The Hummingbird Handbook

The Hummingbird Handbook would be the perfect gift for any hummingbird lover. It has so many absolutely stunning pictures of these gorgeous creatures! It also has tons of interesting information about them. It was a bit heavier on the text than I expected, but I will be sure to visit it again to find out more about the lovely hummingbirds.

A very informative book about hummingbirds.  Anyone who enjoys hummingbirds would enjoy this book.  I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review review.

I've always loved hummingbirds since seeing them frequenting my mom's feeders as a child. They seemed almost magical as the hovered and flitted amongst the flowers and feeders. So I was excited and grateful to receive this ARC from Netgalley and Timber Press in return for my honest review. 

This book is absolutely beautiful, full of fascinating information from legends and folklore to information on making your yard inviting to hummningbirds and identifying the various species. There are meany gorgeous color photos of the birds, as well. This is definitely a book you will return to time after time.

The Hummingbird Handbook: Everything You Need to Know About These Fascinating Birds by John Shewey is a highly informative book. I was extremely glad to read about planting gardens to encourage more hummingbirds to my yard in the summer. The plant names are given to help with locating the plants you prefer. There is information about the feeders, nectar, and cautions about pests which may discourage the small birds from your feeders. The book is filled with information about the varied species, and their migrating habits. The photographs of the hummingbirds at the end of the book are vivid and beautiful!
Publication Date: April 13, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book is wonderful....whether the reader is a hummingbird lover or not!!  The pictures alone make it a great “coffee table book”, but then add in all the information and trivia and we have a “everything you always wanted to know about hummingbirds” book!  Every year I have hummingbird visitors in my back yard where I keep feeders intertwined with my flowers and water effects perfect for a hummingbird.  I am always wanting to learn more and to be sure I have everything I need for my visitors and this book gave me that “extra” I was looking for.   John Shewey knows hummingbirds, and I for one am glad that he shared his knowledge for novices like myself as well as those already in the know!!  I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.  Thank you Timber Press for the opportunity to review.  #NetGalley #TheHummingbirdHandbook #TimberPress

This book offers an excellent look into hummingbird history, and habits. It was especially helpful to read frequent examples of the author's backyard stories as well as actual field experience. 

It was incredibly interesting to learn about the breading, feeding, and turf habits of these micro birds. Side note--they regularly agitate larger birds just to mess with them. Think black birds and even hawks!? 

I had no idea that there was a long history of American indigenous hunting and display of the birds into textiles. I also had no clue that European settler's initial fear turned into eventual trading of killed specimens. Crazy.

I've adored hummers for a long time, but this book makes me want to put out a feeder this summer!

**The PDF that I enjoyed was an advanced reader copy granted to me through Netgalley. All opinions are my own and not that of the publisher.**

A delightful primer on the Lilliputian wonder of the avian world: The hummingbird. 

For a nature book intended to educate, this was exceptionally well organized and so charmingly written. Shewey writes in a tone that strikes an unusually good balance between cleverly engaging and informative. The writing is approachable yet authoritative, which is the rarely encountered but ideal balance for books in this genre.

The book is gorgeously photographed and doesn’t stint on photo quantity either, a gripe I often have with bird books. 

I was further impressed by Shewey’s wealth of knowledge on how to attract hummingbirds to your property. The book has extensive information about feeders as well as what to plant to draw hummers to your yard.

“In the end, we will conserve only what we love, love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.”
— Baba Dioum

THE HUMMINGBIRD HANDBOOK offers a stunning look at this beloved whirring wonder, one you’ll adore even more after reading this intriguing guide. Colorful photos capture an array of types, including the rufus-crested coquette, for example, whose head feathers rival any British “fascinator.” 

There are tips on feeders, plants and landscaping to attract these tiny miracles of nature. Hurrah! And eye-opening factoids: Did you know hummingbirds move their wings 10 to 80 times per second (!) while hovering? Also included are maps revealing breeding and migration patterns, plus photos showing which type resides where. A book to be savored and included in every home, school and public library.

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 13 Apr 2021

Thanks to the author, Timber Press, and NetGalley for the ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

#TheHummingbirdHandbook #NetGalley

This is an absolutely gorgeous book that is also a comprehensive guide to hummingbirds.  The beautiful photos are accompanied by information on hummingbird folklore, different species of hummingbird, hummingbird feeder safety, and ways to make your yard inviting for hummingbirds.  

