Finding all the birds in Texas can be a lifetime pursuit. Basic Texas Birds, an easy-to-use field guide, will help you identify over 180 species of birds that are found across the state, including a selection of the rarer "Texas specialties" that draw birders to Texas from around the world. These are the birds that form the basis of a birder's life list for Texas.

Basic Texas Birds is organized by bird families to aid in identifying any bird you see in the wild. It is loaded with resources, including:

• 200 full-color, close-up photos of the birds
• State-of-the-art range maps—the most accurate of any currently available—that show each species' distribution within the state
• Up-to-date species accounts that provide a wealth of current and historical information, including each bird's appearance, habitat, status, and distribution, and that also identify similar species
• A glossary of terms used in bird identification
• A list of selected readings for learning more about birds found in Texas
• The Texas Ornithological Society's list of birds documented in Texas

Much more convenient for identifying common birds than a comprehensive state or national field guide, Basic Texas Birds is a must-have resource for both beginning and experienced birders.

Mark Lockwood, of Alpine, Texas, is a conservation biologist in the State Parks Division of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. One of the state's leading ornithologists, he is also the secretary of the Texas Birds Records Committee of the Texas Ornithological Society and a member of the American Birding Association's checklist committee.