Birds of North America

American Museum of Natural History Birds of North America
Published by DK

About the Book

Updated to reflect all the latest taxonomic data, American Museum of Natural History Birds of North America is the complete photographic guide to the 657 species of birds found in the United States and Canada.

Ideal for the armchair bird enthusiast or dedicated bird watcher, this book includes stunning full-color photographs revealing 657 individual species with unrivaled clarity. The 550 most commonly seen birds are pictured with plumage variations, and images of subspecies and information on similar birds are provided to make differentiation easy, from game birds and waterfowl to shorebirds and swifts to owls, flycatchers, finches, and more. You can even discover which species to expect when and where with up-to-date, color-coded maps highlighting habitation and migratory patterns.

Written by a team of more than 30 birders and ornithologists with expertise in particular species or families, and produced in association with the American Museum of Natural History, this updated and refreshed edition of American Museum of Natural History Birds of North America is the ultimate photographic guide to every bird species in the United States and Canada.

My Thoughts

First let me tell you that this book is S T U N N I N G !   First the cover itself is marvelous – I am biased with owls – but if you pass your hand over it you will feel some details a bit.  

Okay now let me tell you what happened when this book arrived home…  My sweet daughter – who by the way is nine years old – is currently reading (should I say zooming) through the series Guardians of Ga’Hoole.   For her to read so much is a blessings because it took her a while before grasping the reading skills.  But nevertheless she persevered and has been reading non-stop for the past few months.   Guardians of Ga’Hoole is just one series that she has tackled and read.   As I am writing this, she is currently reading one of the last book of this series.   Through this series, she has learned a bit about owls (the main characters are owls).  Imagine her seeing this book for the first time….  could you see the big eyes, the excitement and the enthusiasm?   That was her.   She saw the barn owl  on the cover, she grabbed the book, walked (no make that run almost) to the living room to find the owls section (which by the way is still marked with a sticky note) and proceeded to read more about owls – all kinds of them.  I am not kidding you when I write this… she was reading for quite some time and when dad came back home after a day at work, the first thing she wanted to tell him was what she learned about owls from the book Birds of North America.

If you are wondering what the pages contains, see the examples below. 

  

The American Museum of Natural History Birds of North America is divided in various sections:

• How this book works
• Evolution
• Anatomy and flight
• Migration
• Courtship and mating
• Nests and eggs
• Identification
• Species guide
• Ducks, geese, and swans
• Quails, grouse, turkeys, and relatives
• Loons
• Grebes
• Tubenoses
• Storks, frigatebirds, gannets, cormorants, and anhingas
• Pelicans, herons, ibises, and relatives
• Hawks, eagles, vultures, and relatives
• Rails, cranes, and relatives
• Shorebirds, gulls, auks, and relatives
• Pigeons and doves
• Cuckoos
• Owls
• Nightjars
• Swifts and hummingbirds
• Trogons and kingfishers
• Woodpeckers
• Falcons and caracaras
• Parakeets and parrots
• New world flycatchers
• Vireos, jays and crows
• Swallows, chickadees, and titmice
• Nuthatches and wrens
• Thrushes, trashers, wagtails, and pipits
• Longspurs and snow buntings
• Wood warblers
• American sparrows, cardinals and relatives
• Orioles and blackbirds
• Finches
• Old world sparrows
• Rare species
• Vagrants

Now if you think that you will bring this book with you in the field…. stop right now.  There is no way that you will carry this gigantic book with you as you explore the woods near your home or go to observe birds in a special area.   This book contains roughly over 751 pages and will help you to develop some muscles in your arms…  Nevertheless, it is a fabulous reference to have in your home to learn more about birds in your area.  

If you are looking for a fantastic book that will provide some information on birds found in Canada and the U.S., the American Museum of Natural History Birds of North America is a book for you.   It is a great book to have in your living area, so that you can access immediately when you want to learn more about a specific bird.

Birds of North America is available at your favorite bookstore near you, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

Disclaimer: Thanks to DK Canada for allowing me to promote these books. I was not monetarily compensated for this post . Please note that the post was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.