This is the bird that looks most like a faerie and captures our imaginations as it hovers over a flower and then flits away, sometimes sparkling incandescently. The photos really do this little creature justice. Any nature lovers and fans of hummingbirds (who isn't?) will love this book.

I received  a free copy of this book via Netgalley.  My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

Hummingbirds must be the most striking and fascinating birds on the planet and this book contains stunning and achingly beautiful photography, information and descriptions of these tiny creatures.  If this book doesn't entice you to read/learn more about them, nothing will!  I just love it.  It is like a dream come true for a novice hummingbird observer like me!  

There are about 340 known species of hummers, ranging in size from a dime to a robin and found in many regions, even mine which is a zone 2a (aka very cold).  The author discusses the reverence some cultures had for them in history, the feather fashion phase (unfortunately), habitat ranges, identification, how and what to feed them in which feeder and the importance of meticulously clean feeders, plants to attract, predators (yellow jackets and praying mantis!) and the most glorious photography you can imagine.  Until now I had not seen pictures of their long tongues!  We are even told about the names of the feathers and other terminology.

The amount of information here is staggering.  I actually feel smarter after reading this, though it is not textbook style whatsoever.  Very engaging and accessible.  I learned that building their nests near some hawks is a good thing and the reason they must feed just before they retire for the night.  The Big Eight are detailed.  There are excellent lists on where to watch them.

If you are a beginner or expert, you will learn a ton from John Shewey (of Birds & Blooms).  What a happy discovery, especially during a pandemic!

My sincere thank you to Timber Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this spectacular book in exchange for an honest review.  Much appreciated.

This is an excellent guide to hummingbirds that's packed with information and beautiful photos. I especially appreciated the detailed profiles of many flowers to plant for hummingbirds since I am not the type of person who can commit to cleaning and refilling a hummingbird feeder every day (yes, the author says you really should do it daily, preferably in the evening since they can rise before dawn and start feeding). Flowers are the preferred foods for hummers anyway, and I loved how many were suited to my cold MN zone 4 garden. There's info on the best kinds of feeders, the top ten most common hummingbirds, the ranges they're in, places to see them on vacation, and so much more. Really, really thorough, great book.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

This is a gorgeous book full of fascinating information for anyone who is interested in learning more about this little bird. Who knew that there actually was a hummingbird that wasn't tiny like the others! Unfortunately for me, where I live, there is only one kind of hummer that frequents my backyard gardens so it was great to read about the other species and see so many gorgeous up close photos. So full of colour! 
The book also includes a lot of informative history, folklore and just everyday things that I never knew about this interesting bird. Great details on how to make your yard inviting to hummingbirds so you can view them in real life as well as how to identify them. There's even a little bit of information about the fascinating hummingbird moth. I was pleased to see that Canada was shown in the location maps as well. 
I think this book would be a perfect guide to add to your collection.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Thank you NetGalley, John Shewey and Timber Press for the ARC of The Hummingbird Handbook. This is my personal review.
When I saw the cover, I knew I wanted to read this book. The hummingbird on the cover is stunning!
Hummingbirds are an amazing bird, and this book brings  the history, facts, trivia, and information to help you understand them better.
The book is written so well that reading it is a pleasure. The photography is fantastic. There are so many types of hummingbirds and to see them up close is beautiful.
I have family and friends who will love this book and it will make a great gift for them.

I absolutely love birds of all kinds especially hummingbirds. This book gave me a greater understanding of each kind of hummingbird and the seasons to look for them, so I can begin putting out several feeders. I will be buying this book for my father-n-law for sure!

Everything you wanted to know about hummingbirds is in this one volume. You'll learn about the family in general, how best to feed them, and how to plant a hummingbird garden. A major part of the book is given over to lovely close-up pictures of the species of hummers you can see throughout the US, Detailed information about each species includes information about habitat, behavior, and more. A final chapter has stunning pictures of many hummingbird species found outside the US.

This is a wonderful book. It has a lot more text than I imagined, but it is all interesting and clearly written by people who love hummingbirds as much as those who are likely to buy the book. 
The pictures are absolutely stunning and make it so nice to see the different types of humming birds. 
This book was a joy all the way through. I'm getting one as a gift for my mom who loves hummingbirds. 
I also really enjoy the layout of this book, It's so clear and easy to read. 
I highly recommend this book.

