Warblers of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America [Paperback]

Chris Earley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2003

Thanks to their distinctive colors and lively calls, warblers are a favorite among birders. However sightings can be rare due to the warbler's migratory nature, feeding habits, and sometime-endangered status.

Warblers is a handy reference for watching these fast-moving and elusive birds. It explains why warblers are difficult to spot and what you can do to see more of them. It accurately identifies 42 species found in the Great Lakes region and eastern North America. By focusing on this one family within a defined geographical area, the book's format is compact yet packed with information.

Photographing these highly spirited birds is never easy. Birders will appreciate the crisp, clean images of the warblers in their natural environment. Comparison pages group similar-looking birds on a single spread for quick reference. Each species is presented in accurate, full color to ensure precise identification. Species are presented in taxonomic order to show how one relates to the next. The information is concisely organized and includes:

• Common names
• Biological classification
• Distinctive markings
• Seasonal plumage changes
• Song description
• Behavioral habits

(20030709)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This tidy little book provides a nice introduction. Warblers are the most colorful family of birds found in North America. One of the true harbingers of spring, the return of the warblers on their northern migration is eagerly awaited by birders of all levels of experience. Earley, a Canadian naturalist, here presents a wonderful precis on each of 37 species of warblers found in the eastern half of the continent. Concise information is provided for each species: common and scientific names, a short account (with quotes from early ornithologists), plumage descriptions (including any seasonal changes), similar species, song description, nature notes, and a range map. A minimum of two photos illustrate male and female, showcasing the beautiful plumage of these birds, and a box on the top left of each bird's spread illustrates the male's throat color.

Nancy Bent
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Well-done, birder-friendly guides that fit easily into any field pack and are recommended for both beginning and advanced birders. (W.H. Gross BirdWatcher's Digest 200409)

This book gives birders an excellent resource for enjoying these colorful and much beloved birds. (Donald S. Heintzelman International Hawkwatcher 200506)

These tidy little books provide nice introductions ... terrific primer. (Nancy Bent Booklist 20030701)

Essential field guide ... packed with crisp, clean full-color photographs and precise identification notes to clearly define 35 species. (Essex Free Press 20030521)

Excellent field photographs and a text of precise identification notes ... handy and attractive ... Highly recommended. (C. Leck Choice 200309)

Excellent coverage of all North American warblers. This is an outstanding publication and supplement to standard field guides. (William H. Adams Science Books and Films 20031215)

Makes identifying these remarkable and diverse families of birds as easy as possible. (Princeton Times of Trenton 20031214)

The author... is a naturalist/teacher who clearly knows how to present bird-identification information in an organized, attractive, and educational format. (Charles Leck American Reference Books Annual, Volume 35 2004)

Lovely books ... range maps are the first I've seen ... that fully delineate both breeding range and wintering range. (George Bryant Toronto Ornithological Club 200309)

Colorful photographic guides... delightful companions for beginning birders in eastern North America. (Diane C. Schmidt E-Streams 200309)

The most comprehensive information on several targeted species, packed in a colorful, convenient format. (Bird Times 20031015)

Two pages are devoted to each species of warbler, which allows room for multiple photos, range maps and informative text. (Jim Williams Minneapolis Star Tribune 200307)

Highly illustrated with exquisite color photographs in a natural setting... a welcome addition to my library. (Bill Carney New Hampshire Wildlife 200101)

Intended to help birders... they generally succeed, accurately portraying sexual and seasonal differences in plumage. (Charles F. Thompson Ibis )

Excellent information, more than 200 quality color photographs and delightful prose make these must-have guides. (David Bird Montreal Gazette )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (February 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552977099
• ISBN-13: 978-1552977095
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #674,118 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Basic information about each species is provided, August 9, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Warblers of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America (Hardcover)

Knowledgeably and accessibly written by Chris G. Earley (an interpretive naturalist who regularly teaches bird identification workshops), Warblers Of The Great Lakes Region & Eastern North America is a superbly organized and presented ornithology field guide which packed from cover to cover with brilliant color photographs of various warblers, including separate photographs to show seasonal, gender, and juvenile versus adult variations in species plumage. Basic information about each species is provided with a strong slant toward concerning how to identify and distinguish it from similar species. Simply put, Warblers Of The Great Lakes Region & Eastern North America is a "must-have" for those birdwatchers with a special interest in tracking, sighting, and recognizing Upper Midwest and Eastern North American warblers.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid, simpler guide covering just the key points of ID, October 30, 2008

By 

Soleglad (Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Warblers of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America (Hardcover)

Basics: 2003, hardcover, 131 pages, 245 color photos of 44 species, range maps

This is a good, easy to use, compact guide for anyone wanting to learn or to practice the warblers found in the eastern US and Canada. The book is straight forward, offers quick easy descriptions, and excellent photographs for each bird. Although the book focuses on the eastern warblers, some photos are included for the infrequent stragglers from the West.

The 245 color photos do a superb job of showing each bird in multiple photos. At least 3-7 photos are shown for each bird, except for the western species and a couple of the eastern birds (Worm-eating and Kirtland's), which receive only one or two photos. An additional bonus is the inclusion of 5 photos of hybrids between Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers (2 Lawrence's and 3 Brewster's).

A few other nice additions are found in the back of the book. A table presents 9 different characteristics that help to differentiate the two waterthrushes. Two other tables do the same for 11 of the fall-plumaged warblers. Lastly, 29 smaller photos at the back focus on comparing the confusing plumages of the fall warblers. And, 35 photos show the colorful spring plumages.

The text for each bird does its best to simply present the key identification notes. Brief sections with concise information are offered for each of the male and female spring plumages, the male and female autumn and, where relevant, the first fall plumage. Additional notes are sometimes offered for the voice or for other behavioral comments.

The range maps use a standard template showing all of North and South America. Red depicts the summer range while yellow denotes winter; orange is for the year-round resident. It's good to see the outlines of each US state and of the countries since this provides better reference.

Although this book might be a little too introductory for the experienced birder, the photos will still be appreciated. This book might not contain anything not already found in the complete US field guides but it does present the information a little more simply and with a greater reliance on good photos for the birders who want to focus on just these birds during the short migration periods. -- (written by Soleglad at Avian Review or Avian Books, October 2008)

I've listed several related books below...
1) A Field Guide to Warblers of North America by Dunn/Garrett
2) Chasing Warblers by Thornton
3) The Warblers of America: A Popular Account of The Wood Warblers as they occur in the Western Hemisphere by Griscom
4) The Warblers of North America by Chapman
5) Warblers of the Americas: An Identification Guide by Curson et al.
6) Wood Warblers' World by Harrison
7) The golden-cheeked warbler: A bioecological study by Pulich
8) Kirtland's Warbler: The Natural History of an Endangered Species by Walkinshaw
9) The Kirtland's Warbler by Mayfield
10) Life Histories of the North American Wood Warblers: Part 1: Vol. I & II by Bent

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Warblers of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America, June 10, 2009

By 

James R. Wagner (Northen Neck, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Warblers of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America (Paperback)

Very heplful feld guide for a very challanging subject. I found it very useful. It will be a great addition to my birding field tools.