GUIDE TO BACKYARD BIRDS

Bird watching, already vastly popular, is one of the fastest-growing outdoor activities in the U.S. Higdon and Mancini, both avid birders, writers and former editors of birding magazines, aim for maximum coverage in this sweeping survey with an exhaustive array of topics including basic anatomy, birding vocabulary, prime locations, feeding, pests, bird behavior, habitat, nesting and much more. Their geographic range is equally far-reaching. "Regional information features" provide lists of local bird species and migrants for 13 Canadian provinces and nine U.S. regions (although New England migrants are unaccountably absent). Of necessity, this mile-wide approach sharply limits the depth of discussion, resulting in a true beginner's guide. The elementary nature of the simply written text is reinforced by a layout with large type, bright graphic devices and many color photographs and illustrations. All this would provide an ideal introduction to birding for young children if the reading level were consistent with the rudimentary level of information. Unfortunately, it isn't. Adults who use this book to pique children's interest in birds will have to spend considerable time reading, explaining and elaborating on the material. That makes it suitable as a teacher's (or parent's) guide, but not as a read-alone book that invites independent discovery. (Nov.)