New Titles

 

 

 

1) Menkhorst, Peter et al.. The Australian Bird Guide: Revised Edition. 2024. Helm. Flexibound: 566 pages. Price: $55.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Australia's avifauna is large, diverse and spectacular, reflecting the continent's wide range of habitats and evolutionary history. The book covers every regularly occurring species in Australia, including subspecies and rarities. Illustrations of more than 900 species on almost 250 plates, with particular emphasis on providing the fine detail required to identify difficult groups and distinctive plumages, make The Australian Bird Guide the most comprehensive guide to Australian birds ever published.

     This revised edition includes updated maps and artwork, reflecting advances in our knowledge of the biology and distribution of Australia's birds, plus fully updated text to ensure identification, distribution and status details are current and accurate, along with an improved index.

     This book sets the standard for coverage of Australia's remarkable avifauna. It is truly indispensable for anyone looking to explore Australia's magnificent and unique birdlife.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a MUST-HAVE for anyone birding Australia!

 

 

2) Boon, Richard. Clinging to the Edge: A Year in the Life of a Little Tern Colony. 2024. Pelagic Publishing. Paperback: 134 pages. Price: $36.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: A summer migrant to Europe from West Africa, the Little Tern is one of our most threatened and most captivating seabirds. This book is the story of one breeding season at the Beacon Lagoons colony on the North Sea coast, near Spurn Point in East Yorkshire. In elegant and evocative prose it offers an intimate portrait of these endangered birds, covering everything from foraging and breeding to predators and conservation.

     The colony's small size means that it can be monitored, protected and documented in an unusual level of detail. Close observation of the birds' behaviour and an in-depth knowledge of the natural history of their environment raise important questions about how and why we seek to preserve and protect species for whose decline we are ourselves largely responsible. A tight focus on the spectacular natural, geographical and cultural headland that is Spurn Point also provides new insights into the ecology of Little Terns. Covering the progress of the colony month by month, through an eventful spring and summer, Clinging to the Edge brings these charismatic and endearing birds vividly to life.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in Little Terns.

 

3) Hansen, Robert and Jackson D. Shedd. California Amphibians and Reptiles. 2025. Princeton University Press. Flexibound: 520 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: California is home to more than 200 species of reptiles and amphibians that can be found in an extraordinary array of habitats, from coastal temperate rainforests with giant redwoods to southeastern deserts offering dazzling wildflower displays each spring. California Amphibians and Reptiles covers every species and subspecies in this biodiverse region of the United States, with outstanding color photography and in-depth species accounts that draw on the latest findings on taxonomy and distribution. Setting a new standard for regional field guides, this state-of-the-art guide will serve as the definitive reference for California’s amphibian and reptile fauna for many years to come.

• Covers all 209 species of amphibians and reptiles found in California
• Features hundreds of stunning photos that illustrate geographic and within-species variation as well as differences among males, females, and young
• Includes first-ever color images and species accounts for newly discovered species
• Shows every species and subspecies in full color on a white background
• Depicts all amphibian larvae in breathtaking color
• Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, similar species, habitat, range and elevation, activity and behavior, diet, reproduction, and conservation
• Provides updated status of all threatened, endangered, nonnative, and special concern species
• Accurate range maps reflect contemporary and, where applicable, historical distributions in light of significant habitat loss across the state
• An invaluable resource for amateur naturalists, resource managers, and professional herpetologists

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a MUST-HAVE for anyone with an interest in California's amphibians and reptiles! 

 

 

 

4) Harris, Stephen A.. Catesby's Natural History. 2024. Bodleian Library. Hardbound: 304 pages. Price: $75.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: A beautiful reproduction of naturalist Mark Catesby’s flora and fauna illustrations of North America and the Caribbean.

      Mark Catesby was an eighteenth-century naturalist and artist whose work on the natural history of North America and the Caribbean still resonates today. During several perilous trips, Catesby collected specimens and made extensive observations in the field, gathering material that would eventually become The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands, which featured 220 elaborate, distinctive hand-colored illustrations.

