The Armchair Birder: Discovering the Secret Lives of Familiar Birds - Tapa dura

An excellent literary introduction to forty-two of the most common North American birds. . . . Colorful and engaging.--Englewood Review of Books More than bare facts and field marks, the book offers observations, anecdotes, and stories.--Abstracts of Public Administration, Development, and Environment Finally, a bird book for the rest of us! John Yow has empowered . . . us to sit back, to let the birds come to us and to enjoy the sights and sounds. . . . Secrets of birds and birding are out at last!--Anniston Star Whether you favor random dips into the book, or prefer to follow Yow systematically through the seasons, you will be sure to learn something new about the 42 species of birds that can be seen right outside your own window.--Virginia Wildlife Magazine Ably illustrates facets of bird behavior and instinct, acknowledging their unique adaptations to the natural and human worlds. Written in a humorous, conversational tone, this enjoyable read is a good choice for developing birders.--Library Journal Yow lets his gentle ruminations and finely observed truths lull the reader toward a quiet adventure into the 'ordinary' birds around them. . . . Yow is the ultimate gentleman birder, highlighting the omnipresent glory and understated miracle of these feathered friends.--BookPage Fun to read, and anyone, regardless of experience level, will learn something from this book (probably many somethings).--www.birderslibrary.com Yow discusses 40 species of birds. . . . [and] whets your appetite for knowing what they are up to. . . . [With] stunning black-and-white drawings of each bird by John James Audubon.--Booklist Among a list of favorite things in life must be an armchair. If yours is near a window, you can observe the most active creatures this spring--birds--while dipping into John Yow's generous new offering.--Asheville Citizen Times

This title presents entertaining essays for the armchair birder in everyone. Bird lovers, take heart! While the birding literature is filled with tales of expert observers spotting rare species in exotic locales, John Yow's "The Armchair Birder" reminds us that the most fascinating birds can be the ones perched right outside our windows. In thirty-five engaging, humorous, and even irreverent essays, Yow reveals the fascinating lives of birds you probably already recognize and naturally want to know more about - because they're the ones you see nearly every day.Following the seasons of the year, Yow covers forty-two species, from the Carolina wren that rings in the springtime to the sandhill crane croaking high overhead at the end of winter. Leisurely and entertaining, the essays explore the improbable, unusual, and comical aspects of their subjects' lives - from the philandering of the ruby-throated hummingbird to the occasional dipsomania of the cedar waxwing.Rather than bare facts and field marks, "The Armchair Birder" offers observations, anecdotes, and stories - not only Yow's own, but also those of America's classic bird writers, such as John James Audubon, Arthur Bent, and Edward Forbush, experts who saw it all and wrote with wit and passion. With "The Armchair Birder", backyard birders will take new delight in the birds at their feeders, while veteran check-listers will enjoy putting their feet up. All will applaud this unique addition to bird literature, one that combines the fascination of bird life with the pleasure of good reading.