![Cover image for 1001 secrets every birder should know : [tips and trivia for the backyard and beyond] / by Sharon "Birdchick" Stiteler ; foreword by Bill Oddie.](/client/assets/5.1294/ctx//client/images/no_image.png "Cover image for 1001 secrets every birder should know : [tips and trivia for the backyard and beyond] / by Sharon \"Birdchick\" Stiteler ; foreword by Bill Oddie.")
| 9780762447343 |
| (pbk.) |
| 0762447346 |
Available:*
Library | Material Type | Call Number | Shelf Location | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... East Library | Paperback | 598.07234 S862O | Nonfiction | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
Bird watching is one of the most popular hobbies in America, and 1,001 Secrets Every Bird Watcher Should Know is the first photographic guide and fact book written in a humorous conversational tone that appeals to every age and skill level. Replete with sound information, 1,001 Secrets will expose many birding myths: a bald eagle cannot carry off a four-month old baby, and crows do not go sledding for fun.
This accessible guide includes fun facts, such as where certain birds got their names, how birds eat, how they find a life partner, and how they build a home for the chicks. Other useful information includes identification tips, migration patterns, and where the best birding vacation spots are. Packed with full-color photos, 1,001 Secrets Every Bird Watcher Should Know is a fun, informative read for every bird watcher.
Author Notes
Sharon Stiteler is a renowned bird and industry expert. Her previous works include Disapproving Rabbits and City Birds/Country Birds. Sharon contributes to Wild Bird Magazine, Outdoor News, Birds Blooms, Minnesota Public Radio, as well as Birdwatcher's Digest. She has a popular birding blog at Birdchick.com. She lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Reviews (3)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Does anyone know a single bird lover who is not a happy person -- or, if not happy, at least willing to suspend unhappiness long enough to look out the window and watch the birds. That person will be happily captivated by Stiteler's delightful exploration of the habits of birds and spot-on ideas for maximizing backyard experience with them. Replete with color photos, sidebars, and bullet points, this handy guide enlightens the reader on everything from nesting habits through bird "fidelity" to beaks: "Watch the birds at your feeder and their beaks will tell you a lot about what they eat," Stiteler writes. Speaking of feeders, the author lards her advice with ample doses of humor ("Ten Signs You Need to Cut Back (on feeding): #9. Migratory routes have shifted to pass over your yard.") If you're already avian-adept, this book will prove a lively romp; if you, like many others, are still figuring it out, the book will help raise your game and increase your happiness quotient. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Stiteler has created an amusing and informative collection of advice and facts for bird lovers in this highly browsable and entertaining book. Birders everywhere love to not only know stuff but to be able to trot it out as needed, and Stiteler's book is full of such stuff. Dividing the book into 10 chapters, the author groups her factoids by such topics as feeding birds, migration, bird love, and baby birds, but also allows her to answer common questions, explore why birding is hip, and follow the bird watching year. We learn how birds mate (quantity is the key word), the ten signs that you may need to cut back on bird feeding (neighbors refer to you as bird lady ), why birds attack windows (they are trying to drive off a rival - their reflection), and the definitions of birding terms (a lifer is a new species to be added to your life list). Filling the text with myth-busting corrections, color photos illustrating topics, and ending each chapter with vacation ideas, Stiteler has created a wonderful potpourri for birdwatchers at all levels.--Bent, Nancy Copyright 2010 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Not that anybody's counting, but there are fewer than 1001 secrets here: probably closer to 599. No matter. Stiteler (City Birds/Country Birds)-also known by her blogging handle as "Birdchick"-has created a distinct, often amusing compendium. Her purpose is to spark general birding-inclined readers' interest; her method involves getting beyond mere identification by encouraging a deeper understanding of avian biology and behavior. The text flits from topic to topic easily and includes feeding, nesting, adaptations, migration, and mating. The tools of the birder's trade are also discussed, and many vacation ideas (bird-related) are provided. "Fun facts" and photos are spread throughout, and every opportunity to embrace the icky is joyfully taken. Beneath the frivolity, though, is an author keen to advance birding in whatever way pleases, as long as no harm is done to the birds. VERDICT Stiteler infuses her subject with an enthusiasm that is truly infectious. For readers new to birding, this is the book; its "ew!" factor might even pull in some young adults. No doubt many of the experts Birdchick has entertained at events around the continent will also want to experience her wit in print form.-Robert Eagan, Windsor P.L., Ont. (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Table of Contents
| Acknowledgments |
| Foreword |
| Introduction |
| Chapter 1 Feeding |
| Chapter 2 Bird Real Estate |
| Chapter 3 Great Adaptations |
| Chapter 4 Common Questions |
| Chapter 5 Migration |
| Chapter 6 Bird Love (It's About Quantity, Not Quality) |
| Chapter 7 Baby Birds |
| Chapter 8 Cliff's Notes of Birding |
| Chapter 9 The Hip, Birding Lifestyle |
| Chapter 10 The Bird-Watching Year |
| Glossary |
| Bibliography |
| Photo Credits |
| Index |
