Leo T. reviewed Birds of Los Angeles: Including Santa Barbara, Ventura and Orange Counties (U.S. City Bird Guides) on + 1775 more book reviews
As noted in the introduction, it is very true that California's geographical areas are varied, from tidelands to chaparral to high mountains and to the high and low deserts. I would urge that it be visited soon because global warming is going to crush California even more than overpopulation did.
Extraordinarily bright illustrations (not framed but in various positions on each page--i.e. each bird--with the text surrounding them) and succinct descriptions. This will find a grateful reader when I leave it on the shelf of the old soldiers and sailors' home.
For example, the house sparrow (page 143 in the section of finch-like birds) includes the Latin 'Passer domesticus,' at the top of the page and at the bottom a bracket with the Quick I.D. description and a boxed graph showing the months of the year when sparrows are present (always!). There is first a paragraph describing the species and then a paragraph or two with some detail about their ways. In this case the second paragraph is: "The House Sparrow was introduced to North America in the 1850s to control insects. Although this familiar bird can consume great quantities of insects, the majority of its diet is seeds, and it has become somewhat of a pest. The House Sparrow's aggressive nature usurps several native songbirds from nesting cavities, and its boldness often drives other birds away from backyard feeders. The House Sparrow and the European Starling are now two of the most common birds in cities and on farms, and they are a constant reminder the negative impact on human introductions on natural systems." [After that denunciation, I was afraid to see what was said about pigeons!]
One co-author is from Glendale and the other is from the University of Alberta and this book is published in Canada. The index shows S. Cal. birds divided into 24 sections such as waterfowl, diving birds, jays & crows, etc. There is a short essay on bird watching.
Map, glossary, bibliography, checklist, and index.
Extraordinarily bright illustrations (not framed but in various positions on each page--i.e. each bird--with the text surrounding them) and succinct descriptions. This will find a grateful reader when I leave it on the shelf of the old soldiers and sailors' home.
For example, the house sparrow (page 143 in the section of finch-like birds) includes the Latin 'Passer domesticus,' at the top of the page and at the bottom a bracket with the Quick I.D. description and a boxed graph showing the months of the year when sparrows are present (always!). There is first a paragraph describing the species and then a paragraph or two with some detail about their ways. In this case the second paragraph is: "The House Sparrow was introduced to North America in the 1850s to control insects. Although this familiar bird can consume great quantities of insects, the majority of its diet is seeds, and it has become somewhat of a pest. The House Sparrow's aggressive nature usurps several native songbirds from nesting cavities, and its boldness often drives other birds away from backyard feeders. The House Sparrow and the European Starling are now two of the most common birds in cities and on farms, and they are a constant reminder the negative impact on human introductions on natural systems." [After that denunciation, I was afraid to see what was said about pigeons!]
One co-author is from Glendale and the other is from the University of Alberta and this book is published in Canada. The index shows S. Cal. birds divided into 24 sections such as waterfowl, diving birds, jays & crows, etc. There is a short essay on bird watching.
Map, glossary, bibliography, checklist, and index.
