Birds of Oregon: A General Reference

This comprehensive reference to the approximately five hundred bird species known to occur in the state combines current information on the population status and distribution of each species with details of their habitats and life histories. The definitive source for Oregon ornithology, it provides interested citizens with a basic understanding of Oregon's rich bird life, and serves as an invaluable reference for birders and wildlife professionals. This new paperback edition includes an annotated list of species that have been added to the official state bird list since the book was first published in 2003.

"Birds of Oregon" is the first complete reference work on Oregon's birds to be published since Gabrielson and Jewett's landmark book in 1940. This comprehensive volume includes individual accounts of the 486 species now known to occur in Oregon (about 150 more than in 1940), including detailed accounts of the 353 species that regularly occur and briefer accounts of another 133 species that are considered vagrants. A separate chapter covers extirpated and questionable species as well as those which have been introduced but have not become established.

Oregon is long overdue for a book of this kind. A popular destination for birders worldwide, Oregon is renowned for its diverse bird life—only Florida, New Mexico, Texas, and California support more bird species. This is due to its varied climate, its wide range of habitats, and the mild winters over much of the state, which make it an important wintering area.

"Birds of Oregon" is not a field guide for identifying birds, although it describes the appearance and any unique or special characteristics of each species, and approximately 100 species are illustrated with attractive line drawings. Instead, it compiles and presents in a single volume what is known today about the population status and distribution of each species, as well as their habitat requirements and diet, their seasonal activities and behavior, where and how they might be found, and any conservation problems. It includes 205 range maps that reflect the work of more than 700 volunteers who participated in the Oregon Breeding Bird Atlas project. Subspecies—of which Oregon has many because of the variability of the state’s avian habitats—are listed with their ranges, thus providing the first accounting of subspecies in the state since 1957.

Approximately 100 contributing authors volunteered their time and expertise to create "Birds of Oregon," and numerous other individuals reviewed drafts of the species accounts to insure that they are as accurate and up-to-date as possible.

Although heavily referenced, "Birds of Oregon" is written in non-technical language and will appeal to a broad audience, including birders, wildlife biologists, land managers, conservationists, naturalists, hunters, and wildlife enthusiasts in general.