A visit to any of the Smithsonian's 16 museums and galleries or the National Zoo is an adventure into the world's largest museum complex. The Smithsonian Institution holds more than 140 million artifacts and specimens in trust for the American people. The Institution, also a center for research, is dedicated to public education, national service, and scholarship in the arts, sciences, and history. The Smithsonian was established in 1846 with funds bequeathed to the United States by James Smithson, an English scientist, for the increase and diffusion of knowledge. The author, Frederick Joseph Alsop, III Ph.D. is an ornithologist and a professor of biological sciences at East Tennessee State University. He received his doctorate in zoology from the University of Tennessee, and specializes in the ecology, distribution, life history, and taxonomy of birds. An avid field biologist and birder, he has identified more than 3,200 species of birds worldwide.
This handsome book fills an important gap in the already rich literature on North American birds. For the first time, birders will be able, not only find what standard field guides include, such as field marks, range maps, and voice, but also a wealth of information on each species' foraging and social behavior, breeding patterns, nest location and nesting habits, clutch size, and flight patterns. All of this is presented concisely and clearly, with icons allowing quick overviews of all the important aspects of a species' life history. (Francois Vuilleumier, Curator and former Chairman, Department of Ornithology, American Museum of Natural History, New York City)
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