“I wrote Birds of Arizona with three specific friends in mind.
  • The first person is a newly minted birder who realized birds offer a foundation for understanding nature. 
  • The second person has birdwatched for years and can identify most species they encounter but is curious about the nuances of a given shorebird's or warbler's seasonal appearance, habitat preferences, and its status within our state.
  • Finally, the third person is a professional. The text, range maps, and the photos showing correct subspecies and color morphs offer a convenient resource for double-checking facts about a bird's occurrence in Arizona.

All three of these friends share an immense enjoyment in simply watching birds. I wrote the book for them--and for me. Throughout my own evolution as a birder, this is the book I always wanted,” states author Richard Cachor Taylor.

 

Birds of Arizona provides information about the description, status, habitat, and behavior of every regularly occurring bird in Arizona, rarities, and all the specialties from Mexico observed in Arizona. The book has over 900 color photographs and by treating over 500 species this has now become the most comprehensive bird field guide of the state’s birds.

 

 

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            Birds of Arizona Excerpts from August 2022 Review by Chris Harbard, Festival Organizer-Southwest Wings Birding Fair (Sierra Vista, AZ), International Bird Tour Leader and Columnist for British Birds.

            What a delight this book is, on so many levels. Pocket-sized, it is easy to carry anywhere, and I would challenge even the most hardened Arizona birder not to reach for it occasionally. Left-hand pages are photos, right hand are text and maps. Yes, maps!! These five-colored wonders are small yet clear and are the most detailed ever published for Arizona’s birds.

            The strength of this guide is that it includes all the Mexican strays which have so far been identified within the state. I found the quality of photographs to be exceptional thanks to a wide range of contributors, most of them from among local birders.

            The text is remarkably full of short description, differences between similar species, and a good rendition of voice. Add to this the status, elevation at which bird might be found (how useful is that!!), habitat and behavior, plus some noteworthy and interesting comments at the end and I found everything I might need.

            As a relative newcomer to Arizona, I still have a lot to learn, a little about identification (and the great photos will help with that), but a lot about the status and occurrence of species in the state. I now have a quick and easy way to find everything I need, and it doesn’t add too much weight to my already groaning bookshelves. Rick is to be congratulated on this ‘giant’ of a book which will be an essential ready-reference, and useful to every level of birder.
 

 

 

 

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Copyright R.W. Morse Company © 2022

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