Introduction to California Birdlife - (California Natural History Guides) by Jules Evens (Paperback)

About the Book

An introduction to the behavior and natural history of California's birds, organized by their habitats.

Book Synopsis

In almost every location and every season, California is a birdwatchers' paradise. One can search Sierra meadows for a Great Gray Owl, the autumn estuary for a Black-bellied Plover, or spring willow thickets for the effervescent song of the Yellow Warbler. Closer to home, backyards, neighborhood parks, and cities abound with many of the state's 600-plus bird species. This beautifully illustrated book, the first based on the relationship between birds and their habitats, is the definitive introduction to California's varied birds and the lives they lead.

Introduction to California Birdlife describes the representative birds in California's seven major bioregions: ocean, seashore, coastal ranges, Central Valley, mountains and foothills, Great Basin, and deserts. It explains key relationships among weather patterns, plant communities, and the ecological rhythms of these habitats and shows how these factors relate to the distribution, behavioral adaptations, and environmental challenges of its birds.

* The perfect book for beginning and intermediate naturalists, and in-depth enough for experienced naturalists who would like to learn more about the habitat affinities, ecological niches, and seasonal cycles of California birds

* 150 color photographs bring to life many of the birds described

* Introduces the basics of avian biology

* Includes a list of all California's known bird species and a glossary of birding terms

From the Back Cover

"As a longtime birder, ornithologist, and naturalist, Evens has the breadth of understanding of California's avifauna like few others have. . . . Tait's photos are outstanding-it's obvious he's been at it for decades. . . . Anyone interested in the natural history of California will want to read this book."--Jeff N. Davis, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz

"This is the first book on California birds that is based on habitats. I would have loved to have it when I started birdwatching in 1958! I would have read it cover to cover a dozen times and slept with it under my pillow."--Steve Laymon, Natural Resource Specialist, Bureau of Land Management

Review Quotes

"I would have loved to have had a book like this when I started birdwatching in 1958! I would have read it cover to cover a dozen times and slept with it under my pillow. This is the first time that a book on birds based on habitats has been done for California."

About the Author

Jules Evens, principal of Avocet Research Associates, is a field biologist who has specialized in California birds for 25 years. He is author of The Natural History of the Point Reyes Peninsula (revised edition, 1993). Ian Tait is a wildlife photographer whose work has appeared in scientific and popular journals as well as museum exhibits. He is an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society.