The Birds of Pennsylvania

Book Description

From Eared Grebes, Tundra Swans, and Peregrine Falcons to Lesser Yellowlegs, and Snowy Owls, Pennsylvania is home to a magnificent array of birds. In the first comprehensive summary and analysis in over a century of the birds of that state, Gerald M. McWilliams and Daniel W. Brauning provide a wealth of information for both the professional ornithologist and the amateur birder.

This book treats all 428 species seen in the state, including breeding and wintering birds, migrants, and vagrants. Each entry provides the general status of a species; the locations where it is most commonly found; its natural habitat, migratory patterns, breeding habits, and seasonal status and distribution; and a summary of the bird's history in Pennsylvania. With clear descriptions of physiographic regions as well as 44 breeding distribution maps for the most commonly seen birds and 67 photographs of many rare and hard-to-find species, this volume is an indispensable resource about Pennsylvania's bird life.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent technical book.......2007-01-12

I purchased this book for a gift but thought it was too technical for the recipient. It is a wonderful book for a serious birder, but perhaps too detailed for someone looking ofr color photos and short descriptions.

The Birds of Pennsylvania.......2000-12-16

The Birds of Pennsylvania by Gerald M. McWilliams and Daniel W. Brauning is a special interest book, being a state distribution book, but is one that you should consider adding to your library. For those who like to read distribution books in general and those birders living in the mid-Atlantic states in particular, THIS IS A MUST HAVE. I fall in the former group and must say that of all of the distribution books that I have this is the easiest reading because of the writing style. It is also the most informative from a general perspective: For each family there is a basic information opening ala David Sibley's Guide to Birds. Then for each species there is a general status that discusses the species distribution over its entire ranage. Next is a description of the habitat in which the species is found. Then comes the information that concerns Pennsylvania in particular -- Seasonal Status and distribution. Next is a history of the bird in PA. Last is a comment section that gives id problems, endangered status, nest box requirements and placement to attract Bluebirds, etc. Finally are footnotes.

Facts that I have picked up from jumping around in this book are: How cormorants differ from other birds -- they have their four toes connected by webs and THE ADULTS HAVE NO EXTERNAL NOSTRILS and breath through their mouths, p40. Why Waxwings are called Waxwings, p345.

So give this book a look. I do not think you will be disappointed if you are into distribution books. And if not, this book just might get you into them! As to how it measures up to being a desirable distribution and status book for Pennsylvania birders, I will defer to Kenn Kaufman from his forward: "Now there is an outstanding book to fill that need."

Kenn closes with his forward with "I congratulate McWilliams and Brauning on an impressive achievement and heartily recommend this volume to anyone who cares about birds." So do I.

This review has been also posted on Birdchat, a birders listserver.

Average customer rating:

Birds Of PA

The first bird book I reach for!

Excellent pocket guide!

Birds of Pennsylvania Field Guide, Second Edition

Simply the best

Birds of Pennsylvania Field Guide, Second Edition
Stan Tekiela
Manufacturer: Adventure Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Pennsylvania | States | United States | Travel | Subjects | Books
General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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Birds Of Pennsylvania

ASIN: 1591930871

Product Description

Learn about and identify birds using Stan Tekiela's state-by-state field guides. The full-page, color photos are incomparable and include insets of winter plumage, color morphs and more. Plus, with the easy-to-use format, you don't need to know a bird's name or classification in order to easily find it in the book. Using this field guide is a real pleasure. It's a great way for anyone to learn about the birds in your state.

Customer Reviews:

Birds Of PA.......2007-10-06

Chur-REE! A couple of years ago, these plush, stuffed toy birds showed up in Dunham's, each one with a real bird song inside, recorded by the Audubon Society. My mom and I picked one out as a Christmas present for my nephew, joked how my grandmother Laura would have gotten a kick out of these. I received the red-wing blackbird for Christmas, much to the dismay of the cat but to my endless fascination. For me, it's not the robin who is the harbinger of spring in these parts. As someone who suffers from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder, and who doesn't experience that, to some extent, living around here?), I know winter's back is truly broken for another year when I see the red-wing blackbirds in the fields. And now, after freaking out the cat and annoying my boyfriend by pushing my stuffed bird's button a hundred times, I will never forget what to listen for, as well.

As fun as the Audubon toys are, I can't afford to buy one for every birdsong I'd like to learn. And although it's amusing to open this article with my approximation of birdspeak, I think you'll get more from the expert who will become birders' - amateur and serious - new best friend. Stan Tekiela is an award-winning author, wildlife photographer, naturalist, columnist, and radio-show host from Minnesota. To date, Stan has published nearly sixty books, filled with gorgeous, close-up color photos, and well-organized information. His books include guides on birds in nearly forty states as well as regions like the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone. He has also penned books on categories of birds, such as raptors or geese; family nature guides; a how-to begin mushroom hunting; and several guides to regional tree and wildflower identification.

