Black-necked Stilts

Since I'm not doing very well with blogging, I thought I would share my blog posts for Travis Audubon here. Each month I look at one bird found in Texas but, of course, many migrate or spend time in other parts of the country. I love watching Black-necked Stilts and hope you do, too. https://travisaudubon.org/uncategorized/bird-of-the-week-black-necked-stilt

How to Find a Bird

Jennifer Ward's How to Find a Bird offers a wonderful look at, well, how to find birds. Blend in, be quiet, look low to the ground, and be as sharp as an eagle's eye and you will find birds. Wait and be patient is often the best advice. And sometimes birds find you. 

Lushly illustrated by Diana Sudyka, the picture book is full of details and lots of birds, each labeled. One double-page spread even includes extinct birds like the Dodo and the Ivory-billed woodpecker. The final two pages offer advice on how to be a bird watcher. Great to read aloud to a young child or give as a gift.

 Bird of the Week: Whooping Cranes    

As a Master Birder I have to volunteer with Travis Audubon Society. One of the things I'm doing is contributing to their "Bird of the Week" site. Read about Whooping Cranes. They are starting to arrive in Texas. https://travisaudubon.org/uncategorized/bird-of-the-week-whooping-cranes . And while you are there, look at the information about other birds in Texas. 

I'll post information here after the posts publish for Audubon.

All About Birds: Texas and Oklahoma opens with a fold-out index of birds by categories but the table of contents includes a break down by species within each category.  Early chapters focus on beginning birding, attracting birds to your yard, and getting involved with birding. Especially appreciated is the section on types of food and feeders. A guide to common species found in Texas and Oklahoma follows. Information is drawn from Cornell’s AllAboutBirds.com. As noted in the welcome, each profile includes a map of the usual territory and full-color photos to help with plumage variations. The profile section starts with general tips for identifying birds by various traits and understanding field marks. An end of the book index helps locate specific information. Most birders probably wouldn’t carry this big of a book into the field, but it is great for learning about birds you are looking for at home or in the “wild.” Definitely worth adding to your bird collection. Other titles in the series cover California and four regions of the country.

Shorebird ID Guide

 Cornell Lab has some great resources. I wanted to share this Shorebirds Identification Chart. Two pages! 

"From plovers to peeps and beyond, become familiar with the diversity of shorebirds with this free downloadable guide! Paying attention to shape, size, and behavior goes a long way to identifying shorebirds. This helpful shorebird ID guide has full-color photos, ID tips, and a size reference chart for use at home or out in the field. You can download, print out, and bring this guide with you!" 

Shorebirds Identification Chart

Sharing Information

It's been almost exactly a year since my last blog post. Blame it on lock-down laziness? I wasn't doing much birding during the time of Covid and I also was in the hospital and recovering from open heart surgery (I'm fine now.) BUT, I was taking a number of online classes about birds (and cooking, but not cooking birds--I'm vegetarian).

 "Once you discover something it's important to share that information." This advice comes from the scientists at the World Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, ID. I discovered the Center while taking a kid's course through Varsity Tutors. Most of their classes are free or available for a very low cost. And while they say that this class was for children, it was very enlightening for adults also, so take a class with a kid or by yourself. Varsity Tutors also offers classes on dinosaurs, ancestors of today's birds, and many other topics.

During the one hour class, Saving Raptors, Curtis Evans shared information and introduced us to some of the birds of prey that are currently living at the Center. In addition to rehabilitation, the Center raises endangered birds to be released back into the wild. Many birds at the Center are used in educational situations if they can't be released. The Center also works around the world to help prevent habitat loss and extinction.

Burrowing owls (Photo by
The Peregrine Fund)

One thing I've learned as a birder is that we are always learning new things about birds! Owls borrow a nest someone else, like a hawk or eagle, has made. Or smaller owls go into cavities in trees or barns. Vultures lay eggs on a scrape on a cliff or in a cavity. Hawks and eagles make nests. Falcons may nest on the edge of buildings. (See Tower Girl at the University of Texas at Austin) Eagles build very large nests adding to the building every year. Nests are not deep but the birds continue adding a clean layer to the nest.

Milky eagle owl
(Photo by the Peregrine Fund)

One of the most amazing raptors shown was the Milky Eagle Owl, Africa’s largest owl, commonly known as the Giant Eagle Owl, its correct name is the Verreaux's eagle-owl. The one at the World Center is an owl that hatched at the Atlanta Zoo, where one can be seen also. Hand raised, the owlet then went to Idaho where it remains. So now I have to plan a visit!

