This book takes the reader to almost 200 parks, refuges, and hot spots for migratory and resident birds throughout Pennsylvania. Details on 7 geographical regions—including 34 maps—make this the most comprehensive, statewide guide available to Pennsylvania birding sites.

This book documents nearly 500 US and Canadian locations where wildlife refuges, nature preserves, and similar properties protect natural sites that lie within the North American Great Plains, from Canada's Prairie Provinces to the Texas-Mexico border. Information on site location, size, biological diversity, and the presence of especially rare or interesting flora and fauna are mentioned, as well as driving directions, mailing addresses, and phone numbers or internet addresses, as available. US federal sites include 11 national grasslands, 13 national parks, 16 national monuments, and more than 70 national wildlife refuges. State properties include nearly 100 state parks and wildlife management areas. Also included are about 60 national and provincial parks, national wildlife areas, and migratory bird sanctuaries in Canada's Prairie Provinces. Many public-access properties owned by counties, towns, and private organizations are also described.

America is a nation of ardent, knowledgeable birdwatchers. But how did it become so? And what role did the field guide play in our passion for spotting, watching, and describing birds? In the Field, Among the Feathered tells the history of field guides to birds in America from the Victorian era to the present, relating changes in the guides to shifts in science, the craft of field identification, and new technologies for the mass reproduction of images. Drawing on his experience as a passionate birder and on a wealth of archival research, Thomas Dunlap shows how the twin pursuits of recreation and conservation have inspired birders and how field guides have served as the preferred method of informal education about nature for well over a century. The book begins with the first generation of late 19th-century birdwatchers who built the hobby when opera glasses were often the best available optics and bird identification was sketchy at best. As America became increasingly urban, birding became more attractive, and with Roger Tory Peterson's first field guide in 1934, birding grew in both popularity and accuracy. By the 1960s recreational birders were attaining new levels of expertise, even as the environmental movement made birding's other pole, conservation, a matter of human health and planetary survival. Dunlap concludes by showing how recreation and conservation have reached a new balance in the last 40 years, as scientists have increasingly turned to amateurs, whose expertise had been honed by the new guides, to gather the data they need to support habitat preservation. Putting nature lovers and citizen-activists at the heart of his work, Thomas Dunlap offers an entertaining history of America's long-standing love affair with birds, and with the books that have guided and informed their enthusiasm.

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.

New Jersey is one of the smallest and most densely populated states, yet the remarkable diversity of its birdlife surpasses that of many larger states. Well over 400 species of birds have been recorded in New Jersey and an active birder can hope to see more than 300 species in a year. William J. Boyle has updated his classic guide to birding in New Jersey, featuring all new maps and ten new illustrations. The book is an invaluable companion for every birder - novice or experienced, New Jerseyan or visitor. A Guide to Bird Finding in New Jersey features: * More than 130 top birding spots described in detail * Clear maps, travel directions, species lists, and notes on birding * An annotated list of the frequency and abundance of the state's birds, including waterbirds, pelagic birds, raptors, migrating birds, and northern and southern birds at the edge of their usual ranges * A comprehensive bibliography and index The guide also includes helpful information on: * Birding in New Jersey by season * Telephone and Internet rare bird alerts * Pelagic birding * Hawk watching * Bird and nature clubs in the state

A fascinating look at what birds do and why they do it Both casual and serious birdwatchers can take their skills to the next level with this detailed consideration of bird behavior. This book makes it possible to move beyond identifying birds to understanding some of the underpinning and meaning to what birds do, how they do it, and why they do it. Written in an easy-to-understand style, with an abundance of photos illustrating the behaviors, the book shows how flight, molt, migration, feeding, predation, social behavior, courtship, and nesting shape birds' behaviors. Birds are everywhere, and easy to observe; this introduction to elements of bird behavior will connect readers more intimately with these remarkable and beguilingly perceptive animals.

Annotation. A constant top seller, this book is overflowing with tips and recommendations for the first-time or veteran Belize traveler. Lougheed encourages eco-travel, profiling many unique archeological sites, wildlife preserves and marine sanctuaries and exploring firsthand Belize's myriad attractions. Visit Belize City, the Turneffe Islands, Belmopan, San Ignacio, Corozal and Punta Gorda. Crucial information on traveling solo or with a tour group, as well as the pros and cons of each.

Completely updated with full-color maps and photographs throughout, Hiking Pennsylvania offers a unique look into the history, culture, and incomparable beauty of Pennsylvania. Veteran outdoors writer John L. Young leads the way to the state’s top trails, including challenging backpack adventures in the mountains, easy family rambles through historic battlefields, and scenic hikes past canals to picturesque waterfalls.