BOOK REVIEW: Birds of Arizona by Rick Taylor

By Matt Griffiths

Anyone familiar with Rick Taylor’s excellent Birds of Southeastern Arizona will recognize the similarities and find his new and equally excellent Birds of Arizona very easy to use and glean information from. And information you will find! The Morse series of guide books are small and meant to be taken in the field, even in your pocket if it’s large enough. But this doesn’t mean they skimp on the details. Picking up this new book, you can feel its density, and you know you’re holding a treasure trove of info. Open it up, and you’ll find a colorful world of maps, images, and color-coding that makes this book a joy to use.

Birds of Arizona is a great guide for new and long-time birders alike. The beginning of the book provides a perfect introduction to birdwatching, the parts of a bird, and the varying habitat types found in Arizona (and key birds that can be found in each) that I'm sure even some seasoned birders will find helpful. Taylor has revolutionized the use of elevation information in his books, and delving into this for each bird will surely satisfy those with many years of field experience. Why is this so important? The varied terrain of Arizona is complicated enough—certain birds will only live at specific elevations—but the time of year is also a factor. Taylor explains this by starting off the book with an excellent chart of hummingbirds that illustrates the importance of geographic location and time of year. It masterfully sets the tone for the entire guide.

Rivaling the much larger Sibley or National Geographic books for sheer information, this guide gives you only what you need for Arizona—485 species with full write-ups, photo(s), and a range map. That’s pretty much every bird that’s ever been seen in the state, and somehow Taylor has managed to include a good sized map for each bird with easy to understand colors and symbols. The noting of key historical sightings across the state is also a fun and informative addition. Let’s talk photos: these bird images are top-notch, clear and colorful, perfectly showing you what you need to look for in the field. If you’re a real bird nerd, buy a second copy and keep it on your coffee table to show off to visitors. Including male and female photos, and also pairing similar species on the same page for easy comparison are very welcome traits in this guide. Also, the color coding for the major bird types throughout the book works very well with the Quick Guide at the front of the book. Accessing this repeatedly will give new birders a good understanding of the different types of birds and surely expand their enjoyment.

Birds of Arizona is a useful addition to any birder’s library because of the many ways you can use it. Yes, it’s full of easily digestible bird facts, but it’s also just plain fun. The Noteworthy factoid for each species alone is worth the price of admission. Take this book anywhere in Arizona and it will come in handy. Leave it at home and it won’t gather dust.

 Buy this great book now in the Tucson Audubon Nature Shop!

Matt Griffiths is the Communications Coordinator for Tucson Audubon.