Pocket Birdfeeder Guide

by Robert Burton

Whether you've got a roof terrace or an acre of countryside, this practical guide explains how you can make your garden an attractive prospect for birds. Containing fresh insights into the secrets of bird behaviour, it includes a guide to identifying over 60 of the most common European garden visitors.

Genres: Birds, Reference, Nonfiction, Nature, Science, Animals, Guides

Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

A trained zoologist, Robert Burton is an established author in the field of everyday natural history, focussing on the commonplace rather than the exotic or unusual. He is the wildlife columnist for the Royal Horticultural Society's The Garden and has written many articles for other magazines, including the RSPB magazine Birds. He continues the popular Nature Note in the Daily Telegraph started by his father, Dr. Maurice Burton.
Coming from a family of natural historians, Robert Burton has grown up with the concept of the garden as a sanctuary for birds and other animals. Although he has pursued his nature studies all around the world, he now works mainly from home, where he has plenty of opportunities to observe the visitors to his garden.

Reviews

[Tyler Child · Rating 4 out of 5]

For all Canadian readers, a change of 50 degrees Fahrenheit is around 28 degrees Celsius, not 10 degrees as stated the book. While the author may not be an expert on unit conversions, I did learn many interesting facts about birds I did not know before. I only took away a star because I thought that including pictures of both male and female birds would have assisted with identification. I loved the suggestions on how to make a yard more bird friendly.

[Ginnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trying to identify all the birds that frequent my feeders.

[Ed Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rarest of birds(!): a reference book that can be read cover to cover yet also be kept by the window as quick index for identifying backyard birds. Large and clear photographs are great for both helping the birdwatcher identify various backyard birds and for showing parts of birds not easily seen in the wild. Section headings include "Attracting Birds," "Bird Profiles," "Behavior Guide," and "Bird Survival."

One of the coolest things I learned from reading this book is the concept of "intention movements," which appears in the section entitled "Behavior Guide." Apparently birds will give subtle indicators (e.g., a slight crouch) prior to flying away in order to communicate that they are flying away because of casual preference, not because there is a predator nearby. If the cause for flight is a predator, however, the lack of an indicator movement will quickly convey that the bird is leaving because of that danger, thereby communicating to others that they need to make like the proverbial bat out of hell as well.

Amazing stuff!

[Douglass Gaking · Rating 5 out of 5]

I set up a bird feeder last summer and another this spring. I have become fascinated with the various species I see visiting my feeders, and birdwatching is becoming a hobby of mine. I picked this up planning to skim it for ideas. I ended up reading all of it because every page is full of interesting facts about bird behavior and what we can do to support the ecosystems that birds need. This is a valuable resource for anyone interested in birds, science, and environmental causes.

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very interesting and fun to read. It has taught me quite a bit and has given me very helpful tips.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Thank you National Audubon Society!

[Seth M. Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great detail, illustrations and diagrams on a variety of topics revolving around feeding birds in North America. I especially enjoyed the parts on native plants and bird-friendly landscaping, and I plan to use some of these recommendations when de-lawning my backyard next spring. This guide is definitely aimed towards novice and newbie birders such as myself; I imagine someone with more experience would find this book to have little new information.

[Rosemary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beyond the obvious guide to bird feeders, there are chapters on selecting bird welcoming plants by geographic region and common birds found in each geographic region.

[Linda Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

My go-to bird information book.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent overview of North American birds. It offers great tips for attracting and feeding certain species.

[Fatima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable book. Particularly liked the bird profile section which helps to identify birds.

[John Breker · Rating 3 out of 5]

An accessible introductory bird guide for the new birder, but lacking more substantial content for advanced use. For someone who has purchased a backyard birdfeeder, the guide will aid in identification of common birds that visit backyards and birdfeeders. It also offers some brief but good discussion of behavior, distribution, and migration. The guide has limited use for bird identification beyond the backyard, and a more comprehensive guide like All the Birds of North America or The Sibley Guide to Birds is recommended.

The guide offers discussion and examples for bird-friendly garden and landscape design, but the details are generalized. Further study of other landscaping resources will be needed to create a real backyard plan.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough explanation of the abc's of attracting birds to your backyard. What to do and what not to do. Nicely organized into sections covering what birds need in food, nesting, habitat and other basics, understanding their behavior, and how to create a bird friendly garden. The last half of the book consisted of bird profiles with beautiful color photos to assist in their identification.

This is an excellent addition to a new bird watcher's library.

[Mark Yashar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seemed to be a good introduction to watching, feeding and better understanding wild birds in North America for bird enthusiasts living in urban, suburban, and more rural areas.