David Sibley has created a “backyard birds” poster. While I don’t think this will replace the millions of Klimpt and Dali posters hanging on college students dorm room walls, I do think it will be very popular in kitchens and nature centers. The Sibley’s Backyard Birds of Eastern North America poster features 98 common species in 144 illustrations–including both males and females of each species. It’s a handy tool for backyard bird feeding stations…although, the poster does not include in any raptors, so if a Cooper’s hawk or sharp-shinned hawk shows up, the poster won’t help you with that one.
The poster does organize the birds into their family groups and the illustrations of each species are in relative scale to show differences in size. The posters run about $30 unframed (or $175 framed). According to this page, if you use the coupon code of “SIBLEYNEWS” when ordering, you can receive 10% off. This is sure to appeal to people who love this Sibley guide and who have backyard feeding stations.
Here’s a thought. If you’d like to help get the next generation into birds, buy a poster for your local elementary or middle school. Better yet, get a cheap frame from Michael’s or Hobby Lobby and this way it’ll last longer at the school. A kid looking at a picture of a Pileated Woodpecker may think, ‘wow, cool bird, I’m going to go try to find one’.
Looks great, but the Sibley poster I want is one made from his Birding Basics, with all the bird diagrams and nomenclature. Nice and nerdy!
It’s beautiful! Now if he just makes one for Western North America and I’ll have my Christmas gifts all sorted.
If a raptor shows up, you’ll know it because of the rapid departure of all your other backyard birds. LOL
This poster is a bitter reminder that I’ve yet to see a pileated woodpecker other than in a field guide.
I’m with Suzanne- we need a western version! I also agree with Steve- this is a great gift for a classroom. Kids would love it.
It’s at Amazon for $21.86. I wish they had a Western version, too.
Western birds now available:
http://www.scottandnix.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SNI&Product_Code=978-0-9825102-1-6&Category_Code=P