Book excerpt: Bent's Life Histories series is the most comprehensive and reliable collection of information ever compiled on the behavior of birds -- a must for ornithologists, amateur bird-watchers, naturalists and anyone for whom an involvement with birds doesn't end with identification. Bent gives careful, detailed resumes of virtually everything known about the life-cycles and habits of hundreds of birds: field marks and plumage, courtship, nesting, care of young, voice, enemies, food, migration, eggs, winter ranges, and many other topic. In addition, each volume is profusely illustrated with live photographs. It is unlikely that a work of such thoroughness (originally published under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution) will ever be superseded or even equalled. The volumes will serve perpetually both as essential reference works and as superlative introductions to the world of birds. 59 species including whippoorwills, nighthawks, pauraque, parrots, kingfishers, swifts, anis, the trogon, roadrunners, poowills, many more. Coverage of nesting, courtship, food habits, enemies, voice, winter habits and more.