      With their striking combinations of animals and plants paired together with the first-hand observations he made, Catesby’s stunning illustrations were widely appreciated in their time and catalyzed interest in the natural history of Colonial America. Ultimately, his work was established as a key reference for the scientific understanding of natural history. As an artist, Catesby meticulously recorded the environment, sifting fact from fiction about the lives of the plants and animals he observed. As a collector, he introduced many living plants to Britain, thereby changing European gardens forever.

     Catesby’s Natural History reproduces all the original plates and shows how Catesby’s practical field experience shaped his work in all areas. Whether through the now-extinct species he recorded or the cultural changes he witnessed, his research continues to be relevant, demonstrating the vulnerability and fragility of the natural world. 

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in the natural history history of North America.

 

 

 

BEST BIRD BOOKS OF 2024

 

The following are my picks for the best bird books of 2024:

BEST BOOK: 

1) van Duivendijk, Nils. ID Handbook of European Birds. 2024. Princeton University Press. Hardbound: 1056 pages (in two volumes). Price: $107.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Would you like to be able to identify any bird species in Europe, in all plumages, in every season? ID Handbook of European Birds is the resource for you. This identification handbook blends incisive descriptions with stunning high-resolution photos to provide the most comprehensive, in-depth coverage of European birds available. Never before has so much current information been brought together in one place and presented so clearly and completely. This monumental two-volume work is destined to become a standard reference to Europe’s birds.

• Covers 733 species known to occur in Europe
• Features more than 5,500 spectacular color photos
• Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, molting, age, and gender
• The high-quality photos depict the characteristics most essential for identification
• Innovatively designed for easy, at-a-glance reference
• An ideal resource for anyone who wants to enhance their experience in the field
• A must for bird-watchers everywhere, from beginners to seasoned birders

RECOMMENDATION: These books are a MUST-HAVE for all serious birders in Europe!   

 

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

 

1) Ayyash, Amar. The Gull Guide: North America. 2024. Princeton University Press. Flexibound: 518 pages. Price: $39.95 U.S. 

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: The definitive photographic guide to North American gulls.

     Gull identification can be challenging for even the most seasoned birder. While these birds are common to coasts, lakes, and rivers, they exhibit remarkable plumage changes related to age, which is sometimes complicated by similarities between species and a readiness to hybridize. This book provides an invaluable identification guide to all regularly occurring gull species and subspecies throughout North America. It is packed with the very latest research on field identification, updated taxonomy, current distribution trends, color maps, and helpful notes on natural history, aging, and molt. The Gull Guide integrates the essential elements that are critical to understanding gulls, setting an entirely new standard for identifying and enjoying these marvelous birds.

• Features more than 1,800 superb color photos
• Covers 36 gull species as well as 7 of the most commonly encountered hybrid gulls
• Gives equal attention to rarities from Asia, Europe, and South America
• Describes the key characteristics of all age groups, from juvenile through adult plumages
• Innovative photo collages give side-by-side comparisons, enabling readers to distinguish between similar species and avoid common pitfalls associated with gull identification
• Comes with a one-of-a-kind “cheat sheet” describing key features of select Larus species
• A must for the bookshelf of every birder and ornithologist

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a MUST-HAVE for anyone with an interest in the gulls of the region!

 

 

2) Ellis, David H. et al.(editors). The Golden Eagle Around the World. 2024. Hancock House. Hardbound: 918 pages. Price: $99.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Unlike all other monographs on the Golden Eagle, each of which had a regional focus on the study area of the author, this book represents the most wide-ranging compilation of Golden Eagle research ever.

      With over 175 authors reporting on more than 2000 combined field seasons, representing every biome where the species is found, this book marks one of the greatest attempts to describe the biology of any circumpolar species. Having more than 920 pages, over 1,500 illustrations, many never previously published, this work represents a truly global achievement. It merits a place in the library of every ornithologist and raptor enthusiast.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a MUST-HAVE for anyone with an interest in the Golden Eagle! The only drawback to this book is a lack of a subject index. 

