Birds are some of the most exciting creatures in the world. They are colorful, able to sustain their weight in mid-air, and the inspiration for humans to find their own ways of flying. Currently, there are more than 11,000 bird species reported around the globe, many of which are featured in the best books about birds.
Don’t worry, while many of these fascinating birds may physically be out of your reach, you can always read about them! Books about birds not only provide an educational experience but also can help you develop an even deeper appreciation for the diversity of the avian world. Reading about birds can also be a great way to unwind and relax while also learning something new and fascinating.
Whether you’re an avid bird watcher or simply interested in learning more about these fascinating creatures, there are so many wonderful books about birds available. Hence, today, we decided to help you find books where you can get all the information about birds you want.
Whether you wish to learn about a new bird species, find your next bird-watching spot, or appeal to your visual sense with the marvel of nature, you will get your fix right here. So, without any further ado, let’s start with the top books you can read about birds!
Check Amazon- 128 pages.
- Learn about common birds.
- Offers tips to attract birds, as well as feeding tips for common birds.
Check Amazon- 336 pages.
- Learn about both traveling and birds.
- Get tips on viewing and conserving birds.
- Long and comfortable read.
Check Amazon- 624 pages.
- Pleasing pictures help in bird identification.
- Short descriptions about birds.
- A top-rated guide.
Check Amazon- 304 pages.
- Exciting stories to relate birds and human behavior.
- Beautifully divided into three sections for easy reading.
Check Amazon- This book is written and illustrated by the famous ornithologist, David Allen Sibley, a renowned bird expert.
- It includes over 200 different bird species with 330 new illustrations.
- It contains lifesize illustrations and detailed facts about the behavior, appearance, attributes, habitats, and unique lives of many different types of birds.
1. The Backyard Bird Sanctuary: A Beginner’s Guide to Creating a Wild Bird Habitat at Home by Alan Baczkiewicz
Are you fond of seeing birds in your garden? Do you often peek in your backyard, hoping to spot a bird? This awesome guidebook can be the key to attracting all the common birds in the United States to your house. It is written by Alan Baczkiewicz, who has been an avid birdwatcher for 40 years. This book helps readers learn how to attract birds to their homes and how to help them feel comfortable when they visit.
The Backyard Bird Sanctuary carries tips on how to make your garden the ideal place for birds to nest and feed. The illustrations in this book are phenomenal. Not only are they accurately sketched but they are also beautifully colored and include both the male and female appearance of the various bird species in the book. As you read this book, you’ll discover the preferred foods and feeders of the various birds, their nesting and brooding habits, and their range and migratory patterns. It also contains tips on how to attract birds to your home, no matter what size your yard is. It is comparatively a short read with 128 pages in total. Moreover, it is available in hardcover and online on Kindle.
Pros and Cons of The Backyard Bird Sanctuary: A Beginner’s Guide to Creating a Wild Bird Habitat at Home by Alan Baczkiewicz
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book is an excellent guide for learning more about birds, how to attract them to your yard, and how to care for them. | The birds in the book are in the United States, so if you live elsewhere, this book may not be as helpful. |
| The author has been an avid birdwatcher for 40 years. | |
| It provides tips on how to make your home appealing to birds. | |
| The illustrations are realistic and colorful. | |
| There are pictures of both male and female birds for identification. | |
| This book is available in hardcover and Kindle formats. | |
| It is 128 pages long. | |
| The book teaches you all about bird behaviors, preferences, migratory patterns, nesting habits, etc. |
- 128 pages.
- Learn about common birds.
- Offers tips to attract birds, as well as feeding tips for common birds.
2. Birding Without Borders: An Obsession, a Quest, and the Biggest Year in the World by Noah Strycker
Do you remember Around the World in Eighty Days? Well, this book is similar to that journey, but it is nonfiction. Birding Without Borders is a journey of a bird enthusiast who explored 41 countries, hoping to see at least half of the various bird species in the world. And boy, was he successful because he saw more than 6,000 species of birds on his journey!
This book depicts Strycker’s trip in a concise but exciting way. His journey was not a first-class trip by any means; instead, Strycker recalls his experiences with floods, war zones, leeches, getting no sleep, and other dangerous and devastating events. However, through his journey, Strycker also shares the unique perspective he gained from studying birds around the world.
This book is great for both bird enthusiasts and the average reader. Strycker does a great job taking the complex world of birding and making it accessible for everyone.
The stories that unfold in this book are carefully curated highlights of Noah’s many adventures. You’ll hear about some of his most special quests, and get all the juicy details about everything from dangerous roads to chronic sleep deprivation. And of course, there are plenty of interesting people along the way, too. You’ll learn about conservation efforts, witness bird behavior you never knew existed, and gain a greater appreciation for the role birds play in our ecosystem.
