Wild Birds of the 21st Century

Good Reading

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Native Trees & Shrubs, Vines by William Cullina, New England Wild Flower Societ (Houghton Mifflin, Boston, New York, 2002. ISBN 0-618-09858-5. $40.00) A guide to using, growing, and propagating North American woody plants.

The Backyard Bird-Lover's Guide by Jan Mahnken, Illustrated by Jeffrey C. Domm (Storey Communications, Inc., 1996, 310 pages, $24.95 paperback). A pleasure to read. Solid reference covering feeding, territory, courtship, nesting, and identification for 135 species. Includes good advice on trees and shrubs to attract our feathered friends. Very useful and a lot of charm.

The Bird Lover's Garden by Margaret MacAvoy and Pat Kite (Friedman/Fairfax Publishers, 2000, 128 pages, $25.00 hardcover). Beautifully illustrated guide shows you how to turn your own backyard into a bird-friendly zone by meeting these creatures' simple needs. Essentials for creating a haven for songbirds and hummingbirds. Specific plants, features, tips. Gorgeous gardening. Gorgeous birds. Authors are regular contributors to birding and gardening magazines.

Extinct Birds (revised edition) by Errol Fuller (Comstock Publishing Associates, 2001, 400 pages, $49.95 cloth). Life histories and eyewitness accounts of the fates of 80 recently extinct bird species. (See American Passenger Pigeon on this site.) Illustrations include photographs of eggs, feathers, specimens, breath-taking colorplates by naturalists Audubon, Keulemans, Lear and others. A beautiful and poignant reminder of where we've been and may be going.

Wings in the Wild: Habits and Habitats of North American Birds by Tom Vezo and Paul Kerlinger (Stackpole Books, 2001, 136 pages, $21.95 paperback). More than 180 stop-action color photographs of birds in the wild by Tom Vezo, along with species and habitat descriptions by ornithologist and author Paul Kerlinger.

On the Wing: American Birds in Migration by Carol Lerner (Harper Collins, 2001, 48 pages, $16.95 hardcover). A formidable story / source for readers 8 and up by critically acclaimed children's writer and illustrator, Carol Lerner. Lerner trained in ornithology, botany, and botanical illustration at the Morton Arboretum at Lisle, Illinois. On the Wing is an easy introduction for adults, too.

Suggested Bird and Gardening books As Reported in SCIENCE NEWS books

To order these books, please contact your favorite bookstore. Science News regrets that at this time it can't provide books by mail.

The Encyclopedia of North American Trees by Sam Benvie (Firefly, 2000, 304 pages, color photos / illus., hardcover, $35.00.) 278 species of trees native to North America, listed by their botanical names. Benvie outlines each tree's growing habits, identifying characteristics and it's environmental value. Gardeners will appreciate each tree's soil, weather, and habitat preferences. At least one identifying photograph with each species and help with form, bark, leaves, flowers, and fruits of major trees. A great winter planner.

Common Birds and Their Songs by Lang Elliot. This book/audio package provides introduction to fifty of the most familiar birds of North America and the songs they sing. Each birdsis described in vivid detail -- its natural history, habitat, voice, range, and field marks -- and illustrated with stunning color photographs. Range maps show where each species is found in different seasons. The audio CD features original high-quality field recordings of each bird's songs and calls, which are track-coded for easy access. Paperback $22.00

Outwitting Squirrels by Bill Adler. From spooker poles to Perrier bottles to water bombs and cayenne pepper, Bill Adler, Jr., has tried every conceivable method to rid his backyard of these fluffy gluttonous rodents. This new revision contains humorous advice on keeping squirrels out of the flowerbeds and bird feeders. Paperback $11.95

The Woodland Garden by Roy Forster. The Woodland Garden is a valuable source of information and a practical how-to guide for hundreds of plant species ideally suited for planting in the woodland environment. This is all the information needed to get started, from design, plant selection and initial planting through ongoing maintenance, using principals that can be applied anywhere in North America in almost any size garden - from large estates to city lots. Paperback $19.95

Xeriscape Handbook by Carol Williams. $24.95 Coping with drought, gardeners beyond the arid U.S. southwest may be helped by these methods of water-wise gardening. Fundamental issues.

Bringing a Garden to Life by Carol Williams. $22.95 Her own garden on Long Island has fallen prey to deer, hurricanes, and floods... basics of planning, planting, weeding, and composting that keep a garden going. Bantam, 1998.273p. b&w illus., hardcover.

New City Gardener, The by Judith Adam. $24.95 Obstacles and basics. Plants adaptable to the city setting.

Birder's Bug Book. The by Gilbert Waldbauer. $27.95 Some insects mimic bird droppings to protect themselves from attack. Some birds rub ants over their bodies as natural insecticide to deter parasites. Also, bugs that eat birders, and how to assuage them.

Gatherings of Angels by Kenneth P. Able. ed. $26.95 Spring skies over Nebraska darken with migratory birds. New knowledge of migratory birds of the Western Hemisphere.

Paradise by Design by Kathryn Phillips. $25.00 Gardener Joni Janecki prefers native plants to conventional lawns and ornamental shrubs. Three landscaping jobs as cases, with discussions of native ecology, pest plants, nursery industry, and possible backlash from this unusual style of landscaping.

Requiem for Nature by John Terborgh. $24.95 Pretty grim. But if you don't know what the problem is, how are you going to help?

What is the Problem? Are our birds disappearing?

SEE: Birds Over Troubled Forests, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, Washington, DC 20008, ISBN #1-88-1230-00-7.

Brightness Falls from the Air, James Tiptree, Jr., Orb, New York, 1993, ISBN #0-312-85407-2

Bring Back the Birds: What You Can Do to Save Threatened Species, Russell Greenberg and Jamie Reaser, Stackpole Books, 1995, ISBN #0-8117-2519-7

“Flying Into Trouble: The Global Decline of Birds, and What It Means”, Howard Youth, World-Watch, Vol.7, No.l , Jan-Feb 1994, pages 10-19.

“Latest Endangered Species: Natural Habitats of America”, Wiilliam K. Stevens, The New York Times (Science), Tuesday, Feb 14, l995, pages Al; B10.

Silent Spring, Rachel Carson, Houghton Mifflin, l962. ISBN #0-395-45390-9

The Sixth Extinction, Richard Leakey and Roger Lewin, Doubleday, l995. ISBN #0-385-46809-1.

Where Have All the Birds Gone? John Terborgh, Princeton University Press, 1989. ISBN #0-691-02428-6

http://www.birdpop.org - (The Institute for Bird Populations -- global research and dissemination of information on changes in bird populations.)

Excellent and Not Too Expensive Books to Help You Start Gardening for Birds

American Wildlife & Plants - A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits, Martin; Zim; Nelson, Dover Publications, 1951; 1961, ISBN 0-486- 20793-5 (pkb)($9.95).

How to Attract Birds, Ortho Books, ISBN 0-89721-011-5(pkb.)($9.95).

Bird Gardening Book - The Complete Guide to Creating A Bird-friendly Habitat in Your Backyard, Donald and Lillian Stokes; Little, Brown and Company, 1998, ISBN 0-316-81836-4 (pkb)($11.05).

Songbirds In Your Garden, John K. Terres; foreword by Roger Tory Peterson, Algonquin Books, 1994, ISBN 1-56512-044-2 (pkb.)($14.95).

Birdscaping Your Garden - A Practical Guide to Backyards and the Plants That Attract Them, George Adams, Rodale Press, 1998, ISBN 0-87596-956-9 (pkb.)($18.95).