Bird Identification

Field identification book for Western U.S. Birds

Plan to carry 1-2 in the field:

• Sibley Field Guide Birds/Western North America (Helm Field Guides) by David Allen Sibley (2003)
• National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition, Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer (2010)
• Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Western North America, Fourth Edition by Roger Tory Peterson (2010)
• The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America (Stokes Field Guides) by Donald Stokes and Lillian Stokes (2010)
• National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds, Western Region by Miklos D. F. Udvardy and Jr. John Farrand (1994)
• Birds of the Inland Northwest and Northern Rockies by Harry Nehls, Mike Denny, Dave Trochlell and Hal Opperman (2008)

References to have at home

• The Birder’s Handbook: A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds by Paul Ehrlich, David S. Dobkin and Darryl Wheye (1988)
• Hawks at a Distance: Identification of Migrant Raptors by Jerry Liguori and Pete Dunne (2011)
• A Birder’s Guide to Washington by Hal N. Opperman (2003)
• Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs: Western Region by Donald Stokes and Lillian Stokes (1999)

Bird Field Guides held by NCW Regional Library

Look for the following Apps on iTunes or your smartphone store:

• Audubon Birds
• BirdJam
• iBird Explorer Pro
• National Geographic’s Handheld Birds
• Peterson Birds of North America
• The Sibley eGuide to the Birds of North America
• Merlin app– produced by Cornell Lab of Ornithology- free!  Download “bird packs” for each region of the U.S. and for many countries.
• Raptor ID– produced by HawkWatch International- free!

Selected websites:

• All About Birds  Your guide to birds and bird watching.  Information on 585 species in our online bird guide.  ID tips, sound, and video for 55 common species (and counting). Building Skills section and free Inside Birding videos for new bird watchers.  Looking for a bird you don’t know? Start with thumbnails and songs at Browse by name or Browse taxonomy.  Part of http://www.birds.cornell.edu
• Seattle Aububon’s guide to birds of WA State.  Birding destinations in WA state.
• Ducks Unlimited.  Has a great waterfowl ID gallery and try your luck on the ID quizzes.
• Washington Ornithological Society (WOS).  Publications, conferences, field trips
• North Central Washington Aububon Society.  Local newsletter posted 10x/yr.
• Website for Sibley– species profiles, tricky bird ID tips, and more.
• WhatBird? By the maker of IBird Pro.  Searchable field guides and more.
• USFWS feather identification tool-easy to use!