Birding is one of the fastest-growing activities in America, and this book is aimed at the millions of birders who want not only to identify birds but also to understand them. Key features of this comprehensive and indispensable handbook include: coverage of every species found in North America - more than 900 species, including accidentals and exotics - as well as the larger genus and family groupings; vividly written, detailed descriptions of each species, genus, and family: personality, habitat, feeding habits, nesting habits, migratory patterns, characteristic displays, and conservation status; color photographs and range maps for the more than 600 species regularly seen in North America; an introduction to birds and birding. Just as a Peterson Field Guide(tm) is an essential tool for birding in the field, Kenn Kaufman's Lives of North American Birds is an essential reference for anyone interested in birds in particular or nature in general.