Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2009. Octavo, paperback, black and white illustrations.

While birding literature is filled with tales of expert observers spotting rare species in exotic locations, Yow reminds us that the most fascinating birds can often be the ones perched right outside our windows. In thirty-five engaging vignettes, Yow reveals the fascinating lives of the birds those in North America see nearly every day. Following the seasons, he covers forty-two species, discussing the improbable, unusual, and comical aspects of his subjects' lives. Yow offers his own observations, and anecdotes as well as those of America's classic bird writers, such as John James Audubon, Arthur Bent, and Edward Forbush. This unique addition to bird literature combines the fascination of bird life with the pleasure of good reading.