Feed The Birds: Attract and Identify 196 Common North American Birds, by Chris Earley. Firefly Books, 2019. $29.95 all ages

"Some individual birds may have
odd, pale coloration, white patches
or even be all white. These conditions
are related to pigment-production
problems. They are a great benefit
to human observers, as we can use
them to recognize individuals.
However, they are not a benefit to
the bird. Depending on the extent of
the loss of pigment, it may be extra
challenging for the bird to avoid
predators ... "

If you, like so many others during the pandemic, are looking to learn something new, you might consider birdwatching. Where I live, I am seeing birds that I have not seen before, and the mornings are filled with birdsong. I will be taking this book out to my screened-in porch to see if I can figure out who is visiting my yard and entertaining me with sight and song. It also gives plenty of useful information concerning other topics beyond observation and research.

Chris Earley is not new to publishing books about birds. Do a search and you will be impressed by this zoologist and environmental biologist who is the Interpretive Biologist and Education Coordinator at The Arboretum, University of Guelph. Pretty impressive credentials, I would say!

In this book, he helps readers take a careful look at 196 species. They all love backyard feeders! So, if you are interested in attracting birds to your back yard, you need this book. Its design is just right for helping readers attrract birds, identify them, and create an environment that will help to see how they behave and how they make adaptations to the places they live. Divided into 2 sections: Attracting and Feeding Birds and Identifying Birds, this conversational book provides helpful tips, clear and close-up photographs, identification guides, range maps, preferred foods and seeds, behaviors, as well as instructions for building feeders, discouraging squirrels, and getting your kids involved. It's a perfect outdoor activity as the weather warms. If you are thinking about planting a garden for the first time, Chris also gives guidance for the plants that will entice birds to your backyard.

Get interested enough in this new hobby and you may want to help with the annual Christmas Bird Count or Project Feederwatch. That information is provided. As well, a chart for keeping track of the birds that come to your feeder is there, also a list of further resources if you want to learn more, and a comprehensive index. Enjoy! Start something new!