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The Bluebird Book by Donald and Lillian Stokes arrived in my mailbox today. Oh, the excitement of adding birdwatching books to my home library! How does a birdwatcher know which books to select for the shelves? What are the best books and where are they found?

Over the years, I have searched out and purchased bird books for my collection, so now I have a nice selection of birding reference books to guide me in my hobby. Which are the best? My answers, of course, are opinion, but I will share with you my favorite birdwatching books and guides, how I choose them, and where you can find them. Books can be terribly expensive and take up precious space, so be certain you truly want and need a text before you purchase it.

Use the public library
I started by visiting the public library and checking out books from their vast supply to study and read. Some I found very useful. Some were beautiful and inspiring, but lacked the information I was after. Some of the books were difficult to use; their indexes and layout hard to decipher. Some are full of great material, but plain and boring-looking.

I checked out two or three bird books on each library visit. My library had many of the main field guides, so that I could see which were the most useful to my area and my needs. Having the time to look through a book at leisure before buying it is a great help.

Bookstores
In the bookstore, I found more field guides and newer books that weren’t available from my library. I looked through these. The bookstores I go to, Barnes and Nobles, Hastings Borders and used bookstores have birdlovers’ shelves in the nature and science sections. I have to hold onto my money. Those books are hard to resist!