Birds of Washington is not a field guide for identifying birds. Instead, it compiles and presents in a single volume current information about the population status and distribution of each species, as well as their habitat preferences, their seasonal activities, apparent trends and changes in occurrence or abundance, the occurrence of subspecies, and any management or conservation issues. Seasonal distribution maps are included for many selected species. More than forty contributing authors volunteered their time and expertise to create these authoritative accounts, which draw on a wide range of sources, including scientific journals, wildlife agency reports, field observations, and surveys such as Christmas Bird Counts and Breeding Bird Surveys.
Introductory chapters describe bird habitats of Washington and changes in status and distribution since the publication of the landmark 1953 book Birds of Washington State. Unlike many other state bird books, this volume relates changes in the avian population to the effects of human population, habitat modification, and natural events, and identifies current threats such as forest practices, farming, fishing, irrigation, and waste management.
While establishing a benchmark for future studies, Birds of Washington provides an indispensable source of information on avian life in the state for a broad audience of birders, wildlife biologists, land managers, conservationists, hunters, and wildlife enthusiasts in general.
