Pete Dunne and Kevin T. Karlson’s new book The Shorebirds of North America is an ode to what they propose might just be the “perfect” bird—the shorebird. Highly specialized, with incredible speed and endurance that allow them to embark on hemisphere-spanning migrations, shorebirds have been traversing the earth since the early Cretaceous period. This book is a valiant effort to give these amazing birds the respect and attention they deserve. Dunne and Karlson pay homage to Peter Matthiessen’s masterpiece, also entitled The Shorebirds of America, published in 1967. I was able to find a copy of this work and immensely enjoyed the careful species descriptions and beautiful illustrations. Dunne and Karlson have successfully honored such an amazing book, bringing in decades of groundbreaking science and their own priceless experience. The Shorebirds of America is well worth a spot on any birder’s coffee table.
The book begins with a sweeping account of shorebirds as a whole, featuring sections on migration, shorebirds in winter, conservation concerns, and more. Each section is full of interesting facts about many different species, drawing on the authors’ immense knowledge and meticulous research. In particular, I enjoyed reading Pete Dunne’s short historical essay on market gunning. He recalls a time when the unsanctioned killing of birds—shorebirds in particular—was not only allowed but encouraged among European immigrants in North America. Market gunning brought about the demise of the Eskimo Curlew, and many other species came close to meeting the same fate. By the time this practice stopped, shorebird populations had taken a massive hit. But Dunne points out that many species have made an impressive comeback following efforts to amend our crimes. Even now, facing an uncertain future of climate change and habitat destruction, the authors have hope for these resilient birds. They write with a sense of urgency to act, but, refreshingly, they lack the tone of despair that many recent works have taken up when discussing these issues.
Without a doubt, the most attractive part of this book to me was the vibrant, sharp photographs on every page. They are peppered throughout the book with helpful descriptions to illustrate almost every point, making reading easy and even more enjoyable. At multiple points, I was left speechless by particularly striking images—for example, the Solitary Sandpiper photo taken by Ted Swem, featured on pp. 23 and 233. It is a very rare photograph of an individual on an abandoned songbird nest (their nesting place of choice) and is a sight seen by very few people. The care the authors have taken to include the most recent findings in shorebird science is clear in every picture and paragraph.
The bulk of the book is dedicated to species profiles of all 52 shorebird species in North America. It is divided into sections for each of the five families, prefaced by a general overview of the family as a whole. Each profile begins with a brief description of the biometrics and status of the species, followed by a detailed account covering almost everything you would want to know about them. This book is full of helpful information for finding shorebirds in the field, as well as cultivating a deeper appreciation for the uniqueness of each species and building knowledge of their life histories. It is more directly aimed at an audience of active birdwatchers, but the book would likely also appeal to the more casual enjoyer who might just be content to learn about these incredible birds from the comfort of home. The smooth, engaging writing style makes the book accessible to both advanced and beginning bird enthusiasts.
Each species account features many beautiful photos taken by Karlson and others, which are helpful for envisioning the birds in different life stages, plumages, and habitats. The authors have taken care to include many photos of behaviors that might be of interest in the field, too—for example, the photo series of a Whimbrel facing off with a Piping Plover on p. 128, taken by Jamie Cunningham. The type and variety of photos, paired with the exhaustive and fascinating species descriptions, allow the reader to form a complete picture of each species in his or her head. The lack of range maps or concise information on field marks, as well as the physical size of the book make it difficult to use as a field guide itself, but the book fulfills its purpose as a more in-depth companion to a field guide superbly. I am planning on taking it along to my next visit to see migrating shorebirds in western Kansas along with my Sibley guide, in order to more deeply understand and appreciate the incredible life histories of the birds that have flown so far to be there.
Pete Dunne and Kevin T. Karlson accomplished something great with The Shorebirds of North America. The beautiful images and the sheer volume of fascinating information make this book an incomparable asset to the education of any bird enthusiast and sure to be a staple for many birders’ libraries in the future. The Shorebirds of North America does justice to such a diverse and incredible group of birds and is certain to both inspire and deepen a love of them in its readers.
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Katie Boord is a lifelong birder and writer living in Kansas City, KS. She is a recent graduate of Benedictine College and a former participant in the ABA’s Young Birder of the Year Mentoring Program. When not birding or writing, Katie can be found playing music with her band or reading piles of fantasy novels.
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