Join us to celebrate the publication of The Stokes Guide to Finches of the United States and Canada, a book project that began in August 2020 at the Harris Center, when Harris Center Naturalist Emeritus Meade Cadot alerted Lillian Stokes to a flock of gritting Red Crossbills. Lillian studied, recorded, and bonded with the flock, then sent her recordings to finch expert Matt Young, who used the crossbill calls to decode the birds’ geographic origins. Lillian and Matt then worked together to write this first-ever book on the finches of the United States and Canada, which advance reviews have hailed as “the best bird book of the year.”

In a lively, information-packed talk featuring stunning photography, they will introduce you to the 43 finches of the United States and Canada, from feeder-favorite goldfinches and Red Crossbill tribes to little-known mountaintop Black Rosy-Finches and endangered Hawaiian Finches. Refreshments and a book signing will follow the talk.

3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Harris Center. Space is limited, and registration is required. For more information, including questions about accessibility, contact Phil Brown.

Lillian Stokes is an award-winning author and photographer who produced 35 Stokes Guides with her husband Don, including the bestselling Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America, the Stokes Field Guide to Birds: Eastern and Western Regions, the Stokes Beginner’s Guide to Birds, and the Stokes Backyard Nature Books. Lillian was also the producer and co-host of two national PBS birdwatching TV series seen by 40 million viewers.

Matthew Young is the Founder and Board President of the Finch Research Network. Widely recognized as a preeminent authority on finches of North America, he has written finch species accounts for Breeding Bird Atlases and Birds of the World, and published several papers on finches and the Red Crossbill vocal complex. He has also worked on multiple projects for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, including Voices of Hawaii’s Birds, Merlin Bird ID, and the Lab’s first Irruptive Finch Survey in 1999.

Co-sponsored by the Harris Center for Conservation Education and the Toadstool Bookshop. Finch photo © Alan Murphy Photography. Additional photos courtesy of the authors.