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	Sibley's Birding Basics by David Allen Sibley
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Product Details Binding Paperback Dewey Decimal Number 598.07234 EAN 9780375709661 ISBN 0375709665 Manufacturer Knopf Number Of Items 1 Number Of Pages 168 Publication Date October 01, 2002 Publisher Knopf Release Date October 01, 2002 Availability Usually ships in 24 hours Product Description Birding Basics begins by reviewing how one can get started as a birder: the equipment necessary, where and when to go birding, and perhaps most important, the essential things to look for when birds appear in the field. While Sibley's (The Sibley Guide to Birds) book is a field guide primer, it provides useful information for not only novice bird watchers, but also for veterans hoping to expand their life lists. This compact handy volume is an ideal complement to the author's two massive works on bird identification and behavior. Beginning with his trained artist's eye, Sibley advises readers on how to develop techniques in sighting birds by honing their ability to see details. Sibley also provides information on where, when and how to find and observe birds in the wild, ranging from the obvious, being quiet and moving slowly, to the more esoteric, anticipating birds' needs and keeping field notes. One of the most difficult tasks for bird watchers is differentiating between subspecies with very similar physical appearances. With this in mind, the writer provides suggestions for sketching birds in the field with special emphasis on comparative details, which will enable the birder to make a positive identification later. There's a bounty of information about feathers shapes, colors, sizes and functions, all discussed in accessible language. The book's illustrated entries range from common birds to the most rare. With its analysis of weather, gear, geography and seasons, Sibley's book will enable birders of all skill and experience levels to improve their abilities and enhance the satisfaction of their birding treks. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. Extraordinary artist and naturalist Sibley follows his highly acclaimed The Sibley Guide to Birds and The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior with this excellent and attractive guide to birding basics. In 16 thoughtful, concise essays accompanied by 200 paintings, mostly new for this book, he explores general aspects of birding such as getting started, misidentification, voice, understanding feathers, age variation, ethics and conservation, taxonomy, and finding birds. If being a field naturalist is a craft, then this book is essential in helping to develop and understand the required skills. This little gem is worth the modest price for the paintings, or the text, alone. Highly recommended-Henry T. Armistead, Free Lib. of Philadelphia Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. “I wrote and illustrated this book to help every inquisitive birder, from novice to expert. Whether you can identify six birds or six hundred, you’ll be a better birder if you have a grounding in the real nuts and bolts of what birds look like, and your skills will be even sharper if you know exactly what to look for and how to record what you see.” —David Allen Sibley The Sibley Guide to Birds and The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior are both universally acclaimed as the new standard source of species information. And now David Sibley, America’s premier birder and best-known bird artist, takes a new direction; in Sibley’s Birding Basics he is concerned not so much with species as with the general characteristics that influence the appearance of all birds and thus give us the clues to their identity. To create this guide, David Sibley thought through all the skills that enable him to identify a bird in the few instants it is visible to him. Now he shares that information, integrating an explanation of the identification process with many painted and drawn images of details (such as a feather) or concepts. Birding Basics begins by reviewing how one can get started as a birder: the equipment necessary, where and when to go birding, and perhaps most important, the essential things to look for when birds appear in the field. Using many illustrations, David Sibley reviews all the basic concepts of bird identification and then describes the variations (of shape, size, and color) that can change the appearance of a bird over time or in different settings. And he issues a warning about “illusions and other pitfalls”—and advice on avoiding them. The second part of the book, also plentifully illustrated, deals with another set of clues, the major aspects of avian life that differ from species to species: feathers (color, arrangement, shape, molt), behavior and habitat, and sounds. This scientifically precise, beautifully illustrated volume distills the essence of David Sibley’s own experience and skills, providing a solid introduction to “naming” the birds. With Sibley as your guide, when you learn how to interpret what the feathers, the anatomical structure, the sounds of a bird tell you—when you know the clues that show you why there’s no such thing as “just a duck”—birding will be more fun, and more meaningful. An essential addition to the Sibley shelf! 'I wrote and illustrated this book to help every inquisitive birder, from novice to expert. Whether you can identify six birds or six hundred, you'll be a better birder if you have a grounding in the real nuts and bolts of what birds look like, and your skills will be even sharper if you know exactly what to look for and how to record what you see.' —David Allen Sibley The Sibley Guide to Birds and The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior are both universally acclaimed as the new standard source of species information. And now David Sibley, America's premier birder and best-known bird artist, takes a new direction; in Sibley's Birding Basics he is concerned not so much with species as with the general characteristics that influence the appearance of all birds and thus give us the clues to their identity. To create this guide, David Sibley thought through all the skills that enable him to identify a bird in the few instants it is visible to him. Now he shares that information, integrating an explanation of the identification process with many painted and drawn images of details (such as a feather) or concepts. Birding Basics begins by reviewing how one can get started as a birder: the equipment necessary, where and when to go birding, and perhaps most important, the essential things to look for when birds appear in the field. Using many illustrations, David Sibley reviews