Education AND Entertainment
I love learning about birds but also enjoy a good and entertaining story. These books do a great job of combining the two.
1. The Genius of Birds
The author goes on a scientific exploration around the world to learn and explore bird intelligence. Anyone that reads this book will immediately question the assumption that birds are dumb or someone has a “birdbrain.” This is a highly entertaining journey that touches on many stories and species of birds. Because it mixes science with entertainment, you don’t have to be obsessed with birds to enjoy this book.
2. The Thing With Feathers
This book explores the unknown intelligence of birds from all around the world. From the extraordinary homing abilities of pigeons to the fantastic memories of nutcrackers. The author does an excellent job of educating readers and weaving in captivating stories and humor.
3. Gifts of the Crow
You will never look at a crow the same!
Crows have brains that are too big for their bodies, but this allows them to think, plan and consider their actions. The authors team up to tell wonderful stories of the high intelligence of crows. From gathering around their dead to recognizing people to even murdering other crows!
Best Bird Watching Books: Tips and Tricks
4. Bird Watching for Dummies
Are you just starting your birding adventure? Not sure what this crazy obsession is all about?
This is a great bird book for absolute birding beginners. I initially read this many years ago to try and get up to speed as quickly as possible. Even though it’s 20 years old, the information is still accurate and useful. It’s effortless to read and designed to skip around to the sections that are relevant to you.
5. Sibley’s Birding Basics
This book is a perfect complement to the author’s field guides (Sibley’s Bird’s East and West) as it builds upon the necessary skills of bird identification. It has helped immensely, both in the field and using field guides.
Sibley gives excellent information to help make a positive identification. In addition, he offers advice on many topics, from sketching birds in the field to feather shapes to analyzing different birding gear.
6. Good Birders Still Don’t Wear White
This book is the sequel to “Good Birders Don’t Wear White.” It follows the same concept as the original, with birders sharing their wisdom and advice and what drives their passion for birds. It also covers a wide range of topics, and it’s an easy book to skip around to find your favorite articles.
There is definitely something for everybody. Contributors include many well-known birders, such as Richard Crossley, Pete Dunne, Kenn Kaufman, Michael O’Brien, Bill Thompson, and Julie Zickefoose.
Best Birding Books: Big Years and Listing
I think most of us dream of the day we can drop everything and spend the year trying to see as many birds as possible. Warning! Reading any of these bird books will only make you want to pursue a “Big Year” even more!
7. The Big Year
This book was turned into a movie a few years ago. It’s a great way to get introduced to the crazy annual competition of who can see the most birds in a year. Trust me; it will get you thinking about how you can accomplish your big year.
8. To See Every Bird On Earth
This book holds a special place in my birding heart. It helped propel me into the bird-watching fray.
I initially checked it out from the library as an audiobook many years and subsequently listened to it three times. It does an excellent job of introducing some of the birding subculture’s oddities and illustrates how bird watching can turn into an obsession.
9. Kingbird Highway
Many of us have dreamed of completing our own “big year.” Now imagine hitting the road as a teenager without much money, mostly hitchhiking your way across the country and eating cat food to save money.
Kenn Kaufman has become one of the biggest names in birding, but it all started in the early 1970s when he tried to set the North American big year record.
I love this book for its adventure and insights into the birding subculture more than 40 years ago! Birding has come a long way.
10. Lost Among the BirdsBest Birding Books of 2017
What do you do when you are at a life crossroads after quitting a high-paying job and a failed relationship?
Easy answer. Go birding! Or at least that is what author Neil Hayward did.
He started his “Big Year” in 2013 mostly as a distraction, but ended up breaking the longstanding ABA Big Year record…. sort of accidentally This book is very entertaining with lots of great stories and explores the human element of birding.
11. Birding Without Borders
Wow! Talk about an extremely big year. In 2015, Noah Strycker broke the global big year record. He spent an entire year traveling across the globe trying to see as many birds as possible and ended up seeing over 6,000 different species!
This book details his many adventures along the way. Loved that he partnered with locals at every step of the journey to help. Amazed at how popular birding seemed throughout the world and that most people genuinely want to conserve these wild places.
Autumn 