There are not many illustrations in this book. You will find a few sketches, but they are not colored. A few readers felt that the book wasn’t as interesting as the author’s blog (where he had written about his journey in greater depth while completing it). Some thought that the sections of the book where he lists the bird species he saw were long and tedious and that there wasn’t enough development. The book is available in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle.
Pros and Cons of Birding Without Borders: An Obsession, a Quest, and the Biggest Year in the World by Noah Strycker
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book details the journey of a birder who saw over 6,000 bird species in 41 countries over the course of one year. | There are not many illustrations in this book. You will find a few sketches, but they are not colored. |
| It summarizes the author’s trip in a concise but exciting way. | A few readers felt that the book wasn’t as interesting as the author’s blog. |
| The author lists the birds that he saw and also details the adventures and mishaps that he experienced. | Some readers thought some sections were long and tedious and that there wasn’t enough development. |
| The book helps readers to learn about conservation efforts and gain a great appreciation for birds. | |
| There are a few sketches in the book. | |
| The book is available in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle. |
- 336 pages.
- Learn about both traveling and birds.
- Get tips on viewing and conserving birds.
- Long and comfortable read.
3. The Sibley Guide to Birds by David Allen Sibley
This book is a proper guide entailing all the small identifiers that will instantly make you recognize the bird you spotted. It is written and illustrated by the famous ornithologist, David Allen Sibley. He has written quite a few guides to inspire readers about birds, and this one has become a “golden standard” among birders.
There aren’t just descriptions in this book. You will find visually pleasing pictures with vibrant colors so you are not fooled in your hunt. In addition, this book holds a detailed guide on what to expect when you see the respective birds found in the book. There are around 7,000 paintings in this book done by the author himself. They are very accurate and match the birds in real life. They are also amazingly colored and serve as a key identifier and guide for beginners. The book also has more than 700 updated maps that show the ranges and migrations of the various birds.
The Sibley Guide to Birds is only available in flexibound form (a balance between softcover and hardcover formats). It is a long read with 624 pages in total, but the knowledge it contains is complete and extensive, making this an excellent birding guide. So, prepare to make a cup of coffee daily to go with the reading!
However, a few birders who had the first edition in years past found that the text size in this newer edition of Sibley’s book was too small and some of the colors of the paintings were off.
Pros and Cons of The Sibley Guide to Birds by David Allen Sibley
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| The Sibley Guide to Birds has become one of the main standards for bird books over the years. | It is only available as a flexibound book. |
| It is written and illustrated by the famous ornithologist, David Allen Sible. | A few birders who had the first edition felt that the text size in this book was too small. |
| There are around 7,000 paintings of birds in this book to help you with identifying various species. | Some readers reported that the printing and coloring was off. |
| The book also has more than 700 updated maps that show the ranges and migrations of the various birds. | |
| It is available in flexibound form. | |
| The book is extensive with 624 pages. |
- 624 pages.
- Pleasing pictures help in bird identification.
- Short descriptions about birds.
- A top-rated guide.
4. The Backyard Bird Feeder’s Bible: The A-to-Z Guide To Feeders, Seed Mixes, Projects, And Treats by Sally Roth
If you’re looking to turn your backyard into an avian oasis, The Backyard Bird Feeder’s Bible by Sally Roth is a must-have! With insider tips on how to attract birds, create the perfect feeders, and find the ultimate seed mixes, this guide has everything you need. Plus, take your bird sanctuary to the next level with fun and easy DIY projects. This book has all the essentials for inviting and keeping the birds in your backyard. Written by Sally Roth, an award-winning author, you can guarantee this book is a good read. She has written over 20 books on birds.
You can read what kinds of fruits will attract your favorite birds to your yard. The book also provides tips and tricks to keep bird feeders attractive for birds, how to maintain them, and how to choose the right one. In addition, there are various descriptions of which specific fruits attract certain species. The writing is engaging and the information is extensive, making this a great book to have on hand for reading or using as a reference. There is SO much excellent information packed into this book!
The book is pretty extensive and has a total of 384 pages. However, you cannot grab the book online in a Kindle format. Instead, you can purchase it as a paperback or hardcover copy.
Pros and Cons of The Backyard Bird Feeder’s Bible: The A-to-Z Guide To Feeders, Seed Mixes, Projects, And Treats by Sally Roth
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This is the ultimate guide for turning your backyard into a bird’s paradise. | This book is not available in Kindle format. |
| You’ll learn how to attract birds, create the perfect bird feeders, and find the best seed mixes and fruits. | |
| This book also includes instructions for easy DIY projects. | |
| The author is an award winner who has written over 20 books on birds. | |
| The writing is engaging and fun to read. | |
| This book contains extensive information on backyard birding. | |
| It is 384 pages. | |
| This book is available as a paperback or hardcover. |
- 384 pages.
