The Sibley Field Guides for Birding in the style of David Allen Sibley

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The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America by David Allen Sibley. Natural History of Birds: student notes from 2007 UCSC class taught by Prof. W. Breck Taylor: Day 1: Wings; flight; field observations in redwood glades. Day 2: Avian origins and systematics. Day 3: Field Trip to Davenport and Waddell Creek. Day 4: Feeding. Day 5: Field Trip to Elkhorn Slough by kayak. Day 6: Seabird and shorebird ecology. Day 7: Migration and molt. Day 8: Field Trip to Big Sur Ornithological Laboratory and Andrew Molera State Park. Day 9: Communication and nesting. Day 10: Mating systems and social behavior. Day 11: Bird conservation, part One. Day 12: Bird conservation, part Two. Books The Ecology Footprint quiz Sibley's Birding Basics by David Allen Sibley. Completed as part of a study of Natural History of Birds. See also Sibley's The Sibley Guide to Birds and his The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America.

Sibley's Birding Basics

• The Sibley Guide to Birds
• The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America.
• Other Bird Books
• The Ecology Footprint quiz

The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America

• Written and illustrated by David Allen Sibley.
• 703 species (plus some regional forms) found in Western North America.
• Sponsored by National Audubon Society.
• Based on 7th edition (1998) of American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) Check-list of North American Birds and its 42nd supplement (2000). and 43rd supplement (2002). BUT

  "the sequence of species has been altered to allow better comparisons for identification"

  For some readers this is a benefit. For some, it's confusing.

Contents for 1st edition (2003 printed 2006):

• Introduction:
  • Classification of birds.
  • Biding equipment and learning to identify birds.
  • Variations in appearance.
  • Molt and plumage.
  • Learning songs and calls.
  • Finding rare birds.
  • Ethics.
  • Extinct species.
  • Conservation.

• Key to the species accounts. For more information see Sibley's Birding Basics by David Allen Sibley.
  • Names and measurements
  • Species description: status, habitat, behavior, voice.
  • Bird topography: feathers and parts.

• Western North American Birds Species Accounts. This is the sequence that Sibley uses.
  • Loons
  • Grebes
  • Albatrosses, Petrels, and Shearwaters
  • Storm-Petrels
  • Pelecaniformes
  • Cormorants. Here, this is a separate section from The Sibley Guide to Birds, which includes them under Pelecaniformes.
  • Wading Birds
  • Swans and Geese ["Swans, Geese, and Ducks" form one section in The Sibley Guide to Birds.]
  • Dabbling Ducks
  • Diving Ducks
  • Diurnal Raptors
  • Upland Game Birds
  • Gruiformes
  • Plovers, Oystercatchers, Stilts, and Avocets ["Shorebirds" form one section in The Sibley Guide to Birds.]
  • Sandpipers ["Shorebirds" form one section in The Sibley Guide to Birds.]
  • Skuas, Jaegers, and Gulls [Gulls are grouped with Terns and Skimmers in The Sibley Guide to Birds.]
  • Terns and Skimmers
  • Alcids
  • Pigeons and Doves
  • Parrots and their Allies
  • Cuckoos and their Allies
  • Owls
  • Goatsuckers
  • Kingfishers. [Moved earlier than in The Sibley Guide to Birds.]
  • Trogons and Quetzals. [Moved earlier than in The Sibley Guide to Birds.]
  • Swifts. [Swifts are grouped with Goatsuckers in The Sibley Guide to Birds.]
  • Hummingbirds
  • Woodpeckers
  • Tyrant Flycatchers
  • Shrikes and Vireos
  • Jays, Crows, and their Allies
  • Larks
  • Swallows
  • Chickadees, Nuthatches, and their Allies. [Consolidation of two groups shown in The Sibley Guide to Birds.]
  • Wrens
  • Dipper and Wrentit [Grouped with Old-world Warblers in The Sibley Guide to Birds.]
  • Kinglets, Old-world Warblers, and Gnatcatchers.
  • Thrushes. [Grouped with Old-world Warblers in The Sibley Guide to Birds.]
  • Mimids
  • Wagtails and Pipits
  • Waxwings, Silky-flycatchers, and Starlings. [Consolidation of three groups shown in The Sibley Guide to Birds.]
  • Wood-warblers
  • Tanagers, Cardinals, and their Allies
  • Emberizine Sparrows and their Allies
  • Icterids
  • Finches and Old-world Sparrows

• Species index.