all the basic concepts of bird identification and then describes the variations (of shape, size, and color) that can change the appearance of a bird over time or in different settings. And he issues a warning about 'illusions and other pitfalls'—and advice on avoiding them. The second part of the book, also plentifully illustrated, deals with another set of clues, the major aspects of avian life that differ from species to species: feathers (color, arrangement, shape, molt), behavior and habitat, and sounds. This scientifically precise, beautifully illustrated volume distills the essence of David Sibley's own experience and skills, providing a solid introduction to 'naming' the birds. With Sibley as your guide, when you learn how to interpret what the feathers, the anatomical structure, the sounds of a bird tell you—when you know the clues that show you why there's no such thing as 'just a duck'—birding will be more fun, and more meaningful. An essential addition to the Sibley shelf! David Allen Sibley, who has been observing, drawing, and painting birds since the age of seven, lives with his family in Concord, Massachusetts. H 1. Getting Started Learn to See Details One of the biggest differences between the expert birder and the novice is that the expert has spent years training to see details. The beginner must literally learn how to see them. The challenge of seeing and interpreting details in birds is complex, and all of the issues are intertwined. A patient and deliberate approach and an absence of distractions are prerequisites. Active study, asking questions while observing, is important. Anything that promotes detailed study-such as sketching or taking notes-is also very helpful. It is easy for a beginner to be overwhelmed by details and by the challenge and excitement of just seeing a bird. Not having a clear idea of what to focus on can result in an observation that yields no useful information. Experience will cure this, but as a general rule it is best to focus on the bird's bill and face. The shape of the bill will help you to place the bird in a broad group of related species, while the bill and the face together are a distinctively marked part of almost every bird. You must not only practice seeing details but also practice seeing details at a distance. The field marks birders use at a distance are different from the marks used at very close range. Be conscious of this and study the birds to see how distance changes perception. Watching a bird after you have identified it can be a very useful exercise. Watch it fly, watch it move around, watch it forage. Watch a bird as it flies away, but challenge yourself to identify it again based on what you can see at a distance. It's very important to know what you cannot see on a distant bird. You'll often hear experienced birders say something like, 'I didn't see the white patch but I don't think it would have been visible at that distance,' or 'I didn't see the white patch, and it really should have been visible.' This expertise can only be acquired by experience and by consciously testing the limits of perception. Watch for Patterns A large part of identifying birds is knowing what to expect. Having an idea of what you should see and simply looking for confirmation is far simpler and more productive than looking at a bird with no preconceptions. Every aspect of the birds' lives and appearance follows a pattern, and expectations of what species should be present and what they should look like are the precursors to quick and accurate identifications. Birds are found at predictable times and places, and this information can be a very powerful clue. For example: A meadowlark seen in California can be safely identified as a Western Meadowlark based on the fact that the Eastern Meadowlark simply doesn't occur there. You do not need to study plumage details or hear call notes to feel confident in its identification as a Western Meadowlark. On a more subtle level, if the Red-tailed Hawk is the most common large hawk in your area, you can start with the assumption that any large hawks seen are Red-taileds. Then, looking specifically for a reddish tail, white speckling on the scapulars, the correct overall size or proportions, or dozens of other characteristics might be enough for you to conclude within a fraction of a second that you are looking at a Red-tailed Hawk. There is no need to consider other possibilities unless something doesn't match up. Seeing and remembering all the details of variation in birds' appearance, habits, and distribution is much easier when one understands the underlying patterns. By paying attention to patterns, one develops a sense of the expected range of variation and can then quickly recognize and study any bird that doesn't match the expectations. One of the most basic patterns that the bird-watcher needs to understand is the groupings of related species. Everyone knows that ducks are ducks and hawks are hawks. The birder knows that, among ducks, the diving ducks and puddle ducks are different; and that among the diving ducks, the eiders, scoters, scaup, mergansers, and others are all different. Even within the mergansers the Common and Red-breasted Mergansers are similar, while the Hooded Merganser is distinctive. Learning the characteristics that group related species together helps an observer to distinguish a duck from a loon, an eider from a teal, or a Red-breasted Merganser from a Hooded Merganser. Gain Experience Again and again in this book I will stress the importance of experience. There is no substitute for it. The methods and clues I put forth will be meaningful only after you have had some personal experience with them. The book covers some of the larger concepts; refining the ideas and filling in the details is up to the individual. It is only through experience that you will be able to develop the detailed mental image of each species that is necessary for rapid identification. You should seek out more experience whenever possible, making an effort to see each species in different seasons or habitats. Seeing a bird in a different plumage or setting will give you a better idea of the range of variation in the species. More importantly, through this type of experience you can learn the essential characteristics of the species, the things that do not change regardless of plumage, season, or habitat. This information is essential in order to refine your mental image, prioritize the field marks, and arrive at an accurate identification. One shortcut to gaining experience is to go out in the field with experienced bird-watchers. From them you will quickly and easily learn the basic techniques of birding as well as the common species in your area. Many birds are never