Birding is the fastest growing wildlife-related outdoor activity in the U.S., with at least a million new birders a year estimated to join an already robust group some 80 million strong. For these beginning and intermediate enthusiasts,National Geographic Birding Essentialsis a must. Comprehensive and authoritative, yet engaging and user-friendly, it teaches readers how to begin and improve their birding... what to look and listen for... and how to make sense of what they see and hear. A unique visual component shows actual field guide pages and how to read them, while another compares the same bird in photography versus artwork and explains how to use both for species identification. National Geographic's quality photography is a major highlight of the book, supplemented by pencil drawings and full-color maps to give the novice and intermediate birder a full range of visual information. Field Ornithologists Jonathan Alderfer and Jon Dunn have crafted a masterful guide, striking just the right balance of practical information and reader-friendly tone. Chapters discuss the pleasures of birding, equipment needed, how to read range maps, birds' physical features, how to identify birds, identification challenges, bird classification and suggested books and journals for building a fine birding library. National Geographic has established a stellar reputation among birders with our blockbusterField Guide to the Birds of North America.The tradition continues as we serve an entry-level market that continually needs the helpful, up-to-the-minute information found inNational Geographic Birding Essentials.

Jonathan Alderfer is chief consultant for the National Geographic Birding Program and a widely published author and field guide illustrator. Most recently, he was co-author of the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Fifth Edition (Fall 2006).

Jon L. Dunn is an expert on the identification and distribution of North American birds. He has a long history with the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, having served as chief consultant on four previous editions and co-author on the fifth edition (Fall 2006).