A Field Guide to Backyard Birds of North America is a well illustrated field guide to common birds of North America written by Rob Hume. Originally published in 2007, this reformat and re-release from Quarto on their Chartwell imprint was released 12th Sept 2023. It's 208 pages and is available in paperback format.
The author does a great job of introducing birding and general bird anatomy for beginners. The introductory chapters include some basic ornithology and some practical suggestions. There's a very good overview over equipment including a primer on selecting and using binoculars. The book contains a directory, which includes well drawn color illustrations of common birds, their distinguishing features, and ranges, general sizes, and other features including diet and behavior. Unfortunately, the author/publisher have chosen not to use proper nomenclature, electing to use the most recognized common names for each species.
The bulk of the book is taken up by a 2 year field log in which readers can record their observations. Each page of the log includes spaces for species, notes, weather, location, and behavior. The pages also include practical bird tracker tips in a highlighted text bar.
This would be a superlative gift or for home use. Due to the logbook nature, it would have very limited use for public or school library acquisition. It could also be a good choice for scouting, camp, or group activities.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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