seen well and so are difficult to identify without experience. To the novice this is just frustrating, but if an experienced observer can name the bird it becomes an opportunity to study field marks and to learn some valuable things about that species. Most nature centers, parks, refuges, Audubon chapters, and bird clubs organize periodic bird walks, and the people who run these are always willing and able to help a new birder. Learn from Your Mistakes Another important bit of advice is to view mistakes as an opportunity for learning. Ask yourself why the mistake occurred. Perhaps you were just being lazy, perhaps jumping to conclusions on limited data, or perhaps you were misled because the bird was unusual or doing something unexpected. Perhaps you are familiar with the bird in a different setting and didn't know that it could look or act a certain way. Mistakes occur because of the pressure to make an identification quickly, based on limited clues. Analyzing your mistakes and those of others can be very enlightening. It can be difficult to accept the fact that a lot of birds have to be identified as 'possible' or 'probable.' There is nothing to be gained by convincing yourself that you have seen a certain species. Talking yourself into something or denying your mistakes will only slow the learning process and cause problems in the long run. Equipment Bird-watching requires very little equipment. In fact it is possible to take up bird-watching with no equipment at all, but a pair of binoculars and a field guide are considered the minimum. I also strongly recommend a field notebook. Optics: Binoculars, Telescopes, and Other Gadgets Many beginning birders are frustrated when they struggle to see the field marks that a more experienced birder is pointing out. The problem may be not the beginners' eyesight or ability but their binoculars. If you find yourself in this situation, you might want to investigate the possibility of buying better binoculars, as these can make a huge difference in the quality of your bird-watching experience. Buy the best pair you can afford, and be sure to try them out before you buy. Seek advice from other birders and/or from a specialized bird-watching shop. Price depends more on the quality than on the power, and an image seen through more expensive binoculars is almost always brighter, more colorful, and sharper than one seen through a less expensive pair. The more expensive binoculars also tend to be more durable. Different makes and models have slightly different specifications. You might find that you prefer one model over another if, for example, brightness or close-focus is more important to you than weight, or you may simply want the brightest, sharpest model available in a certain price range. I strongly recommend 7- or 8-power binoculars. The detail you see depends more on the resolution (sharpness) of the image than on the power. The advantages of these over the stronger 10-power binoculars is that they are usually lighter in weight; they present a brighter image; the inevitable vibrations from hand movement are less distracting; and the field of view is wider (you will see more of the habitat surrounding the bird). All of this makes it easier to locate, follow, and study a rapidly moving bird. It's important to spend some time learning how to use your binoculars. Practice lifting them to your eyes and focusing on an object. Practice finding a specific leaf in a large tree by looking for landmarks with your naked eye and then following this 'map' with the binoculars to locate the leaf. In time you will become proficient at locating even a flying bird in the binoculars. For many types of birding-generally waterbirds such as sandpipers, ducks, and seabirds-a telescope is an essential tool. The telescope is useful not just for studying very distant birds but also for seeing fine detail on close birds. As with binoculars, you should buy the best telescope you can afford. I recommend a 30-power eyepiece with wide-angle view, if available. This is the highest power that can be used easily. Higher power magnifies the inevitable shake and wind movement, as well as atmospheric distortion, and is much more difficult to use to locate birds. You'll also need a sturdy tripod to mount the scope for viewing. Many people pursue hobbies... Customer Reviews for: Sibley's Birding Basics Rating - Fantastic book This is a great augment to any birder's library on the basics of bird identification in the field. David Sibley is a awesome writer and can bring his knowledge down to an understandable level. Rating - Easy to use... which is good for me. I'm a novice birder, to say the least. I like Sibley's guides because they are straight forward and easy to navigate. The drawings are all done by Sibley himself, not a team of various artists... believe me, it matters. Birds are shown from various angles, by sex, and at various stages of life. I think any Sibley guide would make a lovely (different) house warming gift along with, perhaps, a bird feeder. Happy birding! Rating - There's more to birding than found in the standard Field Guide Almost every field guide gives a an introduction to the skills that need to be learned if one wants to develop any proficiency in finding and identifying birds in the field.In this book David takes it a whole lot further and has produced a book that covers all the skills needed and would be a great asset to any birder,be they a novice or a long time seasoned birder.It is not a book to replace the normal field guide but instead is a super addition to hone the skills of any birder,regardless of their skills.I won't ... Read More Rating - The best introduction I've seen This is the best instruction I've ever seen, printed or otherwise, on learning how to bird. It includes not only basic visual identification skills, but also the basics of how to bird by sound. Sibley teaches the feather groups and anatomy, plumage variations, molting patterns, and effects of lighting that make some indentifications so difficult. I would recommend it to any aspiring birder. Rating - Excellent but strikes me as somewhat odd Let me depart a bit from the other glowing reviews to point out something I think is slightly odd about this book. While the book has many outstanding features, I'm not sure it is the ideal "birding basics" book. The first half of the book has some terrific information but is often light on content (the equipment section, birding by geography section, finding more info section) as well as some glaring gaps (breeding habits, migration patterns, birding history in North America). It's one thing to tell a beginning ... Read More see more reviews See all books by author David Allen Sibley

Books : Sibley's Birding Basics