Ornithology Subject Guide

Find Internet Resources:

  • Cornell University/ The Birds of North America. http://www.bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna
    Comprehensive reference resource on the life history of most North American breeding birds.
    Cornell University/Macaulay Library Online Archive of Animal Sounds and Video.
  • http://macaulaylibrary.org/browse/scientific/11994031 Searchable audio and video presentations on individual bird species are available at this site.
  • Cornell University/ All About Birds. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=1189 General introduction to birds and birdwatching including Nestcams ,information on the Great Backyard Bird Count, and other popular birding resources from Cornell University’s Ornithology Department.
  • USGS/Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/
  • Information from the U.S. Government research center in Patuxent, Maryland includes links to the bird banding and breeding programs at the Center and other bird-related research being carried on there.
  • Smithsonian Institution/Birdnet. http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/
  • Includes hotlinks to major ornithology research organizations as well as information on research grants, online literature, and hotlinks other ornithology listservs.

Find Print Reference Resources in HCCLRC:

John James Audubon. The Birds of North America. Location: Reference QL/674/.A9. This set reproduces the text and field notes that accompanied Audubon’s famous drawings.

(Note: Original Watercolor Plates by John James Audubon for the Birds of North America is located at Oversize (O) QL/674/.A9.

The Birds of North America. Location: Reference QL/674/.A9 Produced by Cornell University, these Individual pamphlets summarizing current knowledge of North American birds; each a pamphlet describes a particular type of bird. A paper index to the entire set is included in the volume 18 box.

Handbook of the Birds of the World. Location: Reference QL/673/.H265. Multi-volume set that provides detailed information on taxonomy, distribution, description, habitat, food, breeding, movement, status and conservation of birds. Emphasis is on worldwide species. Each volume has its own index.

Find Circulating Books in the HCCLRC:

All books are located on the library’s mezzanine floor.

QL 671- 676.8 General works on ornithology and introductory works on birding

QL 677- 691 Bird identification guides (listed by geographical areas starting with more general areas, such as the eastern United States and then moving to more specific areas, such as North Carolina)

QL 696/A2- Books on birds of prey (eagles, falcons, hawks, etc.) and waterfowl (ducks/geese)

QL 696/.F36

QL696.G2- Books on individual species such as owls, warblers, woodpeckers; books on bird songs QL 698.9 and bird migrations

Find Circulating Magazines in the HCCLRC:

The HCCLRC subscribes to the following ornithology-related magazines; current magazines are located on the wall mounted magazine shelf racks. Back issues of these magazines are located beneath the wall racks and in the plastic boxes adjacent to the racks.

  • Audubon (and Audubon North Carolina)
  • Auk
  • Birder’s World
  • Condor
  • Living Bird
  • WIldbird

  • The Wilson Journal of Ornithology

    Find Articles/Reference Resources / Videos in NCLIVE:

Type your search terms in to the NCLIVE database search program or search for a particular magazine title in NCLIVE. Read the abstract (that’s the symbol at the end of the title line with a magnifying glass) to see if the article meets your needs, and then look for the “HTML Full Text” symbol at the bottom of the entry. If you need help searching NCLIVE, please ask a librarian.

NCLIVE resources include the following magazines:

Birder’s World – articles from 6/1/2001 to the current date

South Dakota Bird Notes- articles from 3/1/2008 to the current date