I love Hummingbirds and was excited to find this informative guide to them on here.  The pictures are beautiful, the descriptions of each kind of Hummingbird and where you can find them is good.  I live in Michigan, USA and all we ever see are the ruby-throated kind.  Fun to see good pictures of other varieties.  There is a ton of information in this guide, from what the birds look like, to preferred flowers and feeders, to migration patterns and more.  If you are just starting out feeding them, or even if you have been for years, you will surely find whatever information you are looking for.

The hummingbirds are due back any day now. Our feeders are out and just in time, Timber Press is publishing (April 27, 2021), "The Hummingbird Handbook - Everything You Need to Know about These Fascinating Birds" by John Shewey (Birds & Blooms).

The book is divided into six basic sections: Trivia, Fictions & Folklore; Hummingbird Basics; Planting and Landscaping; Hummingbirds of the United States; Hummingbirds on the Road; and Hummingbirds Abroad. Written in a straight forward style and filled with glorious photographs, author John Shewey has caught the essence of the little bird that seems to be everyone's favorite.

An attractive cover makes "The Hummingbird Handbook" a perfect gift (I just ordered a copy for a friend.) and certainly a title any library should purchase. Some of the facts are amusing and some are tragic like the enormous number of hummingbirds that were once slaughtered for the fashion industry. Photo credits and an extensive index make this book easy to use. Smaller in dimension than one might expect, the book measures 8 x 0.7 x 8.9 inches. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Thanks to the author, Timber Press, and NetGalley for am ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is so beautiful.  Such amazing photos and details about hummingbirds.  I need to put up the hummingbird feeder in the yard again and see if any of the hummingbirds in this book appear.  They are such amazing birds and this book really showcases them well.  This book provides you with a lot of details about hummingbirds and how to attract them and landscape for them.  It also provides a listing of hummingbirds and where you can find them on a map of North America.  Additionally, it provides a list of locations you can view hummingbirds state by state.  There's also a gallery of hummingbirds that you can find abroad.  Lots of cool things to see and learn in this book!

Hummingbirds.  Is there any other species of bird that so immediately conjures up images of shimmery colors and blurry wings?

Author John Shewey provides a rather thorough look at the group of birds known as hummingbirds, as well as looking at the individual groups of hummingbirds.

This is a coffee-table-style book, meaning that it is rich with photos and relatively large text, making it easy to pick up and look at a photo and read just a little bit. It also implies a kind of veneer quality to the material - covering enough to look good without getting too thorough or in-depth. This is probably a pretty apt description, but I also want to be clear ... I liked this book. We don't always need to get deep into the science of ornithology to enjoy a book.  Those kinds of books are also available to those who want it.

When you pick up a book about hummingbirds, you want to be able to look at a lot of pictures - to see the colorful variety of the species, and this book definitely provides plenty of remarkable photos.

The book is broken down into six chapters. The first chapter is explores "Hummingbird Trivia: Facts, Fictions & Folklore." I found some of the trivia interesting, specifically the Aztec interest surrounding the birds. The more I watch and learn about hummingbirds the more I realize how appropriate it was that the Aztecs had a hummingbird war god ('Huitzilopochtli'). Those little birds are very aggressive!

Perhaps because I already have a hummingbird-friendly yard, I didn't find the third chapter ('Planting and Landscaping for Hummingbirds') as useful. Shewey breaks this down quite a bit, identifying hummingbird-friendly plants, which zones those plants thrive in, and why the birds like these plants specifically (with lots of photos, remember).

The chapter 'Hummingbirds of the United States' starts with "The Big Eight" - identifying the most common hummers found in the United States and for each bird Shewey provides: Identification; Status Range; Habitat; Voice; Behaviors; and Similar Species. And with each is also a map of the bird's range for breeding, migration, winter, and year-round.  This section was probably the most helpful to me.

There is also a chapter called 'Hummingbirds on the Road' which is more like an appendix as it features a "Viewing Hummingbirds, State by State" guide. I'm not sure how these locations were chosen. In my state, nine parks or refuge centers were listed, but I think many more parks and centers could easily have been included. There is also a listing of hummingbird festivals for the dedicated birder.