3) Stokes, Lillian Q. and Matthew A. Young. The Stokes Guide to Finches of the United States and Canada. 2024. Little, Brown and Company. Paperback: 332 pages. Price: $21.99 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Learn all you need to know about identifying and attracting finches with this comprehensive, gloriously colorful field guide from America’s foremost authorities on birds and nature.

     Following the extraordinary finch superflight of 2020-2021, birders across the country became obsessed with finches. With The Stokes Guide to Finches of the United States and Canada, you can gain expert knowledge on these beautiful birds and bring them into your own yard. This fully illustrated guide tells you all you need to know about attracting, observing, and protecting finches.

The book also includes:

• A special section on endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper finches, plus other rare and vagrant species
• Detailed identification information on each finch species’ plumages, subspecies, and voice
• The most complete and up-to-date range maps, including maps of core occurrence and irruption ranges for all red crossbill call types, which have never before been published in a guide
• Complete life history information
• Scientific studies on finch migrations and conservation
• More than 345 stunning full-color photographs and over 50 range maps covering 43 species

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a MUST-HAVE for anyone with an interest in the finches of the region!

 

 

4) Kaufman, Kenn. The Birds That Audubon Missed: Discovery and Desire in the American Wilderness. 2024. Avid Reader Press. Hardbound: 387 pages. Price: $32.50 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Renowned naturalist Kenn Kaufman examines the scientific discoveries of John James Audubon and his artistic and ornithologist peers to show how what they saw (and what they missed) reflects how we perceive and understand the natural world.

     Raging ambition. Towering egos. Competition under a veneer of courtesy. Heroic effort combined with plagiarism, theft, exaggeration, and fraud. This was the state of bird study in eastern North America during the early 1800s, as a handful of intrepid men raced to find the last few birds that were still unknown to science.

     The most famous name in the bird world was John James Audubon, who painted spectacular portraits of birds. But although his images were beautiful, creating great art was not his main goal. Instead, he aimed to illustrate (and write about) as many different species as possible, obsessed with trying to outdo his rival, Alexander Wilson. George Ord, a fan and protégé of Wilson, held a bitter grudge against Audubon for years, claiming he had faked much of his information and his scientific claims. A few of Audubon’s birds were pure fiction, and some of his writing was invented or plagiarized. Other naturalists of the era, including Charles Bonaparte (nephew of Napoleon), John Townsend, and Thomas Nuttall, also became entangled in the scientific derby, as they stumbled toward an understanding of the natural world—an endeavor that continues to this day.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a MUST-HAVE for anyone with an interest in the ornithological history of the USA!

 

 

 

New Titles

 

1) Benito, Juan and Roc Olivé. Birds of the Mesozoic. 2024. Princeton University Press. Flexibound: 272 pages. Price: $27.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Birds are today’s most diverse tetrapod group, but they have a rich and complex evolutionary history that extends far beyond their modern radiation. Appearing during the Jurassic more than 160 million years ago, they took to the skies and evolved into myriad forms. This comprehensive and up-to-date illustrated field guide covers the staggering diversity of avialans—modern birds and their closest fossil relatives—that lived from the origin of the group until the mass extinction that ended the reign of the nonavian dinosaurs 66 million years ago. With a foreword by eminent paleontologist Luis Chiappe, Birds of the Mesozoic is a must-have book for bird lovers and anyone interested in paleontology.

