Best of
Field-Guides

2016

Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fungi of Coastal Northern California


Christian Schwarz - 2016
    Each entry has a photograph, along with well-researched, up-to-date information on the fungi's description, ecology, and edibility. Written in a clear and concise style, Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast teaches beginning and experienced mushroom hunters how to find, photograph, and identify mushrooms, from common species to hard-to-find standouts. With tips on mushroom hunting, descriptions of specific biozones, and an easy-to-use key for identification, this guide is a much-needed update for a perennially popular category.

Britain's Birds: An Identification Guide to the Birds of Britain and Ireland


Rob Hume - 2016
    This is the most comprehensive, up-to-date and practical bird book of modern times, featuring an unrivalled selection of photographs that show all the plumages you are likely to see. Focusing on identification, and containing maps, facts and figures on numbers and distributions, this breakthrough publication was devised by a team of lifelong birdwatchers, all with many years' experience of showing people birds and producing user-friendly field guides.Comprehensive coverage of every bird recorded in Britain and IrelandThe only photographic guide to show all plumages likely to be encounteredMore than 3,200 superb colour photographs carefully selected to show key identification featuresMany photographs of individual rare birds identified in Britain and IrelandSimple steps to help you find and identify any bird you seePages designed to allow easy and accurate comparisonLatest information on status, population, distribution and conservation designationsDistribution maps featuring summer, winter and resident ranges, plus details of migration routes to and from Britain and Ireland

Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fungi of Coastal Northern California


Noah Siegel - 2016
    Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast will help beginning and experienced mushroom hunters alike to find and identify mushrooms, from common to rare, delicious to deadly, and interesting to beautiful. This user-friendly reference covers coastal California from Monterey County to the Oregon border with full treatments of more than 750 species, and references to hundreds more. With tips on mushroom collecting, descriptions of specific habitats and biozones, updated taxonomy, and outstanding photography, this guide is far and away the most modern and comprehensive treatment of mushrooms in the region. Each species profile pairs a photograph with an in-depth description, as well as notes on ecology, edibility, toxicity, and look-alike species. Written by mushroom identification experts and supported by extensive field work, Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast is an indispensable guide for anyone curious about fungi.From the Trade Paperback edition.

Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Northern Central America


Jesse Fagan - 2016
    This guide is far more complete than previous ones, with more than 800 species accounts, full-color range maps, and 1,000 beautiful illustrations and behavioral vignettes covering all species recorded in the region. This guide is designed for birders to carry in the field, and it is a must-have for any birder who visits the area.

Bovids of the World: Antelopes, Gazelles, Cattle, Goats, Sheep, and Relatives


José R. Castelló - 2016
    Bovids of the World is the first comprehensive field guide to cover all 279 bovid species, including antelopes, gazelles, cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats. From the hartebeest of Africa and the takin of Asia to the muskox of North America, bovids are among the world's most spectacular animals and this stunningly illustrated and easy-to-use field guide is an ideal way to learn more about them.The guide covers all species and subspecies of bovids described to date. It features more than 300 superb full-color plates depicting every kind of bovid, as well as detailed facing-page species accounts that describe key identification features, horn morphology, distribution, subspeciation, habitat, and conservation status in the wild. This book also shows where to observe each species and includes helpful distribution maps.Suitable for anyone with an interest in natural history, Bovids of the World is a remarkable and attractive reference, showcasing the range and beauty of these important mammals.The first comprehensive field guide to all 279 bovid species337 full-color plates, with more than 1,500 photographsDetailed species accounts describe key identification features, distribution, subspeciation, habitat, behavior, reproduction, and conservation statusFully updated and revised taxonomy, with common and scientific namesEasy-to-read distribution maps

Amphibians of Costa Rica: A Field Guide


Twan Leenders - 2016
    A diminutive nation with abundant natural wealth, the country is host to 146 species of frogs and toads. Frogs of gemlike beauty and dizzying variety abound: some species can fit on the end of a human finger; others would take two hands to hold. In the rainforests, you can find frogs capable of gliding from high in the treetops to the forest floor, some that carry their eggs or their tadpoles around on their back, and others that secrete glue-like substances from their skin that are capable of sticking shut the mouth of attacking snakes.Costa Rica is also home to fifty-three species of lungless salamanders, whose unique adaptations and abilities have allowed them to colonize habitats inaccessible to other amphibians. In addition to the spectacularly diverse salamanders, frogs, and toads found in the country, this guide includes the caecilians--bizarre and highly specialized creatures that somewhat resemble giant worms.Author, photographer, and conservation biologist Twan Leenders has been studying the herpetofauna of Central America for more than twenty years. Leenders and his team of researchers have traipsed the rainforests, dry forests, and swamps of Costa Rica--toting portable photo studios--to put together the richest collection of photographs of Costa Rican herpetofauna known to exist. In addition to hundreds of photographs, range maps, morphological illustrations, and precise descriptions of key field characteristics, Amphibians of Costa Rica offers a wealth of natural history information, describing prey and predators, breeding strategies, habitat, and conservation status.

