Published by the Central Valley Bird Club, Sacramento County Breeding Birds: A Tale of Two Atlases and Three Decades of Change compares the results of two Breeding Bird Atlases for Sacramento County conducted nearly 30 years apart and looks at changes in breeding bird status and distribution in the context of dramatic changes in land use.
Ed Pandolfino, Lily Douglas, Tim Manolis, and Chris Conard focus on the most significant changes with chapters on changes in land use and climate, new and lost breeders, and species showing significant changes in range or habitat use. The results for every species are displayed on individual pages with maps and charts. The changes are also put into the perspective of regional and range-wide trends. The bottom line from this comparison is not a story of “doom and gloom” but a testament to the amazing resiliency and adaptability of birds.
The book is filled with original art by Barry MacKay and coauthor Tim Manolis. It will be reviewed in an upcoming issue of Western Birds.