Field Guide to North American Flycatchers - by Cin-Ty Lee (Paperback)

About the Book

"A highly illustrated, portable field guide to two families of flycatchers, Myiarchus and Tyrannus, some of the most difficult birds to ID in the field"--

Book Synopsis

A richly illustrated, portable guide to two of the most challenging groups of flycatchers to identify in the field

The identification of flycatchers can be a daunting challenge for even the most seasoned birder. The Field Guide to North American Flycatchers series takes bird identification to an entirely new level by training readers to observe subtle differences in structure, color patterns, and vocalizations before delving into the finer details of a particular species.

Because the plumages of flycatchers are so similar, this innovative guide uses illustrations that highlight slight variations among species that photos often miss. One of the last frontiers of bird identification is now accessible to everyone--once one knows what to look for.

• Uses a holistic approach that makes flycatcher identification possible even for beginners
• Features a wealth of beautiful illustrations that depict every species in North America
• Shows how to observe subtle differences in structure, plumage contrasts, and vocalizations, which together create a distinctive overall impression of the bird
• Includes detailed audio spectrograms and seasonal distribution maps for each species
• Shares invaluable tips for successful identification in all kinds of field settings
• Compact and field-friendly--the ideal travel companion for any birder

This guide is dedicated to kingbirds and Myiarchus flycatchers. Combined with the first volume in this identification series, which focuses on Empidonax flycatchers and pewees, these companion guides are the most comprehensive and accessible treatments of flycatcher identification to date.

Review Quotes

"The author's expertise is shared methodically and with great clarity, making it very accessible."---Bo Beolens, FatBirder

"Essential reading. . . . What Prof. Lee and Mr. Birch have provided to the birdwatching and natural history communities deserves high praise indeed. Ensuring that their work is read, employed, and recommended are three of the best ways to seeing to that they receive due recognition for it."---John E. Riutta, The Well-read Naturalist

"[Field Guide to North American Flycatchers] is an exceptional identification guide, innovative in its focus on holistic identification presented through detailed, readable text; scientific illustrations; diagrammatic presentations of vocalizations and geographic distribution, and explanations of how to put it all together to come up with an identification. . . . Birch's brilliantly precise illustrations of each species are laid out in comparative plates, with Lee's text describing the often subtle differences amongst them."---Donna Schulman, 10,000 Birds

"I would stand no risk of being accused of hyperbole were I to state that birders have been waiting for this book for a very long time . . . Cin-Ty Lee and Andrew Birch continue to provide identification tips for birds that are among the most difficult to identify, especially where the ranges of similar species overlap. It is not without courage that such a challenge has been accepted by this author and this artist."---David M. Gascoigne, Travels with Birds

About the Author

Cin-Ty Lee is a geologist in the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences at Rice University. Andrew Birch is an artist who has provided illustrations for numerous bird identification articles and books.