• Features more than 250 stunning full-color illustrations
• Covers more than 200 kinds of Mesozoic birds
• Detailed fact files provide information about each species, including its name, location, size, period, habitat, and general characteristics
• Traces the evolution of the group from other feathered dinosaurs to the emergence of modern birds in the Late Cretaceous
• Describes all facets of phylogenetic, morphological, and ecological diversity
• Introduces readers to bird skeletal anatomy and the cutting-edge methods that paleontologists use to reconstruct fossil bird color, diet, and biology
• Formatted like a field guide for birdwatching in the Mesozoic

RECOMMENDATION: This title was first published in 2022 by Lynx Nature Books. This book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in fossil birds!

 

2) Dunne, Pete. The Courage of Birds: And the Often Surprising Ways They Survive Winter. 2024. Chelsea Green Publishing. Hardbound: 177 pages. Price: $28.00 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: From our own backyards to the rim of the Arctic ice, countless birds have adapted to meet the challenges of the winter season. This is their remarkable story, told by award-winning birder and acclaimed writer Pete Dunne, accompanied by illustrations from renowned artist and birder David Sibley.

     Despite the seasonal life-sapping cold, birds have evolved strategies that meet winter’s vicissitudes head on, driven by the imperative to make it to spring and pass down their genes to the next generation. The drama of winter and the resilience and adaptability of birds witnessed in the harsher months of the calendar is both fascinating and astonishing.

     In The Courage of Birds, Pete Dunne―winner of the American Birding Association’s Roger Tory Peterson Award for lifetime achievement in promoting the cause of birding―chronicles the behavior of the birds of North America. He expertly explores widespread adaptations, such as feathers that protect against the cold, and unpacks the unique migration patterns and survival strategies of individual species. Dunne also addresses the impact of changing climatic conditions on avian longevity and recounts personal anecdotes that soar with a naturalist’s gimlet eye.

     Filled with unforgettable facts, wit, and moving observations on the natural world, Dunne’s book is for everyone; from the serious birder who tracks migration patterns, to the casual birder who logs daily reports on eBird, to the backyard observer who throws a handful of seed out for the Northern Cardinals and wonders how the birds magically appear in the garden when temperatures begin to fall.

RECOMMENDATION: A readable overview of how birds survive winter that is highlighted by David Sibley's art.   

 

3) Newman, Kenneth and Nicholas Newman. Newman's Birds by Colour (Fourth edition). 2024. Struik Nature. Paperback: 320 pages. Price: $25.50 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Newman’s Birds by Colour offers a quick and easy way to identify southern Africa’s most common birds based on first impression. Now in its fourth edition, this handy illustrated guide includes photographs in addition to the illustrations, to further aid identification. It has been updated to reflect the latest name changes, and also includes bird names in several local languages. Birds are grouped in distinct sections according to the color of their plumage, as well as their size, making the book easy to navigate. An informative introduction provides practical tips for identifying birds, and includes information on bird anatomy and classification, and guidance on what you need to go birding.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is best for casual/novice birders of the region. 

4) Grant, Peter and Rosemary. 40 Years of Evolution: Darwin's Finches on Daphne Major Island, New Edition. 2024. Princeton University Press. Paperback: 426 pages. Price: $39.95 U.S.

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: 40 Years of Evolution is a landmark study of the finches first made famous by Charles Darwin, one that documents as never before the evolution of species through natural selection. In this now-legendary study, renowned evolutionary biologists Peter and Rosemary Grant draw on a vast and unparalleled range of ecological, behavioral, and genetic data to continuously measure changes in finch populations over a period of four decades on the small island of Daphne Major in the Galápagos archipelago. In the years since the book’s publication, the field of genomics has developed greatly. In this newly revised edition of 40 Years of Evolution, the Grants combine the results of their historic field study with genomic analyses of their primary findings, resolve unanswered questions from the field, and provide invaluable insights into the genetic basis of beak and body size variation and the history of this iconic adaptive radiation.

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-read for those with a serious interest in avian evolution.

 

 

5) Paul, Gregory S.. The Princeton Field Guide to Predatory Dinosaurs. 2024. Princeton University Press. Hardbound: 256 pages. Price: $32.00 U.S. 

