Mark W. Lockwood
Our job just got a little harder, we went from having several field guide choices for Texas Birds, none of which we were comfortable recommending sight unseen (unless we knew you wanted to read rather than just identify, in which we happily recommended (and continue to recommend) Birds of Texas by Tveten, see More Titles - Texas page.). Now we have two field-guide sized books that have great information about Texas' most common, whether it be statewide or in a bio-region (think Laughing Gull), with Texas specific information. This book, Basic Texas Birds, takes a very different approach than Birds of Texas by Arnold and Gregory. Aside from being more compact, it uses photographs of the birds in their habitat, usually just one per species unless there is a huge difference between sexes. Lockwood devotes two pages per species, which allows for a great range map (with the counties outlined, they are adapted from the more detailed maps in the TOS Handbook of Texas Birds (see More Titles pages). The photos typically occupy one-third to one-half of the text area on the 4.5 x 7.5 page. This book has a much more serious feel to it than Arnold's Birds of Texas. This is a good guide for the seriously or more scientifically oriented person ready to go beyond identifying what's in their back yard. Having said that, you'll have to decide for yourself if having more information on the birds, fewer depictions, and information on the range and status is a trade off. Basic Texas Birds covers some 180 birds (about 1/7th of Texas' total species) with 200 color photos. Great field guides that cover ALL of North America’s birds are available for less money.
From the Publisher: Finding all the birds in Texas can be a lifetime pursuit. Basic Texas Birds, an easy-to-use field guide, will help you identify over 180 species of birds that are found across the state, including a selection of the rarer Texas specialties that draw birders to Texas from around the world. These are the birds that form the basis of a birder's life list for Texas.
Basic Texas Birds is organized by bird families to aid in identifying any bird you see in the wild. It is loaded with resources, including:
* 200 full-color, close-up photos of the birds
* State-of-the-art range maps—the most accurate of any currently available—that show each species' distribution within the state
* Up-to-date species accounts that provide a wealth of current and historical information, including each bird's appearance, habitat, status, and distribution, and that also identify similar species
* A glossary of terms used in bird identification
* A list of selected readings for learning more about birds found in Texas
* The Texas Ornithological Society's list of birds documented in Texas
Much more convenient for identifying common birds than a comprehensive state or national field guide, Basic Texas Birds is a must-have resource for both beginning and experienced birders.
Paperback, 4 1/2 x 7 1/4 in., 416 pp., illus., July 2007.
