National Geographic Field Guide to Birds: Maryland and D.c.

Sized for backpack or pocket, each 272-page volume highlights a single state or two and covers 125 species (each with a photograph and range map), with local expertise provided by experienced birders.

Even novice birders will make quick and confident identifications thanks to the uncluttered, easy-to-use format. An introductory locator map pinpoints top birding sites, and customized range maps detail each species' winter, breeding, migration, and resident ranges.

Maryland and Washington, D.C. offers seabirds, shorebirds, land birds, songbirds, and raptors aplenty, from Peregrine Falcons, Bald Eagles, Barred Owls, and Pileated Woodpeckers to multiple species of vireos and bitterns and an array of ducks. Hotspots include Assateague Island National Seashore, Swallow Falls State Park and the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.

Jonathan Alderfer, an expert field ornithologist, is among the top birding artists in North America. He is a widely published author and illustrator and has served as associate editor of Birding, the magazine of the American Birding Association. He is currently chief consultant for the National Geographic Birding Program and editor of National Geographic Complete Birds of North America, as well as co-editor for the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, 5th edition. He lives in Washington, D.C.