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The Backyard Birdsong Guide: Eastern and Central North America (Cornell Lab of Ornithology Audio Field Guides) [Hardcover]

Donald Kroodsma
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (118 customer reviews)


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Book Description

April 23, 2008 Cornell Lab of Ornithology Audio Field Guides
Get to know birds by ear with this engaging, one-of-a-kind book. Discover seventy-five unique species from Eastern and Central North America as you enjoy their sounds at the touch of a button-reproduced in high quality on the attached digital audio module-while reading vivid descriptions of their songs, calls, and related behaviors. Learn what Black-capped Chickadees are thinking as they give their unmistakable namesake call, or find out why many songbirds have dialects that vary from region to region. Complete with up-to-date range maps and more than 130 sounds provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's world-renowned Macaulay Library, as well as exquisite illustrations of each species, The Backyard Birdsong Guide will resonate with beginners and experts alike.


Editorial Reviews

Review

LORI KORLESKI RICHARDSON, MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS
Author Donald Kroodsma, a visiting fellow at the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology who has studied song birds for 40 years, has done a fine job introducing novices to the world of bird song, as well as concisely describing each bird and its habitats on a single page. The wonderful color illustrations by Larry McQueen and Jon Janosik help birders distinguish the male and female of each species.

About the Author

Donald Kroodsma is currently a visiting fellow at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. He has studied birdsong for more than 40 years and lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Chronicle Books (April 23, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0811863425
  • ISBN-13: 978-0811863421
  • Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (118 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #100,799 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A retired biology professor at the University of Massachusetts, Donald Kroodsma's work on bird song is legendary. His book "The Singing Life of Birds" won the 2006 John Burroughs Medal Award and the American Birding Association's Robert Ridgway Distinguished Service Award for excellence in publications pertaining to field ornithology. In 2003 the American Ornithologits' Union called him the "reigning authority on the biology of avian vocal behavior." Kroodsma received his Ph.D. at Oregon State University and has traveled all over North and South America researching bird song. He is a Fellow of the American Ornithologists' Union and the Animal Behavior Society and has published hundreds of academic and popular articles.

Customer Reviews

Great book for anyone who loves nature and bird identification. Hokie Beth  |  46 reviewers made a similar statement
A wonderfully informative book, clear bird songs, beautifully illustrated. R. Roe  |  40 reviewers made a similar statement
I ordered this book for my soon to be 4-year old. L. Leonardis  |  25 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
82 of 83 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars WOW! April 29, 2008
Format:Hardcover
Wow!! What a terrific book . . . the text, the sounds, the selection of species, the layout . . . everything works perfectly together. I opened my pre-release copy, intending to spend just a few minutes and return to it later. Two hours went by, and I was still reading and listening; I couldn't stop turning the pages.

Of course, I went right to my favorite birds, reading the text and pushing the buttons to listen, as I expect that most people will do. But then I settled in and went to other species, and then I read the introductory pages. The information there will bring you to a whole new level of enjoying these remarkable creatures.

I have struggled for years to identify birds through their song, aided by mostly meaningless mnemonics as these are presented in most guides. For the first time, Kroodsma's full description of each species' song gives readers enough detail and context to help them understand what they are listening to. These birds come to life in the text and then the icing is the lovely songs themselves. Push the loon button and you are immediately transported to remote northern lakes. Push the phoebe button and hear how he sings his two different songs. Hear how animated a pewee is at dawn compared to later in the day. Try the wrens, thrushes, warblers, sparrows. They're all there and more, in the text and at the push of a button!

