Offers advice on over 100 ways to help protect birds and their habitats, and explains how a pro-active approach to wildlife conservation can make a difference.

So ticked off you’re at a loss for words? 101 Ways to Flip the Bird provides 101 creative ways to express exactly how you feel. Arm yourself with the perfect bird for every occasion: Some jerk cut you off in traffic? Opt for the Classic Flip, also appropriate when protesting a bad call by a referee (see page 2). Interrupted by a rude coworker? Try the Glasses Adjuster, subtle enough to use during a business meeting (see page 26). A joker makes a snide remark about your haircut? Cup a Bird behind your ear and flip them Sorry, I’m Deaf (see page 66). Your cheap friend is hitting you up for money again? Pull Here, I’ve Got Something For You out of your pocket (see page 38). First date boring you half to death with inane chatter? Amuse yourself with the Thinker, a simple and pensive Bird to the chin (see page 64).

Learn the how’s and why’s of bird behavior, from flirtatious mating practices and gorgeous birdsong to flying south for the winter. In this lively reference book, Laura Erickson addresses hundreds of real-life questions sent in to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the world’s foremost authority on birds. With expert advice on bird watching techniques and equipment, feeding and housing birds, protecting habitats, and much more, Erickson guides you through the intricacies of the avian world with a contagious passion for our feathered friends.

As oil was washing up on the shores of Louisiana, covering shorebirds and their nests and eggs after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, Lynn Barber decided to write this book to heighten awareness, not only of the plight of bird species that are declining in numbers every year, but also of the ways in which the birds we see every day may also face the same fate. First explaining the idea of birds “in trouble”—and what that means in terms of population, conservation status, and national and international designations—the book then turns to the habitats that are important to birds, how they are affected by changes in these habitats, and what ordinary people can do to help counter those negative effects. Barber then profiles forty-two species that are in trouble in the United States, discussing the likely reasons why and what, if anything, we can do to improve their situations. Illustrated throughout with the author’s signature bird art, the book closes with a reminder about what we can do to ensure that the birds we see every day in our yards, parks, and communities will remain with us.

From one of the most trusted names in field guides comes a new and lavishly illustrated guide to identifying North America's most common birds, mammals, insects, reptiles, and amphibians, plus fish and other aquatic creatures. Broad in scope and clearly organized, National Geographic Illustrated Guide to Wildlife is just like having five field guides in one. Each of the five realms of wildlife gets a chapter, and each chapter identifies 160 of the most common and most interesting animals around, providing essential information and a bullet list of key points on each species. Photographs and original artwork represent 900 species total, making this the ultimate field guide to the creatures of the continental United States and Canada, from your own backyard into the deepest wilderness.

This beautifully written cautionary tale reveals how passenger pigeons have become extinct and how no series effort was made to protect this species that inspired awe in the likes of John James Audubon, Henry David Thoreau and James Fenimore Cooper until it was too late.

Until recently, little was known about the lives of songbirds during their travels from autumn until spring. Now scientists have documented mass migrations over the Gulf of Mexico, identified the voices of migrants in the night sky, and showed how songbirds navigate using stars, polarized light, and magnetic fields. Miyoko Chu explores the intricacies underlying the ebb and flow of migration, the cycle of seasons, and the interconnectedness between distant places. Songbird Journeys pays homage to the wonder and beauty of songbirds while revealing the remarkable lives of migratory birds and the scientific quest to answer age-old questions about where songbirds go, how they get there, and what they do in the far-flung places they inhabit throughout the year.

Produced in association with the National Audubon Society, Audubon Birdhouse Book explains how to build and place safe, species-appropriate bird homes for more than 20 classic North American species, from wrens to raptors. A visit to almost any home or garden center presents birders with numerous cute and colorful contraptions that are sold as bird homes. But the fact is, many of these products provide anything but a safe refuge for your feathered friends. Each of the easy-to-build boxes and shelves within is accompanied by cut lists, specially created line diagrams, and step-by-step photography, making the projects accessible to those with even the most rudimentary woodworking skills. In addition, this practical and beautifully presented guide is packed with color photography and profiles and range maps for the bird species covered—including titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, phoebes, swallows, waterfowl, and even kestrels and owls—to help the reader properly place and maintain the homes to attract birds. And because these projects are the product of years of experience and field-testing, you can be sure you’re getting the best advice regarding proper design, safe construction materials, and correct home placement to mitigate exposure to elements, pests, and predators. Finally, beyond the birdhouses, you’ll find out how you can contribute to the larger birding community and even enhance your birding experience with the aid of new technologies. Build an Audubon-approved home for these species: Bewick’s, Carolina, or House Wren; Prothonotary Warbler; Eastern, Western, or Mountain Bluebird; Ash-throated or Great Crested Flycatcher; Tree Swallow or Violet-green Swallow; Juniper, Oak, Black-crested, or Tufted Titmouse; Barred Owl; Eastern or Western Screech-owl; Barn Owl; Northern Flicker; American Kestrel; Black-capped, Carolina, or Mountain Chickadee; Wood Duck; Hooded Merganser; Purple Martin; Mourning Dove; Barn Swallow; American Robin; House Finch; and Eastern or Say’s Phoebe.

Presents information about 160 North American bird species, including facts about physical features, voice, habitat, food, and a map indicating the regions in which each species can be found.

• Concise introductions to popular subjects • Fascinating "did you know?" facts • Compulsively readable presentation Attracting birds to the backyard and observing their lives in the wild has become one of our most popular activities. Join in the fun with this enlightening introduction. How to entice hummingbirds, bluebirds, cardinals, woodpeckers, goldfinches, nuthatches, and a host of other feeder favorites to your yard or garden. Also covers building nest boxes, setting up water features and ghost trees, and first aid for injured birds. What food and feeders work best, what features attract birds, preventing problems, fascinating bird behaviors, getting started as a birder--all are covered here.