Written for a general audience, with spectacular images for birders and nature enthusiasts at every level, "Hummingbirds of Texas" reveals the enormous appeal of this tiniest and shiniest of birds. The book opens with a look at the many manifestations of the human attraction to these flying jewels.
The Hummingbird Roundup, a citizen-science project run by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has recruited hundreds of people to feed hummingbirds and record their activities throughout the state. The Rockport-Fulton Hummingbird Celebration, one of several festivals dedicated to hummingbirds, draws thousands of people each fall to the Texas coast where birds gather in huge numbers before migrating south. Bird-loving landowners invite the public to enjoy hummingbirds that live and breed on their ranches. Tips make attracting hummingbirds to your own lawn or garden easy, such as what to plant in the ground or in pots and how to choose and take care of feeders. The authors then showcase the nineteen different hummingbird species that have appeared in the region covered by the book.
Magnificent color photographs and original artwork aid in identification and accompany descriptions, range maps, and abundance graphs for each species.
CLIFFORD E. SHACKELFORD is the state-wide non-game ornithologist at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in Austin.
MADGE M. LINDSAY is currently executive director of Audubon Mississippi in Holly Springs.
C. MARK KLYM, an information specialist at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, coordinates the Texas Hummingbird Roundup.