identification guide every birder must own.

Author Biography

David Allen Sibley, son of the well-known ornithologist Fred Sibley, began seriously watching and drawing birds in 1969, at age seven. He has written and illustrated articles on bird identification for <i>Birding</i> and <i>American Birds</i> (now <i>Field Notes</i>) as well as regional publications and books. Since 1980 David has traveled the continent watching birds on his own and as a tour leader for WINGS, Inc. He has lived in California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Georgia, New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. He now lives in Concord, Massachusetts.

Table of Contents

Preface	7	(1)
Acknowledgments	8	(1)
Introduction	9	(6)
Classification of Birds	9	(1)
Learning to Identify Birds	9	(2)
Variation in Appearance	11	(2)
Learning Songs and Calls	13	(1)
Finding Rare Birds	14	(1)
Ethics	14	(1)
Extinct Species	14	(1)
Bird Topography	15	(8)
Parts of a Passerine	15	(1)
Head Feathers	16	(1)
Body Feathers	17	(1)
Wing Feathers	18	(1)
Parts of a Shorebird	19	(1)
Parts of a Duck	20	(1)
Parts of a Gull	20	(2)
Molt and Plumage	22	(1)
North American Birds Species Accounts
Loons	23	(3)
Grebes	26	(4)
Albatrosses, Petrels, and Shearwaters	30	(11)
Storm-Petrels	41	(5)
Pelecaniformes	46	(11)
Anhinga, Boobies, Cormorants, Frigatebirds, Gannets, Pelicans, Tropicbirds
Cormorants and Anthinga	50	(4)
Identification of Sulids	54	(3)
Wading Birds	57	(13)
Bitterns, Egrets, Flamingos, Herons, Ibises, Spoonbills, Storks
Identification of White Herons	59	(7)
Identification of Dark Ibises	66	(4)
Swans, Geese, and Ducks	70	(34)
Identification of Swans	73	(6)
Geese Head and Bill Shapes	79	(10)
Domestic Waterfowl	89	(1)
Exotic Waterfowl	89	(4)
Identification of Scaup	93	(1)
Identification of Eiders	93	(4)
Diving Motions	97	(2)
Identification of Scoters	99	(1)
Identification of Goldeneyes	99	(5)
Diurnal Raptors	104	(30)
Eagles, Falcons, Hawks, Vultures
Harrier Flight Shapes	108	(1)
Raptor Hunting Techniques	109	(4)
Identification of Accipiters	113	(1)
Identification of Buteos	114	(14)
Identification of Falcons	128	(6)
Upland Game Birds	134	(16)
Chachalacas, Grouse, Partridges, Pheasants, Prairie-Chickens, Ptarmigan, Quail, Turkeys
Exotic Game Birds	135	(15)
Gruiformes	150	(8)
Coots, Cranes, Limpkin, Moorhens, Rails
Habits of Rails	153	(5)
Shorebirds	158	(38)
Avocets, Curlews, Dowitchers, Godwits, Jacanas, Lapwings, Oystercatchers, Phalaropes, Plovers, Ruff, Sandpipers, Snipe, Stilts, Turnstones, Willet, Woodcocks, Yellowlegs
Rare Shorebirds	161	(20)
Aging and Identification of Shorebirds	181	(6)
Identification of Peeps	187	(6)
Aerial Displays of Snipe and Woodcock	193	(1)
Identification of Phalaropes	194	(2)
Jaegers and Skuas	196	(6)
Jaeger Bill Shapes	196	(6)
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers	202	(52)
Hybrid Gulls	204	(4)
Identification of Gulls	208	(33)
Alcids
Auklets, Dovekie, Guillemots, Murrelets, Murres, Puffins	241	(13)
Identification of Murres	243	(11)
Pigeons and Doves	254	(8)
Parrots and Their Allies	262	(5)
Cuckoos and Their Allies	267	(4)
Anis, Cuckoos, Roadrunners
Owls	271	(13)
Goatsuckers and Swifts	284	(8)
Hummingbirds	292	(11)
Identification of Hummingbirds	302	(1)
Trogons	303	(1)
Kingfishers	304	(2)
Woodpeckers	306	(14)
Drumming Sounds	306	(14)
Tyrant Flycatchers	320	(20)
Flycatchers, Kingbirds, Pewees, Phoebes, Wood-Pewees
Shrikes and Vireos	340	(10)
Jays, Crows, and Their Allies	350	(12)
Crows, Jays, Magpies, Ravens, Scrub-Jays
Larks	362	(2)
Open-Ground Birds	362	(2)
Swallows	364	(7)
Molt in Swallows	364	(7)
Chickadees and Their Allies	371	(9)
Bushtit, Chickadees, Titmice, Verdin
Drab Gray Birds of the Arid Southwest	378	(2)
Nuthatches and Creepers	380	(4)
Wrens	384	(8)
Scold Notes	384	(4)
Sedge Wren and Grass Sparrows	388	(4)
Old World Warblers, Thrushes, and Their Allies	392	(18)
Bluebirds, Dippers, Gnatcatchers, Kinglets, Robins, Thrushes, Warblers, Wrentit
Identification of Gnatcatchers	398	(4)
Typical Thrushes	402	(1)
Robinlike Songs	403	(7)
Mimids	410	(6)
Catbirds, Mockingbirds, Thrashers
Starlings and Mynas	416	(2)
Wagtails and Pipits	418	(4)
Silky-Flycatchers and Bulbuls	422	(1)
Waxwings	423	(1)
Wood-Warblers	424	(35)
Parulas, Redstarts, Warblers, Waterthrushes
Blue-winged x Golden-winged Hybrids	428	(9)
Warbler Plumages	437	(5)
Identification of Fall Warblers	442	(5)
Identifying Songs	447	(11)
Aberrant Passerines	458	(1)
Tanagers, Cardinals, and Their Allies	459	(13)
Bananaquit, Cardinaline Buntings, Cardinals, Dickcissel, Grosbpeaks, Tanagers
Identification of Tanagers	461	(6)
Identification of Grosbeaks	467	(3)
Identification of Cardinaline Buntings	470	(2)
Emberizine Sparrows and Their Allies	472	(35)
Emberizine Buntings, Juncos, Longspurs, Sparrows, Towhees
Identification of Spizella Sparrows	484	(8)
Sparrowlike Birds	492	(11)
Identification of Emberizine Buntings	503	(4)
Icterids	507	(16)
Blackbirds, Bobolink, Cowbirds, Grackles, Meadowlarks, Orioles
Identification of Meadowlarks	509	(9)
Identification of Orioles	518	(5)
Finches and Old World Sparrows	523	(15)
Crossbills, Finches, Goldfinches, Grosbeaks, Old World Sparrows, Redpolls, Siskins
Red Crossbill Types	530	(1)
Identification of Red Crossbills	531	(6)
Exotic Finches	537	(1)
Species Index	538