[.ca] Attracting and Feeding Hummingbirds (ISBN 0793835801)

Best little hummingbird book available:
Although this gem of a book certainly covers attracting and feeding hummingbirds, including extensive advice on selecting flowers appropriate for each region of the continent, its modest size and simple title don't hint at the true gift within: an ecologist's insight into the natural history of one of our most highly-specialized and most fascinating bird families. The first 14 pages of text and photos are a concise, well-balanced examination of how hummingbirds fit into their environment, written for neither children nor scientists, but for the inquisitive layman. You won't find this content in any other book I've seen. The second part is about plants, and again compresses a wealth of useful information into a succinct but rich overview of what flowers hummingbirds like, and why. More than a plant list, this section will help you understand how to plan a garden that works. There are also sections on feeders, habitat, and species identification. Each is invested with an equally-impressive amount of insight, although as the author advises you'll want a good field guide for serious ID questions (and Sheri is writing one now). Finally, there's a nice listing of organizations and both printed and online resources for further study. I have a collection of hummingbird books, assembled to help me build and maintain hummingbirds.net. This one is one of the three I wouldn't be without.