BIRDERS WILL DELIGHT in this field guide parody which hovers over the forefront of ornithological discovery. Thirty-two fabulous new species are depicted in this volume, which features tongue-in-bill descriptions, observation hints, and range maps, as well as remarkable full-color illustrations. The reader will never look at our feathered friends in the same way after encountering these "freakquent" flyers.

From the award-winning birder and author of Birds of Prey, an authoritative, information-packed guide to distinguishing North American birds. In this book, bursting with more information than any field guide could hold, the well-known author and birder Pete Dunne introduces readers to the “Cape May School of Birding.” It's an approach to identification that gives equal or more weight to a bird's structure and shape and the observer's overall impression (often called GISS, for General Impression of Size and Shape) than to specific field marks. After determining the most likely possibilities by considering such factors as habitat and season, the birder uses characteristics such as size, shape, color, behavior, flight pattern, and vocalizations to identify a bird. The book provides an arsenal of additional hints and helpful clues to guide a birder when, even after a review of a field guide, the identification still hangs in the balance. This supplement to field guides shares the knowledge and skills that expert birders bring to identification challenges. Birding should be an enjoyable pursuit for beginners and experts alike, and Pete Dunne combines a unique playfulness with the work of identification. Readers will delight in his nicknames for birds, from the Grinning Loon and Clearly the Bathtub Duck to Bronx Petrel and Chicken Garnished with a Slice of Mango and a Dollop of Raspberry Sherbet.

For sixteen years, author and photographer William Burt has been on an uncommon mission. Every spring and summer since 1984, he has been in pursuit of the toughest of subjects: twenty of the least known, almost mythically elusive North American birds. Burt spent weeks in the field at a time, employing his own hand-built equipment and often revisiting sites, year after year in certain cases, to get the pictures he wanted. The end result is this collection of stunning photographs of these birds in the wild and the engaging stories behind capturing the images. This book contains over fifty remarkable photographs of these camera-shy birds. Additionally, it contains an appendix of thumbnail sketches about each of the birds featured in the book: where they can be found, their markings, and other unique characteristics. "Rare and elusive Birds of North America is a wonderful addition to the libraries of serious and armchair birders alike.

A hilarious, feather-brained field guide parody—the perfect gift for your favorite birder! From the award-winning team of Cathryn, John, and Ben Sill. "The funniest field guide you'll ever buy." ―BirdWatching Daily "Aficionados will find themselves squawking with laughter at the ingenuity and mock-seriousness of this engaging volume by three avid birders." ―Publishers Weekly Birders and just about anyone who likes birds will delight in this satirical field guide from award-winning author and illustrator team Cathryn, John, and Ben Sill. Thirty-two fabulous fictitious species (Military Warbler? Great-toed Clapboard Pecker, anyone?) are depicted in this witty volume, which features tongue-in-cheek descriptions, observation hints, and range maps, as well as John Sill's remarkable full-color illustrations. A must-have for any bird watcher! Also available: Another Field Guide to Little-Known and Seldom-Seen Birds of North America

Presents a handbook for the identification of over five hundred species of trees by illustration and text.

Provides basic information about the biology, life cycles, and behavior of birds, along with brief profiles of each of the eighty bird families in North America.

In Black Chicago’s First Century, Christopher Robert Reed provides the first comprehensive study of an African American population in a nineteenth-century northern city beyond the eastern seaboard. Reed’s study covers the first one hundred years of African American settlement and achievements in the Windy City, encompassing a range of activities and events that span the antebellum, Civil War, Reconstruction, and post-Reconstruction periods. The author takes us from a time when black Chicago provided both workers and soldiers for the Union cause to the ensuing decades that saw the rise and development of a stratified class structure and growth in employment, politics, and culture. Just as the city was transformed in its first century of existence, so were its black inhabitants. Methodologically relying on the federal pension records of Civil War soldiers at the National Archives, as well as previously neglected photographic evidence, manuscripts, contemporary newspapers, and secondary sources, Reed captures the lives of Chicago’s vast army of ordinary black men and women. He places black Chicagoans within the context of northern urban history, providing a better understanding of the similarities and differences among them. We learn of the conditions African Americans faced before and after Emancipation. We learn how the black community changed and developed over time: we learn how these people endured—how they educated their children, how they worked, organized, and played. Black Chicago’s First Century is a balanced and coherent work. Anyone with an interest in urban history or African American studies will find much value in this book.

This fourth edition has been completely rewritten, with all-new range maps and illustrations for all species.

A cutting-edge photographic field guide to the birds of Chile This is the first modern-style photographic field guide to the birds of Chile, an increasingly popular destination with birders and naturalists. Compact and easy to carry, pack, and use, Birds of Chile is ideal for curious naturalists and experienced birders alike, providing everything anyone needs to identify the birds they see. Clear photographs and brief, facing-page species accounts highlight what to look for and how to quickly identify species. The photos include both close-ups and birds-in-habitat images to further aid real-life identification. An introduction and maps provide an overview of Chile's geographic regions and their distinctive birdlife. Birds of Chile is also a great resource for birding in nearby countries, especially Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru. The first field-friendly photographic guide to the birds of Chile More than 1,000 real-life photos and brief, facing-page text make bird identification easy Overview and maps describe the distinct bird regions of Chile Perfect for curious naturalists and experienced birders alike Compact and easy to carry and pack Also a great resource for birding in Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru

Offers advice on how to create home gardens that attract birds, discusses the rewards of backyard birds, provides instructions for building birdhouses and feeders, ponds, perches, and other features, identifies feed and seed options, and includes tips on bird watching and an encyclopedia of seventy-five flowers, trees, and shrubs.