A great way for beginning birders, experienced birders, or anyone interested in birds to learn and gain knowledge is through reading. There are a ton of great magazines, books, and articles available on birds. They even offer such publications to different countries as well. Many of the organization and societies listed in Chapter 6 either publish magazines are recommend great birding literature. So what literature is out there for you to enjoy and expand your knowledge with?

Magazines

The American Birding Association or ABA has been closely linked to Birding magazine since its debut in 1968. When you become a member of the ABA you will receive bi?monthly issues of Birding. The magazine prints articles on a broad range of interests in the birding community. The ABA supported magazine features topics that run from field identification to bird conservation. This is a great magazine for any bird enthusiast.

They National Audubon Society also offers a magazine simply titled Audubon. This publication features many articles ranging from birds, wildlife, conservation, plants, and more. You can basically find information and reading on any topic relating to the environment and the species that inhabit the earth. Very interesting reading and the magazine website even offers articles not found in the printed magazine, labeled as web exclusives. This magazine is definitely a wealth of knowledge and information found in this publication.

Journals

North American Birds is another publication produced by the American Birding Association. This magazine has undergone a vast change of name in the past. It may also be knows as part of Bird Lore, Audubon Field Notes, as well as American Birds. This is a journal for birders. It provides readers with a summary of the ever changing view of North American's birding. This is a great resource for records, range, population dynamics, and many other items associated with the birding world.

Books

If you're looking for a good guide book then you might want to check out the ABA's website. They offer a ton of books at their online store. Even if you're looking for something else, you will probably find it there. They carry a variety of different birding books, guides, interesting stores, and travel related birding books. This is definitely a place to check when looking for a book on birds.

A book definitely worth getting is one I have mentioned earlier in chapter 5. The book is Birding on Borrowed Time by Phoebe Snetsinger. Snetsinger is mentioned during chapter 5 as becoming the first person to observe over 8,000 species. After her death the book Birding on Borrowed Time was published. The book is an account of her findings as well as her adventurous travels through the world while battling a terminal illness. This book is filled with valuable birding information as well as a touching story of a woman who lived her life for every second she was given.