My birding library grew by leaps and bounds in 2011, with a high number of books acquired and a very short list of books traded out. In 2011 I only managed to review 11 books (out of a goal of 20) and got rid of less than that. *gulp!* Here's where those 11 came from, and where they are now.
Purchased new or used [1/3 remain in library]
* Flyaway (new) [January blog giveaway]
* The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds (new) [remains in library]
* Wesley the Owl (used) [March blog giveaway]
Received from publisher [4/4 remain in library]
* The Crossley ID Guide: Eastern Birds [remains in library]
* The Birding Life [remains in library]
* Hawks at a Distance [remains in library]
* The Atlas of Birds [remains in library]
Received via PaperBackSwap or BookMooch [1/4 remain in library]
* The Feather Quest (PBS) [traded out via PBS]
* Pigeons (PBS) [signed book remains in library]
* Dial B for Birder (PBS) [traded out via PBS]
* A Supremely Bad Idea (PBS) [traded out via PBS]
The species accounts themselves are as in-depth as you'd expect in a quality family-only guide. Photos of full and limited views are accompanied by detailed ID tips, including habitat, foraging technique, behaviors, and more. When plumage...
The range maps for the species are in the back of the book, separate from the species descriptions and illustrations. On first thought this seems like a huge drawback -- certainly not my favorite way...
Disclosure: This is my own original, honest review of How to Be a Better Birder, a copy of which was provided to me free of charge by the publisher.
Next, the introductory pages clearly state the purpose of the book: to make the reader a better birder. As I first paged through the scenes, one of my initial thoughts was that this is...