- Has various tips and tricks on bird feeding.
5. The Thing With Feathers: The Surprising Lives of Birds and What They Reveal About Being Human by Noah Strycker
If you are not much of a reader but still wish to learn about birds, this book has what you need. The Thing With Feathers is another great book written by Noah Strycker, who has uniquely depicted the intelligence of birds and the multitude of ways we can learn from them. The book contains amazing information told with humor and engaging stories.
The Thing With Feathers unravels many mysteries of a bird’s intelligence and how different it is from our own. Have you ever seen how a group of starlings flock? How a bowerbird attracts females by displaying its aesthetic sense? Or how nutcrackers have such a fantastic memory that they remember where thousands of seed locations are? You can discover all these and more through this book.
This book is just 304 pages and is available on Kindle, as an audiobook, a hardcover, and a paperback. Strycker skillfully intertwines captivating bird observations with thought-provoking insights into human behavior. You’ll find yourself hooked from cover to cover. The book is divided into three sections: Body, Mind, and Spirit. Each section is filled with fascinating standalone chapters.
However, be advised that this book is not solely about birds. A few avid birders were disappointed that this book didn’t include more specific bird-related information, and instead addresses both the bird world and the human world. But if you’re looking for cool and interesting personal stories about birds, this is a great book.
Pros and Cons of The Thing With Feathers: The Surprising Lives of Birds and What They Reveal About Being Human by Noah Strycker
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This is another great read written by Noah Strycker. | This book is not solely about birds (it’s very much about humans too). |
| The book details many interesting things about the intelligence of birds and how it differs from our own. | A few avid birders were disappointed that this book didn’t include more specific bird-related information. |
| It also provides many insights into what we can learn from birds. | |
| The book contains lots of great information told with humor and engaging stories. | |
| This book is just 304 pages. | |
| It is available on Kindle, as an audiobook, a hardcover, and a paperback. | |
| The author skillfully intertwines captivating bird observations with thought-provoking insights into human behavior. | |
| The book is divided into three sections: Body, Mind, and Spirit. |
- 304 pages.
- Exciting stories to relate birds and human behavior.
- Beautifully divided into three sections for easy reading.
6. Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans by John Marzluff
There are over 100 species of crows around the globe. In some countries, they are all black, while in others, they have grey shades as well. But one thing is certain: all crows are wickedly smart. Gifts of the Crow is written by two renowned authors, John Marzluff and Tony Angell, and goes into detail about the intelligence of these incredible animals. John is a wildlife science professor, while Tony is a wildlife artist. They have worked on a few books together.
Did you know that humans and crows have coevolved over millions of years? This book explains how this fascinating connection has shaped both of our species in many remarkable ways, and we actually have a lot in common. Crows have excellent memories, can trick other animals, love to play, use tools, and appear to mourn their dead.
Crows are also playful, social, and full of passion! They may have tiny bodies, but their brains are huge, allowing them to think, plan, and strategize. These lovebirds mate for life and have been known to stick with their relatives and neighbors for years. And if you care for them and provide food, you might even receive an unexpected gift in return!
The book is 320 pages long, with black and white sketches of crows and a few diagrams. The images are pretty detailed, eloquently designed, and provide a great visual among the rich text. You can get this book for Kindle or as an audiobook, a hardcover, and a paperback.
However, a few readers felt that this book had a bit too much scientific jargon and might be a bit too complicated for casual readers.
Pros and Cons of Gifts of the Crow: How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans by John Marzluff
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book provides all kinds of fascinating facts about crows. | A few readers felt that this book had a bit too much scientific jargon and might be a bit too complicated for casual readers. |
| It also goes into depth on how crows and humans have coevolved and the many connections that we share. | |
| There are detailed, black-and-white sketches of crows and diagrams included in the book. | |
| The book is available in Kindle, audiobook, hardcover, and paperback formats. | |
| It is 320 pages long. | |
| There are tons of fascinating facts that delve deep into the lives and behavior of crows. |
- 320 pages.
- Interesting perspective on crows.
- Learn more about crow psychology.
7. What It’s Like to Be a Bird: From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing — What Birds Are Doing, and Why by David Allen Sibley
Another beautiful book written and illustrated by ornithologist David Allen Sibley, What It’s Like to Be a Bird features many of the most commonly observed bird species. With over 330 new illustrations, this book provides insights into the lives of over 200 bird species including nuthatches, bluejays, Atlantic puffins, and chickadees. Sibley describes the unique behaviors of each species and brings them to life for readers on each page. Although Sibley is a bird expert, he skillfully makes this book engaging and nontechnical, so that it appeals to readers of all ages.
