All about Kansas birds
Lynette Olson, Special to The Gazette
Originally published 12:00 p.m., May 24, 2008
Updated 03:26 p.m., May 23, 2008
With gas prices going up, vacationing in Kansas for Kansas residents is more and more appealing. Viewing Kansas as a vacation destination is helped by the publication of “The Guide to Kansas Birds and Birding Hot Spots” by Kansans Bob Gress and Pete Janzen
Bob Gress is director of the Great Plains Nature Center in Wichita and coauthor of “Faces of the Great Plains: Prairie Wildlife” and “Watching Kansas Wildlife: A Guide to 101 Sites.” He is a graduate of Emporia State University with a masters in environmental biology. Pete Janzen is active in the Kansas Ornithological Society and the Wichita Audubon Society and is author of “The Birds of Sedgwick County and Cheney Reservoir,” along with numerous articles on Kansas birds.
Kansas is in a unique location geographically, allowing birds “typical of both the East and West to be found within the state’s borders. If we travel to the corners of the state we find even more variety. Northeast of Topeka and Lawrence we can see essentially the same mix of birds that we might find in the forests of Pennsylvania, while southwest of Dodge City the birdlife takes on a distinct flavor of Arizona.”
470 species of birds have been documented in Kansas, but the guide has chosen to focus on the 295 “most likely to be encountered during the year.” The guide should help the new “birder” (or bird watcher) in his own yard as well as the individual spending the day in the beauty of the Kansas landscape. The book has beautiful color photographs to help with identification and tips on where to look successfully for different species.
This well-organized guide divides birds into 18 groups based on similarity in appearance, habitat, or behavior, following taxonomic order only partially to make identification easier for the beginner. The entry for each bird gives its size, identifying features (including sexual and seasonal distinctions), and where and when it can be found. And each account includes a photo of an adult of the species, with additional views of selected birds to illustrate male, female, or juvenile plumages.
And the best part is that the authors point out the best birding locations in the state--more than two dozen hot spots--that reflect utterly different bird communities thriving only a few hours apart. They also provide a checklist for all state birds, a calendar of Kansas bird activity, and recommendations for binoculars and other field guides.
And if this guide sparks your interest in the feathered denizens of Kansas, you are invited to search for more information at the Kansas Ornithological Society website http://www.ksbirds.org/kos/.