Resource of the Month: July:
Encyclopedia of Birds
Graphically Appealing
Maine plays host each summer to several avian visitors. From the tiny ruby-throated hummingbird, sipping trumpet-vine nectar, to the tall, statuesque great blue heron, standing sentry in a coastal marsh, these birds bring to the state a bit of the visual and auditory magic of birds worldwide.
Our July resource, The Encyclopedia of Birds, presents over 250 individual birds from around the world, including several Maine species. Graphically pleasing and fact-rich, this 6-volume reference is sure to delight not only novice and expert birdwatchers but also patrons of any age who see the inviting cover photo of a peacock in full display. Students looking for a research topic will find this encyclopedia a wonderful browsing aid, and once readers choose a specific bird species, the wealth of factual information presented makes efficient researching.
Engaging and Factual
Each four-page entry introduces a new bird with a large four-color photo and fact boxes devoted to key features of the bird and its location. The subsequent pages of each entry include additional photos, a diagram of the bird’s profile, and fact boxes devoted to vital statistics, food, behavior, conservation, and even comparisons to related bird species.
Each entry features a four-part diagram illustrating a unique characteristic of the species, such as the common loon’s hunt for food, the wild turkey’s mating ritual, and the black-capped chickadee’s nesting behavior.
Related Web Sites
- Maine Audubon
The official web page of the Maine Audubon Society is devoted to encouraging birdwatching and bird conservation in Maine. Special features include a “Bird Alert” of recent bird sightings in the state as well as a “Guide to Birding in Maine.”
- Mainebirding.net
Produced by a professional birdwatcher, Mainebirding.net provides a network for birdwatchers interested in sharing bird reports, photos, blogs, and other information about Maine birds.
- Bird Checklists of the United States
From the Northern Prairie Wildlife Center, this site includes a checklist of birds for each state as well as checklists for wildlife refuges within each state.
- Mangoverde World Bird Guide
Mangoverde World Bird Guide, a vast volunteer effort to amass information on nearly 10,000 species of birds worldwide, includes thousands of bird photos, videos, and sounds.
Contact: Reference Department
Tel: 207-287-5600
Posted: July 1, 2008
