Arctic birds

A Children's Guide to Arctic Birds
by Mia Pelletier
illustrated by Danny Christopher


There are nearly 200 species of birds that nest in the Arctic. This is a guide to twelve of them: the thick-billed murre, arctic tern, red phalarope, common eider, long-tailed duck, tundra swan, gyrfalcon, snowy owl, common raven, rock ptarmigan, red-throated loon, and snow bunting. Each double-page spread reveals a dramatic picture, the bird's Inuktitut name, its length and wingspan, its nesting location, its prey, and its song. Also included is a description of nesting materials, the number of eggs the bird usually lays, what the chick looks like, where the bird spends the winter, and an interesting feathered fact. Two very helpful pages show pictures of the different eggs and a bird size comparison picture.

Well-organized, clearly written, with a nice, clean layout and attractive cover. A useful and appealing book.