For the Birds

We see birds in our environment every day, but do we really look at them? These books focus on all things birds—from birdwatching, to building a birdhouse, to the history of birds and humans. If you’ve never tried birdwatching, keep an eye on our Library of Things; we'll soon have binoculars for you to check out!


Compiled by:
Elizabeth G.
Audubon Birdhouse Book: Building, Placing, and Maintaining Great Homes for Great Birds

Margaret A. Barker, Elissa Wolfson
728.927 Bar

Birders know you need the right house to attract the right bird. An entrance hole that's 1/8 inch too big or too small or a roof that leaks can spell trouble. Learn to build safe, species-appropriate houses for your favorite birds.


The Backyard Bird Sanctuary: A Beginner's Guide to Creating a Wild Bird Habitat at Home

Alan Baczkiewicz
639.978 Bac

Create a bird-watching paradise with this accessible guidebook that teaches everything you need to know about welcoming your new feathered friends and how to care for them while they're visiting. Backyard Bird Sanctuary helps you attract 50 of the most common and sought-after birds in the United States. 


Bird: The Definitive Visual Guide

Dorling Kindersley
598 Bir

This visual guide to every bird order and family profiles more than 1,400 species, photographed in their native environment by photographers around the globe. This title illustrates the full range of birds, bird behavior, and bird-watching locations.


Birdgirl: Looking to the Skies in Search of a Better Future

Mya-Rose Craig
921 Craig Cra

Birdgirl follows Mya-Rose and her family as they travel the world in search of rare birds and astonishing landscapes. In times of difficulty, the Craigs turn to nature again and again for comfort and meaning. Each bird they see brings a moment of joy and reflection, instilling in Mya-Rose a deep love of the natural world.


Birding Basics: Tips, Tools & Techniques for Great Bird-Watching

Noah Strycker
598.0723 Str

Targeted to beginners and beyond, this inspiring guide combines the art, craft, and science of bird-watching with practical know-how and expert knowledge, including new ideas for when, where, and how to get to know the birds in your world. 


Birds in the Yard Month by Month

Sharon Sorenson
598.0723 Sor

Get to know all the birds that will flock to a bird-friendly yard, and make your yard more attractive to those that require a little extra persuasion to visit. Sorenson offers tips and advice for every season, and explains how bird behaviors and needs change throughout the year.


Birds of Indiana: Field Guide

Stan Tekiela
598.09772

Learn to identify birds in Indiana with this simple and informative book. Featuring 118 species of Indiana birds, this guide is organized by color for ease of use. 


Birds and Us: A 12,000-Year History From Cave Art to Conservation

Tim Birkhead
598 Bir

Award-winning writer and ornithologist Tim Birkhead takes us on a dazzling journey through our mutual history with birds, from the ibises mummified and deified by Ancient Egyptians to the Renaissance fascination with woodpecker anatomy—and from the Victorian obsession with egg collecting to today's fight to save endangered species and restore their habitats. 


Compact Guide to Indiana Birds

Kenneth J. Brock
598.09772 Bro

Veteran Indiana birder and retired professor Ken Brock has co-authored this handy guide to common and notable birds found in the state. Over 80 species of birds are presented with a color illustration, a photograph of the egg, and an extensive natural history.


Endangered and Disappearing Birds of the Midwest

Matt Williams
598.0977 Wil

Sadly, many species of birds across the Midwest are in danger of extinction due to loss of habitat, agricultural expansion, changing forest conditions, and encounters with humans. This book profiles 40 of the most beautiful and fascinating birds who winter, breed, or migrate through the Midwest and whose populations are most in danger of disappearing from the region. 


Field Notes From an Unintentional Birder: A Memoir

Julia Zarankin
921 Zarankin Zar

Thoughtful and witty, this is the story of finding meaning in midlife through birds. The narrator learns more from birds than she ever anticipated and finds friends in the unlikeliest of places.


Indiana Bird Watching: A Year-Round Guide

Bill Thompson
598.09772 Th

This title targets beginning and intermediate bird watchers from Indiana. It provides seasonal information about the migrating birds that can be seen each month, the foods that attract those birds, and the plants that can assist in attracting birds.


Secrets of Backyard Bird Photography

J. Chris Hansen
778.9328 Han

This book covers all aspects of backyard bird photography, including the best camera equipment to use and the basics of attracting birds using bird feeders, perches, backgrounds, and photo blinds. You'll learn about the common camera settings and composition styles used to create outstanding backyard bird images.