Our Favorite Things: Holiday Book Gift List for Birders

Are you in search of the perfect Holiday gift for your favorite birder (including yourself)? Well, look no further—Our Favorite Things: Holiday Book Gift List is the perfect solution!

We’re truly amazed with the broad scope of genres Our Favorite Things covers, which will appeal not only to birders but also to the bird curious, nature enthusiasts, and book lovers alike. The list covers subjects that include Birding, History, Memoirs, Photography, Poetry, Self-help, and Travel. There are also selections that are perfect for young birders (and the young at heart). In addition, the list features folklore tales that tie in bird themed allegories!

Below is a snapshot of the books from our list:

History

In Birders of Africa: History of a Network, Nancy J. Jacobs offers a historical perspective on the critical, yet overlooked role local guides played in contributing to the field of ornithological research in Africa. The author posits that “if finding one’s way to nature through birds makes someone a birder, then people all over Africa have historically qualified as birders.”

Travel

Catherine Ngarachu is the founding editor of Kenya Birding, the only magazine dedicated to birding in Kenya. Catherine’s wealth of knowledge shines through in her book 50 Top Birding Sites in Kenya. This compact birding guide features beautiful images of birds, detailed maps of sites where you’re likely to spot those birds, along with tips for planning your next trip to Kenya!

Poetry

J. Drew Lanham’s Sparrow Envy Field Guide to Birds and Lesser Beasts grabs the reader from the beginning, with the opening poem Considering Birds where his observations of the behavior of the heron and the sparrow encourages the reader to have faith, not delay, and take action! As an added bonus to this book, J. Drew Lanham generously includes his Nine Rules for the Black Birder starting with “Be prepared to be confused with other black birders.” Believe us when we say that that rule and the other eight rules of this manifesto are all FACTS!!!

We encourage you to support these authors as well as the other authors on Our Favorite Things list at Bookshop.org, which is a certified B Corp whose mission is to help local, independent bookstores thrive in the age of ecommerce with 80% of its profit margin going to those bookstores.*

This is particularly important at this time with increasing calls for us to be mindful of how and where we spend our dollars—especially during this Holiday Season.

If for some reason one of the books on our list is not available on Bookshop.org, as an alternative, please be sure to contact your local, independent bookstore directly as soon as possible to place your order and receive it in time for Holiday gift giving.

It is our hope that the books from Our Favorite Things remind those who receive them as a gift this Holiday to always look to the sky, stay inspired, and celebrate Black voices in nature!

Happy Birding and Reading!

Beija Flor Travel, Inc.

*PLEASE NOTE: Beija Flor Travel, Inc. is an affiliate of Bookshop.org and will earn a small commission if you click through that platform and make a purchase.