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Rating: 
Summary: "Hawaii Birds" Card -- Useful But Sad
Review: I recently went on a trip to Hawaii, and, having an interest in birds, I wanted to be able to take an identification guide with me that wouldn't take up too much room. Being a fold-out, laminated thing made out of card-stock, this fit the bill perfectly. I was able to keep it in my purse and didn't have to worry about it getting crushed or ruined by spills. It does have pictures of all the most common birds, as well as their length and some (but not all, which was a bummer) have images of both sexes which is nice. I was lucky enough to spot zebra and spotted doves, a resplendent male red junglefowl (don't let the name fool you, it looks just like your garden-variety chicken), a red-crested cardinal, red-vented bulbul, house finch, common fairy tern, and several others. I didn't get into the rainforest while I was there, but if I did, this guide would come with me. It is a wonderful buy, and even if you don't agree, it's only six dollars. One thing I would like is that there was a little more information about the birds, but this is after all just a pocket guide.
Rating: 
Summary: Great for travel
Review: I recently went on a trip to Hawaii, and, having an interest in birds, I wanted to be able to take an identification guide with me that wouldn't take up too much room. Being a fold-out, laminated thing made out of card-stock, this fit the bill perfectly. I was able to keep it in my purse and didn't have to worry about it getting crushed or ruined by spills. It does have pictures of all the most common birds, as well as their length and some (but not all, which was a bummer) have images of both sexes which is nice. I was lucky enough to spot zebra and spotted doves, a resplendent male red junglefowl (don't let the name fool you, it looks just like your garden-variety chicken), a red-crested cardinal, red-vented bulbul, house finch, common fairy tern, and several others. I didn't get into the rainforest while I was there, but if I did, this guide would come with me. It is a wonderful buy, and even if you don't agree, it's only six dollars. One thing I would like is that there was a little more information about the birds, but this is after all just a pocket guide.
Rating:
Summary: "Hawaii Birds" Card -- Useful But Sad
Review: This 22"x8.5" "Pocket Naturalist" card folds into six two-sided panels of about 3.5"x8.5". It's copyrighted 2003. Overall, I think it serves the purpose stated in its subtitle: "An Introduction to Familiar Species." The paintings are fairly easy to grasp, both common and scientific names are given, maximum lengths are indicated, and some birds have helpful notes (e.g., for ring-necked duck, "bill has a white ring"). I count 142 different species or subspecies. The last panel has 22 "birding hotspots and sanctuaries" on 4 islands. It's not intended for serious birding, but birdwatchers may wish to carry it to show non-birders what they are supposed to be seeing.If I could advise the author and Waterford Press, I would suggest: (1) Update the common names and species according to the "Checklist of the Birds of Hawaii - 2002" that is available on the Hawaii Audubon Society Web site. For example: "Warbling Silverbill (Lonchura malabarica) has been changed to African Silverbill (Lonchura cantans)." (2) Add more native Hawaiian names for the birds. (3) Delete birds that are fairly common all over the U.S. (e.g., mallards, rock doves [pigeons], and house sparrows). (4) Add a note or code to indicate which of the remaining species are endangered or threatened.* For example, Hawaiian Goose (Nene), Hawaiian Duck (Koloa), Hawaii Petrel ('Ua'u), Newell's Shearwater ('A'o), Hawaiian Coot ('Alae Ke'oke'o), Black-Necked Stilt (the subspecies listed is the Hawaiian Stilt, A'eo), Peregrine Falcon, Hawaiian Hawk ('Io), Hawaiian Crow ('Alala), 'Oloma'o, Kama'o, Puaiohi, Kauai 'O'o, 'O'u, Palila, Maui Parrotbill, Nukupu'u, 'Akepa, Hawaii Creeper, Oahu Creeper, 'Akohekohe, and Po'ouli are endemic birds that fall into this category. (5) Add the 'Oma'o (Hawai'i Thrush, Myadestes obscurus) and 'Akikiki (Kauai Creeper, Oreomystis bairdi), which are non-threatened endemic* Hawaiian birds found on the Big Island and Kauai respectively. Also add the endemic 'Elepaio (Chasiempis sandwichensis), whose Hawai'i and Kaua'i subspecies are not threatened. Buy this from Amazon.com! * BTW, it's sad that so few Hawaiian birds that are endemic (i.e., that evolved and breed in Hawaii but nowhere else) are neither threatened nor endangered. Besides the 'Oma'o, 'Akikiki, and 'Elepaio mentioned above, the ones on the card are: Hawaiian Noddy (Anous minutus melanogenys, native name Noio, a subspecies of Black Noddy); Hawaiian Owl (Pueo); 'Anianiau; various 'Amakihi's; Maui 'Alauahio (Paroreomyza montana newtoni, a.k.a. Maui Creeper); 'Akeke'e; 'I'iwi; and 'Apapane. The other birds neither threatened nor endangered are human-introduced "aliens," indigenous (i.e., arrived and established themselves on their own), or just visitors.
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