With his bird guides for specific states, Stan has taken out the guesswork that comes with larger classics like Audubon, Stokes, Peterson or National Geographic - "does this bird even live in my area?" And best of all, almost every Stan Tekiela state bird book has a companion audio CD (or CDs). At the bottom of every information page in the bird books, there is a reference to the CD track number where one can hear the bird matching the description and photo from the book! The CDs can be purchased separately, or as part of a guidebook-and-CD set at very reasonable prices (suggested retail price of most guide books is around $13, and the CD is around $15). Now that's birding for dummies or for idiots, without the name-calling! I'm thrilled with this new discovery, which will save me from drowning in a hundred of stuffed birds, keep me in good graces with Kevin and Hobo (not always an easy trick, between the two of them), and give me a gift option for last-minute or hard-to-buy-for folks. Plus, I'm hoping to look super-knowledgeable this coming spring and summer as I name birds everywhere I go. Too bad this wasn't available to me when I was a camp counselor. But, it's never too late to learn these heart-lifting songs and teach them to others. My grandmother, Laura, would be proud.

Editor,"Of A Predatory Heart"

The first bird book I reach for!.......2007-09-01

Superb little book that covers most of the birds we see here (Northeast Pennsylvania), enlivened by wonderful text, particularly "Stan's Notes" at the end of each page, which has provided many new tidbits of information. Full page pictures are excellent, and birds are organized by color, with females given their own page when sufficiently different than the male, making it exceptionally easy for id purposes. We don't have the audio CD that is the companion to this book, but plan to get it so we can also hear the bird songs associated with each entry. We have many bird books, but because of the big pictures and excellent text, this is the one most dog-eared and used (we also keep one in the car). A must for both amateur and serious birders.

Excellent pocket guide!.......2007-06-26

If you have a bird in your yard, and you don't know what it is, how would you find out? If you live in PA, you would open this copy. It's catagorized by the primary color of the bird for quick reference. Then, in those colored sections, the bird names are organized by size: smallest to largest. So, if you have a small gray bird with a red head, you can find his name within seconds. Each entry has a brief description, migratory pattern with map, mating habits, call description, and more.

You won't find a whole lot of information about each bird in this book, but that's not its primary purpose anyway. When you want to identify a PA bird quickly and on-site, this is your book.

In fact, I just purchased a second copy to give as a gift...it's that good.

Birds of Pennsylvania Field Guide, Second Edition.......2007-01-20

A pocket size guide thats easy to use. Great photographs so that you see an actual bird not an artists portrayal.

Simply the best.......2007-01-11

This little book is fantasic! The pictures are great and the discussions of each bird include tips that are very helpful in identification.

Animal Tracks of the Great Lakes States: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin (Animal Tracks)

Average customer rating:

Very useful book

Animal Tracks of the Great Lakes States: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin (Animal Tracks)
Chris Stall
Manufacturer: Mountaineers Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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Amphibians and Reptiles of the Great Lakes Region (Great Lakes Environment)

ASIN: 0898861969

Customer Reviews:

Very useful book.......2007-03-12

Again, the pictures in the book are easy enough to use for my 3 year old. The information contained in the book is useful. We enjoy using this book and look forward to the spring and summer when we can travel further than our backyard.

National Geographic Field Guide to Birds: Pennsylvania (NG Field Guide to Birds)

Average customer rating:

excellent!

National Geographic Field Guide to Birds: Pennsylvania (NG Field Guide to Birds)
Jonathan Alderfer
Manufacturer: National Geographic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Birds of Pennsylvania Field Guide, Second Edition
Pennsylvania Birds
Birds Of Pennsylvania
Trees of Pennsylvania Field Guide (Trees)
The Birds of Pennsylvania

ASIN: 0792255623
Release Date: 2006-07-04

Book Description

Designed to fit in a backpack or pocket for easy access, each of these handy and popular bird field guides comprises 272 pages and features about 175 birds organized by family as approved by the American Ornithological Union. Standard features include:

Locator Map at the front listing regional birding hotspots;
Introduction by an expert on where to find the state's top birds;
How-To-Use Section with general tips on birding and advice on making the most of the guide;
125 Easy-Access Individual Entries providing a photograph of the bird in its habitat, recognition clues, specific details on behavior, habitat, and local sites, plus a special "Field Note" with artwork for extra help in tricky identifications;
Alphabetical Index with life list; and
Color-coded Index.

Pennsylvania offers a winning variety of city and country birds. See the bright-colored, vocal Yellow-billed Cuckoo; the migratory Snow Goose; the stunning Red-Tailed Hawk; the olive Acadian Flycatcher, and more.

