Birding is the fastest growing wildlife-related outdoor activity in the U.S., with at least a million new birders a year estimated to join an already robust group some 80 million strong. For these beginning and intermediate enthusiasts, National Geographic Birding Essentials is a must. Comprehensive and authoritative, yet engaging and user-friendly, it teaches readers how to begin and improve their birding… what to look and listen for… and how to make sense of what they see and hear. A unique visual component shows actual field guide pages and how to read them, while another compares the same bird in photography versus artwork and explains how to use both for species identification. National Geographic’s quality photography is a major highlight of the book, supplemented by pencil drawings and full-color maps to give the novice and intermediate birder a full range of visual information.
Field Ornithologists Jonathan Alderfer and Jon Dunn have crafted a masterful guide, striking just the right balance of practical information and reader-friendly tone. Chapters discuss the pleasures of birding, equipment needed, how to read range maps, birds’ physical features, how to identify birds, identification challenges, bird classification and suggested books and journals for building a fine birding library.
National Geographic has established a stellar reputation among birders with our blockbuster Field Guide to the Birds of North America. The tradition continues as we serve an entry-level market that continually needs the helpful, up-to-the-minute information found in National Geographic Birding Essentials.
Product Features
- Great product!
Best book for beginners If you are thinking of taking up birdwatching as a hobby, and only want to invest in one book, get this one. The pictures are fantastic, the prose is easy to read, and it covers all of the basics.
Four Stars Terrific book for beginners and those who want to refresh the basics.
A Great Introduction to Bird Watching As a beginning birder, this is a perfect book. It is well and clearly written (imagine making the selection of binoculars interesting), full of tips on how to hone your eye in identifying birds. The photos and illustrations are beautiful, and the book provides perfect motivation to get off my duff and go look at birds.