The Sibley Guide to Bird Life & Behavior

• Illustrated by David Allen Sibley.
• Edited by Chris Elphick, John B. Dunning, Jr., and David Allen Sibley.
• 48 authors contributed text.
• A superb reference.
• See especially the discussion about bird Classification Schemes and DNA-DNA hybridization.

The Sibley Guide to Birds

• Written and illustrated by David Allen Sibley.
• 810 species (plus 350 regional forms).
• Sponsored by National Audubon Society.
• Based on 7th edition (1998) of American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) Check-list of North American Birds and its 42nd supplement (2000). BUT

  "the sequence of species has been altered to allow better comparisons for identification"

  For some readers this is a benefit. For some, it's confusing.

Contents for 1st edition (2000):

• Introduction:
  • Classification of birds.
  • Learning to identify birds.
    • Look at the bird, not the book.
    • Practice recognizing plumage patterns and seeing details.
    • Build your internal framework of knowledge through consolidating on patterns of appearance, behavior, occurrence, etc.
    • Use multiple field marks.
    • Study shapes.
    • Study habits.
    • Size is hard to judge -- don't rely on it too heavily.
    • Meet other birders.
  • Variation in appearance.
  • Learning songs and calls.
    • Songs: distinctive; establish territories; create and maintain pair bonds.
    • Contact Calls.
    • Flight calls.
    Listen for variation in:
    • Pitch (high, low, rising, falling).
    • Quality ("harsh, clear, liquid, buzzy, etc.").
    • Rhythm ("fast, slow, choppy, singsong, etc.").
  • Finding rare birds.
  • Ethics.
    • First and foremost, consider the birds' welfare.
    • Tread lightly.
    • Avoid making disturbances.
  • Extinct species.

• Bird topography. For more information see Sibley's Birding Basics by David Allen Sibley.
  • Parts of a passerine.
  • Head feathers.
  • Body feathers.
  • Wing feathers.
  • Parts of a shorebird.
  • Parts of a duck.
  • Parts of a gull.
  • Molt and plumage.

• North American Birds Species Accounts. This is the sequence that Sibley uses.
  • Loons
  • Grebes
  • Albatrosses, Petrels, and Shearwaters
  • Storm-Petrels
  • Pelecaniformes
  • Wading Birds
  • Swans, Geese, and Ducks
  • Diurnal Raptors
  • Upland Game Birds
  • Gruiformes
  • Shorebirds
  • Jaegers and Skuas
  • Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
  • Alcids
  • Pigeons and Doves
  • Parrots and their Allies
  • Cuckoos and their Allies
  • Owls
  • Goatsuckers and Swifts
  • Hummingbirds
  • Trogons
  • Kingfishers
  • Woodpeckers
  • Tyrant Flycatchers
  • Shrikes and Vireos
  • Jays, Crows, and their Allies
  • Larks
  • Swallows
  • Chickadees and their Allies
  • Nuthatches and Creepers
  • Wrens
  • Old-world Warblers, Thrushes, and their Allies
  • Mimids
  • Starlings and Mynas
  • Wagtails and Pipits
  • Silky-flycatchers and Bulbuls
  • Waxwings
  • Wood-warblers
  • Tanagers, Cardinals, and their Allies
  • Emberizine Sparrows and their Allies
  • Icterids
  • Finches and Old-world Sparrows

• Species index.

Books

The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America by David Allen Sibley.

• Birdsong by Don Stap.
• The Birds of California by Arnold Small.
• Handbook of Bird Biology edited by S. Podulka et al.
• National Geographic Field Guide to Birds of North America, 5th edition edited by Jon L. Dunn and Jonathan Alderfer.
• Seabirds: A Natural History by A.J. Gaston.
• Sibley's Birding Basics written and illustrated by David Allen Sibley.
• The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America by David Allen Sibley.
• The Sibley Guide to Birds by David Allen Sibley.

Also:

A Primer of Ecology by Nicholas J. Gotelli. 'Evolution' by Edward J Larson.

The Ecology Footprint quiz

• The Ecology Footprint quiz. Check it out to calculate what is your own impact on Gaia.

  Population Connection's Reporter (Winter 2004) gives:

  1. The current average American ("Eusan") footprint is over 10 hectares (25 acres).
  2. The current worldwide average footprint is 2.4 hectares (6 acres), which exceeds the available acreage.
  3. "Prof. David Pimentel estimates that the Earth can support from one to two billion people with a U.S. standard of living, good health, nutrition, prosperity, personal dignity, and freedom. ... The scenarios below [adapted from Prof. Ross McCluney's on-line data] estimate the shifts in quality of life as world population continues to grow, if we maintain current patterns of consumption."

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