The book concludes with a quick look at hummingbirds that don't make it to the United States. Again, the photos are a delight to look at.

Looking for a good book? The Hummingbird Handbook by John Shewey has a lot of useful information but is primarily a book full of really great photos of an incredible type of bird.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The Hummingbird Handbook is a comprehensive guide to understanding the hummingbird.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher  Timber Press and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis and Opinions:
First, make sure you read this on a colour tablet, or computer.  Or better yet, buy the book.  It would be a wonderful coffee-table addition.  The pictures just pop.  They are just a beautiful representation of an amazing bird.

The book includes everything from basic information, to myths, to plants that will attract them, and different hummingbirds in different areas of the world.

Some of the amazing things I've learned....there are over 340 species of these wonderful birds...the largest of them does not even weigh an ounce....they can fly amazing distances -- one flew from Tennessee to Alaska in 5 months.....their heart is 2.5 percent of their body weight (ours is .3).

One of my favorite sections of the book includes their favorite plants. The pictures in this section are wonderful.

Then there is the section on identifying the different species, where they are found -- most of which are in the mid-west to western US and Canada.  Over 90% of hummingbirds found in Eastern North America are Ruby Throated.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves hummingbirds.  They are, indeed, a fascinating creature.

So delightful!

Reading this book has been a lovely experience.
It is filled with great facts about these fascinating creatures, at times comparing various species, it abounds in information about how to create the perfect environment for them to visit your garden and how to properly take care of the feeders in order to keep them healthy and happy.

I liked that it also features a list of places you can go to see them in action, without creating your own space. It is truly a complete book, perfect for any type of hummingbird lover, from the simple admirer to a true aficionado and connoisseur of their realm.

Living in a country where these lovely birds are not present it has been delightful discovering so much about them. Not to mention the abundance of fantastic photographs and the final guide on spotting and understanding many types of hummingbirds. A wonderful book!

Awesome guide on hummingbirds!  This book is a gem!  As a admirer of these beautiful birds, and as a bird lover, who searches for books to better understand these magnificent creatures, this one is informative, enjoyable to read and has an abundance of stunning photographs!  A plus for me, was the lists of viewing opportunities arranged by States, to observe hummers on the road, and a list of hummingbird festivals to attend around the Country as well!  Well done!  Thank you!

There is a reason these magnificent birds have captured the interest of people for so long. They are tiny, beautiful, fast and a wonder to behold. While there is a wealth of information, such as trivia, basics, planting and landscapes, and varieties stateside and abroad, my favorite element, hands down, is the stunning photography. The colors and details captured are just breathtaking. This is an excellent resource for all lovers of hummingbirds, from novice to expert.  I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

Living as I do in the hummingbird capital of the US, and being an avid albeit lousy birder as I am, and owning half a bookshelf of bird identification books as I do, naturally I wanted to read this new book about hummingbirds. I am very glad I did. It's a great addition to any birder's shelf, and a great introduction to birding--and this particular little bird--for novices. The photographs are great: large and clear and plentiful. There are some pocket bird books that are useful, but the illustrations are not, and that's why most birders carry huge backpacks--because we're carrying our books as well as using our phone apps to id on the wing, The prose is a plus as well. Shewey's enthusiasm for hummers is apparent and his style engaging. I love that he included how he built several of his own gardens to attract hummingbirds as examples, with photos. His descriptions contrasting different species, and instructions on where to look in order to distinguish between similar species, were perfect, being as I am one of those birders who is never looking at the right part of the bird to find the distinguishing mark. I cannot recommend this book highly enough to birders and naturalists.

The Hummingbird Handbook is a must have for anyone who is a fan of the tiny little birds.  Hummingbirds are absolutely fascinating and this book takes us through why we should love them, gives us facts and trivia about them, helps us build gardens to attract them, and also lets us know how to identify them.  This is basically an all in one book on how to landscape for hummingbirds, plants to choose based on our location, and also which hummers to expect at our gardens.  If you love hummingbirds or are simply curious about the tiny little creatures, this book deserves a spot on your bookshelf.

A useful singular resource for anyone wanting to know all about hummingbirds of the United States. Beautiful photos are included.