Customer Reviews:

excellent!.......2007-08-23

The pictures are wonderful! I have a bird feeder outside my window and have seen many birds that I didn't recognize. The pictures are perfect! I now know what type they are. Other bird books have either drawings or the pictures aren't very clear, or show a terrible likeness...with these pictures I know exactly what I'm looking at! And the information about them is very interesting.

Average customer rating:

Horrid Work
A lament that enlightens
A Realistic Snapshot of Pennsylvania Grouse Hunting in 2002

A Hunter's Book of Days
Charles Fergus
Manufacturer: Countrysport Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Hunting | Hunting & Fishing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Nature Writing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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A High, Lonesome Call
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ASIN: 0892726156

Book Description

This is a tightly structured personal narrative set in the grouse and woodcock covers surrounding the authorâ€™s home. In his articulate, flowing style, the author focuses his text around bird hunts behind his springer spaniels, including his quintessential hunting dog, now deceased, and his up-and-coming youngster, Caillie. This is far more than a hunting memoir, the author also deals with the demise of huntable land and the life-altering events that affect dogs, hunters and friendship.

Customer Reviews:

Horrid Work.......2007-05-11

Avoid this book like the plague. It reeks of selfishness, elitism, and vanity. I tired to post a lengthier review, but Amazon did not post it. So I thought I would try to post another review. Simply stated, this book has a poor tone which leads one to conclude that hunters are simply interested in using our common resources for their enjoyment alone. This is not true. Most hunters recognize the role of progress in promoting the prosperity needed to protect hunting, but recognize the costs of this arrangement as well. Fergus does not. He takes an absolutist's view that denies individuals the right to develop their communities because this would deprive the enlightened of a favored pursuit. Additionally, he rails against a government that tries to maximize benefits for all, instead of protecting the interests of purists (i.e. his discussion of pheasant management in Pennsylvania). And he regularly divests "the average hunter," who does not have the leisure time needed to participate in the sport as he sees fit, of any dignity as a member of the hunting community. Overall, these deficiencies cause the book to become a poor rant. It simply becomes the tract of an angry whiner who could not deal with the fact that his desired lifestyle was harmed by the progress of others.

A lament that enlightens.......2006-01-19

Fergus's book is ultimately a lament for the destruction of nature in the Bald Eagle Valley of central Pennsylvania. Yes, he does give information about grouse hunting and dogs, enough to satisfy the reader of any shooting book. It is also a song about the delights of hunting birds in the Valley and how that delight has eroded. It is both a happy and a sad song. It should enlighten each reader that every tiny scraping of our natural bounty is an eternal loss.

I recommend it to those thoughtful people who follow dogs into the field and shoot lovingly at grouse.

A Realistic Snapshot of Pennsylvania Grouse Hunting in 2002.......2006-01-12

This 174-page book published in 2005 is the well-written product of a prolific outdoor writer. The author, Charles Fergus, is a long-time hunter who spent years writing for the Pennsylvania Game News and has completed several books about hunting and nature. The dust jacket has a very nice painting by Rod Crossman of a hunter walking along a snow-covered road through woods, accompanied by a dog and carrying a grouse. Inside the book are six small, simple sketches with similar themes: grouse, hunter, dog.

This is not a "how-to" book. It is a contribution to the classic hunting literature that revolves around upland birds, dogs and double guns. I have hunted grouse on Pennsylvania lands that have incuded abandoned strip mines, abandoned nineteenth-century railroads, along an abandoned segment of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, in forested oil fields and in seemingly trackless wild areas. To me, this book is more complex and realistic than any other grouse hunting book that I have read. I recommend this book to all hunters from the central Appalachians and to experienced grouse hunters anywhere. Because of it's complex nature, I would think twice before giving it as a gift and would not recommend it as someone's first grouse-hunting book. Fergus's 1991 book "A Rough Shooting Dog" might be a better introduction to the grouse hunting literature.

The focus of "A Hunter's Book of Days" is a series of grouse and woodcock hunts during Fergus's last hunting season living among the valleys and ridges of central Pennsylvania. It is also a story of Fergus's service on a zoning committee that tried to limit the impact of a new interstate highway. In his mid-40's, fed up with the loss of wild places to development and after the failure of his group's zoning proposals, Fergus and his family moved to Vermont in 2003.

Fergus hunts with classic British double-barreled shotguns, and a friend uses British double-barreled shotguns with damascus barrels and external hammers. The dog Fergus hunts with in the book is a Springer Spaniel.

