This is for Ohio bird watchers but anyone with suggestions would be most welcomed.I'm looking for a good pocket size book that I could carry in the field and keep close by indoors when watching my feeder.I'm getting more birds now but am very new to this and would like to identify those birds visiting my feeder here in North East Ohio.Thanks to all who responds in advance.
-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Pocket field guide for Ohio song birds (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter cjp1953
- Start date
I'm surprised - disappointed, in fact - that you've not had a reply here, and I don't have the local knowledge to advise you well. But...
I suspect from your request that what you really need is something that's beginner-standard simple and/or limited to garden - sorry, 'yard' - birds and/or restricted to NE North America. And I don't know of one.
So, unless someone American comes up with something, you may consider this:
This also has the advantages that it's an absolutely top-notch book for any birder, depends largely just on the excellent illustrations (with a few accompanying short notes), and its coverage of species beyond your current needs may encourage you to enjoy birding in a wider way.
I suspect from your request that what you really need is something that's beginner-standard simple and/or limited to garden - sorry, 'yard' - birds and/or restricted to NE North America. And I don't know of one.
So, unless someone American comes up with something, you may consider this:
nartreb
Speak softly and carry a long lens
You're not going to find a printed guide for birds of just Ohio (though you might find a list on Wikipedia). You want a guide to birds of Eastern North America. (Ohio gets the same birds as the rest of the eastern US, minus some subtropical and pelagic species.) I'm partial to the Peterson guide myself: Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Eastern & Central North America but I hear great things about the National Geographic NG Field Guide to Birds of North America, and you can't go far wrong with the Sibley.
None of these are really pocket-sized; you just won't get much use out of a guide that's too small.
More opinions here: Best bird guides by region...North America
None of these are really pocket-sized; you just won't get much use out of a guide that's too small.
More opinions here: Best bird guides by region...North America
If your focus is really on birds at feeders, I've come across this:
Small and cheap.
Fandango739
GeoBird
Actually, there IS a pocket size book entitled "Birds of Ohio," by Stan Tekiela. I have seen his work for another state and found Birds of Ohio easily on Amazon.com. The photos tend to be good, plus there are adequate notes for novice birders. It would be small enough to carry in the field.
Birds of Ohio Field Guide (Bird Identification Guides): Tekiela, Stan: 9781591939610: Amazon.com: Books
Personally, I would say jump in all the way and go with one of the bigger books: Sibley or Peterson.
Birds of Ohio Field Guide (Bird Identification Guides): Tekiela, Stan: 9781591939610: Amazon.com: Books
Personally, I would say jump in all the way and go with one of the bigger books: Sibley or Peterson.
Thanks I was looking today and saw that book you mentioned.Might have to get more than one.
Microtus
Maryland USA (he/him)
It's good to have more than one book.
qwerty5
Controversial opinion generator
Sibley is a must-have in my opinion. As Microtus said, it's always better to have more than one field guide.
Not a pocket guide but there is/was a CD of songs and calls of 103 of Ohio’s most common breeding birds that are found primarily in upland habitats. The accompanying guide book is online here, together with a number of other "field guides" from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Not sure if/how the CD is still available - or this, which is a bit more comprehensive.
Last edited:
