Includes index

Why birds? -- Your field guide to field guides -- Binocularia -- How to ID what you see -- Birding is better with friends -- Bringing the birds home -- Birding as giving: Citizen science -- Field craft: Tips for finding birds in the field -- The birder's year -- Why birds? a redux -- Going beyond your backyard

This book isn't for a birder. It's for the huge audience of people who hike, maybe have bird feeders, and generally enjoy nature. With this book, the naturalist will discover an incredible and rewarding new adventure in the beautiful world of birds. The book is packed with easy and fun activities and information about birds, how to find them and their part in the nature around us. The information in this book will not only help you identify and learn more about birds, but you'll have a blast doing it. Nate Swick, member of the American Birding Association, has compiled chapters upon chapters of interesting, unique and informative birding knowledge, followed by activities that use the skills you learned. So not only will you learn things like what kind of birds you're looking at around the neighborhood, how to decipher different bird calls and how to bring the birds to your backyard, but you'll complete fun activities like creating a list of the most popular birds in your area, creating a sound map of bird calls and making a feeder for your backyard