Customer Reviews

The Backyard Bird Watcher

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Although this book contains few color pictures (the first edition copy I own)it still remains the best bird feeding book ever published. If you want cute pictures birds at a bird feeder this may not be the book for you, however if you want information and facts backed by research about how to attract birds to your backyard this remains THE best book. First published 26 years ago I can not find a book with more useful information than this book. It's fun to read and loaded with information. It does contain lots of excellent photos but they are in B&W.

Despite its having been published over two decades ago, the book includes plenty of time- and experience-tested tips for creating feeding stations in your backyard and around your property. I don't think the book leaves any questions unanswered. I especially appreciate the "Calendar of Your Birding Year" chapter, which tells you what to expect every month of the year, as far as number and types of visitors. At this Amazon listing, definitely check out the table of contents.

A MUST HAVE for anyone interested in birdfeeding and birdwatching.

The book being reviewed here is the hardcover, 1979 first edition.
When this book was published 31 years ago (at this writing) it was billed as "The Ultimate Guide for Enjoying Wild Birds at Your Back Door." I suppose it is a pity, and says something about our publishing industry as to this genre, but in many ways this work by George H. Harrison, still is the Ultimate Guide. If you examine most of the books in this field published since, and the plethora of magazine articles, indeed, entire magazines, you will find very little new; it has already been addressed by this work. Yes, you will find prettier pictures in wonderful color, and you will find variations on each subject covered here, but when all is said and done, Harrison did it first and did it probably better than anyone has since.

This work covers so much material and provides so much information that it would be impossible to cover even a small portion in a review such as this. Bird houses, feeders, natural habitats, how to set up feeding stations, houses and water areas. How to solve pest problems, How to treat sick and injured birds, How to take great bird photographs, the ins and outs of optics, and that is only getting started.

There are many very nice photographs (over 200) in this work but it must be understood that they are, for the most part, in black and white. This does not matter in the least with this work as the photographs do what they are suppose to do which is to teach. The strong point of this work though is the text. It is extremely informative, easy to understand, and very entertaining. I do not believe that I have found one page in the entire work, and there are 284 of them, that does not pass along some either interesting or vital information.

For some, birding is a hobby, for others a sport and for a few, an obsession. What ever label you want to attach, it is the fastest growing leisure activity in the United States. Each year dozens and dozens of books are published on this subject (I must admit to being one of those that buys most of them), but few are any better than the one being reviewed.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks