Recommended resources

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has an excellent collection of nature photos including most common birds and mammals as well as plants at their digital image library Almost all of the photos online are in the public domain and can be downloaded and used in reports and projects without requesting special permission. They ask only that you give credit to the USFWS and the photographer whose name is listed with the photo.

Alderfer, Jonathan (ed.). Field Guide to Birds: Arizona and New Mexico. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 2006. This handy, pocket-size (4x6) guide includes most of the birds you're likely to see in Arizona. In addition to a photo, it includes information about behavior, habitat and specific local sites where you are likely to find the bird.

Alsop, Fred J. III. Birds of North America: Western Region. New York: DK Publishing Co., 2001. (A wonderful bird guide, with the elegant combination of information and graphics that are a trademark of DK Publishing.)

Bailowitz, Richard. 70 Common Butterflies of the Southwest. Tucson: Southwest Parks and Monuments Association, 1997.

Barlowe, Dot. The Sonoran Desert by Day and Night. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 2002.

Bowers, Janice Emily. Shrubs and Trees of the Southwest Deserts. Tucson: Southwest Parks and Monuments Assoc., 1993.

Brennan, Thomas C. and Andrew T. Holycross. A Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles in Arizona. Phoenix: Arizona Game and Fish Department, 2006.

Cockrum, E. Lendell and Yar Petryszyn. Mammals of the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico. Tucson: Treasure Chest Publications, 1992. Black-and-white drawings.

Dodge, Natt N. Flowers of the Southwest Deserts. Tucson: Southwest Parks and Monuments Association, 1985.

Dunn, Erica H. and Diane L. Tessaglia-Hymes. Birds at Your Feeder: A Guide to Feeding Habits, Behavior, Distribution, and Abundance. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1999. Compiles information provided by thousands of feeder owners enrolled in Project FeederWatch.

Elmore, Francis H. Shrubs and Trees of the Southwest Uplands. Tucson: Southwest Parks and Monuments Association, 1976.

Epple, Anne Orth. A Field Guide to the Plants of Arizona. Helena, MT: Falcon Publishing, Inc., 1995. More than 800 excellent photos and complete descriptions of plants.

Gray, Mary Taylor. Watchable Birds of the Southwest. Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Publishing Company, 1995. Large color photos of the birds you are most likely to spot.

Hanson, Roseann. Animal Tracks. Guilford, CT: The Globe Pequot Press, 2001.

Jaeger, Edmund C. Desert Wild Flowers. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1991.

_______________ Desert Wildlife. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1950, 1961. Excellent descriptions of desert birds and animals in an easygoing style which will appeal to readers of all ages.

Martin, Alexander C. et al. American Wildlife and Plants: A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits. New York: Dover Publications, 1961. Extensive compilation of information gathered by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; maps show range and diagrams illustrate seasonal food habits.

McMillon, Bill. Birding Arizona. Helena, Montana: Falcon Press Publishing Company, 1995. Gives 45 specific birding locations with maps and lists of the birds to be found at each one.

Merlin, Pinau. A Field Guide to Desert Holes. Tucson: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Press, 1999.

Olin, George. 50 Common Mammals of the Southwest. Tucson: Southwest Parks and Monuments Association, 2000.

Sibley, David Allen. Sibley's Birding Basics. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2002. Information on how to get started in birding.

______________. The Sibley Guide to Birds. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2000. A complete guide to identifying birds of the U.S.

______________. The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2001. Includes general information about birds along with detailed descriptions of the adaptations and life patterns of the bird families of North America.

Soffer, Ruth. North American Desert Life. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1994.

Thompson, Bill et al. IDentify Yourself: The 50 Most Common Birding Identification Challenges. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. A collection of articles from Bird Watcher's Digest magazine.

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