Fergus demonstrates a deep appreciation for the natural environment. Thanks to a Botany Professor father, Fergus's descriptions of wild places are as complete with the names of the plants and trees as they are with artistic descriptions of the landscape's hues and textures. Some of the descriptions of hunting are as clear, compelling and artistic as any work by other outstanding classic or contemporary grouse hunting writers including Burton Spiller (Grouse Feathers, originally published in 1935) and Ted Nelson Lundrigan (Hunting the Sun, published 1997). Unfortunately for those who enjoy the purity and simplicity of hunting stories, in this book Fergus has commonly chosen to interrupt the flow of beautiful hunting scenes with mention of traffic noise or other irritations of modern life in a developed region. Another example of realism not often attempted by other authors is Fergus's cautionary tale of his own shooting-related hearing loss and how he has coped with it.

It occurs to the reader that this book may have been written primarily as therapy for the writer: an attempt to reconcile a desire by many for commercial development and material goods, Fergus's love for natural areas, the pain of being on the losing side of small-town politics, Fergus's respect for the people and history of the area, and a scarcity of game that can be temporary or permanent.

Game animals including grouse that have been hunted continuously in the northeastern United States for more than 200 years tend to be adaptable. Hunters are adaptable too. In the end, Fergus lets us know that he understands the priorities that his former neighbors have placed on conservation versus development. And grouse still fly in wild places, both in central Pennsylvania and Fergus's new home state of Vermont.

Average customer rating:

Pennsylvania Birds
James Kavanagh
Manufacturer: Waterford Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1583550097

Book Description

Pennsylvania Birds, An Introduction to Familiar Species, is a must-have, reference guide for beginners and experts alike. Whether you're on a nature hike or in your own backyard, you'll want to take along a copy of this indispensable guide. The Pocket Naturalist(tm) series is an introduction to common plants and animals and natural phenomena. Each pocket-sized, folding guide highlights up to 150 species and most feature a map highlighting prominent sanctuaries and outstanding natural attractions. Each is laminated for durability.

Average customer rating:

Birds Of Pennsylvania
Great

Birds Of Pennsylvania
Franklin Haas , and Roger Burrows
Manufacturer: Lone Pine Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1551053713

Customer Reviews:

Birds Of Pennsylvania.......2007-01-20

A must have guide to Pennsylvania Birds. Have a question? The answer can be found in this easy to read and take along book.

Great.......2006-02-20

One of my favorites! I love bird watching. This book is most helpful to me. I will be referring to it very often!

Birds of Pennsylvania Field Guide (Book & Audio CD)

Average customer rating:

Great book for beginner
Invaluable reference

Birds of Pennsylvania Field Guide (Book & Audio CD)
Stan Tekiela
Manufacturer: Adventure Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 159193088X

Product Description

Everything you need to enjoy the birds in your state is right here in this leather set. Learn about and identify birds using Stan Tekiela's state-by-state field guide. The full-page, color photos are incomparable and include insets of winter plumage, color morphs and more. Plus, with the easy-to-use format, you don't need to know a bird's name or classification in order to easily find it in the book. You'll also start recognizing birds by sound when you listen to the two audio CDs, featuring the highest quality digital recordings and approximately 120 minutes of bird calls. This set is a must-have, and it makes a perfect gift!

Customer Reviews:

Great book for beginner.......2002-08-05

This is a great book for the beginning PA bird watcher. Ideal for someone with a bird feeder who wants to know who's visiting.

The book is organized by bird colors which makes identification much easier. Other books require you to know what the bird is in order to find it.

Each description includes useful behavior and habitat info that more advanced birders might find interesting too. All images are good quality photographs. It's small enough to carry in a pocket. Don't hesitate, it's well worth the money.

Invaluable reference.......2001-05-30

For the beginning or backyard birdwatcher, this is the best book I have found. First, it limits the birds to your area, thereby ruling out a lot of birds you wouldn't be seeing anyway. Second, it shows both male and female photos if the bird is dimorphic. This makes identifying much easier. Large photos, "Stan's Notes" and organization by bird color make this book easy to use and informative.

The View from Hawk Mountain: The Story of the World's First Raptor Sanctuary

Average customer rating:

The View from Hawk Mountain: The Story of the World's First Raptor Sanctuary
Michael Harwood
Manufacturer: Stackpole Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Hawks Aloft: The Story of Hawk Mountain
Hawks from Every Angle: How to Identify Raptors In Flight
Hawks in Flight: The Flight Identification of North American Migrant Raptors

ASIN: 0811729761

Birds of Pennsylvania Audio CDs: Companion to Birds of Pennsylvania Field Guide

Average customer rating:

Birds of Pennsylvania Audio CDs: Companion to Birds of Pennsylvania Field Guide
Stan Tekiela
Manufacturer: Adventure Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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Product Description

Learn to identify the birds in your state by sound. This set of two audio CDs offers the highest quality digital recordings, featuring approximately 120 minutes of bird calls. It's a must-have for any bird lover!

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