Although What It’s Like to Be a Bird serves as a great guidebook, it is more than that. It also contains lifesize illustrations and detailed facts about the behavior, appearance, attributes, habitats, and unique lives of many different types of birds. There is also an added section that explains what to do in various situations with birds, such as if you find a baby bird or if a bird flies into your window.
However, a few customers felt that this book was not organized very well. The birds are in taxonomical order, but this is not common knowledge for many readers. The book does not include an index, but there is a section towards the back called “Birds in this Book” that includes the page numbers for the different birds.
Pros and Cons of What It’s Like to Be a Bird: From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing — What Birds Are Doing, and Why by David Allen Sibley
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This book includes over 200 different bird species. | A few customers felt that this book was not organized very well. |
| It is written and illustrated by the famous ornithologist, David Allen Sibley, a renowned bird expert. | The birds are in taxonomical order, but this is not common knowledge for many readers. |
| It includes over 330 new illustrations. | |
| The book includes many commonly observed birds. | |
| The writing is engaging and nontechnical so that it appeals to readers of all ages. | |
| This is a great guidebook on birds. | |
| It also contains lifesize illustrations and detailed facts about the behavior, appearance, attributes, habitats, and unique lives of many different types of birds. | |
| There is an extra section with tips on what to do in common situations with birds. | |
| The “Birds in this Book” section near the back of the book includes page numbers for the different birds. |
- This book is written and illustrated by the famous ornithologist, David Allen Sibley, a renowned bird expert.
- It includes over 200 different bird species with 330 new illustrations.
- It contains lifesize illustrations and detailed facts about the behavior, appearance, attributes, habitats, and unique lives of many different types of birds.
How to Choose the Best Books About Birds
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the world of birds, there are a lot of options available. It can feel overwhelming, so here are some things to keep in mind when choosing the best books about birds:
- Your purpose
- Author
- Format
Your Purpose
Before you pick out a book about birds, you will first and foremost want to consider what your purpose in reading one of these books is. Are you wanting a how-to guide for how to attract birds to your backyard? A reference book for bird watching? Or are you wanting to just learn more fun facts about our feathered friends? There are all kinds of books about birds for both experienced birders as well as for casual readers. Some are more scientific in nature, while others are more journalistic with personal stories. Knowing what your purpose is and what you’re looking for will help you to choose a book that will be enjoyable for you.
Author
Next, you’ll want to take a closer look at the author of any prospective book about birds that you may want to read. The author’s background, expertise, and perspective will have a large impact on the quality and accuracy of the book’s information. An author who is a renowned ornithologist or has spent a lifetime studying birds will likely provide more detailed and trustworthy information than a beginner or someone without a scientific background.
Format
Lastly, it’s important to consider the book’s format. An encyclopedic reference guide is a great option if you want a book to quickly lookup a particular bird. On the other hand, books with more narrative and visual elements can be engaging and informative. Some books are more detailed and scientific, while others contain personal accounts and fun anecdotes. Reading reviews from other readers is a great way to see what type of book you might enjoy, and if the book in question is the right choice for you.
The 7 Best Books About Birds FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Why should I read books about birds?
Books about birds are a great way to increase your knowledge and appreciation for these fascinating creatures. Reading about birds can also be a relaxing activity while still engaging your mind and learning something new. Whether you’re a bird enthusiast, a photographer, or simply someone who enjoys learning more about the world around you, there’s a bird book out there for you.
What are some benefits of reading books about birds?
Reading books about birds can help you discover new species, learn about bird behavior and habitat, and provide you with a better understanding of the environment. Additionally, bird watching has been shown to have mental health benefits, such as reducing stress and helping people better relax.
Are bird books only for bird watchers?
No, not at all! While bird books are certainly popular among bird watchers, they are also enjoyed by readers who are interested in science, nature, and the environment. Many bird books are also beautifully illustrated and make for great coffee table books or gifts.
What is birding or birdwatching?
Birding, also known as birdwatching, is a hobby or activity in which people observe and enjoy birds in their natural habitats. Birders may use binoculars, spotting scopes, or cameras to help them identify or photograph bird species. Some birders enjoy keeping a lifelong “life list” of all the bird species they have seen, while others simply enjoy being outdoors and observing the natural world around them.
Birding is a very popular hobby enjoyed by millions of people around the world. It is also gaining popularity among younger generations, with a growing focus on conservation efforts and environmental education.
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