Bird by bird

The hefty Birds of the Sierra Nevada: Their Natural History, Status, and Distribution (University of California Press, $75) is a readable reference book for bird enthusiasts of all feathers. Written by Edward C. Beedy and Edward R. Pandolfino, and illustrated by Keith Hansen, the tome describes the region's ecological zones, chronicles conservation efforts and is organized by taxonomic family. A pick for anyone interested in ornithology, natural history or the Sierra Nevada.