If such a single volume exists, I suspect there are many
of us who'd like to know about it. But I also suspect
that if it did Ian would have already found it and let us
all know.

The trick is in finding a single reference that includes
all the range map stuff AND all the natural history stuff
in the same book AND was written in the last 20 years.

Ehrlich's _Birder's Handbook_ has succinct natural history
on all North American Species, but almost no range info.

The recently published _Birds of Oregon: a general reference_
is fair to very on natural history depending on the species,
though it has some gaps and scrupulously avoids talking about
BC, Washington, Idaho or California except when pressed.

There is good range stuff at:
http://www.fish.washington.edu/naturemapping/wagap/public_html/

The CD _Oregon Breeding Bird Atlas_ has pretty good breeding
range info for Oregon, though again some species are more
accurately represented than others.
See: http://www.oregonbirds.org/breeding_atlas.html

And the Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter website has
ID info, range maps, natural history and even song files.
at: http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/framlst.html

--- begin ----
Subject: bird book info
From: "Martha Jordan" <swanlady AT drizzle.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 14:06:10 -0800

My friend wrote and asked me about a reference book. Please reply directly
to me.
I need a good reference on the avian fauna of the Pacific NW. I
need the reference (single volume, please) to provide range and life history
(wintering, migration, breeding phases) by habitat (i.e., marine open water,
marine shoreline, streams, lakes, marine and freshwater wetlands, etc.).
In
other words, for any given species, especially waterfowl, I would like
to be
able look up where and in what habitat it breeds, where and in what habitat
it winters, and through and on what habitats it depends during migration.

I would also appreciate some ideas about the best sources for such a
reference.

Martha Jordan
www.swansociety.org
--- end ----

--
Mike Patterson
Astoria, OR
celata at pacifier.com

Nobody EXPECTS the Spanish Inquisition....
- Cardinal Ximinez