Table of Contents

Foreword.



Introduction.



About This Book.



Why You Need This Book.



How to Use This Book.



How This Book Is Organized.



Part I: Watching Birds: A Natural Habit.



Part II: Backyard Bird Watching.



Part III: Bird Sighting 101: Using Your Tools.



Part IV: Beyond the Backyard.



Part V: Once You're Hooked.



Part VI: The Part of Tens.



Appendix.



Icons Used in This Book.



Part I: Watching Birds: A Natural Habit.



Chapter 1: Birds and the People Who Love Them.



Chapter 2: Tools that Take You Up Close and Personal.



Chapter 3: Identifying Birds ("If It Walks Like a Duck . .
.").



Chapter 4: Watching Bird Behavior.



Chapter 5: Bird Sounds: News and Entertainment.



Part II: Backyard Bird Watching.



Chapter 6: Making a Bird-Friendly Yard.



Chapter 7: Bird Feeding: The Start of It All.



Chapter 8: Tackling Pests and Other Feeder Problems.



Chapter 9: Nest Boxes and Box Monitoring.



Chapter 10: Gardening for the Birds.



Chapter 11: Hummers, Bluebirds, Martins, and Hawks.



Part III: Bird Sighting 101: Using Your Tools.



Chapter 12: Optics and How to Use Them.



Chapter 13: Choosing and Using Field Guides.



Chapter 14: Expanding Your Skills.



Chapter 15: Writing It Down.



Part IV: Beyond the Backyard.



Chapter 16: Taking a Field Trip.



Chapter 17: Birding by Habitat.



Chapter 18: Birding Hotspots.



Chapter 19: Birding Tours: On Site with a Pro.



Chapter 20: Festivals and Other Events.



Part V: Once You're Hooked.



Chapter 21: Birding that Makes a Difference.



Chapter 22: Better Optics and Other Fun Gear.



Chapter 23: Advanced Bird ID.



Chapter 24: Field Sketching.



Chapter 25: Birding Online (Nesting on the World Wide Web).



Chapter 26: Other Flying Creatures.



Part VI: The Part Of Tens.



Chapter 27: Ten (+ Ten) Tips for When (And When Not) to Use Your
Binoculars.



Chapter 28: Bill's Ten Favorite Hotspots.



Chapter 29: Ten Bird Myths.



Appendix.



Index.



Registration Card.

About the Author

Bill Thompson, III is the editor of Bird Watcher's Digest and the
author of An Identification Guide to Common Backyard Birds. He has
edited more than a dozen other bird watching booklets and has a
bird watching life list of more than 1,000 bird species
worldwide.



Bird Watcher's Digest is the oldest and most popular bi-monthly
magazine devoted to birds and bird watching enthusiasts around the
world.