Garden Birds of America: A Gallery of Garden Birds & How to Attract Them [Hardcover]

George H. Harrison (Author), Kit Harrison (Author, Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1996

Here is a vivid color portfolio of 60 of America's most popular, most interesting, most colorful garden birds. But not just a lush coffee-table book, Garden Birds of America is loaded with natural history vignettes of the birds themselves, and illustrated information on how to design and manage gardens and backyards to attract them. Full-color photos.

Editorial Reviews

Review

George Harrison has done it again. This award-winning author/photographer has created a book that soars with delight. Facts described in clear detail for the genuine birder or backyard watcher include, ingredients to attract birds, what to plant, bird feeders, houses and baths and who eats what. This is not a pedestrian or foot labored book. It flies, wheels and dives into information with graceful writing. Harrison writes, "Next to him, but in water up to his belly, is a male indigo bunting splashing and dipping enthusiastically, until his deep blue feathers look black from the wetness." Even the sweeping words are earth-bound, compared to the winged, full-page defining bird photographs. Never have white-throated sparrows and house wrens revealed their feathered spirits so beautifully. Harrison has become one with his flying friends. -- From Independent Publisher

Product Details

• Hardcover: 157 pages
• Publisher: Willow Creek Pr (April 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157223038X
• ISBN-13: 978-1572230385
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,851,337 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful photography, April 13, 2000

By 

Myrna Malimban (No. Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Garden Birds of America: A Gallery of Garden Birds & How to Attract Them (Hardcover)

I've been hunting for a book about common backyard birds which had big, clear pictures, to make it easier for my young kids (5, 3 and 1.5 years) to see the distinguishing characteristics of each bird. The photographs in this book are beautiful! The colors are crisp, details are vivid. Many of the scenes are breathtaking -- birds in flight, feeding their young. The pictures are also large, each occupies an entire page.

Of course, Harrison includes information on the birds -- descriptions, what they eat, their habitats, how to attract them, etc. The info is at par with the other bird books. The photos make the difference. I highly recommend this for both beginner bird watchers (like my family), and for bird lovers.

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent reference to those that are new to birding, September 13, 2010

By 

L. B. Taylor (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Garden Birds of America: A Gallery of Garden Birds & How to Attract Them (Hardcover)

If you are new to birding and need clear concise pictures of common birds to identify the winged creatures in your yard, this book is an excellent reference. Mr. Harrison shows the reader by range(Canada, US, and Mexico) where they breed, live both year-round and in the winter. This is useful to me because I live in the south and only see some wildlife for brief times during the year.

He lists by a separate table who will be your frequent feeders and what they prefer to eat. He gives you a guide of food and cover plants by US region. Touching briefly on the importance of water, birdbaths and birdhouses, he'll educate the reader on how to attract and keep your feathered friends longer.

If you don't want to read the entire book but just want to know about a few birds that you currently have, his information by name (Ex. Pine Sisken) gives you basic details you need to know plus what attracts them to your yard.

The down-side to this interesting book is I have to have another reference close by so I can identify females (many look different then males) and what both sexes might look like in winter when they visit my neck of the woods. Some lose or change their color. Also, there are only so many pages so some birds are not listed. Still I love the pictures and basic knowledge and would encourage anyone knew to this hobby to look for this book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous full-color photos of your favorite backyard birds, April 11, 2009

By 

DeloresSue - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Garden Birds of America: A Gallery of Garden Birds & How to Attract Them (Hardcover)

Most birding handbooks are written as a reference guide. This one is different. In addition to the full-color, full-page photos of dozens of your favorite backyard birds, George Harrison has written a narative on the facing page of his personal observations and encounters with these delightful songsters. This is a book for READING, not just for referencing. It is a treat for the eye and the mind!