*reviewed by uncorrected eARC via netgalley*

nonfiction/birding - a short ode to 100 or so common birds seen in the U.S. Organized alphabetically by name, each bird is treated with a lovely full-color illustrated portrait and a short, entertaining blurb that reveals a bit of its character. The map ("Where Y'at?") included on pages 64-65 shows that the book includes birds found throughout the continental US and Alaska, but does little to indicate the various ranges or migration patterns, functioning more as an index with page numbers.

A partial excerpt:
"Much like a flamingo, the House Finch gets its coloring from its diet, which for them includes thistle, sunflower, and nyjer. They are the colors that they eat. These birds travel in flocks, so they love a social gathering and are known to be the belles of any Country Bird ball." (p. 65)

Though not much help as a bird guide (not being organized in any useful way, and good luck identifying a lot of these hard-to-see species with only a brief description of habitat/habits and calls), this is an enjoyable book for bird enthusiasts of all ages. A few facts may bear checking: "[Purple martins] don't eat mosquitoes, they actually eat the the insects that eat mosquitoes, such as dragonflies and mosquito hawks." (p. 77) -- I don't think mosquito hawks actually eat mosquitoes either, at least not in great quantities, though apparently they will sometimes eat the larvae. Still, I found plenty of interesting info tidbits that I didn't know, and I wouldn't mind returning to this book for a re-read. ( )