Identifying Birds by Behaviour

Book excerpt: A companion to standard field guides which helps you identify birds by the way they fly, feed and flock Most traditional bird guides rely on you identifying birds by their colour and other physical features. But what if you cannot get good enough views to make a firm identification? This highly original guide by Dominic Couzens acts as a companion to standard identification guides, designed to provide a definitive answer for just these situations. Five of the very best bird artists have been specially commissioned to illustrate birds as you will actually see them behaving in the field. Arranged according to family, Identifying Birds by Behaviour helps you distinguish between different species by their size, shape, where they can be found and how they behave. Each family section begins with an overview of their habitat and distribution and then focuses on different aspects of bird behaviour, thereby allowing direct comparison between easily confusable species. Not only does this book help with identification, it also provides a unique visual insight into bird behaviour. Identifying Birds by Behaviour marks an important innovation in bird guides, and is one that no birder can afford