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Sparrows, from chipping to song to house to tree, can be difficult to differentiate. One hundred flashcards—50 common Eastern and Western species and 50 common birds from across the continent—may be able to help a new birder remember which is which. These playing card size decks from renown ornithologist of field guide fame have illustrations of both the female and male birds of a species on one side (with defining characteristics, of course) and captions explaining range, voice, habitat, and description on the other.
Like a field guide, the cards offer information needed to recognize backyard birds, yet perhaps unlike the books, the flashcards allow birders to make a game of learning about the avian species. Clearly marked as Eastern, Western, or country wide, they show budding ornithologists which species might visit their feeders, bushes, or fields during what time of year, and what they might be singing while they're there.
The Sibley Backyard Birding Flashcards sell for $14.99. For more information, go to the Random House, Inc. .