A Little Book of Hummingbirds: A Bird Identification Book

by Tara Austen Weaver

This intimate journey into the world of the hummingbird is a treasure and a gift for birdwatchers, gardeners, and anyone who loves these amazing little creatures. Lavishly illustrated with 45+ original ink-and-watercolor illustrations of the species most commonly found in the US and Canada.

Hummingbirds are beautiful and mesmerizing. Did you know they can flick their tongue twelve times a second? Or that they “tile” their nests with pieces of lichen and moss (the nests themselves are spun from spiderwebs and thistledown)? Or that some species sing and dance as they woo their mates? Perhaps it’s no surprise that hummingbirds elicit such enthusiasm from those who love them.

This small-format hardcover book

This book is part of the collectible mini book series Little Book of Natural Wonders, and makes a gorgeous gift (or irresistible treat for yourself) for all hummingbird lovers!

Genres: Nonfiction

144 pages, Hardcover

Published March 26, 2024

About the author

Tara Austen Weaver writes about the big, wide world: food, travel, culture, the environment, art, and adventure in its many guises. A Northern California native, she has lived in five countries on three continents and is happiest either exploring with a notebook and camera, or spending the day in a kitchen learning how people feed themselves (the best stories always get told in the kitchen). Tara loves to write about farmers, environmentalists, artists, and other passion-driven individuals. She has a hard time picking a favorite spot on earth, but it might just be at 7,000 ft. in the backcountry. Or on a small island. Or in a sailboat. And definitely at a dinner table, surrounded by friends or intriguing strangers.

(source)

Reviews

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

This shimmering gem of a book boasts everything you'd want to know about hummingbirds, with lush illustrations, info-rich text, plus a glossary and resource guide.

"If there are more extraordinary birds than hummingbirds-those exotic creatives the Brazilians call beija-flores, flower-kissers-it is difficult to imagine what they might be."
-RONALD ORENSTEIN

You will learn about the origin and different types of the species, how hummingbirds "work," how to create a haven for them, and helpful tips for bird-watching.

"A group of hummingbirds is sometimes referred to as a hover, a bouquet, a shimmer, or even a tune."
-MELISSA GISH

I fell in love with this joy-inspiring book, part of Sasquatch Books' The Little Book of Natural Wonders Series, and now want every title for my personal library!

"A flash of harmless lightning, a mist of rainbow dyes.
The burnished sunbeams
brightening.
From flower to flower he flies."
-JOHN BANISTER TABB

Highly recommended for bird, garden, and nature lovers...and anyone who adores beautiful books!

[Sara Demler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has all the factoids you could ever need to learn all about hummingbirds. There's information on the history of hummingbirds, fossils, myths and their meaning in different cultures.

This book also gives details on each hummingbird species, and easy to understand advice for how to spot & decipher each one in the wild. And not just by their color, but by their sounds and mannerisms & locations. I enjoyed how one hummingbird species sound, was compared to shuffling a deck of cards.

The beauty of this book doesn't stop at the cover, the drawings on the inside are stunning and help to visualize what each of the bird's look like.

I appreciate that there is plenty of details regarding how to take care of hummingbird feeders, which flowers, trees or bushes to grow. Just so, so much information all included in this small book. The information is easy to understand and quick to follow. As a fellow hummingbird lover, I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend!

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully illustrated and informative book about hummingbirds. It starts with their origins and how they function in comparison to other birds. Learning about 15 out of the 340+ different species was very interesting—I never realized there were so many! And then it finishes with how to attract more hummingbirds to your garden and includes bird-watching tips.

*Provided a DRC (digital review copy) from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

A Little Book of Hummingbirds is an appealing illustrated guide to hummingbirds written and curated by Tara Austen Weaver as a part of the Little Book of Wonder series. Released 26th March 2024 by Sasquatch Books, it's 144 pages and is available in hardback format.

This is an accessible and very well written guide to the different species of hummingbirds, their ranges, behaviors, and anatomy. The author does a good job of explaining their physiology (including flying of course) in a relatively easy-to-understand manner with scientifically correct terms and information. There's a guide with 40 species, good tutorials for creating an attractive habitat for hummingbirds and other pollinators, some short field trip location suggestions, and tips on birdwatching. The author/publisher have also included an abbreviated glossary and resources links.

It should be noted that this is an illustrated guide. There are no photographs. The beautiful illustrations by Emily Poole are rendered in color, clearly, and attractively. Botanical and bird species are detailed enough for clear unambiguous identification.

Four and a half stars. Well written and beautiful.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Gab · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book!
Contains illustrations and descriptions of the different species in North America, as well as an overall guide to hummingbirds, and everything one needs to know to build a garden that hummingbirds will love or go out and observe them.
I'd recommend it to anyone, whether you have an interest in birds or just want a book with gorgeous illustrations to read with a cup of tea.



Thank you NetGalley and Sasquatch Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about Hummingbirds. So much information about all aspects of hummingbirds, may that I had no idea about. I wished there would have been more photos rather than just drawings of the birds.
If you enjoy gardens, birds and especially hummingbirds you are sure to enjoy this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely little guide to hummingbirds...illustrated in pen and ink by Eugenean, Emily Poole. There are 340 species in the Americas, 15 of which migrate to or live in the US. The Rufous hummingbird flys 4000 miles on the longest migration route. This little book lists their origins, habitats, flowers and plants they like, how to safely feed them, and places you will likely see them. Delightful.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Covers all topics in a compact format. The illustration/illustrator is so talented. I added her website to my list and plan to buy her work.

[Leigh Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hummingbirds are so impressive! Gorgeously illustrated and well researched.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from the author, with whom I’m friendly online.

[Mandy Hazen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a page turner from beginning to end.. obsessed with hummingbirds and this did not disappoint. Would highly recommend. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.