Birds of Montana is the first comprehensive reference on the state's birds since Saunders published A Distributional List of the Birds of Montana in 1921, and it is the only work that provides a thorough review of the status, distribution, relative abundance, ecology, and conservation of the 433 bird species that have been found in the state since Montana entered the Union in 1889.
Introductory chapters describe Montana's geography, topography, and habitat types; thoroughly review the vast historical literature on the state's birds beginning with the journals of Lewis and Clark; and summarize conservation issues and actions that will affect the health of bird populations for decades to come. Detailed species accounts provide a range map for selected species and summarize information under the subheadings Status and Occurrence, Habitat, Conservation, Historical Notes, Contemporary Work, and Banded Birds.
A modern account of the status, biology, and conservation of Montana's birds is long overdue. Birds of Montana fills that need and will be a valuable reference that will increase the public's knowledge of the state's birds, enhance awareness of conservation issues affecting birds and their habitats, and establish a benchmark against which changes in Montana's bird populations can be measured in the future.
"[...] The three authors, all of whom hold graduate degrees in biology, have produced a truly comprehensive account of the birds of Montana that will be a go-to resource for anyone interested in Montana birds for decades."
– Ted R. Anderson, Ibis 161(3), July 2019