Birds of Texas Field Guide

This is the first field guide that I have ever bought. We are studying birds in my kids' science curriculum, so we needed to get a book to help us out. Although I can't compare it to others, I am definitely pleased with this choice. My boys are 9 and 10 and they can use it as easily as I can. And so far we have found every bird in our yard in this book. It doesn't have tons of detail, but that makes it easier to look through it, and then we can search online for further information as needed. And it has wonderful color photos. If you're looking for a basic Texas Bird Field Guide, I would recommend this book.

I first got the version of this book that is on birds of Connecticut, and now have purchased this one for my Grand-daughter who lives in Texas. She really got into bird watching when she visited us last summer and this book makes it so easy to get started. The book is arranged by the predominant color....so if you see a bird that is brown you look in the section of brown birds. Pictures are all photos, as opposed to drawings, and accordingly much more lifelike. When male and female differ in appearance there is an inset showing the other bird. And there is a great description of each including the feeding habits and other behaviors that may help you identify and/or notice the unique characteristics of each bird. I have many bird books...but this is truly my favorite!

My copy is tattered and well used. I purchased this guide several years ago after covering a story on a local birder and becoming interested in identifying birds in my own backyard. This particular guide is very useful for a beginner, but also good for an experienced birder too. It's thumb guide on the edge of the pages makes an easy start to identification first by color, then once in the color section, thumbing for the size of the bird and then comparing excellent photos of the birds for comparison. I recently purchased a copy of this book for a man who lives at the assisted living place where my mom resides. He has thoroughly enjoyed being able to find the birds he sees by comparing the photos in this book to those in the gardens at the center. There is a fun place at the back of the book to mark a box of birds you have seen. Great little manual and compact!

Stan Tekiela has prepared Field Guides of Birds for each State and they are terrific. The book fits in the palm of your hand and includes all the birds that live or migrate through your selected state. It has the birds listed alphabetically in the back, but you can also find unknown birds quickly, as the book is divided into all the main colors of the species. Each bird has a picture page of the male, female and juvenile and a page of useful information, e.g., size, bill type, feet and legs, where they nest and when, and cross references, if necessary, with all similar birds, and much more. It's a must have book for anyone who likes to watch, feed and follow birds.

THIS IS ONE OF THE VERY BEST BOOKS ON BIRDS. THE PAGES ARE COLOR CODED TO THE COLOR OF BIRD AND YOU CAN LOCATE A NEW BIRD BY LOOKING FOR THE COLOR IN THE PAGE TAB. I LIKED IT SO MUCH THAT I GOT THE SAME VERSION FOR COLORADO. I GO TO IT BEFORE ANY OF MY OTHER BIRD BOOKS.