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A field guide to the "hottest" of hotspots to look for birds in Illinois along with over 325 species of birds found regularly in the State. Also includes sections explaining how to get into birdwatching, what birds to look for in each season and where, 325 primary and 30 rare species that can be seen in the state, a glossary with various bird terms, bird field marks, pictures with different types of habitats, a checklist, and much more! Below are sections from the text.
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After 15 years of birding throughout Illinois and seeing what it all has to offer, I have decided it was time to share the knowledge I have gained and complete a field guide book of where to bird throughout the state along with a set of species that are regularly found. Through this 270 page text, I hope anyone, avid birdwatcher to someone who has never even picked up binoculars, gets a better understanding of not just the birds in this great state, but also learn more about ecosystems and get out and explore much more! Below I have a few sample pages from the text.
Link to purchase is at the bottom on this page! If you are a business or individual that is wanting to purchase larger quantities, reach out to me at [email protected] to get in touch!
Also, not to be forgotten, my first text A Guide to Finding Birds Along the Illinois River Flyway can be purchased on Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc.
Link to purchase is at the bottom on this page! If you are a business or individual that is wanting to purchase larger quantities, reach out to me at [email protected] to get in touch!
Also, not to be forgotten, my first text A Guide to Finding Birds Along the Illinois River Flyway can be purchased on Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc.
For the introduction after a short Preface, the first section is how to get into birdwatching, a step by step process from starting from scratch to becoming an experienced birder. "Birding in Illinois" follows and this explains for different regions of the state, where to bird and what birds to key in on each season. A few pictures of birds I discuss are presented throughout this section.
The first main chapter of this text is "Key Hotspots in Illinois". I wanted to make this text a 'combo' for hotspots to bird and a guide to most bird species that regularly occur in Illinois. Because of this, I decided to go more in-depth with hotspots. This chapter is broken into five sections (regions of the state) with over 20 hotspots or areas. Each location includes the best time to visit, key species to look for, and description on where to bird at each location. Most hotspots have at least a picture showing a habitat or location discussed in that section.
"Primary Species Accounts" then follows the Hotspots Chapter. In this section, I describe 325 species that regularly occur in Illinois. The descriptions are short, concise, but still help with identifying a species by sight, sound, habitats found, when it is possible to see it, how to differentiate from other similar species, and other info! Custom range maps were made for each species and captions for some species are presented when showing different sexes, ages, or morphs. ALL pictures in this section and throughout the book were taking from Illinois as we were committed to make this happen! Not many state field guide texts can say that!
This is another sample side by side layout. This continues to show the importance of amazing photographs, specific range maps, and other beneficial information for each species.
Throughout this chapter for larger groups or families, I present a primer section to introduce the group of species to come. This may include more beneficial or generalized information, more or less a primer for what is to come. For example for shorebirds, this section starts with a generalized layout of the species, general migration timing in the spring and fall, as well as a table showing where different species (typically) feed on mudflats and a map of the best shorebird sites in Illinois.
The last main chapter is the "Rarity Species Accounts." In this, I showcase 30 species that are irregular in the state, but can be found more often than more 'accidental' species. For this section, most species have a picture or two, and a short description on when to find, where to find, and how to identify.
The last section is the "Back Matter," in which I start with acknowledging all of the photographers who contributed and everyone that has helped me during my career thus far. This is followed by a short glossary, a few pictures showing bird field marks that are discussed throughout, pictures of over 20 'bird habitats' that are discussed throughout the text that may not be common knowledge, and a species checklist of all birds species recorded in the state in accordance to the Illinois Records Committee. I created a 1-5 code system for how rare a species is and also noted species that regularly breed and some that are extirpated from the state.