This is a truly special book. I'd give it ten stars if I could. Now I have the perfect gift to give to my friends to show them why I've always been so thrilled to hear a singing bird.
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29 of 30 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Ever June 13, 2008
Format:Hardcover
I bought this guide and the much larger "Bird Songs". I prefer this one by far. There are more song comparisons and much more in depth descriptions. It's also a manageable size. I love it.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Fine birding experience June 19, 2008
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is suitable for all ages! The bird calls are clear and easily recognizable with what you hear in your "backyard". Good learning tool.
You can call birds with these recordings and they will answer you. Easy to use and worth every penny.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Bird Lover May 31, 2008
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is one of my favorite coffee table books. We live out in the country and this book has helped identify many of the local birds that pass our way.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is a great way to become familiar with the birds that surround our environment. It is an easy access book. The sound and mini speaker system works very well. No more looking in books that try to describe in words the bird's sound. No more trying to locate the specific bird sound on a CD. Just look up the bird and punch the number and there you are, quick and easy. It is a great book at a great price! It is a must for anyone who enjoys the little winged angels that visit our yards. The illustrations are also accurate and beautiful.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars WOW! August 29, 2008
Format:Hardcover
Wow!! What a terrific book . . . the text, the sounds, the selection of species, the layout . . . everything works perfectly together. And, the Western book is just as impressive as its eastern companion.

I opened my pre-release copy, intending to spend just a few minutes and return to it later. Two hours went by, and I was still reading and listening; I couldn't stop turning the pages.

Of course, I went right to my favorite birds, reading the text and pushing the buttons to listen, as I expect that most people will do. But then I settled in and went to other species, and then I read the introductory pages. The information there will bring you to a whole new level of enjoying these remarkable creatures.

I have struggled for years to identify birds through their song, aided by mostly meaningless mnemonics as these are presented in most guides. For the first time, Kroodsma's full description of each species' song gives readers enough detail and context to help them understand what they are listening to. These birds come to life in the text and then the icing is the lovely songs themselves. Push the loon button and you are immediately transported to remote northern lakes. Push the phoebe button and hear how he sings his two different songs. Hear how animated a pewee is at dawn compared to later in the day. Try the wrens, thrushes, warblers, sparrows. They're all there and more, in the text and at the push of a button!

This is a truly special book. I'd give it ten stars if I could. Now I have the perfect gift to give to my friends to show them why I've always been so thrilled to hear a singing bird.

(Originally submitted 4/29/08 but missing from current list of reviews)
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Great! January 2, 2011
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Love, Love, Love the book. When I ordered this title,I was excited about being able to put calls with each bird. I didn't think to order one for my 6 year old granddaughter. When we sat down together to look at it, she absolutely fell head over heels. What a great way to teach a little one.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I LOVE this book! How often is it that you cannot see the birds you are trying to identify very well? I find it is more likely that you are able to hear them more clearly than they can be seen, and this book allows you to identify by sound, it's great. It can also be great fun to excite most cats and drive them a bit crazy. I hightly recomend this book to everyone.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars Backyard Birdsong Book
I bought this book last year for around $25...maybe $40, but NOT $250. What are these sellers thinking? It's a great book for learning about bird songs. Read more
Published 4 days ago by Bp
3.0 out of 5 stars Love the concept
I like the book a lot, and love that not only do you have the pictures of the bird but the songs that go with it. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Mother-in-law really likes it.
This was a gift, so I haven't actually used the book. But my MIL says it is very nice and much better than a different product she received a while ago.
Published 22 days ago by Jeff Voegtlin
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book
I am so enjoying this book. Cannot wait til I can sit on my deck with a cup of coffee on a saturday morning and learn the birds. Read more
Published 26 days ago by Ronald English
5.0 out of 5 stars Backyard Birdsong Guide is priceless.
I was so happy to find this item on Amazon as it is no longer in print. This book is a handson way for toddlers up to adults to learn the most common songs of the local birds. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Karen Dolliver
5.0 out of 5 stars We love this book.
I had been looking for this book for over a year for my son who loves bird songs!! Well, the whole family has enjoyed this one and we look forward to many years of use.
Published 1 month ago by flatset
4.0 out of 5 stars A gift for my sister
She requested an item of this type for her Midwestern backyard bird identification and relates that she really enjoys it.
Published 2 months ago by J. Lawton
3.0 out of 5 stars smaller than expected.
I had a large version of this book, maybe that is why it seems so small. Illustrations are not great and the voice box fell off the first day. :(
Published 2 months ago by Patricia Cronin
5.0 out of 5 stars Bird Book
This was bought as s gift for my mother. She brings the book outside so she can compare bird sounds and identify different species. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Deborah Casavant
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice book
I'm not much of a bird watcher, but I love nature so I enjoy being able to hear about the birds I am reading about in this book.
Published 3 months ago by chompmyclit
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