Book: Peterson Field Guide to Birds

In wildlife-rich Montana, it’s common to spot a cool raptor flying overhead—but how often can you identify it? Was it a hawk or falcon? Swainson’s or red-tailed? Prairie or peregrine? If you’re tired of never knowing the answer, grab a copy of the new Peterson Field Guide to Birds of Western North America (Hougton Mifflin Harcourt, $20) and become enlightened. This handy volume shows all our region’s birds, from hummingbird to golden eagle, in full color and from various angles—including oblique and overhead, which are common perspectives on raptors and waterfowl. Detailed descriptions of size, behavior, and habitat help distinguish birds that look alike. Throw in the exhaustive range maps and a cool silhouette identification exercise, and this book makes for interesting bedtime reading as well.