Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments

INTRODUCTION

ECOLOGICAL ZONES AND BIRD HABITATS
RECENT TRENDS IN SIERRA BIRD POPULATIONS AND RANGES
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT SIERRA BIRDS
BIRD CONSERVATION IN THE SIERRA

Family and Species Accounts
WATERFOWL • Anatidae
QUAIL • Odontophoridae
FOWL-LIKE BIRDS • Phasianidae
LOONS • Gaviidae
GREBES • Podicipedidae
CORMORANTS • Phalacrocoracidae
PELICANS • Pelecanidae
HERONS AND RELATIVES • Ardeidae
IBIS • Threskiornithidae
NEW WORLD VULTURES • Cathartidae
OSPREY • Pandionidae
HAWKS AND RELATIVES • Accipitridae
FALCONS • Falconidae
RAILS AND RELATIVES • Rallidae
CRANES • Gruidae
PLOVERS • Charadriidae
STILTS AND AVOCETS • Recurvirostridae
SANDPIPERS AND RELATIVES • Scolopacidae
GULLS AND TERNS • Laridae
PIGEONS AND DOVES • Columbidae
CUCKOOS AND ROADRUNNERS • Cuculidae
BARN OWL • Tytonidae
TYPICAL OWLS • Strigidae
NIGHTHAWKS AND RELATIVES • Caprimulgidae
SWIFTS • Apodidae
HUMMINGBIRDS • Trochilidae
KINGFISHERS • Alcedinidae
WOODPECKERS • Picidae
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS • Tyrannidae
SHRIKES • Laniidae
VIREOS • Vireonidae
JAYS AND RELATIVES • Corvidae
LARKS • Alaudidae
SWALLOWS • Hirundinidae
CHICKADEES AND TITMICE • Paridae
VERDIN • Remizidae
BUSHTIT • Aegithalidae
NUTHATCHES • Sittidae
CREEPERS • Certhiidae
WRENS • Troglodytidae
GNATCATCHERS • Polioptilidae
DIPPERS • Cinclidae
KINGLETS • Regulidae
WRENTIT • Sylviidae
THRUSHES AND RELATIVES • Turdidae
MOCKINGBIRDS AND THRASHERS • Mimidae
STARLINGS • Sturnidae
PIPITS • Motacillidae
WAXWINGS • Bombycillidae
SILKY FLYCATCHERS • Ptilogonatidae
WOOD-WARBLERS • Parulidae
SPARROWS AND RELATIVES • Emberizidae
GROSBEAKS AND RELATIVES • Cardinalidae
BLACKBIRDS AND RELATIVES • Icteridae
FINCHES AND RELATIVES • Fringillidae
OLD WORLD SPARROWS • Passeridae

Appendices
1 Checklist of Sierra Birds
2 Rare, Casual, and Accidental Birds of the Sierra Nevada
3 Methods Used to Determine Population Trends
4 Common and Scientific Names of Plant Species

Glossary
Bibliography
Index of Common Names
Index of Scientific Names
About the Authors and Artist

About the Author

Edward C. Beedy was a co-author of Discovering Sierra Birds and has authored numerous technical publications and articles on Sierra birds. Edward R. Pandolfino is President of Western Field Ornithologists and a Regional Editor for Northern California for North American Birds. Keith Hansen is a professional bird artist who illustrated Discovering Sierra Birds, Distributional Checklist of North American Birds, Birds of Yosemite and the East Slope, California Wild Lands, A Guide to the Nature Conservancy Preserves, and The Natural History of the Point Reyes Peninsula, among other books.

Reviews

"Presents the most up-to-date information available about the natural histories of birds of the Sierra Nevada." The Union "[This] book will deepen the experience of visits to the range for serious ornithologists and casual hikers alike." BirdWatching "A thorough, accessible text embracing a massive and diverse region of California... [The book] distills wisdom from many people who love both the avifauna and the high country and will inspire many of us to follow in their tracks." -- Claire Peaslee West Marin County "A book like Birds of the Sierra Nevada reaffirms your faith in how birding can dovetail with conservation, and in what birding can do for our collective sense of meaningful communion with nature." Birding Magazine