Hopefully I can get back on track now that there is some return to normalcy. Wearing a mask, I am going to lectures, getting out to bird, and travelling some. And, of course, always learning.

The Thing With Feathers: The Surprising Lives of Birds and What They Reveal About Being Human

 Noah Strycker is often described as a “birder at large” and he has birded around the world. In 2015 he completed a worldwide big year, seeing almost 60% (6,042) of the world’s 10,400 bird species on all seven continents.  That, along with his degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences and many field trips, allows him to explore the behaviors of different bird species and how their behaviors connect with that of humans in The Thing With Feathers.

Each chapter focuses on a single species, and it should be noted, those included are often not the “rock stars of ornithology.” The chapters are divided into three sections: Body, Mind, Spirit. Strycker focuses on experiments and studies that support his ideas that “[b]ird behavior offers a mirror in which we can reflect on human behavior.”

He explores how pigeons learn to find their way home and the navigational skills of other species and why bower birds decorate their nests and appreciate their own version of art. Magpies are able to recognize themselves in mirrors and nutcrackers have amazing memories and can recall literally hundreds of locations where they have stored seeds. Especially interesting is the examination of pecking order in chickens. Vultures can distinguish taste, preferring to eat the carcasses of herbivores rather than carnivores. Without anthropomorphizing, Stryker explains these behaviors and frequently connects it to our world and helps us learn what it means to be human.

Each chapter includes a drawing of the bird being discussed. End Notes explain the sources for his research and describes themes that are based on Strycker’s own interpretations from his field experiences. Each note offers additional readings and films for those who want to further explore the described behaviors.

The book’s title comes from an Emily Dickinson poem (“Hope” is the thing with feathers) and Strycker’s writing is equally poetic and passionate. The chapters are easy to dip into and encourages readers to reflect on our own behaviors. Note that Dickinson’s poem has served as inspiration for several books with the same, or almost the same, title so be sure to check the author.

Black vulture (photo
by Jeanette Larson)

7 Pleasures of Birding

 Caldecott Award-winning illustrator, Matthew Cordell (Wolf in the Snow) was inspired by a series of comment mades in a documentary called "Birders: The Central Park Effect" to draw the 7 pleasures of birding. He graciously gave me permission to share his art here. I'm posting without additional comment as Cordell and Chris Cooper, who came up with the list, express the joys of birding better than I possibly could. 

All illustrations are copyright Matthew Cordell and are used with permission. 

Numenia and the Hurricane

Numenia and the Hurricane: Inspired by a True Migration Story

I’ll start by saying this is a book I would have loved to have written. We were living in Rockport, TX during Hurricane Harvey. While my family and pets evacuated, many birds could not, and I learned how hard it was for birds to survive a storm. When we returned to the devastated area, it was heartbreaking to see the avian carnage. Pelicans had been slammed against the jetties and seawalls, where their carcasses decayed. Many of the migratory birds left but native birds didn't know to go and died. Thankfully, hummingbirds had not started their fall migration and were fine, although people had to step in to feed them as most plants were defoliated. For three months we didn’t see even a grackle or a dove. But slowly, the birds returned. Numenia and the Hurricane is a somewhat different hurricane story and one with a happier ending.

During a hurricane, strong winds blow birds off their path, often leading them to new places or wearing them out so that they don't have to stamina to follow their original path.

Inspired by the true story of Hope, a whimbrel being tracked by scientists, Halliday tells the harrowing tale of a lone whimbrel, separated from her sisters during their southward migration from the Arctic. Lyrical lines of text help us to feel for the poor bird as she is tossed and turned, battered by the strong winds. Readers learn that Numenia preservers for 27 hours, alone, until finally, somehow, with good natural instincts but plenty of wrong turns, she makes it to the US Virgin Islands, tired and hungry, but safe with her sisters. 

Hope with her tracking device. 
Photo Credit: Barry Truitt.

As explained in the end notes, Numeria’s story is based on a bird named Hope, caught in Tropical Storm Gert and blown way off course in 2011. Hope was tracked by researchers for several years, allowing them to marvel at the whimbrel’s stamina and fortitude during many courageous migration journeys. Like Numeria’s story, her journey was amazing but one that many birds face each year during their journey between winter and summer habitats. The Whimbrel’s range is rather limited, but they travel each year between Canada and the Eastern and Southern US coasts, as well as into the Caribbean.

