What Bird is That?: A Pocket Museum of the Land Birds of the Eastern United States Arranged According to Season by Frank M. Chapman is a unique bird guidebook published in the early 1900s.
Frank Chapman was a renown ornithologist and the curator of birds for the American Museum of Natural History. He was also one of the first to write guidebooks to help the public identify birds. His goal was to provide a simple, usable guide without going into all the messy details.
The student is strongly urged first, to become thoroughly familiar with the ‘map’ of a bird given in the frontispiece: second, to use an opera- or field-glass when observing birds: third, to write descriptions of unknown birds while they are in view stating their length, shape, and as many details of their color and markings as can be seen: fourth, to remember that one is not likely to find birds except in their regular seasons: and, fifth, to take this book afield with him and make direct comparison of the living bird with its colored figure. The wide margins are designed for use in recording field-notes.
If this sounds like a candidate for notebooking, well yes! Students can use our free Nature Journal Notebooking pages to create such a bird notebook.
In this title the author arranges the birds chronologically by season. Those using our free nature studies will recognize the order Chapman uses.
Before a leaf unfolds or a flower spreads its petals, even before the buds swell, and while yet there is snow on the ground, the birds tell us that spring is at hand. The Song Sparrow sings “Spring, spring, spring, sunny days are here”; the Meadowlark blows his fife, the Downy rattles his drum, and company after company of Grackles in glistening black coats, and of Red-wings with scarlet epaulets, go trooping by. For the succeeding three months, in orderly array, the feathered army files by, each member of it at his appointed time whether he comes from the adjoining State or from below the equator.
The color plates of the “museum” include the 301 birds that can be identified. An index in the back can help with identification.
The student should learn to name the parts of a bird’s plumage in order that he may write, as well as understand, descriptions of a bird’s color and markings.
Great title to add to a bird collection … and free!
Free eBOok
- Read online
- Various formats (EPUB, Kindle)
Additional Resources
Peterson Field Guide
Been around a long time and a personal favorite if you want a newer and updated version.
Nests & Eggs ~ Intro & Free eBook
Learn more about birds!
Introduction to Our Bird Friends ~ Free eBook
Excellent free bird guidebook covering common birds found in the United States. Another and more standard option.
Keep Reading
For the Birds {Free eBook}
For the Birds is a free publication from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that encourages backyard bird watching.
Activity: Make a Bird Feeder
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Make Way for Ducklings ~ Free Video & Activities
Video along with book study activities and suggested resources.