Michael P. wrote -

> Well, we all start off rowing that same boat out onto the unplumb'd sea of
> similar-species ID problems. The best help I'd suggest is the Academic Press
> book that Ray Korpi refers to (deep breath...ready?): 'A Guide to the
> Identification and Natural History of the Sparrows of the United States and
> Canada' by James D Rising and wonderfully illustrated by David D Beadle,
> Academic Press 1996, US$19.95 (C$27.95).

Yes, and if you want to see just how badly N. America's birds got short-changed
on plumage color, get a hold of "Finches and Sparrows- An Identification
Guide" by Peter Clement, Alan Harris, and John Davis published by Princeton
University Press (1993). The plates of the parrot-finches and cordon-bleus by
John Davis are breathtaking.

- Jack



Jack Bowling
Prince George, BC
jcbowling at mindlink.bc.ca