Halliday’s art is visually stunning and allows the reader to feel like they are inside the hurrican bouncing along with Numenia. Interesting perspective and angles give us a birds-eye view of the danger and confusion this small bird faces. With great illustrations and text, this is a great choice for read-aloud. Halliday is an accomplished birder and naturalist and I hope this is the first of many bird books we’ll see from her.

Click on the tab for BOOKS ABOUT BIRDS for a list of all books mentioned in the blog posts.

FTC Notice: The author provided me with an electronic copy of the book to review.

Birdwatching in the Time of Corona

Trips are limited but outdoor activities are encouraged with, of course, proper physical distancing. Birdwatching has become a favored outing as it can be managed in small groups or alone. You can even birdwatch in your backyard or neighborhood.

Bird Watcher's Digest offers several Bird Bingo! cards for different regions of the county. Spring migration is still underway so most of us should have no problem getting a straight-line BINGO!  Who's up for the challenge? (Download your region if you are not in Texas.)

BirdNote: Chirps, Quirks, and Stories of 100 Birds from the Popular Public Radio Show

In 2004 Seattle Audubon’s team began writing “compelling stories about the intriguing ways of birds.” These short, one-two minute pieces, were recorded for local public radio. In 2006, the program began to expand and is now heard on over 200 public radio stations. In Austin, it can be heard as part of some Living on Earth segments on KUTX-90.5 FM. New and older segments can also be heard on-line at https://www.birdnote.org/shows/. 

The book, BirdNote, edited by Ellen Blackstone with illustrations by Emily Poole, is a compilation of 100 of the best stories from the radio show. Usually covering a single page, with an illustration of the bird being discussed on the facing page, each brief piece features the habits, quirks, songs, biology, and idiosyncrasies of a bird. Articles include: Is anting an avian spa treatment? How does a finch’s beak help it eat sunflower seeds? Why do some gulls have a red dot on their bills? Did you know that Red-winged blackbirds have a harem? The bright red “epaulets” warn other males to stay away from his many female companions. Roadrunners sound like a lonely puppy. And Barn swallows are natural pest control. The vignettes are informative, charming, poignant, and often humorous.

The short pieces make it easy to dip in and sample entries, but the index also allows readers to look up specific birds. This compilation, published in 2018, focuses a lot on birds of the Pacific Northwest, understandable given the origins of the program. More recent programs feature birds from all over North America, and even some worldwide birds. A feature from the program that is not able to be replicated in the book are the sounds and songs included in most episodes. These come from BirdNote’s partnership with Cornell Lab of Ornithology. On the other hand, the illustrations by Emily Poole are, of course, not seen with aural pieces and will be of special interest to artists and illustrators. Each segment is vetted by experts and the readers are professional narrators, storytellers, and DJs. Readers who are also listeners may hear these voices while reading an episode.

Get a copy for yourself and as a gift for a birding friend.

Note: This post was originally written for Travis Audubon's blog, Smoke Signals.

FTC Notice: I purchased a copy of this book for review.

Bird Cams

Bird cams are fascinating and viewers can get caught up in the drama of watching birds in their native habitats or housing. With the Covid-19 virus keeping us physically distant from each other, in most jurisdictions you can still take bird walks. But if you can't, try bird cams. You get a real "bird's eye" view (sorry) of nests, feeders, and other boxes.

Click on the link to visit each bird camera. Most are live so, of course, the bird may be away from the location. Many sites do include recorded video to enjoy if the birds are not there or it is too dark to see them. I'll add more as I find them, and please let me know if any disappear (some are hosted by businesses or individuals). Watching bird cams is very soothing although there can sometimes be drama.

Note: These are not in any particular order.

Texas Hill Country Birds live feed from Spicewood, TX.

Purple Martin Nest Cam the Purple Martin Conservation Association shows baby martins!

Owl Cam from Cornell Lab Bird Cams sponsored byWild Birds Unlimited. Watch a Barred Owl

West Texas Feeders from West Texas Avian Research sponsored by Perky Pets. Watch Hummingbirds and other birds at feeders.

