Companion to the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America by Jonathan Alderfer, Editor
From the publisher: "Covering every bird species in North America and featuring more than one thousand illustrations and 800 maps, this essential, comprehensive, and easy-to-use bird reference is designed for use by both novices and experts who want a complete guide to the identification, ranges, and behaviors of North American birds. Special features include clear, accessible text; taxonomic descriptions of thousands of species; a quick-find index for the most common bird groups; hundreds of range and migration maps; lavish production values; key field markings for easy identification; and state-of-the-art bird illustration and photography.
A lively and informative 3,000-word introductory chapter, The Art and Science of Birding, by National Geographic's resident birding expert Mel Baughman, offers birders from novice to accomplished the basic topography, morphology, and taxonomy of birds, and includes colorful anatomical illustrations depicting birds at rest and in flight. Tips for making accurate field identification, and detailed information on bird species and family distinctions are also detailed in this chapter. Birds are featured by family and follow the American Ornithological Association guidelines; this organization helps acclimate birders to related birds within a family and aids quick identification in the field. The guide also features an alphabetical bird species index. An easy-to-access layout depicts thousands of members of the 81 bird families profiled. For each family, there is an opening image and an 800-word essay revealing the basic look and behavior, followed by additional illustrations showing plumage variations by age and sex, and range maps showing migration routes.
The entry for the hawk family, for example, features illustrations and photographs detailing the species’ sharp wide wingspan, sharp talons and curved beaks for catching prey, and soaring flight. Four to six paintings of the family's different genders and age-groups, in different actions—flying, swimming, or nesting—are included. Each features a complete tagline for identification. Large, easy-to-read type gives basic identification marks, calls, and facts on flight or feeding behavior, and a range map shows the species distribution. Unique features include illustrated field notes.
Eight hundred new illustrations were commissioned in a special "field note" style, to give readers a good look at a diving pelican, for instance, or a hawk catching prey on the wing. Adding to the reference value of this book are 2-page essays (for each of the 81 sections) focusing in on a behavior unique to that family, or on evolution of the family, or other historic or scientific points. Migration maps of family groupings are featured at set intervals. Cross-referencing with each entry links related families or related behaviors, etc. This guide includes 150 photographs to introduce each family and to illustrate the special essay. In addition there are more than 2,000 images and 800 range maps. There will be 189 new range maps and 800 new pieces of art. At the back is a full index with life list and full bibliography, and a listing of bird societies including Audubon, American Birding Association, and many others.
About the author: Jonathan Alderfer, a widely published author and field guide illustrator, is well known in the birding community for his expertise as a field ornithologist and his knowledge of North American birds. He has served as General Consultant and Art Consultant for the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America and is the Associate Editor of Birding, the magazine of the American Birding Association."
