A Field Guide to Little-Known and Seldom-Seen Birds of North America

This book was not written for bird watchers, but for those people who are looking for subtle and intelligent humor. The authors start with the characteristics of birds and then add features of other items. My favorite bird was the White-Lined Roadrunner or Geococcys Alba-linearis, whose habitat is a series of interstate highways, primarily in the southwest United States. The last two sentences in the description are "Feet have a unique radial tread pattern. Environmental noise can obscure the call, which is an occasional beep." Each bird is given English then "Latin" names, followed by a description, and then hints for better observation. You must read the descriptions carefully to catch all of the subtlety of the humor, but if you do, it will amuse you.

I have been a fan of these exquisite little bird guides since I first stumbled on volume 1 at Hearthside Books in Juneau, Alaska in 1988. At that time, I decided to purchase a raft of these guides and they became excellent gifts for other lovers of wildlife over the years. Since then I have passed both volumes around to our guests when I do tours as a naturalist in Haines, (SE) Alaska. The drawingsare so realistc, even the Elderhostlers think they are real birds...and laugh as they figure out the joke...Highly recommended for all those with a sense of humor and love of birds. Thank you Sills!!!!

I have been afflicted with Serious Birders Disease. You know the symptoms, flitting from Peterson to Stokes to Sibley and beyond, memory fading. Was it a yellow bill, blue legs, black feet or was it black bill, yellow feet? It gets worse and worse with each passing hour. They all begin to look alike. I was becoming frantic.Finally a friend came to the rescue with the best antidote yet - the little field guide by Ben, Cathryn and John Sill "A Field Guide to Little-Known & Seldom-Seen Birds. Symptoms disappear within 24 hours. Laughter, after all, is the best medicine. Never again will I venture into the field with quite the same driven attitudes - unless, of course, I think I have finally happened upon the elusive ringed gimpy (see pp 26-27).

I highly recommend this book as a gift for any birder. Anyone who has attempted to find a way to tell a "greater" from a "lesser" or who has tried to learn those hard to recall Latin names will appreciate it!

When I first saw this book I did a double take. A bird that skis? And the names! this book is pure humor. I've been looking everywhere for the other book and cant find it anymore in stores. I liked it a ton and I think you will, too.