Maynard Reece brings to this book a lifetime of experience sketching and painting birds in the prairies, mountains, and deserts of North America. Filled with light and movement, each of the eighty-four richly detailed paintings, watercolors, pencil drawings, and lithographs evokes a particular scene that shows the habits and activities of the birds in their natural environments - flying, feeding, courting, and nesting. Keeping in mind that most upland birds are seen in the air rather than on the ground, Reece often paints them from the sportsman's view. Among the many memorable images are a covey of bobwhites exploding from cover, ring-necked pheasants speeding away over a snowy cornfield, wild turkey gobblers strutting in their full plumage, grouse flushing through the alders, and California quail running up rocky terrain.The extraordinary illustrations are complemented by Reece's informative descriptions, entertaining anecdotes, and lively observations of bird behavior, giving the reader an intimate and insightful perspective on the subject and making it a pleasure to learn about the various species. Read Less