Stokes Field Guide to Bird Songs: WESTERN REGION

The easiest way to locate and identify the widest variety of bird species is often through sound. These clear recordings allow listeners to identify not only more species, but also more sounds per species, including their unique songs and calls. Comprehensive and informative, each entry starts with the name of the bird, followed by its respective song and call. Additionally, both audio packages contain a companion booklet featuring a brief introduction to bird sounds, an alphabetical index to Western birds, common and scientific names of each bird, habitats and locations of each bird, a list of the bird's sounds by name with brief descriptions of the functions of these sounds, and much more.

Birders know that recognizing a particular song is often thebest way to distinguish a bird in the shadows or perched in theuppermost branches. This song guide can be a companion to a fieldguide, preparation for a birding trip, or the key to identifying theearly-riser heard every morning outside the bedroom window. The formatis simple but comprehensive: Famous birding couple Donald and LillianStokes name a bird, and its characteristic calls follow. Anaccompanying pamphlet describes what each call signifies, and wherethe bird song was recorded. Praise should go to the intrepidrecorders, who no doubt faced many challenges capturing their prey ontape. The result is a lovely collection, best savored in smallportions. J.M.D. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine