Many hikers love being out in nature to enjoy beautiful vistas, fresh air, wildlife in their natural habitats, and chirping birds. I love seeing birds fly overhead and nesting in trees. When my biologist friends hike with me, they love pointing out different bird species. Now there is a way the rest of us can be birdwatchers without a biology degree – the wonderful new book by Nancy Hajeski, The Life-size Book of North American Birds.

This large format book is a pleasure to look at – each page has beautiful photographs. What I like most is that it is detailed, yet relatively simply to follow at the same time.

In the images above, I shared snapshots of the Red-tailed Hawk page, and you can get a glimpse of how beautiful the images are. Having a variety of photos in different poses indicating scale really makes it easy for novices to more easily identify birds.

Moreover, each page has “rulers” on edge of every page, which helps bring sizing into perspective. Since the book covers everything from hummingbirds to condors, the rulers provide excellent sizing context!

If you enjoy learning about birds to make your hikes and outdoor adventures more enriching, then I’d highly recommend this book. It is a beautiful reference for novice and even expert birders.

Pricing: $39.95
Where to Buy: Amazon.com

Happy trails!