Introduction to Birds of the Southern California Coast (California Natural History Guides) - Hardcover

Lentz, Joan Easton

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0520237803 ISBN 13: 9780520237803

Publisher: University of California Press, 2005

Synopsis

This easy-to-use, concise, informative guide is a must for anyone who wants to leave behind Southern California's noisy freeways and crowded beaches in search of the wild places where birds can be found. An excellent introduction, an indispensable regional guide, and a perfect companion for excursions from San Luis Obispo County to the Mexican border, it is designed to familiarize birdwatchers, hikers, naturalists, residents, and travelers with the appearance and behavior of 120 of the most common coastal birds.

*Features 120 superb color plates and lifelike habitat drawings that depict birds in their natural surroundings

*Sixteen maps show numerous birding sites accompanied by detailed directions

*Species accounts include information on the abundance and seasonal status of each bird and give intriguing natural history details

*Introductory sections describe the coastal habitats of Southern California, provide tips for beginning birdwatchers, and discuss the basics of bird behavior

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

"Coastal southern California offers some of the best birdwatching anywhere. The best way to learn about the birds here would be to go on a field trip with Joan Lentz, but if you can't do that, reading this book is the next best thing. Joan shares her knowledge of birdlife with clear, graceful writing and with contagious enthusiasm, making this book the perfect introduction to the subject."—Kenn Kaufman, author of Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America

"Joan Lentz has a gift for making the complex world of birds and birding accessible to the beginner and the casual enthusiast, and through this gift she celebrates in this attractive volume the bird-rich coastal regions of the nation's most ornithologically diverse state. I hope and expect that Introduction to Birds of the Southern California Coast will expand the numbers of citizens who appreciate and strive to preserve our imperiled coastal habitats."—Kimball L. Garrett, Ornithology Collections Manager, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

"A 5th generation and lifelong California resident, Joan Lentz has the ability to communicate her extensive knowledge to birders of all levels. This book introduces a whole new generation of birders to the wonders of the southern California coast—it will be invaluable to birders of all levels of expertise."—Jon Dunn

About the Author:

Joan Easton Lentz is a Research Associate with the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. She also teaches bird classes for the Santa Barbara Community College Continuing Education Division and is author of Great Birding Trips of the West (1989) and Birdwatching: A Guide for Beginners (1985).

About this edition

• Publisher: University of California Press
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0520237803
• ISBN 13: 9780520237803
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 329