The Book of North American Birds celebrates the hundreds of species that spend at least part of the year in the United States or Canada. It includes some 600 species in all - more than 450 of them presented in the Gallery section, which is divided into eight groups according to type and habitat. Each page features a full-color painting, usually of a male in breeding plumage, since in most species the male is more colorful than the female. The portrait is accompanied by text that is meant to be not so much an ornithological profile as a brief essay or narrative â?? sometimes focusing on a key aspect of the bird's behavior, appearance, or lifestyle, sometimes simply evoking the delight of glimpsing it in the wild. "Whether you are already hooked on birds or not, you will find this collection of attractive bird portraits and lively essays an informative supplement to your favorite field guide -Roger Tory Peterson