More on birds: Books and words

By Jim Williams, Special to the Star Tribune

Last update: October 9, 2007 - 4:10 PM

Bird word

Flyway: The natural paths that birds often travel during migration. Land features -- such as river valleys, mountains and seacoasts -- determine flyways. In the Midwest, the Mississippi River corridor forms a flyway. Some of our migrants are (and have been) heading south along that flyway this fall. Come spring, they'll follow it back.

Book in brief

Have you ever wished that you could find a bird identification book that lets you listen to real bird songs instead of just giving the author's verbal interpretation of those songs? Well, here it is -- text, painting and recorded song all under one cover.

"Bird Songs: 250 North American Birds in Song" (Chronicle Books, $45) is too big to be taken into the field. But when you're sitting at the kitchen table, you can open it to "Scarlet Tanager," see the bird, read a brief summary of its life and habits, then press the magic button and hear the bird sing.

Author Les Beletsky made what seem to be some arbitrary selections from the more than 750 species in North America, so every bird you wish to hear might not be included in the book. But being able to listen to the song of the tufted puffin any time -- well, that more than compensates for that shortcoming.

Recent Home + Garden stories

For recordings of bird songs, call 612-673-7800 - October 9, 2007

For recordings of bird songs, call 612-673-7800 - For recordings of bird songs, call 612-673-7800, and when prompted press the following four-digit numbers: More