“Birds of North America: A Photographic Atlas” is a large format book with 560 pages filled with a wealth of inspiring information about birds. Just as impressive are the more than 1,200 remarkable color photographs that lavishly illustrate this impressive new book. You can take a look inside the book online at Amazon.com

The Birding Wire wants to bring special attention to a spectacular new book – Birds of North America: A Photographic Atlas – a brilliant publication that provides up-to-date information and exceptional photographs to illustrate all 1,144 bird species of birds found in North America, including Hawaiian birds and vagrant species. Featuring more than 1,200 full-color photographs and illustrations and more than 700 large-format color range maps, this comprehensive reference book is a gem for anyone interested in birds – it truly belongs in every home, library, and science classroom!

As “A Photographic Atlas,” exceptional photographs illustrate each species in the wild, selected and curated by Brian E. Small, one of America’s most talented bird photographers. While the photographs are featured elements of this publication, keep in mind that this “Atlas” is not a field guide, although it does have some similarities, such as the excellent colored range maps. They are large, detailed, and the most up-to-date range maps, and they even show the borders of each state and province, which is very helpful.

Unlike field guides, author and ornithologist Bruce Beeler succinctly describes each species’ ecology, behavior, seasonal movements, nesting biology, and conservation status by using the most up to date information available. This exciting new Photographic Atlas provides an exceptional entry point for anyone to better appreciate the remarkable variety of bird species found in North America and Hawaii. Michael Parr, President of the American Bird Conservancy, authored the foreword to the book and wrote: “Birds have led me on a spectacular journey throughout my life. This wonderful book can be the beginning of your journey with birds, or it can help to build your knowledge about birds you are already familiar with.”

The more you page through this book, the more interesting information you will glean from the text, photographs, and range maps! You will learn something each time you open the book, and you will be delighted by the remarkable photographs presented page after page. In addition to the accounts and photographs of the 1,144 birds found across North America and Hawaii, this new book also provides practical resources for people hoping to become more in touch with the birds that surround us and that range across the continent, and it provides a sensitive introduction to the importance of bird conservation to us all.

Beyond the norm, the rare birds section features birds that have been found far from their normal range – usually from Asia, Europe, or Latin America – documented by astute birders. Beehler and Small note in the introduction that this section grew naturally as work on the book was progressing. Other special sections also provide information like an up-to-date overview of the most popular apps and websites for birders, ranging from eBird for listing personal sightings and photographs, to birding community initiatives such as Project FeederWatch.

Special sections that round out this impressive new book offer helpful guidance for choosing birding gear, planning field trips, and introducing conservation groups. This is the book for 2024 to inspire new interests in birds and to inform current birders ranging from beginners to advanced birders more about birds each time they refer to the book. And it’s a wonderful introduction to birds for children and young people interested in birds.

Author and ornithologist Bruce Beehler is a research associate in the Division of Birds at the National Museum of Natural History, a part of the Smithsonian Institution, and Brian E. Small is one of North America’s best known and most accomplished bird photographers, whose images have been published in more than 50 books and many magazines, websites, and other publications.

This exciting new book is published by John Hopkins University Press, and you can learn more about Birds of North America: A Photographic Atlas at Birds of North America | Hopkins Press (jhu.edu) and you can also “look inside the book” online at Amazon.com: Birds of North America: A Photographic Atlas: 9781421448268: Beehler, Bruce M., Small, Brian E., Parr, Michael J.: Books