Recommended Books

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purchased through our web site.
Here are some direct links to our favorites in these categories:

Books with RRBO connection	Field & ID Guides	Regional Interest
Bird Conservation	Ecology & Environment	For kids!

Books with an RRBO connection

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New!  RRBO's Julie Craves is one of the authors of Good Birders Don't Wear White: 50 Tips From North America's Top Birders.

"A light and fun collection of birding advice, with contributions from Kenn Kaufman, David Sibley, Pete Dunne, Tim Gallagher, Don and Lillian Stokes, Bill Thompson III, and forty-four others. Original essays from the biggest names in birding dispense advice to birders of every level, on topics ranging from feeding birds and cleaning binoculars to pishing and pelagic birding. Whether satirizing bird snobs or relating the traditions and taboos of the birding culture, each essay is chock-full of helpful information and entertaining as well. Pete Dunne’s lively foreword kicks off the collection of essays, which are organized by category."

Honoring Our Detroit River: Caring for Our Home. Julie Craves co-authored a chapter in this book which looks at key aspects of the river’s history and impact on the surrounding ecosystem since its formation some 14,000 years ago. 

The various guides by David Sibley are all excellent.  There's something for each region and skill level.
The Sibley Guide to Birds  
Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America 
Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America 

Several good supplements to field guides are:
Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion
The Birder's Handbook
Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior 

The best of the specific family or group ID guides:

Raptors of Eastern North America ("Wheeler Guide")  
Raptors of Western North America ("Wheeler Guide")
Sparrows of the U.S. and Canada: A Photographic Guide
Peterson Field Guide: Hummingbirds of North America. 
 

The Birds of Ohio: With Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas Maps
Birding In Ohio 
Delorme Ohio Atlas and Gazeteer -- standard map book for birders!

A Bird-Finding Guide to Ontario, Revised Edition -- This new edition covers Ontario well.

The Birds of Indianapolis

Bird conservation, etc:

A must-have for bird lovers: 101 Ways to Help Birds. This engaging book presents 101 things individuals can do to help both individual birds and bird populations as a whole. It also explains exactly how these actions can make a difference--what wrongs they help correct and what improvements they can bring about. Bird-friendly (and environment-friendly) practices are described in detail: things anyone can do around the home and garden, at work, at the store, in their community, in the outdoors, and on the road. Anyone who appreciates wild birds knows that the animals need our help. This timely guide shows bird-lovers what they can do. Outstanding!

Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens. Many of us realize that planting native species in our yards help birds -- and we often focus on those plants and trees that provide seeds or fruit for birds. This book helps us understand that when native plant species disappear, or are replaced by alien exotics, the insects that depend on them disappear, thus impoverishing the food source for birds and other animals. Read more about author Doug Tallamy and this important book here, grab a copy of this handbook, and transform your landscape. Outstanding!

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Also high on our list is Living on the Wind,a beautifully written and crafted book about bird migration, with examples from throughout the year.  Experienced birders and novices alike will all learn something here. 

In a similar vein and also recommended is Songbird Journeys: Four Seasons in the Lives of Migratory Birds.

Silence of the Songbirds: How We Are Losing the World's Songbirds and What We Can Do to Save Them -- a bird researcher outlines the challenges facing North America's declining songbirds.

Beak of the Finch -- Bird evolution at work.  Great book! 

Bird Tracks and Sign  Very cool! Tracks, poop, nests.

Chasing Warblers -- Two birders cross America to photo all 52 species of warblers nesting in the U.S.  Lots of great pictures and stories of all the characters they met. 

America's 100 Most Wanted Birds -- A great compilation of where and when to find the most sought-after species in the lower 48. 

Manual of Ornithology: Avian Structure and Function -- A textbook that belongs on every birder's shelf.  Detailed information on all aspects of bird physiology as well as information on weather and migration, banding, optics, and other subjects of interest.

A Stillness in the Pines -- The convoluted headaches surrounding the preservation of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker. 

Flight of the Red Knot-- A thorough but easily understandable account of the migration of the Red Knot, nicely using this species to illustrate shorebird population conservation issues. 

Another book by the Scott Wiedensaul about endangered species, including birds: The Ghost with Trembling Wings: Science, Wishful Thinking and the Search for Lost Species. 

In Search of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker -- noted ornithologist Jerry Jackson sums up the status of this most elusive bird.  Another book on Ivory-bills: The Race to Save the Lord God Bird.

Betrayal of Science and Reason --  Paul and Anne Erhlich give responses to specific accusations by the anti-environmental movement that "things really aren't that bad." Extensively footnoted to primary references. 

Dragonflies Through Binoculars - The first field guide covering dragonflies from across the country.

Dragonflies of the World - A stunning overview of this fascinating group of insects, including damselflies.  Great photos, and excellent text on life history and behavior.

Newcomb's Wildflower Guide The best field guide to wildflowers, utililzing a system stamens and pistils above looking up flowers by color.  No more guess work, you'll actually identify flowers!

The Songs of Insects -- phenomenal photography and an audio CD of 75 species of crickets, katydids, grasshoppers, and cicadas, the songsters of summer.  Outstanding!

Magazine subscriptions at discounted prices: Discover, National Geographic, Natural History, WildBird, Smithsonian, and Birder's World (RRBO's Julie Craves is a contributing editor and writes a regular column!)

Flute's Journey-- A wonderful story of the migration of a Wood Thrush from the eastern U.S. to the tropics and the perils it faces.  An introduction to Neotropical migrant conservation for kids!

Sharing the Wonder of Birds with Kids
About Birds -- Cathryn and John Sill combine simple text and outstanding watercolors to introduce birds to young readers. 
The Lorax -- This classic work by Dr. Seuss instills in kids a sense of caring about our fellow creatures.  It belongs on every bookshelf...including yours.
Backyard Bird Watching For Kids  Get'em started early!
Flight of the Golden Plover -- The story of the migration of the Pacific Golden-Plover from Hawaii to Alaska.
Birdsong -- Beautifully illustrated book on 18 species of North American birds and their songs.
Bald Eagle -- Thorough coverage of the life and habits of eagles, for kids 7 or older.
Matthew’s Meadow -- A Red-tailed Hawk teaches a child to appreciate the natural world.
One Day in the Woods -- By renowned nature writer Jean Craighead George, a girl discovers nature looking through the forest for an Ovenbird.
How Do Birds Find Their Way?
Will We Miss Them? About endangered species Ages 4-8
The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rainforest  Ages 4-8
Barn Owl (Animal Lives) Ages 4-8
Owl Babies Ages 0-preschool
On The Wing: Bird Poems and Paintings Ages 4-8
Saving Birds Ages 9-12
50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save the Earth
Where Does Garbage Go?
Recycle: A Handbook for Kids
Urban Wildlife (Peterson First Guide)

Nature Conservancy & Smithsonian Institution books: Wonderfully illustrated, factual, and entertaining (many come with cassette recordings, too) for kids 4 to 8.  The first five are habitat-oriented Nature Conservancy books, the others are more species-specific from Smithsonian.