Bird Watching For Dummies

by Bill Thompson III

Millions of people worldwide enjoy bird watching; it offers them a chance to get back to nature and enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. "Bird Watching For Dummies" covers all the basics of bird watching, leading you on a guided tour of the gorgeous world of birds. From identifying birds by sight and sound to making your own "life list," you'll find all the tips and advice you need right here. Whether you've been bird watching for years or you're just starting out, "Bird Watching For Dummies" has all your bases covered. It's full of practical tips and proven advice to make your bird watching experiences as fun and rewarding as possible. It's your first aid kit for finding, identifying, feeding, and even housing birds. Plus, there's more: Designing a bird-friendly backyard Purchasing bird feeders, birdhouses, binoculars, clothing, and more Keeping notes and records of the birds you spot Joining bird clubs, taking field trips, and attending bird festivals Booking bird watching tours that fit your budget and expertise Choosing and using field guides

You won't find a more straightforward and reliable bird watching guide than this one. Written by Bill Thompson III, and the staff of "Bird Watcher's Digest, " it covers everything from backyard bird watching to field trips across the globe. No matter what your level of experience, this guide offers everything you need for unforgettable bird watching: Tackling pests and other feeder problems Bird-friendly gardening tips Optics and how to use them Birding by habitat and hotspots Songs, calls, and non-vocal identifying sounds Attracting and spotting hummingbirds Understanding the terminology Dressing for success

If you need help getting started in your new hobby, or you're an old hand who just wants a quick-and-easy reference, "Bird Watching For Dummies" is the fun and simple way to stay up on all the latest in the world of bird watching. With unbeatable advice and practical guidance from the experts at "Bird Watcher's Digest, " this handy resource is the only bird watching guide you need. NOTE: "Birdwatching For Dummies" no longer contains a 32 page color insert.

Genres: Birds, Nonfiction, Nature, Animals, Reference

384 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 1997

About the author

BILL THOMPSON III is the editor of Bird Watcher’s Digest and the author of the Peterson Field Guide Young Birder’s Guide to Birds of Eastern North America, along with many other books. He lives in Ohio with his wife, the author and illustrator Julie Zickefoose, and their two children.

Reviews

[Kelly K · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was written 20 years ago so some of the stuff was outdated (CD-ROM ahaha....childhood...) but still gave a lot of good tips. Just this week I crossed the threshold from birding noob to birding amateur when I was able to spot and correctly identify a bird I had never seen before and point it out to the rest of the group to have them confirm my sighting. I now feel like I can never leave the house without my binoculars and all of my vacations will revolve around finding a birding spot. At least it's a cheap hobby.

[LibraryCin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another one of the “For Dummies” books, this one focuses on bird watching. It not only goes through ways to help you learn how to ID birds (what to watch for, listen for, etc.), but also ways to make your yard more bird-friendly (feeders, shelter, water… also gardening – what types of trees, shrubs, flowers, etc), keeping lists, sketching, what to look for in binoculars, field guides, and more.

I always enjoy these books – there is usually some humour thrown in, though this one had maybe less than some of the others I’ve read. This one was published in 1997, though, so a bit outdated, as he mentions organizations with their mailing addresses, rather than a website, for instance; there was one chapter that included Internet and email resources, but CD-ROMs are also mentioned. Other than that, though, I thought there was a lot of good information here. Oh, I’ve seen comments about the colour photos, but my edition didn’t have that (maybe that was just in the 1st edition?).

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is very good and the author is obviously very knowledgeable. However the format of the Dummies series is there has to be humor-more often than not and this is universal throughout the entirety of the series-the efforts just aren’t funny. They’re tired. I don’t blame the authors-I blame the format. P.S There is nothing wrong with just providing useful information.