Shorebird Guide, O'Brien, Crossley & Karlson

By Michael O'Brien, Richard Crossley and Kevin Karlson.

Forget the nuances of plumage, this guide shows how to use size, structure, behavior and general color first, then go to the details if you need them. Birders have for years used the term Jizz (from the military term GISS, General Impression of Shape and Size) when explaining how they knew without binoculars or field guide the identification of many birds they see. This book is essentially a primer on using jizz first, and minute details later, if needed. Unlike other guides, this book indulges in the beauty of shorebirds by dedicating entire pages to portraits of different species, and uses as many photos as needed to show behavior, habitat and other essentials, as well as the standard information common to all good identification guides. Another useful tool is the "quiz" on the inside back cover, an array of silhouettes to show the different size and structure of all domestic shorebirds (except the woodcook, perhaps judged too easy!?). Rather than identifying the bird, it gives a page number. Each photo is identified by the month and location where it was taken. Although it covers North America, it also includes rarities and regional specialties.

Flexicover with flaps, 496 pages, 6 x 9 inches, full-color photographs, April 2006