The Armchair Birder : Discovering the Secret Lives of Familiar Birds

Bird lovers, take heart! While the birding literature is filled with tales of expert observers spotting rare species in exotic locales, John Yow's The Armchair Birder is here to remind us that the most fascinating birds can be the ones perched right outside our windows. In thirty-five engaging, humorous, and even irreverent essays, Yow reveals the fascinating lives of birds you probably already recognize and naturally want to know more about, because they're the ones you see nearly every day. Following the seasons of the year, Yow covers forty-two species, from the Carolina wren that rings in the springtime to the sandhill crane croaking high overhead at the end of winter. Leisurely and entertaining, the essays explore the improbable, unusual, and comical aspects of their subjects' lives—from the philandering of the ruby-throated hummingbird to the occasional dipsomania of the cedar waxwing. Rather than bare facts and field marks, The Armchair Birder offers observations, anecdotes, and stories—not only Yow's own, but also those of America's classic bird writers, such as John James Audubon, Arthur Bent, and Edward Forbush, experts who saw it all and wrote with wit and passion. With The Armchair Birder , backyard birders will take new delight in the birds at their feeders, while veteran check-listers will enjoy putting their feet up. All will applaud this unique addition to bird literature, one that combines the fascination of bird life with the pleasure of good reading. Sally Bickley - Library Journal Organized by season and illustrated with black-and-white images from John J. Audubon's Birds of America , this volume chronicles freelance writer Yow's observations of birds at his feeders or in nearby Georgia woods. He adds facts, descriptive quotes, and amusing anecdotes from Audubon's writings, natural history accounts, and contemporary ornithological research. Stories about turkeys feeding their chicks spicebush buds to prevent illness or newly hatched bobwhite chicks running with shells still attached mix with observations of more familiar birds. Similar to Mike O'Connor's Why Don't Woodpeckers Get Headaches: And Other Answers to Bird Questions You Know You Want To Ask , this work ably illustrates facets of bird behavior and instinct, acknowledging their unique and often odd adaptations to the natural and human worlds. Written in a humorous, conversational tone, this enjoyable read is a good choice for developing birders. Contents......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 A Note on the Sources......Page 12 Spring......Page 16 Carolina Wren......Page 18 Eastern Phoebe......Page 24 Rose-Breasted Grosbeak......Page 30 Eastern Bluebird......Page 36 Belted Kingfisher......Page 43 Scarlet Tanager and Summer Tanager......Page 49 Brown-Headed Cowbird......Page 56 Red-Headed Woodpecker......Page 63 Mourning Dove......Page 73 Summer......Page 80 Cedar Waxwing......Page 82 American Goldfinch......Page 88 Wood Thrush......Page 94 Yellow-Billed Cuckoo......Page 100 Chimney Swift......Page 106 Northern Mockingbird......Page 111 Chuck-Will’s-Widow......Page 118 Ruby-Throated Hummingbird......Page 125 Northern Cardinal......Page 131 Autumn......Page 138 Wild Turkey......Page 140 Canada Goose......Page 146 American Crow......Page 153 Great Blue Heron......Page 159 Turkey Vulture......Page 164 White-Breasted Nuthatch......Page 171 Bald Eagle......Page 176 Barred Owl......Page 182 “Confusing Fall Warblers”......Page 190 Winter......Page 196 Sandhill Crane......Page 198 Blue Jay......Page 204 Bobwhite......Page 210 Pileated Woodpecker......Page 215 American Robin......Page 222 Tufted Titmouse......Page 228 Osprey......Page 238 Cooper’s Hawk......Page 244 Afterword......Page 252 Sources......Page 254 B......Page 258 H......Page 259 W......Page 260 While birding literature is filled with tales of expert observers spotting rare species in exotic locales, John Yow reminds us that the most fascinating birds can be the ones perched right outside our windows. In thirty-five engaging and sometimes irreverent vignettes, Yow reveals the fascinating lives of the birds we see nearly every day. Following the seasons, he covers forty-two species, discussing the improbable, unusual, and comical aspects of his subjects' lives. Yow offers his own observations, anecdotes, and stories as well as those of America's classic bird writers, such as John James Audubon, Arthur Bent, and Edward Forbush. This unique addition to bird literature combines the fascination of bird life with the pleasure of good reading. Covers forty-two species, from the Carolina wren that rings in the springtime to the sandhill crane croaking high overhead at the end of winter. This book features essays that explore the improbable aspects of their subjects' lives - from the philandering of the ruby-throated hummingbird to the occasional dipsomania of the cedar waxwing. Presents essays on the habits, physical characteristics, and unusual behaviors of forty-two different species of backyard birds that the author has observed throughout the year