Book Review: The Art of Bird Identification, Pete Dunne (2012)

 

This isn't a new book, but it's new to me and one of the books I received for Christmas, so it might be one that will be useful to others.

This isn't what I would call a hard-core birding book, unlike Pete Dunne's Essential Field Guide Companion (2006), which is squarely in the experienced category. This relatively short book is aimed more at those newer to the hobby, but certainly, there are some pointers that even more experienced birders could use a reminder about.

Many people start their birding journey with a field guide (which you do need), but those can be overwhelming for new birders. They contain hundreds of birds, many of which look a whole lot alike.

What this book does is focus birdwatchers on non-field guide identification clues. Sometimes, I'll be out with people and a bird may just flash by, and I can identify it. That seems like I am a real expert, but in most cases, I have watched a bird enough to pick out some aspect of the bird that tells me what it is, and sometimes, it is not a field mark shown in a field guide. The overall impression of a bird, referred to as "jizz" (an unfortunate term in current times), can allow a very quick identification. Where it is, its size, how it walks or flies, and certain easily visible field marks all help pull up an accurate ID fairly quickly.

However, when we are getting started, or if you are in an unfamiliar area, a more methodical approach is helpful. Usually field marks are not the most helpful clues until you can narrow the possibilities. Pete Dunne provides a framework to approach field identification.

Habitat is important. Not every bird will be in every habitat. Even if it is the right habitat, it might not be the right time of year. Then, what type of bird is it? If it's a duck-type birds, you can rule out a lot of possibilities and focus just on birds that are ducks, geese, and similar-appearing birds. How big is it? Compare it to some other bird you're familiar with. It's hard to identify size in inches, but you can probably say "It's smaller than a mallard." Again, that narrows your choices, giving you a manageable number to work with.

Now you look for field marks to find the bird you've observed. He doesn't get into this, but it does take practice to try to pick out the most useful field marks quickly. It's likely you won't have much time to look for them, so you get what you can. Songs and calls also can be useful.

Even with a good process, you can still misidentify a bird. I do it. Pete Dunne admits he does it. If bird identification was easy, birding would not be as challenging and interesting. But if you want to improve your odds, consider getting a copy of this book.

Good birding!

Book Reviews: Gulls Simplified

Gulls are tricky to identify. Not only are the birds largely similar, but it takes multiple years for the birds to reach mature plumage and the plumage differs by age. To make things more fun, there can be a fair amount of variation within age groups.

For most of our birds, we learn male, female, immature, and possibly nonbreeding. If you live in an area where gulls are common, you would have a motivation to study and get good with identification. Here in the Wichita Falls, TX area, we only get gulls in the winter and 95% or more are ring-billed gulls. Consequently, many locals identify gulls as a "ring-billed gull" or "not a ring-billed gull." We really have to have time to study a gull to have a hope of making an accurate identification--and we are hoping we have adult plumage to work with. Many of us have more "gull species" than clearly identified species on trip lists.

Princeton University Press sent me a review copy of Gulls Simplified: A Comparative Approach to Identification, by Pete Dunne and Kevin Karlson. What makes it especially useful are the numerous pictures (330 color photos). The species accounts are focused on identification which is the purpose of the book. There are lots of pictures with a discussion of what field marks to look for and where you may get confused with another species. There isn't a lot of text, but there is some commentary on those traits that experienced birders notice that can make a difference in deciding between two species. For example, the Great Black-backed gull is referred to "chestier" than a Herring Gull and its gait is referred to as a "waddling sailor's gait." To a non-birder, this may not seem to be anything other than literary description, but it is precisely these things that allow a birder to identify similar species quickly in the field.

Overall, this is an excellent book to hone your gull identification skills. It isn't a book to take into the field, but a great supplemental reference to use when you get back to the house with your field notes and/or photos.

The list price for this book is $24.95. It is also available for less from other outlets (the least expensive I found in paperback was Barnes and Noble for $17.21).  The least expensive version is the Kindle edition, but I just don't care for my bird books in ebook format. But that is my preference. If you like ebooks, the Kindle version is $15.72 (and of course, you can have it immediately.)

Summer Birding

Sunday morning was very warm and muggy. When I went to Lake Wichita Park, the mosquitos were waiting. Fortunately, the breeze came up about 7:30, which helped keep the little bloodsuckers at bay for a little while. Then the wind died out and they were back with a vengence. Since I try not to wear bug spray too much (somehow spraying poison all over your body seems like a bad plan to me), I got a few bites. But most of my skin was covered. I do need to get a new supply of the non-DEET spray soon though.

The vegetation has really filled out, giving the birds lots of places to hide. If it weren't for the males singing to establish territories and attract mates, it would be very difficult to find the birds. Fortunately, they do.

In the summer, it is much more important to know the bird calls. The birds are easier to see in the winter and birds don't vocalize as much, so I tend to forget many of the calls and have to brush up every spring. But once you know the calls of at least some of the birds, a walk, even through areas of dense vegetation, can be a great birding morning. It is also fun to pick out the calls of baby birds--their calls are often quite different than the adults and very distinctive. Volunteering at Wild Bird Rescue in the summer provides a great opportunity to learn those calls.

Another good way to get better visibility on birds is by pishing. That is where birders stand and make silly noises to draw out the birds. I know there is at least one renowned birder who says this only works because birders actually stand still long enough for the birds to make an appearance, which they would have done without the pishing. I think that is Pete Dunne, but I wouldn't swear to it. While I agree pishing doesn't work for a lot of birds, I have found there are a few birds species that seem to find pishing irresistable--cardinals, spotted towhees, many sparrows, wrens, and a few others seem to pop out to see the goofy birders almost immediately. Sunday I managed to pull out a white-eyed vireo along the chat trail in Lake Wichita Park.

I heard a lot of yellow-billed cuckoos in the park yesterday. I saw one in flight--the rest were calling from the vegetation.

So to get the most out of your summer birding experience, learn the songs of the most common birds. You'll gradually expand your knowledge and enjoy birding even more.

Good birding!