West Virginia Birds: An Introduction to Familiar Species (ISBN 1583551867)

Simplicity and portability:
I purchased this reference guide in addition to a pair of binoculars as a gift for my father who enjoys leisure bird-watching from our back porch. Initially I was a bit disappointed because I was expecting a book type thing and receive a fold out chart instead. However, it has proved to be much more useful than a bulky, cumbersome book would have been. It's lightweight and portable. In the event that hiking or camping occupies a weekend or so, this item is compact enough to fit in a pocket or backpack with ease and does not add addtional weight to your load. More importantly, it is easy to use. Birds are grouped into several categories for quick reference and each species is indicated by a colorful rendering which makes new birds easy to identify. My father has enjoyed this gift more than any other I have given him in 25 years. A wonderful reference guide for young and old alike.