Books and other holiday gift suggestions

If you continue to shop for holiday gifts, here are some bird-related book suggestions and other ideas from Paul Baicich, editor of The Birding Wire, a newsletter from The Outdoor Wire Digital Network. (Baicich is former editor of the American Birding Association magazine "Birding," and is active as a guide and speaker. He knows birds.)

Ecology and Conservation of North American Sea Ducks - a heavy-duty treatment edited by five experts

Better Birding - friendly skill-building by George L. Armistead and Brian L. Sullivan

Baby Birds - informative and ultra-cute by Julie Zickefoose,

The Kiskadee of Death - a birder-murder mystery by Jan Dunlop

Bird Families of the World: A Guide to the Spectacular Diversity of Birds - an elegant compendium by David Winkler, Shawn Billerman, and Irby Lovette

Woodpeckers of North America - a handsome reference by Stephen A. Shunk

Listening to a Continent Sing: Birdsong by Bicycle from the Atlantic to the Pacific - a ten-week bicycle journey by Don Kroodsma

Cat Wars - investigating a cuddly killer by Peter Marra and Chris Santella

Field Guide to Birds of Northern Central America - a tight and informative guide by Jesse Fagan and Oliver Komar

National Park Roads - much more than a coffee-table book by Tim Davis

Also consider buying a bird-feeder (along with accompanying quality seed) for that relative or neighbor just getting interested in birds.

Think about binoculars for some youngster in your life. We are suggesting a quality pair, not just compact binoculars, which have smaller objective lenses, and which are often dimmer and difficult to use when trying to locate a bird in the binoculars. And remember, you also don't have to break the bank to find good binoculars for youngsters these days.

Think about giving bags of bird-friendly coffee as gifts. Look around for triple-labeled brands, combining shade-grown, organic, and fair-traded features. The coffee tastes great, and it can start up great conversations about impacting bird conservation through regular shopping.

Consider a Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp - a "Duck Stamp" to help build the Refuge System and to serve as a free pass through June for all NWRs that may charge for entry.

Archives for The Birding Wire can be found at

http://refugeassociation.org/news/birding-bulletin