Mosses, Liverworts, and Hornworts: A Field Guide to the Common Bryophytes of the Northeast


Ralph Pope - 2016
    They flourish particularly well in moist, humid forests, filling many ecological roles. They provide seedbeds for the larger plants of the community and homes to countless arthropods, they capture and recycle nutrients that are washed with rainwater from the canopy, and they bind the soil to keep it from eroding. This photo-based field guide to the more common or distinctive bryophytes of northeastern North America gives beginners the tools they need to identify most specimens without using a compound microscope. Ralph Pope's inviting text and helpful photographs cover not only the true mosses but also the Sphagnaceae (the peat mosses), liverworts, and hornworts.The heart of any field guide is the ability to narrow down a large number of possibilities to a single species, and this book does that with a variety of keying strategies. Traditional dichotomous keys are included, and there are also quick keys based on habitat and special morphological characteristics. The organization of the species pages is by plant family, an arrangement likely to resonate with readers with some plant background or botanical interest. Mosses, Liverworts, and Hornworts also features information on collecting, preserving, and identifying specimens to help hikers, naturalists, botanists, and gardeners find their way into this beautiful miniature world. Sections on bryophyte biology and ecology provide taxonomic and ecological context.

Mushrooms of the Northeast: A Simple Guide to Common Mushrooms


Teresa Marrone - 2016
    The species (from Morel Mushrooms to Shelf Mushrooms) are organized by shape, then by color, so you can identify them by their visual characteristics. Plus, with the Top Edibles and Top Toxics sections, you'll begin to learn which are the edible wild mushrooms. The information in the book, written by Teresa Marrone and Walt Sturgeon, is accessible to beginners but useful for even experienced mushroom seekers.

Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians Eastern & Central North America


Roger Conant - 2016
    It includes descriptions of 122 newly recognized or recently established non-native species, updated maps, and new figures and photos. Color illustrations and drawings show key details for accurate identification. More than 100 color photographs and 322 color distribution maps accompany the species descriptions. Clear and concise species accounts provide key characteristics, similar species, habitats, and ranges, as well as subspecies, voice descriptions, and conservation status. This edition will be a crucial resource for professional and amateur herpetologists, naturalists, outdoor enthusiasts, and students.

Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Britain and Europe


Jeroen Speybroeck - 2016
    The last illustrated field guide to European reptiles and amphibians was first published 38 years ago, and remains oudated despite occasional reprints and new editions. This major new field guide addresses this deficiency. A total of 219 species are covered in detail, with a focus on identification and geographical variation; species texts also cover distribution, habitat and behaviour. Superb colour illustrations by talented artist Ilian Velikov depict every species and all major variations, and colour photographs are also included for most species. This groundbreaking new guide will become the definitive field reference for these two groups of animals. It includes: - Over 370 colour artworks and 200 colour photographs - 155 accurate and up-to-date distribution maps - Easy-to-use keys and tables to help with swift species identification

Atlantic Seashore Field Guide: Florida to Canada


J. Duane Sept - 2016
    A photographic guide to the common plants and animals that inhabit the intertidal zone--the area covered by water at high tide and exposed during low tide--on the Atlantic coast from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to Cape Breton, Canada.- Includes color photos, descriptions, and details for crabs, crustaceans, mollusks and their shells, jellies, barnacles, shrimp, worms, squid, mosses, seaweeds, and lichens- Learn how to identify over 500 of the most common intertidal species- Covers all different types of intertidal habitats, whether rocky, sandy, or muddy

Peterson Reference Guide to Woodpeckers of North America


Stephen A. Shunk - 2016
    From the iconic Woody Woodpecker to the ubiquitous Northern Flicker, woodpeckers have long captivated our attention. Their astonishing anatomy makes them one of the most specialized bird families in the world, and their keystone ecological roles in our forests and woodlands makes them some of the most important birds on the continent.This comprehensive and authoritative guide to the natural history, ecology, and conservation of North America’s 23 woodpecker species goes far beyond identification. It explores their unique anatomy and their fascinating and often comical behaviors; it covers each species’ North American conservation status; and it showcases over 250 stunning photographs of woodpeckers in their natural habitats, plus easy-to-read figures and range maps. This reference guide is an essential addition to every birder's library.

Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia and Surrounding States


Linda Chafin - 2016
    Botanist Linda G. Chafin has organized the scientific information in a clear, logical, and accessible way. The guide includes nontechnical species descriptions and comparisons with similar plants, information on the habitats and natural communities that support Georgia's wildflowers, and suggestions for the best places and times to see wildflowers. It also features descriptions of the wildflowers found in forests, woodlands, and wetlands, as well as those growing along roadsides that are often dismissed as "weeds" but which may first attract the attention of budding naturalists.FEATURES: A set of 750 thumbnail photographs that allows users to identify plants by flower color Detailed descriptions for 770 of the most common wildflowers found in Georgia and throughout most of the Southeast, as well as additional information for 530 "similar to" species Descriptions of the natural communities in Georgia where wildflowers may be easily seen An alphabetical arrangement by plant family, with each plant family broken down alphabetically by genus and species A guide to the pronunciation of scientific names Lightweight and sturdy enough for the field but inclusive enough for the reference shelf 90% or more of the species in this guide also occur in Alabama, North Carolina, and South Carolina 80% or more of the species in this guide also occur in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia

All About Backyard Birds: Western North America


Laura Erickson - 2016
    East and West North American versions each provide 120 of the most popular species in each region, filled with beautiful hand illustrations by Pedro Fernandes, charts and maps, and other easy tools that make All About Backyard Birds more approachable than other birding books to beginner and novice birders.All About Backyard Birds also includes a free download and tutorial of MERLIN®, an interactive GPS-based bird identification multimedia App, available on iTunes and Android stores (and already used by more than one million birders).As with all Cornell Lab Publishing Group books, a full 35% of the net proceeds from the sale of All About Backyard Birds goes directly to Cornell Lab to support projects such as children’s educational and community programs.

British Butterflies and Moths (Collins Complete Guides)


Paul Sterry - 2016
    There follows the main section of the book, which covers our larger moths; every species that occurs regularly in Britain and Ireland is mentioned.