Sapsucker Woods Pond Cam hosted by Cornell Lab. Watch ducks, herons, and other water birds and waders.

Northern Royal Albatross hosted by New Zealand Dept. of Conservation. Many of us will never get to see these beautiful birds in real life.

Panama Fruit Feeder Cam at Canopy Lodge sponsored by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Canopy Family, and explore.org., features various fruit eating birds in Panama.

Eagle Cam hosted by explore.org. This cam focuses on a bald eagle nest is located near a trout hatchery in Decorah, Iowa

Osprey Nest sponsored by Hog Island Audubon Camp and explore.org.  A pair of Osprey have been returning to this nest for years.

Cornell Feeder Watch Cam allows us to view common birds like doves and grackles feeding but also other birds passing through Sapsucker Woods.

Peregrine Falcons is focused on a nest in Rome, Italy.

The Nest That Wren Built

Carolina wren nestlings
(photo by Randi Sonenshine)

Following the pattern of the well-known rhyme, "The House that Jack Built," Randi Sonenshine tells the story of nesting Carolina wrens. Stanzas are filled with factual information (males help with nest building, spiders feast on mites that would threaten the nest) and gentle illustrations, ink and colored pencils on tinted paper, by Anne Hunter show eggs laid, hatchlings in the nest, Papa bringing food to the nest, and babies finally flying off on their own. A glossary defines bird terminology and a page of Wren Facts adds to the information provided in the poetry. The simple text and familiar rhythm of The Nest That Wren Built, make this a great read-aloud for kids preschool through first grade.

Inside page

This is the bark, snippets of twine,

spidery rootlets, and needles of pine

that shape the nest that Wren built.

Nest in a cardboard box
in the authors garage
(photo by Randi Sonenshine)

Carolina wrens are more colorful than most wrens and fairly easy to identify by their musical song. Males and females look very similar, although the male may be slightly larger in size. They are generally found from central Texas to the east coast, north to the Great Lakes area. The adults live in pairs most of the year and may mate for life. They usually have two broods a year, although in the South they may have three. These are very beneficial birds, dining mostly on insects, adding a small amount of seeds and fruit to their diet. Carolina wrens are not picky about their nesting sites. While they are known to nest on tree stumps, shrubs, and branches, they may build their nest in mail boxes, hanging baskets, cardboard boxes in a garage, or even outdoor lights. They usually build several nests before deciding which to use so consider building a nesting box for them.

Photo: By Dan Pancamo - Flickr: Carolina Wren

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy from the publisher. I receive no compensation for reviewing the book.

Whooo-Ku Haiku: A Great Horned Owl Story

There are more than 200 species of owls in the world and about 20 in North America.  The Great Horned Owl is the most common and probably the most beloved. Through haiku, Maria Gianferrari introduces readers to a family of owls as they find a nest (Great Horned Owls don't make their own nests; they use abandoned nests in wooded areas), lay eggs, hunt, brood, and raise their young. Gianferrari doesn't shy away from the harsher parts of nature: an egg is lost to a crow's attack and a chick has to be rescued from a hawk. But we watch as two beautiful owlets grow up and soon fly off to find their own homes.

(Photo from Creative Commons)

Told in three lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables, haiku is an ancient and popular form for nature poetry. Gianferrari's story is lyrically told and packs in a lot of information in these sparse lines. The tale is so well told that most young readers probably won't even realize it is poetry. Some words will need defining (ex. Mama mantles is used to mean the spreading of wings and tail to cover something) but overall this will be very readable and understandable by most 2-6 graders.

Back matter provides more information on Great Horned Owls, including their big eyes, their weight and wingspan, and what they eat. References are made to excellent websites, including "Owl Pages," a great site that provides information on owls of the world and provides sound files to hear the owls.

Interior page

Dreamy illustrations by Jonathan Voss were created using sepia ink and watercolors and provide clear representations of the owls' cycle of life, habitat, and habits.

Like most owls, Great Horned Owls are primarily nocturnal so we have to listen for them after dark. They usually begin hunting at dusk, so if you are lucky you may catch sight of this swift bird looking for food to bring back to a nest. Look also on fence posts and tree limbs on the edges of open areas. Unlike many birds, Great Horned Owls nest during the winter, so look high in trees like cottonwoods for birds incubating eggs. One way to encourage owls to stick around in your neighborhood is to build owl houses for them to nest in. These can be purchased but simple plans are also available on the Internet.

