With the Great Backyard Bird Count fast approaching (Feb 15th-18th), the Audubon Pocket Backyard Birdwatch is a handy tool for citizen scientist birders.
With only 72 pages and a slim, 3 inch wide frame, Backyard Birdwatch is definitely a book that can easily travel. Whether you are out gardening or watching birds at your favorite window seat, this book is a quick reference to some of the common birds found in backyards. It even comes with a foldout chart of 30+ backyard birds.
While not exactly a breakthrough in new ideas, Backyard Birdwatch provides tips throughout the four seasons with advice on ways to make your backyard birding more enjoyable. There are sections on what bird feeders to use, ways to provide water, nest boxes, and our favorite, bird-friendly lawns (plus much more).
If you are fairly advanced in your birding, this book is probably too basic. However, someone just getting started in birding and especially kids (8 to 15 or so) could benefit by this simple, easy to use book to learn some interesting bird attracting tips.
One irritant: the book’s construction is stiff and the three-fold style is awkward when paging through. The foldout chart is attached so it won’t get misplaced, but it makes viewing more difficult.
Overall rating: any book that promotes birds and bird conservation is wonderful and for who this book is targeted to – beginners and young birders – the book is spot on.
8 out of 10 feathers
An informative review. I think my nephews are a bit too young for this yet, but I’ll definitely keep it in mind when they get a little older. Thanks for the tip!