Product details
Biographical note
Naturalist, wildlife photographer and writer Stan Tekiela is the author of more than 175 field guides, nature books, children’s books, wildlife audio CDs, puzzles and playing cards, presenting many species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, trees, wildflowers and cacti in the United States. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural History from the University of Minnesota and as an active professional naturalist for more than 25 years, Stan studies and photographs wildlife throughout the United States and Canada. He has received various national and regional awards for his books and photographs. Also a well-known columnist and radio personality, his syndicated column appears in more than 25 newspapers and his wildlife programs are broadcast on a number of Midwest radio stations.
Get the New Edition of the Dakotas’ Best-Selling Bird Guide
Learn to identify birds in North Dakota and South Dakota, and make bird-watching even more enjoyable. With Stan Tekiela’s famous field guide, bird identification is simple and informative. There’s no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don’t live in your area. This book features 131 species of North and South Dakota birds organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don’t know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out.
Book Features:
- 131 species: Only North Dakota and South Dakota birds
- Simple color guide: See a yellow bird? Go to the yellow section
- Compare feature: Decide between look-alikes
- Stan’s Notes: Naturalist tidbits and facts
- Professional photos: Crisp, stunning full-page images
This new edition includes more species, updated photographs and range maps, revised information, and even more of Stan’s expert insights. So grab Birds of the Dakotas Field Guide for your next birding adventure—to help ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see.
This updated field guide, organized by color, features full-color photographs and information to help readers easily identify North and South Dakota birds.
Introduction
- What’s New?
- Why Watch Birds in North Dakota and South Dakota?
- Observation Strategies: Tips to Identify Birds
- Bird Basics
- Bird Color Variables
- Bird Nests
- Who Builds the Nest?
- Fledging
- Why Birds Migrate
- How Do Birds Migrate?
- How to Use This Guide
- Range Maps
Sample Pages
The Birds
- Black
- Black and White
- Blue
- Brown
- Gray
- Green
- Orange
- Red
- White
- Yellow
Birding on the Internet
Checklist/Index by Species
Observation Notes
More by Stan Tekiela
About the Author
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
Size: 5" (13 cm)
Male: A perky yellow bird with a black patch on forehead. Black tail with conspicuous white rump. Black wings with white wing bars. No marking on the chest. Dramatic change in color during winter, similar to female.
Female: dull olive yellow without a black forehead, with brown wings and white rump
Juvenile: same as female
Nest: cup; female builds; 1 brood per year
Eggs: 4-6; pale blue without markings
Incubation: 10-12 days; female incubates
Fledging: 11-17 days; female and male feed young
Migration: partial migrator, flocks of up to 20 birds move around North America
Food: seeds, insects, will come to seed feeders
Compare: Pine Siskin (pg. 81) has streaked chest and yellow wing bars. The female House Finch (pg. 83) has a heavily streaked white chest. Male Yellow Warbler (pg. 295) is all yellow with orange streaks on chest. Male Wilson’s Warbler (pg. 287) lacks black wings.
Stan’s Notes: Most often found in open fields, scrubby areas and in woodlands. Often called Wild Canary. A feeder bird that enjoys Nyjer seed. Late summer nesting, uses the silky down from wild thistle for nest. Appears roller-coaster-like in flight. Listen for it to twitter during flight. Almost always in small flocks. Moves only far enough south to find food.
The Bird Identification Guides are state- and region-specific field guides. They utilize an innovative, user-friendly format to make bird identification simple, informative, and fun. Written by award-winning author Stan Tekiela and featuring full-color photography, each book conveniently organizes birds—only species found in that region—by such categories as color or group. Readers open the book to the correct grouping, where every species gets a full-page photo with a corresponding full-page description that includes size, appearance, migration, food, range maps, and more, not to mention the author’s fascinating naturalist notes. A compare feature helps to ensure positive bird identification—and males and females even get their own entries if their appearances vary. At 4.38" x 6", the compact books are easy to carry on hikes and easy to keep handy near a window. Most Bird Identification Guides include well over 100 species and are priced below $20.
Get the New Edition of the Dakotas’ Best-Selling Bird Guide
Learn to identify birds in North Dakota and South Dakota, and make bird-watching even more enjoyable. With Stan Tekiela’s famous field guide, bird identification is simple and informative. There’s no need to look through dozens of photos of birds that don’t live in your area. This book features 131 species of North and South Dakota birds organized by color for ease of use. Do you see a yellow bird and don’t know what it is? Go to the yellow section to find out.
Book Features:
- 131 species: Only North Dakota and South Dakota birds
- Simple color guide: See a yellow bird? Go to the yellow section
- Compare feature: Decide between look-alikes
- Stan’s Notes: Naturalist tidbits and facts
- Professional photos: Crisp, stunning full-page images
This new edition includes more species, updated photographs and range maps, revised information, and even more of Stan’s expert insights. So grab Birds of the Dakotas Field Guide for your next birding adventure—to help ensure that you positively identify the birds that you see.
This updated field guide, organized by color, features full-color photographs and information to help readers easily identify North and South Dakota birds.
Introduction
- What’s New?
- Why Watch Birds in North Dakota and South Dakota?
- Observation Strategies: Tips to Identify Birds
- Bird Basics
- Bird Color Variables
- Bird Nests
- Who Builds the Nest?
- Fledging
- Why Birds Migrate
- How Do Birds Migrate?
- How to Use This Guide
- Range Maps
Sample Pages
The Birds
- Black
- Black and White
- Blue
- Brown
- Gray
- Green
- Orange
- Red
- White
- Yellow
Birding on the Internet
Checklist/Index by Species
Observation Notes
More by Stan Tekiela
About the Author
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
Size: 5" (13 cm)
Male: A perky yellow bird with a black patch on forehead. Black tail with conspicuous white rump. Black wings with white wing bars. No marking on the chest. Dramatic change in color during winter, similar to female.
Female: dull olive yellow without a black forehead, with brown wings and white rump
Juvenile: same as female
Nest: cup; female builds; 1 brood per year
Eggs: 4-6; pale blue without markings
Incubation: 10-12 days; female incubates
Fledging: 11-17 days; female and male feed young
Migration: partial migrator, flocks of up to 20 birds move around North America
Food: seeds, insects, will come to seed feeders
Compare: Pine Siskin (pg. 81) has streaked chest and yellow wing bars. The female House Finch (pg. 83) has a heavily streaked white chest. Male Yellow Warbler (pg. 295) is all yellow with orange streaks on chest. Male Wilson’s Warbler (pg. 287) lacks black wings.
Stan’s Notes: Most often found in open fields, scrubby areas and in woodlands. Often called Wild Canary. A feeder bird that enjoys Nyjer seed. Late summer nesting, uses the silky down from wild thistle for nest. Appears roller-coaster-like in flight. Listen for it to twitter during flight. Almost always in small flocks. Moves only far enough south to find food.
The Bird Identification Guides are state- and region-specific field guides. They utilize an innovative, user-friendly format to make bird identification simple, informative, and fun. Written by award-winning author Stan Tekiela and featuring full-color photography, each book conveniently organizes birds—only species found in that region—by such categories as color or group. Readers open the book to the correct grouping, where every species gets a full-page photo with a corresponding full-page description that includes size, appearance, migration, food, range maps, and more, not to mention the author’s fascinating naturalist notes. A compare feature helps to ensure positive bird identification—and males and females even get their own entries if their appearances vary. At 4.38" x 6", the compact books are easy to carry on hikes and easy to keep handy near a window. Most Bird Identification Guides include well over 100 species and are priced below $20.