Bird Watching For Dummies

What is that yellow bird? Get answers!

Once you start paying attention, you'll find birds everywhere you go. Twenty species could easily inhabit your yard. Wouldn't it be fun to recognize them all? To locate them by their distinctive calls and songs? To get up-close looks at their bright eyes and brilliant colors? If ever an activity unlocked the exhilaration of getting close to nature, it's bird watching. You can gear up and seek them out in wild places, or settle into a comfortable chair to see who comes to your feeders. You need only three things: A pair of binoculars, a field guide, and a spark of interest. Soon, you'll be the one your friends turn to, saying, "I saw this bird...what could it be?"

Inside...

• Bird sounds and behavior
• Making your yard a bird haven
• Bird feeding, simplified
• How to ID a mystery bird
• Choosing binoculars
• Finding the right field guide
• Birding hotspots
• Bird photography for fun and ID
• Finding your (bird) people