Birds of Chicago (U.S. City Bird Guides) [Paperback]

Chris Fisher (Author), David Johnson (Author), David B. Johnson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: U.S. City Bird Guides | Publication Date: October 1997

This attractive guide identifies the birds most likely to be seen in the backyards, streets and parks of the Windy City. The books introduce the fascinating and popular pastime of birdwatching and include advice on building feeders and birdhouses. Color illustrations help you identify birds quickly while the text provides interesting information about each bird. These books are easy-to-use references for the urban birdwatcher.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

CHRIS FISHER is a university-educated naturalist with a background in research in endangered species management and wildlife interpretation. He has conducted birding expeditions extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Thailand and is the author or co-author of eleven books on birds.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Lone Pine Publishing (October 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551051125
• ISBN-13: 978-1551051123
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #268,424 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #44 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Science > Biological Sciences > Zoology > General
  • #92 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Zoology > Ornithology

More About the Author

Chris Fisher is the author of seventeen wildlife & bird guides to regions throughout North America. His experience with wildlife compliments his passion for travel through which he has guided adventures to every continent and over 70 countries. His books and writings hope to reinforce our connection to the wonders of the natural world.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good birding resource for the Chicago metro area, May 10, 2002

By 

J. Gitzlaff (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Birds of Chicago (U.S. City Bird Guides) (Paperback)

Unlike regional or national bird identification guides, this book contains very targeted information about how and where to observe birds in the Chicago area. It includes maps of numerous suggested areas for effective birdwatching around the city (downtown, as well as suburban areas to the north, south and west, and even into NW Indiana). It also has information regarding local birdwatching and ornithological groups.

For example, it may say that one bird can be observed "over the Des Plaines river in springtime." Or that others are generally found only in the suburbs or rural areas fringing the city, though local colonies may establish themselves in the lakefront parks. A nice touch.

Additionally, each bird description a time-graph that charts the relative frequency of sightings for a given species in the Chicago area over the course of a year. Together with the visual identification chart and the descriptive text, it helps the beginning birder judge whether s/he really just saw a female "English Sparrow," as opposed to a "Song Sparrow," or a "Field Sparrow," etc.

Bird identification is by way of paintings, and not photos. The paintings are not as detailed or reliable as some other volumes (e.g. Sibley's Guide), but they are sufficient for the book's limited purpose which is as a local/regional supplement to these larger and more detailed tomes. Recommended.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent basic guide for Chicago area, June 3, 2004

By 

B Mistele (Grayslake, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birds of Chicago (U.S. City Bird Guides) (Paperback)

I've been watching birds for 30 years and found this is a useful book for beginning birders and experienced birders for Chicago area birds. This guide cannot be all inclusive of species in the Chicago area, due to the large amount of birds that travel through the area during migration. However, what it does include is more information on the familiar species than other guides. Information includes behavior, habitat, songs and calls, tips for quick ID, and abundance charts for each bird species. It would be a great addition to any Chicago birding library.