PRIZE:  WHOOO? YOUU!  The publisher, who provided an advanced copy of the book to me for review, will give away a copy to a US resident. Leave a comment here or email your information to Maria through her website, by March 21 to be entered in a drawing. One winner will be selected.

WHOO’s Maria Gianferrari? She’s a self-proclaimed bird nerd with a special fondness for raptors. Her love affair with birds began in 7th grade science class when her teacher, Mr. Lefebvre, initiated a bird count. While walking in her neighborhood, Maria’s always on the look-out for all kinds of birds, and she loves searching winter tree tops for nests in her northern Virginia neighborhood where she lives with her German-scientist husband and German speaking daughter. This is her first book with GP Putnam’s Sons. She’s also the author of another bird book, Hawk Rising (reviewed here 6/5/2018). To learn more about Maria, please visit her website: mariagianferrari.com.





FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy from the publisher. I receive no compensation for reviewing the book.

Let's Discover Birds

Divided into sections by characteristics (nesters, songbirds, water dwellers, etc.) the text in Let's Discover Birds explores the sounds and physical identification of a variety of birds. Each double page spread focuses on a couple of birds. Along with brief facts ("House sparrows nest in empty buildings and birdhouses."), there is an activity, a sticker, and fun facts ("A group of larks can be called an exaltation.") or jokes. Final pages encourage kids to fill in the shapes with stickers that are included.

Most of the birds, like geese, robins, and pigeons, will be fairly easy for kids to spot around their homes or in parks. Some, like puffins and kittiwakes will require a trip to an aquarium or specific areas of North America.  The illustrations of the birds are realistic and clear with general identifications markings.

This book is part of a spin-off series from an animated film, the illustrated characters are those from Helen Oxenbury's book, Let's Go on a Bear Hunt, but the family sets out to discover birds instead of bears. Other than the human characters, I'm not sure why this is a "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" book as the text doesn't follow the pattern of that fun action activity, but Let's Discover Birds will get the kids out of the house and looking for birds.  Because this is an activity book with stickers and is designed for kids to write and color in, it won't be found in many libraries. Consider it as a gift for a budding birder.




FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy from the publisher. I receive no compensation for reviewing the book.

Audubon Makes Prints Free to Download

Cedar Bird
(Audubon Society)

American Avocet
(Audubon Society)

I'm a little late sharing this but it is still important news. In November, 2019, The Audubon Society announced that it has made 435 prints from the legendary Birds of America available for free download in high resolution images.  The collection of  life-size prints were based off of Audubon's own illustrations. They were painted en plein air, and have long been coveted "for their exactness as well as their outstanding beauty." They are displayed on the Audubon website in alphabetical order with the original accompanying text, making them a great resource for learning about birds. A second sort allows you to find state birds included in the collection (not all state birds are available, however). It's hard to decide on just a few favorites but you will find that you spend hours looking at the plates and learning about the birds, where and how John James Audubon found them, and reading his field notes. Each image page also includes links to the Audubon Guide to North American Birds for additional information. The Cedar Waxwing, for example, was labeled as Cedar Bird by Audubon. Check it out!

Crows Could be the Smartest Animals Other than Primates

American Crow 

Blogging has been a bit slow lately, in part because I've been busy with a lot of life things. I hope to catch up on reviews in the new month or so. Yes, I've made that promise before. In the meantime I wanted to share a really cool article from BBC. It ties in nicely with a review from 2016 of Crow Smarts by Pamela S. Turner.

Since we moved back to Central Texas I've been seeing a lot more crows. The American Crow is the "default" crow for most of North America and is closely related to Ravens (which are moving into new territories including Central Texas). There are about 40 species of crows and they are found all around the world.

One of the most interesting things in this article is the explanation of crow intelligence and how it differs from primate intelligence. New Caledonian crows, described in Turner's book, actually seek out specific plants to use as tools. Be sure to click on the video clip to see a crow working to accomplish a series of tasks. You can almost see the crow thinking through the process. Amazing! Click the link below for the BBC article.

