1001 Secrets Every Birder Should Know: Tips and Trivia for the Backyard and Beyond

by Sharon Stiteler

Overview

Bird watching is one of the most popular hobbies in America, and 1,001 Secrets Every Bird Watcher Should Know is the first photographic guide and fact book written in a humorous conversational tone that appeals to every age and skill level. Replete with sound information, 1,001 Secrets will expose many birding myths: a bald eagle cannot carry off a four-month old baby, and crows do not go sledding for fun.

This accessible guide includes fun facts, such as where certain birds got their names, how birds eat, how they find a life partner, and how they build a home for the chicks. Other useful information includes identification tips, migration patterns, and where the best birding vacation spots are. Packed with full-color photos, 1,001 Secrets Every Bird Watcher Should Know is a fun, informative read for every bird watcher.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780762448326
Publisher:	Running Press Book Publishers
Publication date:	04/30/2013
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	296
File size:	8 MB

About the Author

Sharon "Birdchick" Stiteler is a renowned birder and industry expert. Her previous works include Disapproving Rabbits and City Birds/Country Birds. Sharon contributes to Wild Bird Magazine, Outdoor News, Birds & Blooms, and Minnesota Public Radio, as well as Birdwatcher's Digest. She has a popular birding blog called Birdchick.com. She lives in Minneapolis, MN.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Introduction

Chapter 1 Feeding

Chapter 2 Bird Real Estate

Chapter 3 Great Adaptations

Chapter 4 Common Questions

Chapter 5 Migration

Chapter 6 Bird Love (It's About Quantity, Not Quality)

Chapter 7 Baby Birds

Chapter 8 Cliff's Notes of Birding

Chapter 9 The Hip, Birding Lifestyle

Chapter 10 The Bird-Watching Year

Glossary

Bibliography

Photo Credits

Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Richard Crossley
“Birds, Booze or Blogs, Sharon is definitely the Queen ‘B.’”

Jeffrey A. Gordon, President American Birding Association
“The world of birds and birders is fun, fascinating, and at times more than a little bit funky. Sharon Stiteler makes an ideal tour guide through this strange and fascinating territory, sharing facts, opinions, stories, and yes, secrets, in an entertaining, personal, and personable way.”

Editorial Reviews

Not that anybody's counting, but there are fewer than 1001 secrets here: probably closer to 599. No matter. Stiteler (City Birds/Country Birds)—also known by her blogging handle as "Birdchick"—has created a distinct, often amusing compendium. Her purpose is to spark general birding-inclined readers' interest; her method involves getting beyond mere identification by encouraging a deeper understanding of avian biology and behavior. The text flits from topic to topic easily and includes feeding, nesting, adaptations, migration, and mating. The tools of the birder's trade are also discussed, and many vacation ideas (bird-related) are provided. "Fun facts" and photos are spread throughout, and every opportunity to embrace the icky is joyfully taken. Beneath the frivolity, though, is an author keen to advance birding in whatever way pleases, as long as no harm is done to the birds. VERDICT Stiteler infuses her subject with an enthusiasm that is truly infectious. For readers new to birding, this is the book; its "ew!" factor might even pull in some young adults. No doubt many of the experts Birdchick has entertained at events around the continent will also want to experience her wit in print form.—Robert Eagan, Windsor P.L., Ont.

Library Journal

Does anyone know a single bird lover who is not a happy person -- or, if not happy, at least willing to suspend unhappiness long enough to look out the window and watch the birds. That person will be happily captivated by Stiteler's delightful exploration of the habits of birds and spot-on ideas for maximizing backyard experience with them. Replete with color photos, sidebars, and bullet points, this handy guide enlightens the reader on everything from nesting habits through bird "fidelity" to beaks: "Watch the birds at your feeder and their beaks will tell you a lot about what they eat," Stiteler writes. Speaking of feeders, the author lards her advice with ample doses of humor ("Ten Signs You Need to Cut Back (on feeding): #9. Migratory routes have shifted to pass over your yard.") If you're already avian-adept, this book will prove a lively romp; if you, like many others, are still figuring it out, the book will help raise your game and increase your happiness quotient. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Richard Crossley
“Birds, Booze or Blogs, Sharon is definitely the Queen ‘B.’”

Jeffrey A. Gordon, President American Birding Association
“The world of birds and birders is fun, fascinating, and at times more than a little bit funky. Sharon Stiteler makes an ideal tour guide through this strange and fascinating territory, sharing facts, opinions, stories, and yes, secrets, in an entertaining, personal, and personable way.”

Publishers Weekly

“[A] delightful exploration of the habits of birds and spot-on ideas for maximizing backyard experience with them. Replete with color photos, sidebars, and bullet points, this handy guide enlightens the reader on everything from nesting habits through bird "fidelity" to beaks…If you're already avian-adept, this book will prove a lively romp; if you, like many others, are still figuring it out, the book will help raise your game and increase your happiness quotient.”

Library Journal
“Stiteler infuses her subject with an enthusiasm that is truly infectious. For readers new to birding, this is the book; its “ew!” factor might even pull in some young adults. No doubt many of the experts Birdchick has entertained at events around the continent will also want to experience her wit in print form.

From the Publisher