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: New discoveries are transforming our understanding of the theropod dinosaurs, revealing startling new insights into the lives and look of these awesome predators. The Princeton Field Guide to Predatory Dinosaurs provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive coverage of the mighty hunters that ruled the earth for tens of millions of years. This incredible guide covers some 300 species and features stunning illustrations of predatory theropods of all shapes and sizes. It discusses their history, anatomy, physiology, locomotion, reproduction, growth, and extinction, and even gives a taste of what it might be like to travel back to the Mesozoic. This one-of-a-kind guide also discusses the controversies surrounding these marvelous creatures, taking up such open questions as the form and habitats of the gigantic Spinosaurus and the number of Tyrannosaurus species that may have existed.

• Features detailed species accounts of some 300 theropod dinosaurs, with the latest size and mass estimates
• Shares new perspectives on iconic predators such as T. rex and Velociraptor
• Covers everything from the biology of predatory dinosaurs to the colorful history of paleontology
• Features a wealth of color and black-and-white drawings and figures, including life studies, scenic views, and original skeletal, skull, and muscle reconstructions
• Includes detailed color maps

RECOMMENDATION: This book is a must-have for those with an interest in predatory dinosaurs!

 

 

6) Hone, David. Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior: What They Did and How We Know. 2024. Princeton University Press. Hardbound: 207 pages. Price: $29.95 U.S. 

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Our understanding of dinosaur behavior has long been hampered by the inevitable lack of evidence from animals that went extinct more than sixty-five million years ago and whose daily behaviors are rarely reflected by the fossil record. Today, with the discovery of new specimens and the development of new and cutting-edge techniques, paleontologists are making major advances in reconstructing how dinosaurs lived and acted. Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior provides an unparalleled look at this emerging field of science, presenting the latest findings on dinosaur behavior and explaining how researchers interpret the often minimal and even conflicting information available to them.

     David Hone begins by introducing readers to the fundamentals of dinosaur biology, diversity, and evolution, and goes on to describe behaviors across the whole range of species and groups, from feeding and communication to reproduction, sociality, and combat. Speculation about dinosaur behavior goes back to the earliest scientific studies of these “terrible lizards.” Hone traces how pioneering science is opening a window into prehistoric life as never before, and discusses future directions of research in this thrilling and rapidly growing area of paleontology.

     Written by one of the world’s leading dinosaur experts and featuring accurate color recreations by paleoartist Gabriel Ugueto along with a wealth of photos and diagrams, Uncovering Dinosaur Behavior is a foundational work on the subject and an invaluable reference for anyone interested in these amazing creatures.

RECOMMENDATION: A readable overview on dinosaur biology that is highlighted by Gabriel Ugueto's artwork.   

 

 

 

7) Marshall, Justin et al.. Color in Nature. 2024. Princeton University Press. Hardbound: 288 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S. 

PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: Recent years have seen tremendous strides in the fields of vision, visual ecology, and our own multilayered experience of color in life and the world. These advances have been driven by astonishing discoveries in neuroscience and evolutionary biology as well as psychology and design. This beautifully illustrated book unlocks nature’s colorful purpose, revealing how creatures see color as well as shedding light on the important part that it plays in animal behavior, from reproduction and communication to aggression and defense. Color in Nature also places the human experience and uses of color in the context of all the colors around us, both in the natural world and in the world that we humans create for our own pleasure and purpose. A wide-ranging survey of a vibrant and compelling topic, Color in Nature will open your eyes to new ways of perceiving the world.

• Features a wealth of stunning color illustrations
• Explains what color is and how it happens
• Covers the physics, genetics, chemistry, physiology, and psychology of animal color perception
• Discusses colors humans don’t see or rarely use
• Sheds light on the evolution of colors for mating, hunting, fighting, deceiving, and hiding
• Provides insights into color blindness, bio-inspired colors, and people’s appreciation for art and design

RECOMMENDATION: A well illustrated introduction to the subject.