Pied Crow, Tanzania

Crows Could be the Smartest Animals Other than Primates

Birds of Every Color

This is a simple and clever introduction to birds that will appeal to many ages. One of the main attractions of birding--the thing we ooh and ahh over--are the amazing colors of birds. From red to green and blue, from shimmering to surreal, Sneed B. Collard III has photographed and described the brilliance of feathers, feet, and other bird features. He explains the source of the colors--the food the birds eat that produce Carotenoids, melanins that the bird produces itself, keratin (like our fingernails) that produces structural coloration, and even refracted light going through feathers (which is also a type of structural coloration). While we love the beautiful and seemingly endless colors, colors serve a variety of purposes for the bird, ranging from recognizing individual birds of their own kind, to attracting mates, and hiding from prey. The colors serve an important purpose in bird survival.

Oversized photos are glorious and illustrate the birds in their natural habitats. Written for two reading levels, each page has short sentences ("Brown colors help birds hide.") for younger readers but also more detailed information about the bird, its colors, and habitat in longer paragraphs that will appeal to older readers. A final double-page spread invites readers to identify the colors seen in an array of multicolored birds. The book ends with a glossary of "Colorful Words."

(Photo by J. Larson)

Collard birds with his son, Braden, who took many of the photos. He is also the author, and photographer, of many other bird books, including Fire Birds and Warblers & Woodpeckers: A Father-Son Big Year of Birding. 

It would be easy to quibble about birds that were not included. Some of my favorite, like the Painted Bunting, appear to have every color. However, what is clear is that Collard has covered a wide range of birds in all their dazzling glory very well. And readers will be on the lookout for even more!



FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary review copy from the publisher. I receive no compensation for reviewing the book.

Crane & Crane

In areas of high growth and construction, we often joke that the state bird is the construction crane. But in many areas of North America we can also enjoy seeing real, live cranes. (In Rockport, the only naturally migrating colony of whooping cranes spend the winters, but we also get sandhill cranes there.)

In Crane & Crane, Linda Joy Singleton compares the construction crane with the sandhill crane.  She very simply, yet clearly, conveys a number of concepts that compare the object with a living thing. This allows her to show more than just the similarities, also visually demonstrating how nature inspires technology and how mechanical things can mirror the natural word.

Using double page spreads to show both a living crane and a construction crane, Singleton encourages readers to view these similarities as a sandhill crane lifts, stretches, honks, grabs, glides, and more. On the facing page a construction crane is performing the same actions and making the same sounds. By the end of the book readers discover that while the construction crane was building a house, the bird was building a nest. A final page labels parts of both cranes.

In addition to showing young readers how both cranes operate, the book teaches verbs. Only the final word, "home," is a noun. Children will enjoy looking at the details and can be encouraged to repeat and act out some of the words, especially onomatopoeic words like "plop" and "swoosh." Watercolor and crayon illustrations by Richard Smythe are bright and light and the pictures add a lot of details to support the single words on each page.

Sandhill Cranes, Bosque Redondo, NM 

While Crane & Crane focuses solely on the sandhill crane, which are found in marshes and fields and prairies throughout much of the northern and southwestern parts of North America, there are many more species in the world with only the sandhill and whooping cranes native to North America. I do wish Singleton had included information specifically on cranes as children who like birds will want to know more about this amazing species. They are among the largest birds in North America with extremely large wingspans. They are also very vocal birds so check out websites like Cornell Lab of Ornithology that provide sound files.

FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the author but receive no compensation for the review.

Sounds of Nature: World of Birds

This is an interesting book because it is interactive, allowing readers to actually hear the sounds of birds in their natural environment. Organized by habitat--rainforest, mountains, desert, prairie, woods, ice, wetlands, city, ocean, and bush--each double-page spread features 6-7 birds, providing a brief description of its sound along with a "press here" button to hear one birdsong per group. The final double-page repeats the sounds (actually it is where the playback equipment is housed) and offers an overview of what a bird is, as well as information on the different orders of birds. The sound buttons are repeated with information on the habitats.

Two cautions: because of the choking hazard from the small sound producing part, the book is not for young children (3 and under) and because the sound producing part is in the back cover it can sometimes take a bit of pressure to produce the sound. The sounds in the book were created in association with Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Although it is not possible to identify individual birds in most cases, the book does offer a rare opportunity for kids to hear the sounds of emus, penguins, and other far-flung birds, and they will love creating a cacophony of sound by pushing the buttons. The illustrations are colorful and appealing and reasonably realistic enough to help with identification. The book was a 2019 Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students: K–12 (National Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council).



FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the author but receive no compensation for the review.