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Minnesota is fortunate to have a rich and valuable birding literature. Here are summaries of books which would form the basis for a good Minnesota birding library.
The Birds of Minnesota, Thomas S. Roberts, 1932, The University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota. The original and still definitive work on Minnesota's birds. This large, two-volume work includes 820 pages of authoritative text, 92 color plates by Alan Brooks, George Miksch Sutton, Walter A. Weber, Francis Lee Jaques, Walter Breckenridge, and Louis Agassiz Fuertes, plus over 600 black-and-white photographs and line drawings. All species found in Minnesota receive extensive treatment, discussing their general range, range in Minnesota, migration dates, nesting dates and nesting descriptions, food, field marks, as well as more general information. It is an informative and interesting work that has stood out as one of the finest state monographs ever published. Out of print for many years, still often available at larger used book stores.
Where to Find Birds in Minnesota, Kenneth D. Morrison and Josephine Daneman Herz, 1950, Itasca Press: The Webb Publishing Company, St. Paul, Minnesota. The first guide to bird finding in the United States, it is said this was the inspiration for Olin Sewall Pettingill's later works on bird finding in the U.S. This is a guide to 62 birding places in Minnesota, contributed by 49 different people (including Pettingill). The book divides the state into four regions: the southeast (30 locations), southwest (9 locations), northwest (12 locations) and northeast (11 locations). Sites can be as specific as a marsh on Twenty-fourth Avenue in Minneapolis, or as vague as Eastern Kittson County. One location is even in North Dakota. While certainly interesting and informative, more recent publications have made this booklet obsolete.
Birds in Minnesota, Robert B. Janssen, 1987, The University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Published as both a hardbound and soft cover, this book deals with the status of Minnesota's birds, and was intended as an update to Janssen and Jan Green's original 1975 "Minnesota Birds: When, Where and How Many." This work is intended to keep the official record of Minnesota's birds up to date and to provide a continuous stream of data from T. S. Roberts' day to the present. Expected to be revised in the near future.
A Birder's Guide to Minnesota, Third Edition, Kim R. Eckert, 1994, Williams Publications Inc., Plymouth, Minnesota. Issued as both a softcover and special edition hard cover, this is the book on bird finding in the state. This third, expanded edition follows the format of the previous editions (first plublished in 1974), but increases the number of specific locations referenced to over 800. Its 256 pages of informative text and over 200 accompanying maps make this most recent guide indispensable for anyone looking to increase his knowledge of Minnesota's birding places.
Birding Minnesota, Jay Michael Strangis, 1996, Falcon Press Publishing Co. Inc., Helena, Montana. Currently available only in soft cover, this is the latest book devoted to birding in Minnesota. The majority of the book offers information on 37 specific birding areas around the state, giving general and sometimes specific directions to the more sought-after species. Each of these locations is given a map, all of which are well done and easy to follow. A separate chapter has range maps to 122 of Minnesota's "choice species." Included in the back of the book is a checklist separated into Regular, Casual, and Accidental species. In print but not easy to find.
Minnesota has two periodicals which deal with birds and birding activities in the state. The Loon reports the state's ornithological data, and has kept such a record, uninterrupted, since 1929, when it was known as The Flicker. The first issue to be called The Loon was March 1964, not long after the Common Loon had become the official State bird. In each issue, The Loon publishes articles, short notes of interest and a seasonal report of the status, distribution, nesting, abundance, and occurrence of birds in the state, as recorded and reported by many contributors around Minnesota. The Loon is issued four times a year to all Minnesota Ornithologists' Union members. Anthony Hertzel is editor. Minnesota Birding (originally called The Newsletter, then the MOUthpiece) is issued bi-monthly to all MOU members. It is the official newsletter of the Minnesota Ornithologists' Union. Jim and Jude Williams are co-editors.
The Minnesota Ornithologists' Union maintains two telephone hot lines which can be called 24 hours a day for reports on bird activity and sightings of rare or unusual birds. Each hot line has an editor. Reports are updated weekly or more often if needed. The Twin Cities hot line covers the entire state. It can be reached by calling (612) 780-8890. Anthony Hertzel is editor. The Duluth hot line covers Duluth and the North Shore. It can be reached by calling (218) 525-5952. Kim Eckert is editor.